0:00:02 > 0:00:03Bag snatchers, robberies and street crime.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05According to police figures,
0:00:05 > 0:00:10more than 3,500 theft incidents are reported every day in the UK.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13I know it was bad but I didn't think it's that bad.
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.
0:00:20 > 0:00:21SIREN BLARES
0:00:21 > 0:00:24We're hiding satellite tracking devices inside a range
0:00:24 > 0:00:30of desirable everyday items, like cameras, smartphones and bicycles,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32to trace the looters' footsteps.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34The thieves may think they've got away with it
0:00:34 > 0:00:36but we're tracking their every move.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40With secret filming, CCTV and police raid footage,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44we'll get an insight into the criminal mind-set...
0:00:44 > 0:00:45No, honestly, I don't know!
0:00:45 > 0:00:47..and uncover the unseen journey
0:00:47 > 0:00:50that our treasured possessions take when they're stolen.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Today we investigate personal robbery
0:00:59 > 0:01:03and follow the footsteps of a sneak thief caught on camera,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06unaware he's walked off with a GPS tracking device.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08SHUTTER CLICKS
0:01:08 > 0:01:10The bag's over the back of the chair,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12the victim thinks she's safe,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14the thief's seen it and he's pounced.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Plus, devious dog-nappers leave one family heartbroken.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19I just completely lost it.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22But an old-school detective picks up the trail.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25This lady made the decision that the dog was going to be hers.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28And a bumbling burglar who forgot to cover his tracks.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30I kept telling myself he's not going to get away with it.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32I just wasn't going to let it lie.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42In spite of the smartphone revolution,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44there are still plenty of people around who like to use
0:01:44 > 0:01:46a traditional camera.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48But the popularity of the digital camera
0:01:48 > 0:01:51makes it a target for snatch thieves.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Figures show that more than a third of all camera thefts
0:01:54 > 0:01:55happen when we're out and about.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Former Metropolitan Police inspector Keith Farquharson
0:02:01 > 0:02:03is helping us with our investigation.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Camera equipment is very frequently stolen.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09It's as much a problem for us in the UK as it is for visiting tourists.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12And with around 17 million visitors to London each year,
0:02:12 > 0:02:14that's a lot of cameras.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17The reason why camera equipment is frequently stolen is
0:02:17 > 0:02:19because it's very easy to sell on.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21It's very rarely password protected,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24most people don't take the serial numbers of the cameras down,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and all the thief has to do is to clear the memory from the camera
0:02:27 > 0:02:29and then sell it on to the next buyer.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Once stolen, it's very difficult to trace a camera,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36unless it's fitted with a GPS tracker like this.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41The basis of that technology is this device can make range
0:02:41 > 0:02:45measurements from here to satellites orbiting in space
0:02:45 > 0:02:49and then, from that information, calculate its position.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54But how can we fit a tracker inside this complex piece of equipment?
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Now, it's very difficult to fit a device like this inside a camera
0:02:58 > 0:03:02because every millimetre of space in here is packed with circuitry.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06On the other hand, what you could use is a flash gun
0:03:06 > 0:03:09because there's a lot more space inside one of these to
0:03:09 > 0:03:11strip down the tracker and hide it inside.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15With our tracker fitted and operational,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18we're running this scenario in Westminster,
0:03:18 > 0:03:22London's number one borough for personal theft incidents.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26A very busy part of London with lots of pedestrians, lots of traffic
0:03:26 > 0:03:27and lots of cut-throughs.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30There are hot spots like this in our towns and cities
0:03:30 > 0:03:34all over the UK and we all know where they are.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38We'll be filming in a bar on the fringes of Leicester Square,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40a large public area that's a magnet for tourists...
0:03:40 > 0:03:42and thieves.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Our researcher settles down outside,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47behaving just like we all do.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49She leaves the camera bag over the back of her chair.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52That may seem like an invitation to a petty thief,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56but it's a surprisingly common scenario in real life.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Hundreds of bag snatches involve victims' belongings being
0:03:59 > 0:04:03stolen from the backs of their chairs, without them even noticing.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07So will a sneak thief attempt the same trick with our camera bag?
