0:00:03 > 0:00:07According to police figures, more than 3,500 theft incidents
0:00:07 > 0:00:10are reported every day in the UK.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13I knew it was bad but I didn't think it was that bad.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16But have you ever wondered what happens to our belongings
0:00:16 > 0:00:17when they're stolen?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Thief Trackers tells the story of where they go.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25We're hiding satellite tracking devices inside a range of
0:00:25 > 0:00:30desirable everyday items like cameras, smartphones and bicycles
0:00:30 > 0:00:32to trace the looters' footsteps.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34The thieves may think they've got away with it,
0:00:34 > 0:00:36but we're tracking their every move.
0:00:36 > 0:00:41With secret filming, CCTV and police raid footage,
0:00:41 > 0:00:43we'll get an insight into the criminal mind-set...
0:00:43 > 0:00:45No, honestly, I don't know!
0:00:45 > 0:00:48..and uncover the unseen journey that our treasured possessions
0:00:48 > 0:00:49take when they're stolen.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Today, we're on the trail of an opportunist thief who's stolen
0:01:01 > 0:01:06our tablet computer - not realising there's a GPS tracker inside.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08This bloke's sneaky. He doesn't look like a pro -
0:01:08 > 0:01:10he's seen it and he's gone for it.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Plus, we're on the case with the tracking experts
0:01:14 > 0:01:16and the police as they bring crooks to book...
0:01:16 > 0:01:17I think we've got it.
0:01:17 > 0:01:1920 seconds of movement.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21It's in that thing - they've opened it.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27..and it'll be no teddy bear's picnic for one heartless graveside robber
0:01:27 > 0:01:29who's in for a big surprise.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30I hate him.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32I really hate him.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34And I just hope he can't live with himself.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43The last few years have seen a rising trend in personal electronic devices
0:01:43 > 0:01:48and now, almost half the UK population owns a tablet computer.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52But sadly, the popularity of these fashionable media devices
0:01:52 > 0:01:55also makes them a prime target for petty thieves.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Former Metropolitan Police Inspector Keith Farquharson
0:01:59 > 0:02:02is helping us with our investigation.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08The value from the average theft of a person has just topped £250.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10This is because of the higher cost of the items
0:02:10 > 0:02:13that we're carrying on us, like tablets and smartphones.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16The difficulty is, once property is stolen,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19it is very difficult to trace its whereabouts...
0:02:19 > 0:02:20unless, of course,
0:02:20 > 0:02:25you've fitted your tablet with a GPS tracker like this one.
0:02:25 > 0:02:31Professor Marek Ziebart is an expert in the field of satellite technology.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35It uses a technology known as GPS - the global positioning system -
0:02:35 > 0:02:40and the core of that technology is the ability of this device to
0:02:40 > 0:02:44measure the range from here to orbiting satellites.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Those satellites will be about 20,000km away.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Actual GPS data is used in a forensic sense -
0:02:52 > 0:02:55we call it forensic GPS. Actually, it's a way of putting
0:02:55 > 0:02:59criminals directly behind bars because we can prove that they
0:02:59 > 0:03:03were at a particular place at a particular time.
