0:00:00 > 0:00:03Bag snatchers, robberies and street crime.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06According to police figures more than
0:00:06 > 0:00:103,500 theft incidents are reported every day in the UK.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13They stole part of my life.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15But have you ever wondered what happens to our belongings
0:00:15 > 0:00:17when they're stolen?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Thief Trackers tells the story of where they go.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25We're hiding satellite tracking devices inside a range
0:00:25 > 0:00:30of desirable everyday items like cameras, smartphones and bicycles
0:00:30 > 0:00:32to trace the looters' footsteps.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35The thieves think they've got away with it
0:00:35 > 0:00:37but we're tracking their every move
0:00:37 > 0:00:41with secret filming, CCTV and police raid footage.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Police officers with a search warrant, open the door!
0:00:44 > 0:00:47We'll get an insight into the criminal mindset and uncover
0:00:47 > 0:00:50the unseen journeys that our treasured possessions take
0:00:50 > 0:00:51when they're stolen.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Today an opportunist thief makes off with our designer handbag,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04not realising there's a GPS tracker inside.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06It's a really busy street, lots of people about,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08but he doesn't seem to care that he's been seen -
0:01:08 > 0:01:10he's very sneaky, he's got a real nerve.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14It's disgusting. It's really, really, really disgusting.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17The risks of being a have-a-go hero,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19two cyclists share the dangers
0:01:19 > 0:01:22they faced while tracking their stolen bikes.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25I should have got hold of the police
0:01:25 > 0:01:28but it's only afterwards you realise that you were in danger.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And we're with the West Midlands Police as they
0:01:31 > 0:01:35attempt to recover property they believe to be stolen.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37One of the males has got three Xboxes
0:01:37 > 0:01:40and some other consoles which is a little bit unusual, you might expect
0:01:40 > 0:01:44him to have one, possibly two, but certainly not three or more.
0:01:46 > 0:01:52The UK handbag market is worth a whopping £1.2 billion,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54more than half the female population,
0:01:54 > 0:01:59that's 13.5 million women, bought a bag in 2013.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03The contents often make them highly valuable.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07My bag is probably worth about £600 including
0:02:07 > 0:02:10- the contents and the bag itself. - £300, probably -
0:02:10 > 0:02:14because the bag was quite expensive and then make-up is expensive
0:02:14 > 0:02:18and my phone, and my wallet, OK, maybe more.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20These desirable accessories
0:02:20 > 0:02:24and their contents make tempting targets for thieves.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Statistically there's roughly 1,600 bag thefts
0:02:27 > 0:02:30per day in the UK - that's quite a large number.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32The thief would take them
0:02:32 > 0:02:35to a spot fairly close to where the offence was committed,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39have a look through the bag, and take what's readily disposable and
0:02:39 > 0:02:42throw away the rest of it - and if it's a high value bag they may well
0:02:42 > 0:02:46hang on to that as well because it's anything they can make money off.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49This type of crime has more than financial repercussions.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53It is quite a lot of aggravation for the actual individual victim
0:02:53 > 0:02:55of these crimes and then the knock-on effect of having to
0:02:55 > 0:02:58change the locks on your house, getting a new driving licence,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00getting your credit cards barred.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Tracing a handbag once it's been snatched
0:03:04 > 0:03:06is an almost impossible task,
0:03:06 > 0:03:11unless you've fitted it with a GPS tracker like this.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14This tracking device has a small battery that can last up to
0:03:14 > 0:03:18two weeks depending on how many signals it sends out.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21The device can figure out its location - it can come up
0:03:21 > 0:03:24with a set of numbers that enable you to plot its position
0:03:24 > 0:03:27on a map and display that map on a computer screen.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32It does that by using GPS - the global positioning system.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35The basis of that technology is this device can make range
0:03:35 > 0:03:39measurements from here to satellites orbiting in space.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43We're hiding our tracker in a mid-range designer handbag
0:03:43 > 0:03:48costing around £170, and stitching it into the lining.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51It should be tempting enough for the average sneak thief.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59With the tracker fitted we set out for Soho in the West End of London.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Each year more than 800 thefts from the person take place here,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05accounting for half of the crimes of this kind
0:04:05 > 0:04:08for the whole of the Borough of Westminster.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12There are crime hot spots like this in towns and cities all over
0:04:12 > 0:04:16the UK, and we all know where they are where we live.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18This area has a very heavy footfall with hundreds
0:04:18 > 0:04:21if not thousands of people per hour walking through here.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24The types of crime we are looking at are opportunistic thieves
0:04:24 > 0:04:28which often operate singly or distraction-type thefts
0:04:28 > 0:04:31which would be done in pairs or in teams.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36A member of the Thief Trackers team settles down outside
0:04:36 > 0:04:39a restaurant in Soho with our bag clearly visible.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45We can now see from the data that the tracker is live.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51With our surveillance operation underway, it's just a matter of time.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58The chilly spring air soon has our victim wrapping up warm but
0:04:58 > 0:05:03she's behaving just as we all would when dropping by our favourite cafe.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07The idea of this operation is not to confront thieves - we just
0:05:07 > 0:05:11want to see where our belongings go once they've been stolen.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Now we're rolling, our overt cameras withdraw and we're left with
0:05:15 > 0:05:19these two hidden cameras plus the restaurants own CCTV.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25It's getting dark, no-one has shown any criminal intent
0:05:25 > 0:05:28towards the bag - but the street is becoming busier.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47He's clearly interested - and he's coming back for a second look.