0:04:07 > 0:04:11We've set up two hidden cameras to capture the action.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Now we're running, all we can do is wait.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16It's early evening
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and our researcher has been joined by a friend.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20It's been quite a while
0:04:20 > 0:04:23and our camera bag hasn't attracted any attention.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28But watch this guy here.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35The bag clearly catches his eye and stops him in his tracks.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37He walks past, sizing up his chances.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46Then, shortly after, he's back again, checking out the situation.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Then he wanders into the pub...
0:04:48 > 0:04:50and it's not long before he's out again.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54And there he goes.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57He's got the camera bag and he's off into the night.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Now we can pick up the tracker signal
0:05:01 > 0:05:05as the thief disappears into the back streets of London.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11Later on Thief Trackers,
0:05:11 > 0:05:16we trace the footsteps of the stolen camera on its intriguing journey.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19The bag moved from Vauxhall Bus Station
0:05:19 > 0:05:22and stopped in one of the properties along this road.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Criminality knows no boundaries
0:05:29 > 0:05:33and thieves will take anything, even pets.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Did you know that around 45 dogs are stolen every day in the UK?
0:05:37 > 0:05:38Shocking.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42But there are people determined to track down the thieves.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Pedigree puppies can go for £650.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48There's a lot of ruthless people out there cashing in on that.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52We're in Willesden, north-west London,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54and this is Peppa.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58She is a Kerry Blue terrier, a pampered pooch who's made
0:05:58 > 0:06:02life merrier for the Downing family since the day she was brought home.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05We drove home and she was on my lap the whole time.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06I knew this was my baby.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10And we'd already formed a wonderful bond in the car.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14She's so friendly with everybody she meets.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17It's just like having a child.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22She's given us a lot of drama along the way but she's wonderful.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27A very peculiar drama began one Friday in October 2013,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31when Elizabeth's Uncle Paul, who lives on the same street,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33took Peppa for her daily walk around the block.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36There's a row of shops and a bank
0:06:36 > 0:06:40and I often pop in and do a bit of banking.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Paul tied Peppa's lead to a post outside,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45thinking he'd only be gone a moment.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Lots of dog owners do this without a second thought.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51As you expect in banks, there's like a queue
0:06:51 > 0:06:53and that could go on for... seeming like hours.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57About ten minutes later, I come out of the bank
0:06:57 > 0:06:59and the dog is not there.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05So I'm, you know, frantic.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Now in a state of shock, Paul searched up and down the street,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11hoping to catch sight of Peppa.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13You feel like, "Oh, my God,"
0:07:13 > 0:07:17like, you know, "I'm responsible for a disaster."
0:07:18 > 0:07:20In spite of his anxiety,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Paul had the presence of mind to go back into the bank.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26He'd noticed they had CCTV cameras fixed outside.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32And so the bank manager goes and looks at the CCTV camera
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and he comes back and then he says, like,
0:07:35 > 0:07:40"Oh, it looks like two kindly middle-aged women have, like,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44"you know, untied the dog and taken it away."
0:07:44 > 0:07:48Given that those women had apparently just walked off with Peppa,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51it's likely that they were anything but kindly.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Paul now had the difficult task of breaking the news to his niece.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59I came home from work and I saw my uncle
0:07:59 > 0:08:01and I said, "Oh, is everything OK?"
0:08:01 > 0:08:05And he told me not to panic.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I knew the worst shock would be for Elizabeth
0:08:08 > 0:08:10and, with her being pregnant at the time...
