0:00:02 > 0:00:05Tonight the motorways are under attack.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07- How do they get over there? - They climb over.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11And when the lights aren't working, everything grinds to a halt.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13These ones are all out,
0:00:13 > 0:00:15600 metres of cable got nicked about a month ago.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Under the cover of darkness the motorway cops go on a mission
0:00:18 > 0:00:20to hunt down a car thief who's on the run...
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Surround the area! Surround the area!
0:00:22 > 0:00:24He's in here somewhere.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27I need to get a patrol in to the back garden.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Smithy! Smithy! Back gardens!
0:00:29 > 0:00:31..a burglar caught on CCTV...
0:00:31 > 0:00:34You are under arrest at the moment.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38..and the gang of cable thieves who strike in the dead of night.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Bottom line is 500 metres of cables being stolen out of
0:00:41 > 0:00:45the motorway central reservation is worth about £50,000.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47It's big money.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17Night time is one of the most dangerous times to drive.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Nearly half of all fatal accidents on the motorway occur after dark.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26And for the motorway cops, it's when they are stretched to the limit.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29It's 5:00pm, the beginning of the rush hour.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31On the M5 just outside Worcester,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35motorway cops Adam Toal and John Martin are responding to
0:01:35 > 0:01:37an urgent call for help.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40We've been told that there's a seven- to-ten-car road-traffic collision
0:01:40 > 0:01:44at the moment, so anyone's guess is as good as ours really.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47We are just envisaging that there's going to be a lot of cars
0:01:47 > 0:01:49spread all over the carriageway,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52a lot of people wandering around trying to blame each other.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54It's never an accident as to what's happened.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56There's always someone to blame.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59It's not a road traffic accident, it's a road traffic collision.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01One three, we're AA.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Before they can decide who's at fault,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05they have more urgent matters to attend to.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Potentially cars are going to be written off,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09people are going to be going to hospital.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12But you've also got thousands of people that are sat in cars,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16waiting for us to move, you know, the collision out of the way
0:02:16 > 0:02:19so they can get home. And that's one of our main priorities.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Hey, mate...yeah not too bad, you all right?
0:02:22 > 0:02:24- Have we got any injuries? - Yeah, two.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27- Two, slight or...?- Slight, one we need to have a look at.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29He's got a heart conditions, he's got chest pains.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Incredibly, despite seven cars being involved, no-one's been badly hurt.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Mike, Alpha, Oscar, Tango, one, three, update.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Yeah, can't confirm how many vehicles at the moment,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43but we've got two slight casualties,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46nothing life-threatening or serious at this time.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49We have got lanes two and three fully blocked at this time,
0:02:49 > 0:02:54with at least four vehicles still stranded in those two lanes,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56is that received?
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Adam and John can now turn to clearing the four stranded vehicles
0:03:00 > 0:03:01off the carriage way.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03But that means closing another lane to traffic.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07As soon as we start coning out, you can see people's hearts sinking
0:03:07 > 0:03:11and, you know, people shaking their heads, but it's got to be done.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15And unfortunately there's no other way that we can deal with it.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Right move across, slide in to lane one,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Come on!
0:03:21 > 0:03:23With frustrations already running high,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26thousands of commuters are funnelled in to just one lane.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31It's now safe for the cops to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- What we got then?- Basically, at the moment, it looks like all these
0:03:34 > 0:03:37vehicles here are the collision, the ones over there are witnesses.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Casualties, three of them. Not serious, slight injury,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43tight chest, possible whiplash, that sort of stuff.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47As the Highways Agency begin to clear the debris,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Adam and John begin to question those involved.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51- Which car were you with? - I'm in this one.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54- You're in that one. - I'm in that one.- You're in that one
0:03:54 > 0:03:55You're in the BMW.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57This one's intact and driveable.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- OK, you've been hit though, yeah? - No, I don't believe I have.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- Oh, you've been the lucky one. - I managed to get on the side of everybody.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Oh, well done, you. OK, which car have you hit?
0:04:05 > 0:04:09That car spun and hit me and then carried on spinning.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13But it seems everyone has a different view about what happened.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14They stopped,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17the little Peugeot, hit me first.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19It hit you first, then it spun in to you.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23What it was, I was following him.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26You've got drivers saying that he's to blame or she's to blame.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29At that point we're not looking to see who's at blame,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31we're just trying to get the motorway clear,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34get everybody off to hospital and make sure that everybody's OK.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38- So you've hit him as well? - Well, he hit me in to him, yeah.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- Yeah, but you've hit him?- Yeah. - Right, that's fine. OK.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Whoever caused this particular accident,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Adam believes there's usually one common factor.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Everybody travels too close,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50and when you have people braking suddenly, people just can't react.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53And that's exactly what happened on this occasion.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57The backlog of traffic continues to grow
0:04:57 > 0:04:59because the clear up has hit a major problem.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01The overhead lights are out
0:05:01 > 0:05:03and working in the dark is slowing everyone up.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06I've asked for the lights to be turned back on.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07Yeah, these one's are all out.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10About 600 metres of cable got nicked about a month ago.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Where the collision was, there's about a mile's worth
0:05:14 > 0:05:18of motorway lights that are actually out of service there.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21We had quite a lengthy amount of cable stolen
0:05:21 > 0:05:26from a group of organised criminals, whilst the motorway was closed.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29This is becoming a regular occurrence and...