0:03:03 > 0:03:04That's all well and good,
0:03:04 > 0:03:09but even a small tracker like that is a bit big for a slimline tablet.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13We've had this one specially made with a tracking device
0:03:13 > 0:03:17inserted inside the electronics of the tablet.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20So, by integrating the tracker, it will send out a signal
0:03:20 > 0:03:22whenever someone turns on the tablet.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Now it's fitted, we're heading off to a suitable testing ground.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32We've chosen to run this tablet scenario in the neighbourhood
0:03:32 > 0:03:34of Soho - part of the London Borough of Westminster - the borough
0:03:34 > 0:03:37with the highest crime rate in London.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42In fact, this warren of streets also boasts the capital's highest figure
0:03:42 > 0:03:47for thefts from the person, with almost 900 such crimes per year.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52We're setting up our surveillance at a cafe in the heart of the West End.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56It's a very busy area, lots of people passing through
0:03:56 > 0:03:58and lots of opportunity for theft.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04One of our team settles down outside, posing as a customer.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06She'll be chatting on her phone
0:04:06 > 0:04:09and using the tablet computer at the table.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14This is an all too familiar sight in cafes and bars across the country.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18This is not entrapment, since we don't want to confront a thief.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21All we want to do is find out where our possessions go
0:04:21 > 0:04:23once they're stolen.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26We have two hidden cameras ready to catch the action -
0:04:26 > 0:04:29one inside the cafe and one across the street.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33All that's left for us to do now is wait.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Our researcher is joined by a friend and the two young women
0:04:41 > 0:04:46are soon enjoying a good natter, just like we all do at our local cafe.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48It's at moments of distraction like this
0:04:48 > 0:04:51when our possessions are at their most vulnerable.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54The afternoon passes by.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57So far, there's been no attempt to snatch the tablet.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03As we head into early evening,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07one character wanders around the corner and slowly up the street.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Now he doubles back and here he is again, just metres from the table.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20He's mingling in with the crowd, asking for a cigarette
0:05:20 > 0:05:22and trying not to look too conspicuous.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25But he definitely has his eye on the tablet.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32He looks shifty as he sidles up to the girls.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36As he gets closer, he blocks the view from our cafe camera...
0:05:38 > 0:05:40..but we can still see him here waiting
0:05:40 > 0:05:43until the girls are completely distracted.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45There - he's gone for it...
0:05:47 > 0:05:49..and he's off into the twilight.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Using the GPS tracker, we can now pick up the trail
0:05:53 > 0:05:56of the tablet computer as the thief strides away.
0:05:59 > 0:06:05Later on Thief Trackers - our close encounter with the tablet thief...
0:06:05 > 0:06:07My guess is he's looking for a buyer for the tablet.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11..and we trace its footsteps on a journey to the outskirts of London.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Theft of any kind can leave emotional scars on its victims,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24but some acts of robbery go beyond the pale.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27This is Farnworth, near Bolton in Lancashire.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31The scene of a callous and petty theft.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37I don't think you can get any lower
0:06:37 > 0:06:38than stealing off a grave.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42A crime so deplorable it broke a mother's heart.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45I felt really sick and it made me feel poorly.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49But she was determined to bring the thief to justice
0:06:49 > 0:06:53with the help of a tracking device and a teddy bear.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57That was like, wow, we've got him!
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Joan Holland's teenage son Andrew was murdered in 2007,
0:07:05 > 0:07:10stabbed during a row outside a takeaway shop in Farnworth.
0:07:10 > 0:07:11As he lay dying,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15the killer walked back into the takeaway to collect his pizza.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18He was arrested and given a life sentence.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Andrew was 16 when he died.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Loved his animals. He loved his family...
0:07:29 > 0:07:31..fishing.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Full of life - he'd speak to anybody.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Just a really nice, outgoing lad.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Joan had always taken great comfort
0:07:40 > 0:07:43from tending her late son's graveside.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48We put on Andrew's grave, like, ornaments, flowers,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52his nieces and nephews would take toys down,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55solar lights, cos I never wanted him to be left in the dark.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59We even put his fishing reel on.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04While still in the early days of grieving,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Joan suffered another nasty shock.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Things started going missing off Andrew's grave
0:08:12 > 0:08:15about six months after he died,
0:08:15 > 0:08:16and that was his fishing reel.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20That really sickened me.
0:08:20 > 0:08:25It made me feel angry that somebody could even do that.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28It's just something you don't even think about.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33It's certainly an appalling crime, but this was not an isolated case.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Across the UK, bereaved families have suffered the shock of having
0:08:36 > 0:08:40tributes stolen from their loved ones' graves.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44What's extraordinary about Joan's family is that they decided to
0:08:44 > 0:08:47fight back when the thief went too far.
0:08:49 > 0:08:50The last straw was...
0:08:52 > 0:08:53..Mother's Day.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56I got to the grave and there was nothing left on it at all.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I was devastated, I was heart-broke.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05So my son Martin decided that's it -
0:09:05 > 0:09:09we're not losing anything else off Andrew's grave,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11so he went out and bought a tracker.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16Their plan was to use a GPS tracker to identify the thief.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19In fact, Joan still has the very one that caught
0:09:19 > 0:09:21the despicable crook red-handed.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26With it being set up onto a computer and onto a mobile phone,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30it shows you a map of where it's being moved to.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34The question was, where should they hide it?