0:05:51 > 0:05:5530 seconds later and he's here again, he can't keep away,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59it seems as though he's checking his escape route, perhaps
0:05:59 > 0:06:03waiting for the crowds to thin out before picking his moment to strike.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09He's sidled right up to the table,
0:06:09 > 0:06:14it'll take a brazen thief to grab it from there...but he does.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Our £170 designer handbag is nabbed
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and the thief slips away into the crowds.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Later on Thief Trackers we're on the trail of our stolen designer
0:06:29 > 0:06:33handbag on its journey through the London backstreets.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37It is quite shocking, you can hardly believe that it's happened.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Oh, it's awful.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43The bag came to this area in the early hours of the morning
0:06:43 > 0:06:46after being picked up from the original drop point.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56According to the National Police Database Of Stolen Property,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00the items most wanted by thieves in the UK are portable computers,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03smartphones and bicycles.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13There were 395,000 bicycle thefts in England and Wales in 2014.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21With a recovery rate as low as 5%, it seems tracking them can be
0:07:21 > 0:07:23very difficult.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Organised criminal gangs are often responsible,
0:07:26 > 0:07:30targeting specific areas with a high density of bicycles,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34but a bike is still vulnerable to opportunist individuals.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37University lecturer Gavin Evans is a recent victim.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45I had locked it properly on a good solid lock and I thought that
0:07:45 > 0:07:48was absolutely safe - I didn't think anyone could get through that.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51And even though he didn't have a tracking device on his bike
0:07:51 > 0:07:55he was determined to track it down somehow.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59When I came back I saw the lock in two pieces, it had been clipped
0:07:59 > 0:08:01and the bike was gone.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04It just really angered me that somebody was going to sell
0:08:04 > 0:08:09the bike for much less than it's worth - what does it mean to them?
0:08:09 > 0:08:11But for me it meant a lot.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15Gavin's blood was up - he wasn't going to take this lying down
0:08:15 > 0:08:18so he began searching for his stolen bike.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20A friend of mine, Gabby, had had her bike stolen
0:08:20 > 0:08:25and she had traced it on an online auctioning site.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29Gavin logged on, expecting a long trawl through
0:08:29 > 0:08:31hundreds of legitimately advertised bicycles.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34And I looked - and there was my bike!
0:08:34 > 0:08:36First thing up!
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Well I realised I had to act very quickly so I phoned
0:08:39 > 0:08:42the seller - we then agreed to meet,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45and on a street corner which already looked suspicious,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49in East London the next day.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53A risky move - police advise never to approach a seller like this
0:08:53 > 0:08:56without their back up.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01He was a young guy of about 22 - couple of scars on his face,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03quite thick set, and so I said,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05"Well I want to give the bike a ride."
0:09:05 > 0:09:08And I gave the bike a ride, but it was very dark.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11It looked like his bicycle, but once he went for a spin
0:09:11 > 0:09:15he realised that something wasn't quite right.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17The rack had gone, the pedals had been changed.
0:09:17 > 0:09:22I had had slide-in pedals and the sliding things had been taken off.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Now he wasn't 100% convinced that this was his bike,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29but he still took a chance and confronted the seller.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33I said to him, it feels exactly like mine,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36but it doesn't have the carry-on and the pedals are different
0:09:36 > 0:09:39so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I said to him
0:09:39 > 0:09:41I'm 90% sure it's mine and you've stolen my bike.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44His response was "No, no, I'd never steal a bike,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46"I bought this from a friend."