0:05:29 > 0:05:32and is a major problem across the UK at the moment.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Like so much of Britain's infrastructure nowadays,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42the motorways are under attack from cable thieves on a daily basis.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44And with copper prices at an all-time high,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47the thieves' appetite for destruction
0:05:47 > 0:05:50is costing Britain up to £1 billion a year.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54The size of the thefts going on in and around the motorway network,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57it's an epidemic.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Just 30 miles away, another copper theft has been reported.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04This time it's on the M6.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Motorway cops Jess Davies and Alan Colman are looking for the thieves.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11We've had a bit of a...
0:06:11 > 0:06:14a battering around the motorway network over the recent weeks
0:06:14 > 0:06:17where they've been stealing the cable that controls the electrics.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21The motorways are an easy target. There's signs,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24there's telephone lines, there's cables, there's cameras,
0:06:24 > 0:06:29lights and some lovely juicy cable
0:06:29 > 0:06:34for feeding all those various things and that's what they're after.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37They're actually in the area now where we believe
0:06:37 > 0:06:40that that's happened. Somebody's phoned up saying they saw
0:06:40 > 0:06:45a silver Renault Clio with some cable hanging out the back of it.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47If you attack that area of junction 10,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50it basically takes all the lights out.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52At quite a busy junction.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Jess and Al are out of luck, the thieves have got away,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00but a local resident has information which may prove useful.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Yeah, we heard a bang.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04What do you reckon the bang was? Just the stuff coming over?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07I thought it was something on the motorway, blow out.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10We have it all the while on here. You can imagine with the sound.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13We took no notice and then we just seen a couple of lads
0:07:13 > 0:07:16messing about here and then I knew straight away it was the cable.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19- This isn't the first time, is it? - No.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Pretty much every night shift,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25we get the run around with the cable thieves.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Because it's so planned, it's meticulously planned
0:07:29 > 0:07:33and they're so quick at it, by the time the reports come in,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35you know, they're long gone.
0:07:35 > 0:07:40The copper wiring at this electrical junction is all too easy to get at.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44The trouble what I'm having here, is like, this is a box here
0:07:44 > 0:07:46- and if you look over the fence... - Yeah, I can see it, yeah.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48How do they get over there? They climb over?
0:07:48 > 0:07:50It's easy access for them.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55It does look like there's some cable that's been dragged up,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58they've lifted all the little stones that cover the cable itself.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02There's like some coping stone type things that cover the cable
0:08:02 > 0:08:03and you can see it's all lifted off.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06I'm not climbing over here because these are as sharp as anything.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Cable theft is a risky business.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14At least six people died trying to steal cables last year in the UK.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18Bold as brass, they just go, cut through live wires
0:08:18 > 0:08:20and live to see another day.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24They've sliced through a 90 millimetre cable,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28which powers the electrical supply for a stretch of the M6.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Well, there's some cable that's been snapped here.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Catching the thieves in the act isn't the only problem.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37The scrap metal industry is a £5 billion business
0:08:37 > 0:08:39that's largely unregulated
0:08:39 > 0:08:42and sometimes run on a cash and no-questions-asked basis.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44The problem does seem to lie
0:08:44 > 0:08:47with how they're getting rid of the cable.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49All they have to do to say to the scrap dealer is,
0:08:49 > 0:08:51it's mine and I'm allowed to sell it.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Sign a disclaimer saying that and the scrap dealer will give them cash.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57They are the ones that we have to iron out,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59but they are the ones that are few and far between,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02they are the ones that are taking most of the money.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Eight miles south at their base on the M6,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10the motorway cops are out in force.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12They are preparing for an operation against thieves
0:09:12 > 0:09:14operating at night in the Midlands.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20That night was to target those car key criminals.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25People that burgle houses to steal cars, the keys to the cars.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29And also the cable thieves, it was a two-pronged attack really,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32to hit both organised crime groups.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Rookie motorway cop Nigel Kearney and colleague Jay Hussain
0:09:35 > 0:09:39are readying themselves for action when a call comes in.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47- Yeah, come on. Here you are. - Do you want to do that?