0:08:10 > 0:08:13I mean, I could have kept it together
0:08:13 > 0:08:15but I'm a bit of a drama queen anyway
0:08:15 > 0:08:20so it was like I just completely lost it. It was horrible.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Putting aside their stress,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25the family were determined to do all they could
0:08:25 > 0:08:28to track down their prized pup.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33My partner and I and my father went down Scrubs Lane and asked
0:08:33 > 0:08:38all of the local businesses if we could look at their video footage.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Their persistence paid off.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44A convenience store had CCTV footage of two women passing by,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47minutes before the same pair were caught on film taking
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Peppa from outside the bank.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55So we added the picture of the two women to the poster flyers
0:08:55 > 0:08:59that we were currently putting on all the lampposts.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Despite covering the area with flyers,
0:09:02 > 0:09:04the Downings had no response.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07That's when they turned to Surrey's own Ace Ventura,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10ex-policeman and private investigator Colin Butcher,
0:09:10 > 0:09:14who specialises in tracking down stolen pets.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16They felt they'd done everything.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18They were at a bit of a loss where to go next.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Colin knew he had to act fast.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Peppa could have been sold on and whisked away to anywhere in the UK.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29There's an awful lot of money to be made now
0:09:29 > 0:09:31through selling puppies on the internet.
0:09:31 > 0:09:37I think there's upwards of 25 to 30 sites that sell puppies.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Pedigree puppies can go for £300 to £650
0:09:41 > 0:09:45so it's easy money, it's tax free.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49As a former police officer, Colin has an insight into
0:09:49 > 0:09:52criminal behaviour and the way thieves think.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Once I put myself in the position of the thief then I'm able to
0:09:56 > 0:09:58work out what they did next,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01ie how they got the stolen dog away from the scene.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05They all make mistakes. It's just about being smarter than them.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09His first task was to study the CCTV evidence.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12What I was able to deduce from that was that they had
0:10:12 > 0:10:16a sense of purpose about them, they had a destination in mind, so
0:10:16 > 0:10:22I knew the answer to who they were would lie further down the road.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26With terrier-like tenacity, Colin used good old-fashioned
0:10:26 > 0:10:29legwork in his attempt to sniff out the dog-nappers.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32It's a case of working the neighbourhood, speaking to
0:10:32 > 0:10:35security guards, finding out what's in this locality,
0:10:35 > 0:10:39so as we can make enquiries to find out where these women had gone,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42and that's when we found the second-hand car dealership.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48It seems the two women nabbed Peppa while on their way to buy a car
0:10:48 > 0:10:51from a dealership just down the road.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55They are bristling with CCTV systems but, more importantly,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57when they sell a car, they're going to have the owner's details
0:10:57 > 0:11:01and an address, so it's just a case now of persuading them
0:11:01 > 0:11:04to cooperate so I could view their footage, confirm that they had the
0:11:04 > 0:11:09stolen dog and seek their assistance in getting names and addresses.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Colin viewed the footage, sadly now deleted, which proved
0:11:12 > 0:11:15the women had brought the dog onto the dealership property.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17But data protection rules meant
0:11:17 > 0:11:20the dealership couldn't give out their address.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Then came a new twist to the story.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26The family had a stroke of luck that would help Colin's enquiries.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31While we were out flyering, we got talking to a lady who
0:11:31 > 0:11:33was, in fact, a police officer.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36And between the two of us, we were able to persuade the dealership
0:11:36 > 0:11:41to give us the address of the person that clearly had stolen the dog.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Even though they had the address,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Colin couldn't guarantee he would find Peppa,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49as she may have already been sold on.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55He went off but he cautioned us, "Don't keep your hopes up
0:11:55 > 0:11:58"because, you know, there's still a long way to go."