0:09:46 > 0:09:49So I said "Yeah, yeah, yeah." And I just walked away.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54Uncertain that it was his bicycle, Gavin returned home empty handed
0:09:54 > 0:09:57then he began to have second thoughts.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02I started sort of kicking myself and I thought what were the odds
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and I thought I was a fool, that was my bike.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Undeterred, Gavin resumed his quest.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12With the bike still up for auction he called the thief again -
0:10:12 > 0:10:15he knew he'd have to disguise his identity.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19So he opted for the full Dead Ringers approach!
0:10:19 > 0:10:23The only thing I could think of was this rather ridiculous
0:10:23 > 0:10:25faux Texan voice, so I phoned the guy
0:10:25 > 0:10:30and I said, you know, "I wanna buy this bike,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33"I've gotta buy it for my daughter."
0:10:33 > 0:10:37You know, that kind of thing - very bad accent and
0:10:37 > 0:10:39he agreed to meet me again.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Gavin chanced his safety a second time,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45needing more than a dodgy accent
0:10:45 > 0:10:47he tried changing his appearance.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Hopefully he wouldn't regret it.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53I was worried that he might be wielding a knife
0:10:53 > 0:10:57so I tucked those in sort of like that
0:10:57 > 0:10:59and...
0:11:02 > 0:11:04..there we go!
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Gavin set off for another meeting with the thief,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11taking an enormous risk, but he was determined to see
0:11:11 > 0:11:14his dangerous plan through to a conclusion.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19He said, "Aren't you the guy who thought that I'd stolen the bike?"
0:11:19 > 0:11:22And I said "No, you've got the wrong guy there."
0:11:22 > 0:11:25With his flimsy cover story falling apart,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Gavin had no choice but to act.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30I took off my hat, took off my sunglasses - I pushed my face
0:11:30 > 0:11:34up to his, and I said, "You're a thief - you stole my bike."
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Except I didn't, I used more industrial language.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Buoyed up by adrenalin,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44he was determined not to let the opportunity slip a second time.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47And I said you and I, we'll go to the police together.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49And we'll sort it out whose bike is whose.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And he said, "Or you could just take it."
0:11:52 > 0:11:55So I said "OK, I'll just take it." So I got on the bike and rode home.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59So all was well in the end.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Considering the risks he took, Gavin was lucky to get his bike
0:12:03 > 0:12:08back without injury, others have been less fortunate.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11I should have got hold of the police,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13particularly the second time around,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16but sometimes you don't feel fear then,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20it's only afterwards you realise that you were in danger.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Elsewhere in London, Alex Sweeting found himself in a situation
0:12:25 > 0:12:29where he felt compelled to come to the aid of a mugged bike victim.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34I was just cycling down this road - it's obviously quite busy now
0:12:34 > 0:12:36but on the night it was pretty much empty.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Previously Alex had been involved in a tangle with a car,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44so he'd fitted a camera to his bike in case of further incidents.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46However on that night in March 2015,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49his camera recorded an altogether different drama.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54On his way back from a cycle club meeting Alex suddenly noticed
0:12:54 > 0:12:57a man dressed in cycling gear hurrying towards him.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02As I pulled up next to him he said, "They've stolen my bike."
0:13:03 > 0:13:05He'd actually been barged off his bike
0:13:05 > 0:13:07by three guys and they proceeded
0:13:07 > 0:13:11to beat him up, kick him and then they took his bike and off they ran.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16Without a second's thought for his safety Alex hit the pedals
0:13:16 > 0:13:18and gave chase to the bike thieves.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22I guess the adrenalin must have kicked in - you can
0:13:22 > 0:13:25see my heart rate goes up on the video.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28He was lucky not to have burst a blood vessel.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31I didn't really think at all, I just thought, "What can I do?"
0:13:31 > 0:13:34If it was me I'd hope someone would do the same thing.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Pumped up and in pursuit, Alex sped along
0:13:37 > 0:13:39at close to twenty miles per hour -
0:13:39 > 0:13:43soon he caught sight of the thieves.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46So as I came around the bus, that's when I noticed that there was a
0:13:46 > 0:13:50dropped kerb and I would get there pretty much the same time as them.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57I waited until the very last minute until I shouted anything
0:13:57 > 0:13:59and that's when they dropped the bike,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01that's when it kicked in and I thought
0:14:01 > 0:14:05if I carry on after them - I don't really know the area that well,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08so my life could have been in danger at that point.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11The thieves ran off and though the police combed the area
0:14:11 > 0:14:13the bike bandits had long since vanished.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Yeah, I'm glad I stepped in,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18it's an awful feeling having something stolen but it's
0:14:18 > 0:14:21even worse when you're actually on the bike as it gets stolen.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26So what can we do as consumers in the fight against bicycle crime?