0:09:49 > 0:09:51- Ready? - Yeah, yeah. Go, go, go.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Mike, Alpha, Oscar, Tango, two-two making junction nine.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59There's been a burglary, a car has been stolen
0:09:59 > 0:10:02and it's heading down the M6 straight towards them.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05We hadn't even got in the car properly,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07the car weren't even set up.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09We were just getting in, just logging the computer on
0:10:09 > 0:10:11and all the rest of it, and, and it come.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14OK, Vauxhall Bravo pick-up.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Mike, eight, two, nine, L-O-V.
0:10:18 > 0:10:19Logged.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24An unmarked car is already behind the stolen pickup,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27and "off-off" means it's left the motorway
0:10:27 > 0:10:29and is heading towards the back streets of Walsall.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33- Keep going, keep going towards 11. - Yeah, no dramas, I know round there,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35- I live round there. - Oh, right, OK, fantastic.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- Get off at Hilton services, yeah? - OK.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40RADIO CHATTER
0:10:40 > 0:10:41Come on!
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Rookie Nige has some catching up to do if he's to get in on the action.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- It's somewhere ahead of us. - Lost it on the right.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53You want to get in because there's somebody in there
0:10:53 > 0:10:56that's caused somebody misery and you want to get them.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58As cheesy as it sounds, that's the way it is.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Helicopter's here.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01Alpha-Oscar-One,
0:11:01 > 0:11:05the police helicopter, is now above the stolen car.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08That's our car there, that BMW is ours.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11The target car has stopped at the lights
0:11:11 > 0:11:14just in front of the unmarked police BMW.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16POLICE RADIO: 'Your location?'
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Yeah, we are now at the Bell Lane just approaching
0:11:19 > 0:11:23the police station at the lights, lights have just changed to green
0:11:23 > 0:11:28and it is straight, er, left-left, left-left towards
0:11:28 > 0:11:32the Sir Robert Peel, Bell Lane towards Lichfield Road, received.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35The cops have the stolen pickup outnumbered four to one.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40Yankee, Mike, Yankee, Mike, Oscar, Tango, two-two, calling.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45The thief has seen the lights and appears to have given up.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Get in front of him if you can.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Yep, behind the stolen car,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55it's being stopped just by Sir Robert Peel, Mike, eight-two...
0:11:55 > 0:11:59Mike, eight-two-nine. Yeah, he's going, he's going!
0:11:59 > 0:12:00Failed to stop, failed to stop.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- RADIO:- 'Vehicle failed to stop.' - Failed to stop.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Lichfield Road, Bloxwich, received.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09With four police cars and a chopper in hot pursuit,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12his chances of getting away may seem slim.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16But the cops have strict rules about when they can chase
0:12:16 > 0:12:17a driver who makes off.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20RADIO: 'Assess if it's appropriate to continue, over?'
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Yes, yes, MDA is low. Vehicle's five-zero miles an hour,
0:12:24 > 0:12:26no other traffic on the road.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28It is appropriate to continue.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30If conditions are too dangerous,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32they could be asked to call the chase off.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35You don't want to get too close that you're putting them under pressure
0:12:35 > 0:12:37and make them do things that you don't want them to do.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41But it's also... being close enough that you can see them
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and if they do do lefts and rights then,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45because they're always looking for somewhere to run.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48- He's going to decamp.- Yeah, he is. Finding somewhere, isn't he?
0:12:48 > 0:12:50The last thing they want to do is get caught.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52RADIO CHATTER
0:12:52 > 0:12:55He's going in a big circle. It comes back out, this does.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00The thief may be looking for somewhere to dump the pick-up and run.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08But with Alpha-Oscar-One hovering in the night sky,
0:13:08 > 0:13:09there's nowhere to hide.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11It's Stag Hill Road.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16Right, right now on to Hunters Crescent, Hunter Crescent.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20RADIO: 'Assess your current speed, over?'
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Speed three-zero, three-zero miles an hour.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24No other vehicles on the road.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Road conditions are dry and it's appropriate to continue.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30While Nige has to take it easy,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33the pickup driver is doing all he can to shake him off.
0:13:33 > 0:13:34Me being new to the group and stuff,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37I don't want to damage the cars either, it was quite...
0:13:37 > 0:13:39You know, I knew what I had to do
0:13:39 > 0:13:41but I also don't want to damage the cars either.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43THUMP Sorry, mate.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45No, no, you go for it, mate. You go for it.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Yeah, Leamore, Leamore now.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54In to Eaglesworth Drive. Dead end, Eaglesworth Drive.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56RADIO CHATTER
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Whilst you're trying to guess where he is,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11he's out the vehicle and off and on his toes.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Police dog!