0:09:34 > 0:09:37We came up with the idea to put it in a teddy bear,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40which I thought was an absolutely brilliant idea.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43It was easy to disguise
0:09:43 > 0:09:46if whoever picked it up wouldn't be able to shake it and feel it.
0:09:48 > 0:09:53The family set their trap one Friday afternoon in April 2014
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and now it was just a waiting game.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59But by the Saturday, the stress of the situation was affecting Joan.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04I just felt really ill, so I'd gone to bed and turned my phone off.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09After about two hours, I got up and switched my phone back on
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and my friend Michaela had been ringing me -
0:10:12 > 0:10:15I had about 15 missed phone calls off her.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17It seems while Joan was resting,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20the Bolton graverobber had struck once again...
0:10:21 > 0:10:26..totally unaware that by moving the bear he'd activated a motion sensor
0:10:26 > 0:10:28that triggered the GPS tracker.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33The family could now follow his every step, right to his door.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37He took a route out of St Michael's Church onto Green Lane...
0:10:37 > 0:10:41onto Harper Green Road.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44He's passed my house with the teddy bear,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46onto Market Street,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48up to where he lives.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50The thief's meandering route took him
0:10:50 > 0:10:53through Farnworth to the neighbouring town.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57I had a phone call from Joan's sons to say the tracking device
0:10:57 > 0:11:02had gone to a house in Kearsley and did I know where it was.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05I couldn't get up to Kearsley fast enough, because I knew
0:11:05 > 0:11:08if I didn't turn up there, then the lads would've just gone
0:11:08 > 0:11:11through the door and God knows what would've happened.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16We got there and we were knocking on the door, banging on the door.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18He just wouldn't open it,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22but we knew that the teddy bear with the tracker in it was definitely
0:11:22 > 0:11:26in there, because it was just pointing to his house and flashing.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29There was three or four bins outside of his house,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32so I decided to have a look in one.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36There was wreaths, solar lights,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39flowers off graves...
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Um, it just knocked me sick.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45That's when I phoned the police
0:11:45 > 0:11:49and I said somebody needs to get down there ASAP.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Joan's teddy bear tracker seemed to have done its job,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54gathering useful evidence.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58When the police went in and found the teddy bear,
0:11:58 > 0:12:03they said it was like an Aladdin's cave - full of ornaments off graves.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Unbelievably, it seems the thief had used the graveside plunder
0:12:09 > 0:12:12as bizarre romantic gestures.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15He'd give his girlfriend the ornaments and that
0:12:15 > 0:12:18off different people's graves as presents -
0:12:18 > 0:12:20he said he got them from a car-boot sale.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Staggering, but you heard right -
0:12:24 > 0:12:27he stole graveside ornaments and gave them
0:12:27 > 0:12:30to his girlfriend as presents.
0:12:30 > 0:12:31How dark is that?
0:12:33 > 0:12:34I hate him.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36I really hate him...
0:12:36 > 0:12:38and I just hope he can't live with himself.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Thanks to Joan's initiative,
0:12:42 > 0:12:47the teddy bear was the last of his somewhat inappropriate love tokens.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50The crook was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53People were coming up to me and shaking me hand
0:12:53 > 0:12:57and doing high fives and just really excited
0:12:57 > 0:13:00that somebody had been caught for stealing off a grave.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Let's return to our very own surveillance operation
0:13:10 > 0:13:15in London's hot spot for personal theft, the Borough of Westminster.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Earlier, we fitted a GPS tracker inside this tablet computer.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Then, a crafty Soho street thief pounced on it and snatched it,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26unaware that our cameras captured his every move.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29The thief in this particular crime scene,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32he looks quite nervous, he's not prepared his crime, he's not walked
0:13:32 > 0:13:36through to see the crime scene - it looks like he's just been a pure
0:13:36 > 0:13:40opportunist who's looked, seen the tablet and decided to take it.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44The tablet thief disappeared into the twilight, shortly followed by our
0:13:44 > 0:13:49camera to see if he might try to pass on the stolen tablet to a handler.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53But the crook took advantage of the Soho crowds
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and melted into the background.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Even with the data, we weren't certain of his route.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Then, to our surprise, we came face-to-face with the thief.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06We didn't want to confront him
0:14:06 > 0:14:09and backed off to avoid raising suspicion.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13Once again, he mingled with the crowds and gave us the slip.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Time to let the tracker do its job.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22The tracking device has got onboard communications technology.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24That means you can effectively talk to it.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27You can send it a message saying, "Well, where are you right now?"