0:14:26 > 0:14:31Here's bike shop owner and cycling enthusiast Richard Benn.
0:14:31 > 0:14:32Double lock everything
0:14:32 > 0:14:35so you lock the bike to something - you always lock
0:14:35 > 0:14:39the wheels to the frame and if you can put some lockable wheel skewers
0:14:39 > 0:14:42as well as... The more you can do the better,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44make it difficult for them.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47One simple tip is to make a note of your bike's serial number
0:14:47 > 0:14:51which you'll find on the bottom of the bike frame.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Also join Cycle Register, the police force bike registration scheme.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01You need to go to any police station and they will mark it on the
0:15:01 > 0:15:05frame - add a sticker on the bike which is impossible to peel off.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07As soon as the bike is recovered they see that,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10you'll get it back relatively quickly.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14But if the worst happens and your precious bike is stolen,
0:15:14 > 0:15:19it's still possible to track it down using old fashioned detective work.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22They often turn up on auction sites online, in markets,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26second hand shops - it's certainly worth keeping an eye open for it.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30But be very, very careful - if you do go to recover your bike, please
0:15:30 > 0:15:34don't ever go to anything but a private address - don't ever arrange
0:15:34 > 0:15:37to meet anybody in the street - and please take somebody with you.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Preferably a policeman!
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Time to consider the fate of the designer handbag
0:15:45 > 0:15:48stolen during our very own surveillance operation.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Earlier we fitted a GPS tracker like this inside the lining
0:15:54 > 0:15:58of our bag, and took it to a restaurant on a busy street.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Our victim was distracted and a crafty sneak thief swiped
0:16:02 > 0:16:07the bag, oblivious that his every move was caught on camera.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12So where did the bag go? The tracker now does its job.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17The data shows that once the thief grabbed the bag
0:16:17 > 0:16:21he quickly headed West to Old Compton Street, where the
0:16:21 > 0:16:26signal come to a halt right by this pub, it's just a few feet
0:16:26 > 0:16:29away from the restaurant where the handbag was stolen.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31At 7:05PM at a pub like this in theatre-land,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35that would be absolutely crowded so he would be unnoticed -
0:16:35 > 0:16:38probably gone to the toilets - had a look through the bag - seen
0:16:38 > 0:16:42what items he can readily get rid of and dispose of and secreted the bag
0:16:42 > 0:16:46perhaps at the back of the cistern, or somewhere within the toilets.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50We checked the pub for ourselves - there was no sign of the bag
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and staff were unaware of it - but the tracker was still
0:16:53 > 0:16:57active, signalling from somewhere close-by the pub.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01So we sat tight, and waited for the next move.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Two days after the theft, at one in the morning,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11the tracker suddenly signalled again.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15It's possible that the thief has stashed it nearby,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19on the street, or in an adjacent building before moving it on.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25It's likely the thief took the bus as half an hour later
0:17:25 > 0:17:28the tracker signals four miles away in Bermondsey,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30South London.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Keith picks up the trail.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35The bag came to this area in the early hours of the morning
0:17:35 > 0:17:38after being picked up from the original drop point
0:17:38 > 0:17:41and went into a tower block.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43GPS technology will point you to a building -
0:17:43 > 0:17:47but faced with a six storey block of more than 50 flats,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51it's impossible to pinpoint the exact tracker location.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54So more traditional search methods are required.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57If it was the police service they would be doing
0:17:57 > 0:18:00a number of intelligence checks to see
0:18:00 > 0:18:03if any known criminals lived within that block or, as you're just
0:18:03 > 0:18:05trying to find out where the property went, a leaflet-drop
0:18:05 > 0:18:09isn't a bad way of doing it and hopefully somebody coming to you
0:18:09 > 0:18:13and saying, "I bought this legally and honestly through these means."