0:14:13 > 0:14:16But Nige can't pursue him, he has a problem.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20I had a bit of a schoolboy error.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22I've got to go back, I've left the keys.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25I'd left the keys in the car, and I had to run back
0:14:25 > 0:14:26and get the keys and secure the car.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29So I missed the offender. I couldn't catch him.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33While the rest of the motorway cops hunt down the runaway car thief,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36at the scene of the seven-car pile-up on the M5,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38the lights are still out
0:14:38 > 0:14:40and the pressure's on to reopen the motorway.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44With the annual cost of motorway closures around £1 billion,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48the government wants clear-up times reduced by an average of 40 minutes.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51I mean, ultimately, there's supposed to be time guidelines
0:14:51 > 0:14:53that we'll close the motorway for.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56That's will be coming down the line in the near future.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58The problem we've got is, every collision is different,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01and it's got to be dealt with... with what we see fit at the time.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05But, ultimately, the government want us to open those motorways a lot quicker.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Highways... Once fire crews have made these two safe,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Highways are going to drag these two onto the hard shoulder.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14I'll grab the regs of those from the rear.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Just need someone to go to the ambulance, do you want me to do that?
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Just get them to move it onto the shelf
0:15:20 > 0:15:22and we can get everybody across then, can't we?
0:15:22 > 0:15:25But with time of the essence, there's another hold up.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29- Hello.- Hi.- How's things going in here?- We need a second truck.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- How many have you got in here? - We've got three patients.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Three patients, right.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37The motorway can't be cleared until another ambulance arrives.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Do you know which cars they've come out of?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- They all came out of the same car. - They all came out the Peugeot.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44What are the injuries looking like at the moment?
0:15:44 > 0:15:47- So nothing life-changing at the moment?- No, OK.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50The injuries we've got. One's, I think, emotional.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54One's quite a serious sternum injury
0:15:54 > 0:15:57but one that he's going to have to go into the hospital for
0:15:57 > 0:15:59but nothing like life-changing or anything like that,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02and the other one's just got a bit of a sore leg.
0:16:02 > 0:16:03It's amazing, isn't it?
0:16:03 > 0:16:05You see a collision on the road and you think,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08"Someone's been seriously hurt from that."
0:16:08 > 0:16:13But cars this day and age, with the airbags deployed, people are
0:16:13 > 0:16:17a lot better off than they were 20 or 30 years ago.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21While the injured are treated, Adam tries to get more information
0:16:21 > 0:16:24about who caused the crash from the driver of the badly damaged Peugeot.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Who was the unfortunate driver?
0:16:26 > 0:16:29It's always the one lying down, isn't it? What happened?
0:16:29 > 0:16:31I just, we were driving,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34just looked up and he just shouted, "Stop."
0:16:34 > 0:16:37- Sudden breaking. OK, mate. - Is it my fault, the pile-up?
0:16:37 > 0:16:40At the moment, if I was a betting man, mate,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44I'd put money on you for saying potentially it could be your fault,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47not reacting in time. It's as simple as that, OK.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49You've got cars that have braked
0:16:49 > 0:16:51and other cars just haven't been able to react.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53One of those has spun out of control.
0:16:53 > 0:16:59Then had a secondary collision with a couple of other vehicles.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01With the investigation over,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04it's time to get the traffic moving again.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Thanks, ladies. OK, everything's done there so they can go.
0:17:07 > 0:17:08They are all going off to Redditch,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11looks like they've just tried to stop, hasn't stopped in time
0:17:11 > 0:17:13and just gone in to all the other vehicles.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Right, we're just going to drag everything across, once this goes, aren't we?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19We're just going to get this last one out the way then
0:17:19 > 0:17:20and it's all done.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Yeah, you'll find that when we're obviously trying to get everything
0:17:24 > 0:17:27on to the hard shoulder, you'd like to think every car's drivable.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30It never really works like that sometimes,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32some of these cars are mangled.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34And you've got to try and use a bit of initiative.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37The hard part is now, because we've got no steering,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39and very little stuff on the front of it,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and we've got to get them on to the shelf, to open the carriageway up.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44That's the most important thing.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Usually what we do, we get a tow truck,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48they come and take the cars away.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51- What we going to have to do, mate? - Spin it with the handbrake?- Yeah.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56Unfortunately we had a young child in Adam
0:17:56 > 0:18:00who decided that he'd like to move the cars by other means.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02HE CHUCKLES
0:18:02 > 0:18:04One car, I ended up having to sit in the back,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07I felt a bit like Kyle Taylor off Police Academy at that point.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Yeah, knock me out, just go really slow.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Just talk to me how far away and I'll put the hand brake on.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Ten metres, mate.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Beautiful, Bernie.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Adam can be a big kid at times. He's a... He enjoys his work.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Yeah! Somebody get me out!
0:18:30 > 0:18:34I think he quite enjoys the...