0:14:27 > 0:14:32Provided the device is connected to 3G or a Wi-Fi network,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34then the device can talk back to you, saying,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37"This is where I am - come and get me."
0:14:37 > 0:14:41We can see from the data that he continued his journey north,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44towards the busy thoroughfare of Oxford Street.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Our crime expert Keith picks up the trail.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Half an hour after the theft, he's got to Tottenham Court Road.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Tottenham Court Road is well-known for electrical shops,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57which both buy and sell electrical items.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00The signal shows the thief walking up the road,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04seemingly looking for a buyer or a shop to sell the tablet to.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Finally, he came to a halt.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Within an hour of the original theft, the data showed that
0:15:09 > 0:15:13the tablet was in an electrical shop which is less than half a mile from
0:15:13 > 0:15:15the original site of the theft.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Here the signal remains static.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21We paid a discreet visit to the shop the next day and sure enough,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23the stolen tablet was on display.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28Clearly the thief had been successful in selling it on for a quick profit.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Ideally, when buying it, they'd ask for proof of ownership - a receipt,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34perhaps a credit card bill that they were bought on, and certainly take
0:15:34 > 0:15:39the serial number of that particular item for their books for re-sale.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42As we hadn't reported the theft and the tablet didn't have
0:15:42 > 0:15:46a password lock, the shop would have had no idea that it was stolen.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Four days after the theft, the tracker kicked into action again.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58It moves to Norwood, which is an area in South London.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01It stays there for a couple of weeks but the signal's intermittent,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04showing that it's goes from building to building, which may be
0:16:04 > 0:16:07in lawful possession - somebody just going about their lawful business.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10It seems someone had innocently bought our tablet,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13unaware that they were buying stolen goods.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19We decided to return to the shop to find out who they had bought it from.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23The first thing we check is if there is any lock on the product
0:16:23 > 0:16:26or not and if there is a lock, then we'll ask the customer
0:16:26 > 0:16:29to unlock the product first and if they can't unlock the product,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31then we won't buy the product off them.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36We had no password lock so there was nothing to stop him selling it.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40We take their photo ID. It's either a driving licence or passport,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44with proof of address as well, and we put all that data in the system.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Unless you've got the ID on you, we won't buy a product off you.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52With an ID check complete, the staff looked up the tablet's serial number
0:16:52 > 0:16:56on a database that gives background reports on consumer electronics.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01We did do a serial check on that product on that particular day.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03I've got that CheckMEND report on me as well.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05It's got the serial number written on the top,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07it identifies the manufacturer as Samsung
0:17:07 > 0:17:09and then it tells you the history.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13You see all these ticks there - ever been lost or ever been stolen,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17insurance claim, and it says everything's clear.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19The shop did all they could to establish
0:17:19 > 0:17:22the legitimacy of the seller and the device.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26But in an amazing twist, the tracker signalled one more time
0:17:26 > 0:17:30that the tablet had in fact returned to the shop.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33So, that's the Samsung tablet which was stolen off you.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35The customer said that, basically,
0:17:35 > 0:17:37the tablet wasn't turning on any more,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40so we booked the tablet in, we refunded them, the customer,
0:17:40 > 0:17:44their money and we took the tablet to Samsung.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47They said that they can't work on the tablet
0:17:47 > 0:17:51because the tablet was fiddled around with in the past.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Fiddled around with?
0:17:53 > 0:17:56That's probably us when we had a tracker fitted inside!