0:12:00 > 0:12:02The neighbourhood we went to was quite rough,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05it was very late at night so it was dark,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07but you still have to do your job
0:12:07 > 0:12:10so it's just a case of making an approach, looking official,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and getting the dog back.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Colin used a canny trick to help him do just that.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19When we approach the property,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21what we always do is we make a lot of noise,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25the idea being if there's a dog inside, it'll start barking.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28And that's exactly what we did and we heard a dog barking.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30The door opened very slightly,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33a woman stuck her nose at the top end of the door
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and at the bottom of the door, a little black snout,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39which was the dog that we were looking for.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Initially, their reaction was to try and bluff it out,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45to say that it was their dog and that they'd had it a while.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48What the crooks didn't know was Peppa had one of these little
0:12:48 > 0:12:53microchip tags under her skin that will identify a pet in seconds.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56All you do is you take the scanner, switch it on,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00put it to the microchip and it comes up with a number.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03It's like a hidden registration plate inside your pet.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06The unique code goes onto a database
0:13:06 > 0:13:10and it enables the owner to be traced anywhere in the world.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13A quick bleep and a check of the records
0:13:13 > 0:13:14confirmed that this was Peppa.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18In the end, she just turned round and said she was going to phone in
0:13:18 > 0:13:20the dog warden and say she'd recovered it.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23But a look around the house you saw there was a new dog bowl,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26a dog bed, it had a new collar on.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29This lady had made a decision that the dog was going to be hers.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Peppa was swiftly rescued,
0:13:31 > 0:13:35to the immense relief of the Downing family.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37There were about 20 or 30 people waiting for us,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39which was quite a surprise,
0:13:39 > 0:13:44and they were all emotional, some were crying, some were cheering.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48As I said, it was kind of like England had just won the World Cup.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52I just said thank you so many times. "Thank you, thank you."
0:13:52 > 0:13:58Now Colin's back to see the family for the first time in two years.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00It was night-time the last time I was here and there was...
0:14:00 > 0:14:02The kitchen was full of people.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Obviously events like that make you think much more
0:14:07 > 0:14:10about, you know, safety and security.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14You're very, very fortunate that you got her back.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17The first thing I'd say to anyone is keep your dog in your sight
0:14:17 > 0:14:21and never tie it up outside a shop or a bank.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22And, of course, when she stuck her snout
0:14:22 > 0:14:24out that little gap in the door...
0:14:24 > 0:14:26I feel very, very grateful for everybody's help,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28and Colin's especially.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31We weren't going away without her, simple as that.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35It was an immense feeling of relief for a lot of people, and joy,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37so it was great to be part of that.
0:14:37 > 0:14:38PEPPA SNIFFS
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Let's see if we can pick up the scent of our stolen goods
0:14:46 > 0:14:49in our own undercover operation.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54Earlier, we fitted a GPS tracker inside a camera flash gun.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Outside a bar on the edge of London's bustling Leicester Square,
0:14:58 > 0:15:03a cunning sneak thief waited for the victims to be distracted
0:15:03 > 0:15:06before swiping the camera bag and disappearing into the crowds.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Wedding photographer Trevor Stoneman
0:15:14 > 0:15:17has first-hand experience of being a camera theft victim.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20His son had a dream wedding in Florence, Italy,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23and Trevor was proud to be the official photographer.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27I was going to be photographing my son's wedding
0:15:27 > 0:15:30in a location that I could only dream of.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35But at Florence railway station,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38while helping his wife to settle their grandson,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Trevor made the mistake of handing his baggage to an unlicensed porter.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48I took the little 'un out of his pushchair and took him
0:15:48 > 0:15:52to my wife, who was up the far end of the carriage, and then said,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55"I'm just going to go and get the bag back with the cameras.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58"I'm not happy about it being there."
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Just at that point, the train started to pull out of the station.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05When I got back there, the case was gone.
0:16:06 > 0:16:12I don't think I've felt a sense of loss like that.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16It really did physically hurt.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22He had 400 wedding photos stored on his camera card
0:16:22 > 0:16:24but hadn't backed them up.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Now the only photos his son and daughter-in-law have
0:16:27 > 0:16:29are from the guests.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32When we got to Venice, Natasha actually came after me...
0:16:35 > 0:16:38..and she put her arm around me...
0:16:42 > 0:16:46..and said, "It's OK, these things happen."