0:18:34 > 0:18:36the limelight.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39HE LAUGHS
0:18:39 > 0:18:40Just living the dream, baby.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Have you seen Police Academy?
0:18:42 > 0:18:46I enjoy what I do, and you've got to have a laugh, it's...
0:18:46 > 0:18:49it's a way of dealing with the incidents that you're dealing with
0:18:49 > 0:18:52at the time and for me I'm a little bit of a joker every now and again.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55It's quite nice sitting in the back and driving a vehicle,
0:18:55 > 0:18:56very strange situation.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58That's, that's Adam.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Right, that's all our kit back, I think.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03With the damaged cars moved to the hard shoulder,
0:19:03 > 0:19:06all three lanes of the M5 are ready to re-open.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09And for those stuck in the backlog, the waiting is over.
0:19:12 > 0:19:1525 miles away, back in Walsall,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17the cops on the ground have lost sight of the thief
0:19:17 > 0:19:19who ran from the stolen pick-up.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23But there's no escaping from the crew of Alpha-Oscar-One, the police helicopter.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25- RADIO:- 'Aerial to patrol on your left, on your left,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28'over the garden, over the garden on your left.'
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Surround the area, surround the area! He's in here somewhere.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34'Yeah, if we keep one patrol on the main road,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36'I need to get a patrol in to the back garden.'
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Smithy! Smithy, back gardens!
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Alpha, Oscar, which back garden?
0:19:41 > 0:19:45PC Martin Smith is an old hand with 25 years' service
0:19:45 > 0:19:48and always appreciates a little help from above.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50The way I view it is that people that want to get away
0:19:50 > 0:19:53from the police don't get any slower,
0:19:53 > 0:19:58and it's always harder the older you get to keep up with the youngsters.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03We're in all the stab vests and the equipment belts and the coats
0:20:03 > 0:20:06and the boots and they're in trainers and tracksuits.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09So they've got the advantage anyway straight away.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13- RADIO:- 'Yeah, on your left now, on your left now, next garden up, next garden up.'
0:20:13 > 0:20:17But tonight, the chopper has given the cops the advantage.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19You could hear rustling and all sorts of things going on
0:20:19 > 0:20:21so you knew he was fence hopping in the gardens,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24trying to get from one end of the row of houses to the other.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Yeah, Alpha-Oscar-One, which one?
0:20:26 > 0:20:30- RADIO:- 'Stand by. Yeah, it's that one you're next to now.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32'He's at the bottom of that garden.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35'Right, he's coming, he's climbing the fences, keep walking up
0:20:35 > 0:20:41'the road with him, he's by that one and he's by the side of the house.'
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Time is running out for the thief.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Smithy's hiding out in a back garden ready to pounce.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49I could hear the sound of the fence jumping as the fence panels
0:20:49 > 0:20:52were going, as the chap was coming towards me,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56- so I knew he was going to be coming out where I was.- There he is.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Stop there!
0:21:01 > 0:21:02Armed police!
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Get down!
0:21:04 > 0:21:06RADIO CHATTER
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Then I saw the chap appear over the top of a fence,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13so I just grabbed hold of him and we fell in a bit of a heap
0:21:13 > 0:21:16in the garden and had a roll around on the floor.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17RADIO CHATTER
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Smithy's got his man, or maybe the man has Smithy.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29THEY ALL TALK OVER EACH OTHER
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Which way is the gate?
0:21:33 > 0:21:35RADIO CHATTER
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Open this gate then.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Even though the thief got closer than Smithy wanted,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47he can't let his emotions get in the way.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49'Quite often I can't stand the sight of the people
0:21:49 > 0:21:52'that I'm dealing with but I can't let that show through.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54'I have to deal with them on a complete professional level'
0:21:54 > 0:21:57and sometimes that is quite difficult.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00The stolen pick-up is 16 years old.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03It seems hardly worth getting arrested for.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06It's difficult to know why you'd nick that type of vehicle.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09I mean, sometimes they do find a use for them
0:22:09 > 0:22:10in committing other crimes.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13They could be used for carrying property around,
0:22:13 > 0:22:15heavy tools, for doing cable thefts,
0:22:15 > 0:22:20there's lots and lots of reasons and I don't particularly know why,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22in this case, he took a 4x4 pick-up like that.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26With some explaining to do, the thief is off to the nick.
0:22:30 > 0:22:3535 miles away in Worcester, there's another burglar on the loose.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38With PC Toal tied up with paperwork from the crash on the M5,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40John Martin is back on patrol.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42RADIO COMMUNICATION
0:22:42 > 0:22:45OK, Oscar, Tango, two-three.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47- RADIO:- 'Go ahead.'
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Yeah, we're just leaving Hindlip and we heard your last,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52just give me the details.