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Since it's possible for a shop in all innocence to sell a stolen item
0:18:01 > 0:18:04to a new owner, what can we do as consumers to check that
0:18:04 > 0:18:08second-hand electrical goods are legitimate?
0:18:08 > 0:18:11You can check by asking the seller for proof of purchase,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14a receipt, a credit card bill for when they originally brought it.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17It's perfectly reasonably to do that from a seller.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Police recommend that consumers should consider registering
0:18:20 > 0:18:25personal electrical items with online databases such as Immobilise
0:18:25 > 0:18:28or CheckMEND, so if anything is ever stolen,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31there's a better chance of it being tracked down.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33Of course, the name,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36address and photo ID of the man who sold the tablet to the shop
0:18:36 > 0:18:40are still on record and are available to the authorities
0:18:40 > 0:18:42along with our surveillance footage,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45so there's a good chance that another crook could soon
0:18:45 > 0:18:47be taken off the streets of London.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Technology is making a big difference in the fight against crime.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00There are now dozens of tracking companies assisting
0:19:00 > 0:19:03police in the search for stolen items.
0:19:05 > 0:19:06Meet Bill Taylor,
0:19:06 > 0:19:10a thief tracker whose company specialises in motorcycle recovery.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13It's the only place I'm getting a signal.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15He's close to the end of a very long search,
0:19:15 > 0:19:19but with backup from the police, he's hoping to recover a stolen motorbike.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21It's in that thing - they've opened it.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24All being well, they'll catch the bike thieves
0:19:24 > 0:19:26just when they think they've got away with it.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28I don't know. No, honestly, I don't know.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31But what brought Bill and the police to this location in the first place?
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Let's rewind a few days.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Bill is on his way to Hackney, East London.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45He's searching for a stolen motorbike worth £16,000.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50On Friday, a BMW GS 1,200 Adventure was stolen.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54We're heading down to a place just off the A10 where we believe
0:19:54 > 0:19:57the bike's currently parked up at the moment.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Around 23,000 motorbikes are stolen each year in the UK.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07It may be no surprise that half of them are pinched in London.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11The bike was stolen from a parking bay in Islington, North London,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14but thankfully, it was fitted with a hi-tech tracker.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19The unit has lost GPS so it could be in a building.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Chances are it's going to be in a van.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24This tracker is advanced.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28It uses GPS, but if that signal is blocked or fails for any reason,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32the motorbike can still be tracked via a radio signal.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38It's this signal that's led Bill to the Hoxton area of the city.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44He must now comb the streets, seeking out the radio frequency
0:20:44 > 0:20:46using a hand-held tracking wand.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49So, garages, vans, lock-ups...
0:20:51 > 0:20:55..anything where a bike could be hidden at the moment.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Back at HQ, his colleague Andrew is helping to navigate
0:20:59 > 0:21:01the maze of streets in the target zone.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09I'm at the end...at the end of Weymouth Terrace.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11TRACKER BLEEPS
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Bill finally picks up the tracker's signal.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17He narrows it down and the bleeps become stronger...
0:21:24 > 0:21:25Oh, bloody hell, yes.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32..eventually leading him to a set of garages.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34That's quite loud, isn't it?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40That's what we're looking for, so...
0:21:43 > 0:21:44I reckon it's behind that door.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Time to continue the search on foot
0:21:48 > 0:21:51and the cameras are advised to stay in the car
0:21:51 > 0:21:55to avoid raising suspicion, just in case the thieves are about.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59A few minutes later
0:21:59 > 0:22:03and it looks like Bill might have the result he's after.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05I've seen this before, so it'll be one big door and then,
0:22:05 > 0:22:09when you get through that door, there'll be about 20, 25 garages.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Once I'm in there I can then pinpoint it down
0:22:11 > 0:22:16to the right garage, but it's definitely in there.