0:16:48 > 0:16:52I guess nobody knows how I feel,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55and I get this every day.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58You know, it's just horrible.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04And part of me wants to go back to Florence
0:17:04 > 0:17:07and find that lady on that railway station and confront her.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Of course, police always recommend
0:17:09 > 0:17:12that thieves should not be confronted head-on.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Our camera was stolen outside a bar in central London
0:17:16 > 0:17:19and the thief's route is clearly visible from our tracking data.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Security consultant Keith Farquharson is on his trail.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I was quite surprised that he did it in such an open way.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28There weren't many people about, it wasn't crowded.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Usually they'd look for a crowded bar, a crowded restaurant,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34and have a look for the victim propping a bag up
0:17:34 > 0:17:36against the back of a chair.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40It's a very, very easy crime to commit when that's the case.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44After meandering around the West End of London at walking pace,
0:17:44 > 0:17:49data shows the tracker substantially increased speed, heading south.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52The tracking data shows that it's come from Covent Garden
0:17:52 > 0:17:53into Trafalgar Square
0:17:53 > 0:17:56and then moved into Whitehall, where it's stopped for a short time.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59The speed of the data moves up to 20 or 30mph,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01which would indicate that he's got onto a bus,
0:18:01 > 0:18:06which is confirmed because it stops at Vauxhall Bus Station.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Vauxhall is a major transport interchange.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Could the thief have been about to disappear out of GPS range
0:18:12 > 0:18:14onto the Tube network?
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Thankfully, not.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20In fact, it looks like this suspect lives quite close by.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23The tracking data shows that the bag moved
0:18:23 > 0:18:25from Vauxhall Bus Station, south,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28along the back roads into Fentiman Road,
0:18:28 > 0:18:29which is in the Stockwell area,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33and stopped at one of the properties in this road.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39The tracking signal led us to a block of flats,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43so our camera and perhaps also the thief are somewhere inside.
0:18:43 > 0:18:44But it's always a challenge
0:18:44 > 0:18:47to pinpoint a precise fix within a large building.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53GPS tracking will take you to the block of flats that the device is in
0:18:53 > 0:18:55but it won't take you to the exact flat.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58That would have to be found out by police intelligence,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02by perhaps a Crimestoppers report, or by perhaps even leaflet dropping.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06We sent in our team to investigate.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07They distributed flyers
0:19:07 > 0:19:11in case anyone had innocently bought a second hand camera.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15We also took along video footage of this brazen theft to show
0:19:15 > 0:19:18to residents in the block where it seems the thief might live.
0:19:19 > 0:19:25Unfortunately, no-one recognised him on the days we called by.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29But the day after, the tracking signal suddenly stopped dead.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33It seems our enquiries may have rattled the thief's cage
0:19:33 > 0:19:35and he knows we're on to him.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37So at around nine o'clock the next morning,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39the tracking device stopped working.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41This would indicate to me that the thief has taken
0:19:41 > 0:19:44the bag home, looked through the contents, discovered the tracking
0:19:44 > 0:19:48device and destroyed it, and probably the flash gun as well.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51We weren't going to let the destruction of the tracker
0:19:51 > 0:19:53stop our investigation.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56We spoke to a local camera store to inform them that a camera thief
0:19:56 > 0:20:01is in the area, hopefully making it tougher for him to sell locally.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Then we checked online auction sites in case the thief
0:20:04 > 0:20:06tried to sell it to an innocent buyer.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10No sign there yet, but we have the camera's serial number
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and we'll track the camera using that.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16And we visited other camera stores to make them aware that
0:20:16 > 0:20:19a stolen camera is on the market.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Although they carry out checks when buying second-hand cameras,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25it is very hard to disprove ownership.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28When a customer comes into store to sell us a camera,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30the only request we ask of them
0:20:30 > 0:20:34is to prove who they are - photo ID and proof of address - and this
0:20:34 > 0:20:38is the only means we can really rely on to say that it's theirs.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43So what can we do as consumers to keep tabs on our property?