0:22:55 > 0:23:00I heard, npower building, burglary in progress, and then I thought,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03"That's just round the corner from us."
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Received. You've got three units making from Hindlip.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15So, less than three quarters of a mile away,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18there was three patrol cars en route, very quickly.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21John's spotted someone who could be the burglar.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Hello, mate, do you want to just step up there by that car for us.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32What are you doing up here?
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- On my way home.- From? Where do you work at?
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- DHL.- Do you?
0:23:39 > 0:23:43Right, where's DHL from here because I'm not from round here?
0:23:43 > 0:23:46- There somewhere.- Right. - "There somewhere"...
0:23:46 > 0:23:49- Mike, Oscar, Tango, two-three. - ..isn't the direction he came from.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52I've got one gentleman stopped at the moment.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Can you just confirm if someone's been stopped
0:23:55 > 0:23:57walking away from the premises in the last five minutes?
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Have you got anything on you that you shouldn't have at the moment?
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- No.- Right, basically, because you've been seen walking away
0:24:03 > 0:24:05from a place where we believe a burglary has taken place
0:24:05 > 0:24:08or attempted to be taken place, I'm going to search you.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11OK, under section one of the... PHONE BEEPS
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Two-three, go on. Yeah, you can get that, yeah.
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Hello.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19I haven't. No, I'm on my way home
0:24:19 > 0:24:22and the police have stopped me on the way home.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25It could be PC Martin's lucky day.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28The suspect's been caught, quite literally, red handed.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- RADIO:- 'There is a fair bit of blood on the blinds.'
0:24:32 > 0:24:34OK, talk to you in a bit anyway.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39You are under arrest at the moment.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41OK, you've got a cut hand
0:24:41 > 0:24:44and there's a lot of blood at the place where we've got a break-in.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47You're under arrest on suspicion of burglary, all right?
0:24:47 > 0:24:50So you don't have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you don't mention
0:24:50 > 0:24:53something that you later rely on in court, all right?
0:24:53 > 0:24:56- Yeah?- I only finished my shift about two or three minutes ago.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00It's always nice to be in that position, where you just think,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03I'm 100% sure I've got the right man here.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08And I'm just intrigued as to what excuse he's going to give.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11I've got work tomorrow.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- Have you been drinking as well? - I have had a drink, yeah.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17You have just finished in DHL, delivery driver?
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Put your hands like that for me, that's it.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21It's not going to be what?
0:25:21 > 0:25:23A long one is it?
0:25:23 > 0:25:26I don't know, mate, because as far as I'm concerned,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29if your blood matches what's at the scene at the moment,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32then you're going to be guilty of it, aren't you?
0:25:32 > 0:25:35It doesn't happen all the time, and if you do,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37if it does happen to you, it's just like,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41I think I might go and get some lottery numbers tonight as well cos I've hit the jackpot here!
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Unless you've got a reasonable excuse as to what you've
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- been there for.- Been where? - Where I've just told you.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Do you want to come and have a seat in the back of the car?
0:25:50 > 0:25:52- Yeah, I've just been to work and that.- All right.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Have a seat in the back there for us.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Right, that seemed like a bit of an easy one.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Yeah, well, basically, while he's been here with me
0:26:04 > 0:26:06I was just about to stop-check him,
0:26:06 > 0:26:09it's come through that there's a large amount of blood at the scene
0:26:09 > 0:26:12and I've just noticed quite a good cut on his hand.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15So as far as I'm concerned, he's walking away from the scene.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17If that blood matches the bit there, it's done and dusted,
0:26:17 > 0:26:18so we're game on.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21I'd say if I was a betting man I'd probably say that
0:26:21 > 0:26:23I think the blood's going to match up at that,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25so we'll do the necessary now. He's obviously been
0:26:25 > 0:26:28arrested on suspicion of the burglary, or attempted burglary.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32And we'll take him to custody and see what they can do,
0:26:32 > 0:26:33get someone to deal with it.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36The suspect has been arrested before...
0:26:36 > 0:26:40- RADIO:- '..is known to us, mainly for drugs. On bail.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43'His last known possession
0:26:43 > 0:26:46'was control drugs with intent to supply and having it on him.'
0:26:46 > 0:26:48..many times before.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52'Disqual driver, vehicles uninsured, more drugs,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56'resist and obstruction of constable and theft,
0:26:56 > 0:27:01'article with a blade, burglary with an intent to steal and arson.'
0:27:01 > 0:27:03He was all right, to be honest, mate.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06With such a long arrest record, he just might be their man.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08All right, then, Gary, we'll shoot off.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11There's no reason why I should be here full stop.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13I've just popped out.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Two minutes, ten o'clock.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19OK, what I've done wrong is I've probably had a couple of drinks
0:27:19 > 0:27:21when I shouldn't have, but...