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Our team set out on foot - knocking on doors
0:18:16 > 0:18:18and leafleting the area.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21We even played our surveillance
0:18:21 > 0:18:25footage to local residents to see if they recognised the bag snatcher.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29It's really, really, really disgusting.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33It looks like he has some experience and he's spotted an opportunity.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36You don't want to be not trusting, do you?
0:18:36 > 0:18:39But unfortunately it's increasingly necessary.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Another thing you can try is search on Ebay, Gumtree -
0:18:42 > 0:18:45any of those type of property-type websites.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Again, all different types of options and you have to keep an open
0:18:48 > 0:18:51mind as to where the ultimate destination of the bag is.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57The last report from the tracker still showed it somewhere
0:18:57 > 0:19:01in the block of flats, but the day after our leaflet drop the signal
0:19:01 > 0:19:05suddenly stopped, it's possible that whoever had the bag was
0:19:05 > 0:19:09spooked by our enquiries, discovered the tracker - and destroyed it.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13So what of the handbag?
0:19:13 > 0:19:17With the tracker destroyed it would be easy for the bag to be sold on,
0:19:17 > 0:19:22to make it less easy to dispose of we went to alert some local shops.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25No, we do have bags that come in but we haven't
0:19:25 > 0:19:27had what you described -
0:19:27 > 0:19:30but if it did come in we'd be quite cautious.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33If it's a female, not so bad,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36but if it's a male brought it in we'd be very suspicious.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38I'd like to see the receipt for it.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41You have to have ID such as some type of photo ID,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44and if we think that's OK we'll buy the bag.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48But what you describe, no, we wouldn't.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52The whereabouts of our designer handbag are unclear
0:19:52 > 0:19:55but if the authorities want to track down this Soho bag-snatcher,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59they're more than welcome to take a look at our surveillance footage.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Police forces across the country have various
0:20:07 > 0:20:08methods of tackling theft.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12In the West Midlands, Operation Magpie has been underway
0:20:12 > 0:20:15since May 2013.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19It's a dedicated crackdown on thieves in the Coventry area.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23PC James Rees is one of four officers in the Magpie team.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26We've recovered in the region of £200,000 worth
0:20:26 > 0:20:29of stolen property - that could be anything from tablets,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32laptops, mobile phones, jewellery.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Finding out what becomes of stolen items is a daily task
0:20:36 > 0:20:40and officers do whatever they can to recover property.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43We've been responsible on our team alone for the arrest
0:20:43 > 0:20:45of in the region of 250 people for different
0:20:45 > 0:20:48offences covering burglary, robbery, vehicle crime - and those
0:20:48 > 0:20:52arrests have led to an approximate detection rate of around about
0:20:52 > 0:20:5670% to 75% over the course of those two years.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Reuniting stolen property with its true owners involves
0:21:00 > 0:21:04a lot of work, that means checking manufacturers warranties,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07searching for user data in personal electronics,
0:21:07 > 0:21:12and even posting lists of stolen goods on social media sites.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16The Magpie team have noticed a recent spike in theft numbers.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Following a tip-off they're preparing a series of raids
0:21:19 > 0:21:23across the city, in the hope of recovering stolen goods.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26We've received intelligence from a number of different sources
0:21:26 > 0:21:30that a nominal who is well known to us as a burglary target,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34just recently been released from prison, is back up to his old tricks
0:21:34 > 0:21:37committing burglary and handling of stolen property in Coventry.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40The occupants inside - they are all known drug users
0:21:40 > 0:21:43so there is, there is a risk in terms of needles
0:21:43 > 0:21:47and such like so just be very cautious when you're searching.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Is there any questions? No? OK.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55With no idea of what they might come up against, the Magpie officers,
0:21:55 > 0:21:59must be prepared for any eventuality as they set off.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05PC Rees and the team will follow the standard procedure
0:22:05 > 0:22:07for a police visit.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10The safety of our officers is paramount
0:22:10 > 0:22:14in situations like this when we're going into what is the unknown.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19There may be weapons at the address, there might have
0:22:19 > 0:22:20hid bats, knives, machetes -
0:22:20 > 0:22:22you never know what you're going to face.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26It's vital the officers minimise the likelihood of their targets
0:22:26 > 0:22:29being tipped off so the element of surprise is essential.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34We'll pull up short of the address -
0:22:34 > 0:22:36walk up to the address -
0:22:36 > 0:22:40and then knock the door, give the occupants the opportunity to
0:22:40 > 0:22:41open it voluntarily.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44If they don't we will be looking to force entry.