0:22:17 > 0:22:18Let's call the police.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22As the motorbike is on private property,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Bill needs police backup to gain access.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30And once they arrive, they begin a search of the underground car park.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37The radio signal from the stolen motorbike is strong,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40but the bike itself is not visible.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43It's the other side of this wall.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46The motorbike seems to be in a garage that's locked.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Frustrations and unexpected developments like these are all
0:22:52 > 0:22:55part of the daily grind for trackers like Bill.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Unfortunately, there's more bad news to come.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01The Magistrate won't authorise an out-of-hours warrant
0:23:01 > 0:23:02for a stolen bike.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Different forces work different ways. OK.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07- All right, buddy.- Thank you.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10There's little Bill can do now but wait and hope that
0:23:10 > 0:23:15the stolen motorbike is moved so he can pick up its signal afresh.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17A little bit frustrating at the minute,
0:23:17 > 0:23:21because it takes time and I know I'm so close to the bike.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24It's just being able to try and get that last five yards, so to speak.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Two days later and there's a new development.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40Since we were on location in Hackney on Tuesday, we've had a bit
0:23:40 > 0:23:44of a development where the bike was actually moved late last night.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47It seems the bike has been moved from the garages overnight
0:23:47 > 0:23:50and it's heading east towards Essex.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55Often, motorbikes are stolen to order and shipped overseas.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Bill needs to act fast in case the bike is sent abroad,
0:23:59 > 0:24:01perhaps from the docks at Tilbury or Harwich.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05So, this first big building on my right?
0:24:05 > 0:24:06'OK.'
0:24:07 > 0:24:10After scouring the streets for half an hour,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12he narrows down the signal to some stables.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26Using the RF again, as we did in London, we've managed to, well,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29pick up a signal again. So I'm just going to go out on foot
0:24:29 > 0:24:31and see if I can get a stronger signal.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37It's a risky move as the bike hasn't long been moved,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39so it's possible the crooks may still be around.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45It's the only place I'm getting a signal, so...
0:24:56 > 0:24:59As searches of this kind often cross county borders,
0:24:59 > 0:25:04trackers rely on the assistance of various different constabularies,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07so the local police are providing backup.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10I can sort of show you why I think it's there
0:25:10 > 0:25:12and we can go from there, really.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17To avoid trespassing, Bill rides with the officers in their car.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24He's getting ever closer as the signal pinpoints the stolen bike
0:25:24 > 0:25:26to a locked container.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31But the police need a search warrant before they can open it up.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36While they discuss the next move, the tracker starts up,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38sending signals to Bill.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42I think we've got it.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48It's in that thing. They've opened it.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54It seems the motorbike is on the move again. They need to act quickly.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Yeah, I think they've just stuck it in the back of the van.
0:25:57 > 0:25:58I'll call you back.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Finally, Bill hits the jackpot.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Fantastic. Thank God he hadn't driven off.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09And a search of the yard reveals quite a haul.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13OK, the bike's been recovered in the back of a silver van.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17We've also found two additional bikes -
0:26:17 > 0:26:20we've got a BMW, which is confirmed to be stolen,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23and we've also got a KTM Superduke,
0:26:23 > 0:26:27which I don't believe the registration plate is theirs.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29So we've got an absolute result.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36This shipping container seems to be a makeshift workshop, with an engine,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40various tools and an assortment of spare parts scattered about.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Two of the gang made their escape as the police swooped,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45but a third wasn't quick enough.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07Police showed up...
0:27:07 > 0:27:09I think the police rattled their cages cos all of a sudden,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12they decided to start moving the bike. They got the guy's
0:27:12 > 0:27:14sat nav, so they've got the address of where the bike was
0:27:14 > 0:27:18in Jeffrey's Street, so if that marries up onto
0:27:18 > 0:27:21the sat nav, then we've found out how he got here.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24So it's great news - absolutely fantastic result.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28With a suspect cautioned and the stolen bike recovered,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Bill now has the happy job of calling the owner.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33How are you? All right? Hello, sir.
0:27:33 > 0:27:38You probably got a phone call last night that your bike had been moved.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42- 'Yes, I did.'- Well, you'll be pleased to hear that I've found it.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45As soon as the police have finished with it, you'll get your bike back.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Is that all right?
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Eventually the bikes are collected and taken away for forensic analysis.
0:27:57 > 0:28:02So, a good day's work for the police and the trackers.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04To get more than one bike and a potential ring...
0:28:04 > 0:28:07this is what I do my job for.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08Over the moon. Over the moon.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Just want to beat the traffic now.