0:27:21 > 0:27:24While the man waits to be transported to the cells,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28ten miles away just outside Worcester,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31some more cable thieves have been seen on the M5.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36One of our vehicles had spotted a vehicle known to us
0:27:36 > 0:27:38for being involved in cable theft.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42They'd gone to the vehicle that was seen on the hard shoulder
0:27:42 > 0:27:44and they'd got out, gone into the field and they'd legged it.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50Alpha-Oscar-One's heat-seeking camera is searching the fields for the gang.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55The efforts that go into actually target these people
0:27:55 > 0:27:57is absolutely massive, it's huge.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59It's a huge undertaking
0:27:59 > 0:28:01to take on an organised crime group or even part of it.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04We've got a vehicle that's been involved in these thefts so,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07I think there's some officers with that vehicle now
0:28:07 > 0:28:08and some people are in the field,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11so we're just going to go off and see if we can find them.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13As you can see, we've got the helicopter up as well
0:28:13 > 0:28:15doing a search for them
0:28:15 > 0:28:17and plenty of people that have been on the operation as well,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20out looking for them as well. So hopefully we'll turn one up.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27There's no sign of them but there's evidence of where they've been.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30So they've been taking the cable from down here?
0:28:30 > 0:28:33I think he said he's found a hacksaw, it's massive.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36They've nicked all the cabling. The lights are out.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39See this section of lights is out because they nicked the cable.
0:28:39 > 0:28:40When it comes to cable thieves,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43people think it's just, you know,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46your unemployed man nipping into a derelict house
0:28:46 > 0:28:48and pulling out the boiler and a few cables.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Well, it goes a lot further and a lot deeper than that.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54These people are, you know,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57they remove massive chunks of cable from the side of the motorway
0:28:57 > 0:29:02and other places, other main roads. It's then put into bite-size chunks,
0:29:02 > 0:29:05moved to these houses where they've got factories set up
0:29:05 > 0:29:09where they put this cable through and it comes out the other end copper.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12There was torch going from right to left towards the farm
0:29:12 > 0:29:15when I got here but it's disappeared.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17I say, the chopper hasn't got him then.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20No, no, no, but he could have got to the farm buildings
0:29:20 > 0:29:22so I'm going to have a look. I'm going to go up the field.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27The hope now is that a search of a local farmyard will unearth the gang.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30- Are you the owner, are you? - That's right, something's going on.
0:29:30 > 0:29:35Yes, we've got a... Somebody's been nicking all the cabling
0:29:35 > 0:29:38We've got one on foot over the fields.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41He'd had some trouble before. I think he's had incidents
0:29:41 > 0:29:44and he's had metal items stolen and removed from him before.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46Where is he?
0:29:46 > 0:29:49They know how we operate, we know how they operate.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53And sometimes it feels like you're in a game of cat and mouse.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58There's no footprints in there.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04We'll look and see if he's hiding in your..
0:30:04 > 0:30:06It'd be an ideal place to hide.
0:30:06 > 0:30:07Even with air-to-ground search,
0:30:07 > 0:30:11the thieves have vanished into the night.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15Well...no, he's disappeared obviously so... OK.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18And leaving empty-handed is a bitter disappointment.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21Their desire to get away is so great,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24that they'll do anything and go anywhere.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27They'll go and throw themselves in a pile of cow dung, won't they?
0:30:27 > 0:30:30They're not bothered, they'll go and get in the middle of that.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32If it means they won't get caught and spend the night in the cell,
0:30:32 > 0:30:36they don't mind spending a night in a load of manure, do they?
0:30:36 > 0:30:39If you do hear anything - I'm sure you will - but give us a bell.
0:30:39 > 0:30:40I can't believe he's got away.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Yeah, I was a bit annoyed because they were so close
0:30:43 > 0:30:46and the thing that annoyed me was, because I knew that...
0:30:46 > 0:30:49Well, a part of me thought that they were going to go back
0:30:49 > 0:30:51and commit more crime but with another victim.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55So, yeah, I was frustrated because I'd like to have got them.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01Back in Worcester, the man PC John Martin caught red handed
0:31:01 > 0:31:03is dismayed at his predicament.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Well, this is just a pure joke.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12This is just putting the icing on the cake.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16- BLEEP- detested the job anyway and this is just topping it.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19He's sticking to his story that he's just clocked off work
0:31:19 > 0:31:21and had one for the road.
0:31:21 > 0:31:27Two-ten job and I absolutely detest it.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- Two till ten?- Yeah. - You've finished early, haven't you?
0:31:30 > 0:31:33- What do you mean, "I've finished early"?- It's only 8:20.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36'I think from the way that Mr Haddock'
0:31:36 > 0:31:41was speaking to me, you could see that his story wasn't straight.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43So how much have you had to drink then, Gary?