0:20:43 > 0:20:46When someone buys a camera, record your serial numbers with
0:20:46 > 0:20:49the suppliers. You most probably are going to get an extended
0:20:49 > 0:20:51guarantee as well so there's a little plus for you as well.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54We will have recorded your serial number at point of sale
0:20:54 > 0:20:57so it will be on your receipt. Record it on your computer.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00So all the things that you can safeguard yourself,
0:21:00 > 0:21:01absolutely use it.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04There are also online property registers which the police
0:21:04 > 0:21:07recommend we use, like Checkmend and Immobilise.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Ideally, though, we should be more aware of safeguarding
0:21:10 > 0:21:13our belongings when we're out on the street.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15When you're using the camera out of the case,
0:21:15 > 0:21:17if it's got a wrist strap, slip it around your wrist,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20basically so that somebody can't just snatch your camera
0:21:20 > 0:21:22if it's only held in your hand - it makes it much more secure.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26If the camera's in the bag, out of use, don't do what the lady did
0:21:26 > 0:21:28in the film and put it over the back of the chair.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Make sure that it's either clipped to the chair
0:21:30 > 0:21:32or the chair leg is over the strap of the camera
0:21:32 > 0:21:35and the case or bag is in the centre underneath the table.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38It makes things difficult for the opportunist thief.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42So our tracker was destroyed in Stockwell by a thief, whose
0:21:42 > 0:21:46petty plans for profiteering we hope to have confounded.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50What's more, we've got extraordinary footage of the rogue in action
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and the authorities are welcome to take a very close look.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Time and again, GPS technology has proved very effective
0:22:01 > 0:22:03in bringing thieves to justice,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07when tracking devices reveal the location of stolen items.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09But once in a while,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13a thief can be tracked without the aid of hi-tech gadgets.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16In January 2015, it was Mother Nature who offered
0:22:16 > 0:22:19this burglary victim a means of tracking a criminal.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22He might as well have took a loaf of bread with him
0:22:22 > 0:22:24and dropped some bread crumbs, to be honest.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27The village of Cottingham lies on the outskirts of Hull
0:22:27 > 0:22:29in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Aaron Wilkinson lives here with his partner, Kirsty,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35their two children and their various pets.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39This area is a good area. It's really quiet, this street, as well.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42There are a few families but mostly retirees.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Unfortunately for this quiet community,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48there was a burglar on the prowl.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52With Kirsty and the children asleep and Aaron dozing on the settee,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55he had no idea he'd made a schoolboy error.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57I never locked the door.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59That was where it all went wrong.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05None of them realised
0:23:05 > 0:23:07that their home was now vulnerable to a burglary.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13By the time Betty the dog raised the alarm, it was all over.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14YAPPING
0:23:16 > 0:23:18I actually woke up because of the dog yapping.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20I just said, "Quiet," I said, "Quiet," you know
0:23:20 > 0:23:23but then she actually wouldn't,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26she was actually... You know, she was trying to tell me something.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29And as I opened the door, I could see my kitchen cupboards open
0:23:29 > 0:23:31and stuff and the front door was slightly ajar.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33I thought, "There's something going on here."
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Aaron came upstairs to wake me up and asked me if I'd gone outside.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39I thought, "No, it's half-past five in the morning.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40"I ain't gone anywhere."
0:23:40 > 0:23:43And then he just told me all the kitchen cupboards was open.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46First thing obviously you think of - I've been robbed.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49A stranger was downstairs, rooting about in my house while me
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and my children was fast asleep upstairs. It's just unnerving.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55What if he decided to come upstairs and we was all in bed?
0:23:55 > 0:23:58There's just so many things that go through your head.
0:23:58 > 0:24:03Burglaries of this type often leave victims feeling violated
0:24:03 > 0:24:06and the emotional effects on a family can be devastating.
0:24:08 > 0:24:09It can be shattering.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12You know, for families and for the kids even more so,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14extremely upsetting.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16They're professionals
0:24:16 > 0:24:19so they will case a property, they will look around it,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22they will see the quality of your locks on your doors and your windows
0:24:22 > 0:24:26and if they are lower quality, they will have a go at getting in.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Our unfortunate couple soon worked out that the thief had
0:24:29 > 0:24:32made off with Aaron's car keys and Kirsty's watch,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35which had been a Christmas present from Aaron.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36However, all was not lost.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39The burglar had left an incriminating set of clues
0:24:39 > 0:24:43and really shot himself in the foot in the process.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44I opened the front door
0:24:44 > 0:24:47and there was nothing in the front garden except snow.