0:22:44 > 0:22:49As they approach the area, PC Rees gets a surprise of his own.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56PC Rees has spotted someone from the address they are raiding
0:22:56 > 0:22:58so they need to act fast.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Police officers with a search warrant - open the door!
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Luckily the front door is open
0:23:07 > 0:23:10and they can gain entry before anyone is tipped off.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18I'm executing a search warrant, you're not under arrest,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21you're just being detained, all right?
0:23:21 > 0:23:24The resident has a history of burglary convictions,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28officers believe he is linked to recent thefts and is using
0:23:28 > 0:23:32the house to fence, that is, to store and sell on stolen property.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35The main target that we were looking for is actually here now
0:23:35 > 0:23:38with his girlfriend along with a number of other nominals so
0:23:38 > 0:23:41they were a little bit agitated to start with
0:23:41 > 0:23:44but we've gained control of them, all the occupants are handcuffed
0:23:44 > 0:23:46now so it's going well so far.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49I've got this one, that one, right, OK.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53The first two rooms don't provide any results but they keep searching.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Just be mindful obviously of needles, lads.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Ah, what's that?
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Interesting. Hidden behind there.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09A digital camera. De-tagger.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Ah. Yes, it is.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21It's vitally important that everything that they find is
0:24:21 > 0:24:23logged in detail.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29We've recovered a number of items including a de-tagger which is
0:24:29 > 0:24:32used to remove tags from clothing stores.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35To avoid contaminating the evidence they bag up items that
0:24:35 > 0:24:38raise their suspicions, including a camera.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42There's a receipt in there that shows that it's been
0:24:42 > 0:24:45bought by means of a credit card so we should be able to trace
0:24:45 > 0:24:48the owner of that through the credit card receipt.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Although we can't say at this minute that the stuff was definitely
0:24:51 > 0:24:55stolen, we believe it is - that gives us the grounds to arrest them.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59And the suspects are taken away for further questioning.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02There's a number of drugs paraphernalia inside,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04tinfoil, needles,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07so we can also look at closing the place down
0:25:07 > 0:25:09as a possible crack-house.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13Time to visit property number two.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Ready? I'm just going to pull up here actually.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Police!
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Police officers with a search warrant.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Just making let you know we're here, mate.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30All right? Cos we need to know who's in here.
0:25:30 > 0:25:31Let me explain what's going on.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34There are about 15 rooms inside this property
0:25:34 > 0:25:37so we've got staff searching those rooms now.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40The police carry out a systematic search of the house.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Is there anything in here that's stolen?
0:25:46 > 0:25:48They find items that raise their suspicions.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58That's an interesting thing, we had one of those nicked,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00well, ages ago, but...
0:26:03 > 0:26:05One of the males has got three Xboxes
0:26:05 > 0:26:08and some other consoles which is a little bit unusual.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10You might expect him to have one, possibly two,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12but certainly not three or more.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14There's a number of tablets as well
0:26:14 > 0:26:17in that room which raises our suspicions really -
0:26:17 > 0:26:20mobile phones, cameras, we've also recovered four laptop
0:26:20 > 0:26:24computers including one Apple Macbook which we're really
0:26:24 > 0:26:28interested in, as well as a quantity of Class A from the safe.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30One male has been arrested on suspicion of possession
0:26:30 > 0:26:33of Class A drugs.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38Operation Magpie will be looking into all these items to see if we
0:26:38 > 0:26:42can link them and identify them to any crimes - any local burglaries.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45We've already found out that one of the items is registered to
0:26:45 > 0:26:48somebody different than who's actually living here
0:26:48 > 0:26:50so we're hopeful around that one.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52All in all, it's been a good day's work.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56The three males arrested during the two raids have subsequently been
0:26:56 > 0:27:01bailed pending further enquiries and the results of forensic tests.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Meanwhile, the Magpie team continue to investigate
0:27:04 > 0:27:07whether the items seized are indeed stolen.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12So we'll be looking to investigate this now - reunite them
0:27:12 > 0:27:15back to their rightful owners - and that's one of the reasons
0:27:15 > 0:27:17that we do this job, it's nice to get stuff back to people.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21Police discovered that one of the two seized laptops was registered
0:27:21 > 0:27:25to an owner in Teesside, taking note of serial numbers
0:27:25 > 0:27:28and registering our treasured items with the manufacturers
0:27:28 > 0:27:33and on property register websites such as CheckMEND and Immobilise,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37better enables police to reunite people with their stolen items.