0:24:48 > 0:24:49And it looked strange
0:24:49 > 0:24:52cos there was only one set of footprints leaving my house.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Aaron was determined not to let this burglar's trail go cold..
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Despite the early hour and without a thought to the potential risk
0:24:59 > 0:25:04of facing the burglar, he set off into the cold night.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Absolute nutter! Anything could have happened to him.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08The guy could have been carrying a knife,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10he could have got into a fight.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12I kept telling myself, "He's not getting away with it."
0:25:12 > 0:25:14I just wasn't going to let it lie.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16I thought, "There's footprints there. I can follow them.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18"He's not getting away with it."
0:25:18 > 0:25:21If it hadn't been snowing I wouldn't have had a chance.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Aaron's route led him into the back streets of Cottingham,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26all coated in snow.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30Now he's retracing his steps to reveal to us the burglar's trail.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32There was footprints and they was the only
0:25:32 > 0:25:35footprints on the ground so it was pretty easy to track.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37It was like he had paint on the bottom of his shoes and
0:25:37 > 0:25:40every footprint, I could see.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42You'd think that somebody that's pinched off somebody,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45stolen that much stuff, would probably be clever enough to say,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48"Wait a minute. My footprints are on the floor, yeah?"
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Full of adrenaline, he tracked the thief for more than two miles.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54But the route became ever more erratic.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Every corner of the street, he'd go through a front garden
0:25:57 > 0:25:59to make sure he wasn't seen by anybody.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02He went down the back alley of the street opposite my own.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05He actually eventually went down a walkway
0:26:05 > 0:26:07and the footprints stopped at a back fence.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10I had a look over the back fence and they went
0:26:10 > 0:26:11and carried on to the door.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13I thought, "He must have gone here."
0:26:13 > 0:26:18So I knocked on the door and no answer, so I had to ring the police.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Calling the police was the best thing Aaron could have done.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24It turns out they had been on the trail of this burglar for months,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26and Aaron's keen tracking work
0:26:26 > 0:26:28had given them all the evidence they needed.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30When I told the police when they arrived,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32I said, "I followed his footprints,"
0:26:32 > 0:26:37actually he had a grin on his face as if it was too good to be true
0:26:37 > 0:26:39but then, once he'd had a look over the back fence
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and actually seen the footprints, he actually said to his colleague,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45he said, "He's right, you know, his footprints are all over."
0:26:45 > 0:26:49Police later arrested the 20-year-old man hiding in the house.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51They told Aaron that when they found him
0:26:51 > 0:26:54his trousers were still wet from his snowy trek.
0:26:54 > 0:26:55Not only had he robbed Aaron's home,
0:26:55 > 0:26:59he admitted to another 30 thefts in the Hull area,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03during which he had stolen more than £26,000 worth of items.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07It's funny when you think about it, really, cos it's...
0:27:07 > 0:27:08Even now looking back.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12At the time, I was a bit angry about it but, looking back now,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15you think, "Thief caught by footprints in the snow,"
0:27:15 > 0:27:17it's like something out of a cartoon, ain't it?
0:27:17 > 0:27:19You just don't really hear of it.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23The thief was convicted and sent to prison for three years,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26no doubt a great satisfaction for the victims, who must still
0:27:26 > 0:27:29live with the emotional impact of the original burglaries.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Aaron and Kirsty now take home security precautions
0:27:32 > 0:27:34a lot more seriously.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36I'll always check the doors.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Just the thought of someone walking through my door...
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Aaron was lucky not to have been injured while chasing the thief
0:27:43 > 0:27:47and it's worth bearing in mind the advice of our ex-copper.
0:27:47 > 0:27:48I would always suggest that,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51if you've managed to track down your stolen property, rather than
0:27:51 > 0:27:55you confronting the thieves, to get the police involved because
0:27:55 > 0:27:58it could end up in tears, as I say, and you don't want that to happen.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03I actually welcome the snow actually now, you know.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Let someone burgle me now while it's snowing
0:28:06 > 0:28:08cos they won't get away with it, you know!