0:31:43 > 0:31:48I had a couple of cans at break time, which was six o'clock,
0:31:48 > 0:31:53and, yeah, I didn't go...well...
0:31:53 > 0:31:56He really wasn't giving me not a lot of confidence
0:31:56 > 0:31:59that what he was telling me was right.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01You go and sit down on there for us, Gary.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04His record of offending spans over a decade,
0:32:04 > 0:32:07although it seems he's conveniently forgotten most of it.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09So, when was the last time you were in trouble? 12 years ago?
0:32:09 > 0:32:13I'm 35 now, I was...what, about 18,
0:32:13 > 0:32:1619 when I got out of it all.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18On the straight and narrow?
0:32:18 > 0:32:20Yeah, yeah, yeah, a long time ago.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25All I've been locked up for is driving while disqualified,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28three times I got put away for that.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Last time, I was about...32.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Right, so it's three years, rather than 12?
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Er, no.
0:32:37 > 0:32:38Step out of there, please.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41- Come on, then. - I'll follow you back, actually.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44It's only a scratch. I think it's from that there.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47Yeah. Open up for me. Open them both up for me.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50He's managed to twist them himself. Should I take him out of them?
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Just leave them on for a minute, we'll just get his hand swabbed.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55It takes just a few minutes to gather the evidence.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57Can you turn your hand over this way for me?
0:32:57 > 0:33:00That's it, that's the one. That'll do, good one. Nice one.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04OK. And if you could just put the time on this one.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08What these do is these are going to, um...get sent away
0:33:08 > 0:33:12to be matched with things from the crime scene.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16- What, blood? - This is going to prove that Gary's either been where he says he hasn't
0:33:16 > 0:33:19or it's going to prove he was where he said where he was.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22- And that wasn't... - I wasn't anywhere.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24- Yeah.- To be honest, I don't even remember where I was.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27If not, we'll be able to tell you where you've been then.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29That'd be better, wouldn't it?
0:33:29 > 0:33:31Pictures often speak louder than words,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35and CCTV footage retrieved from outside the property will also help
0:33:35 > 0:33:39the cops work out his whereabouts just minutes prior to his arrest.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Right, then. If you go in there, get your head down for a bit, all right?
0:33:47 > 0:33:51'I believe it was a burglary, or attempted burglary at the least.'
0:33:51 > 0:33:54He was trying to take something from that building.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56What, I don't know.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58You said a cup of tea? All right, Gary.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01While he settles in for the night,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04the motorway cops are out looking for yet another
0:34:04 > 0:34:07gang of cable thieves. They believe this gang are Romanian
0:34:07 > 0:34:11and plan to strike tonight somewhere along the M42.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15PC Angus Nairn and another rookie motorway cop, Katie Pring,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17are lying in wait.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Yeah, the Romanians came in their Volkswagen Sharan earlier.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24They've been round the Bromsgrove area and he's gone back to Coventry.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27Well, he's now back again, he's just come off at one,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29and he's gone down in towards Bromsgrove.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32What we're doing now, is we're aware that there is a red
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Volkswagen Sharan that's in the area involved in cable thefts.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39There's currently five vehicles involved
0:34:39 > 0:34:42in looking for that vehicle, so hopefully it'll pop out soon.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46You've got to build up a pattern of where they actually go,
0:34:46 > 0:34:48travelling to and from.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51'What sort of areas that they like to steal from.'
0:34:51 > 0:34:53And once you build up a pattern of what they do,
0:34:53 > 0:34:55they're like creatures of habit.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00The UK's central motorways are a frequent target for cable thieves
0:35:00 > 0:35:03and with over 600 miles of carriageway
0:35:03 > 0:35:06but only 12 officers on duty at any one time,
0:35:06 > 0:35:11finding these creatures of habit isn't always as easy as it seems.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16- RADIO:- Yeah, found this guy. He's gone M42 north from the M5 south, to two.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Are your lights on? Two-three...
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- RECEIVING OFFICER:- Yeah, that's received.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24I'll take it two-three. We'll do that then.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28Yeah, two-three. We're just about to join the motorway now.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31The red Volkswagen Sharan has been caught on camera
0:35:31 > 0:35:33heading straight for the cops.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Nine-six, we're going to try and make junction three on the 42.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38While other units play catch-up,
0:35:38 > 0:35:42Angus and Katie are still not clear if the Sharan has passed them by.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45In front or behind us?
0:35:45 > 0:35:51- Mmm. OK, we've just entered onto the M42.- What's behind us?
0:35:51 > 0:35:54- RADIO:- Junction one now.- Just through junction one.- That's it. Bollocks.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Two, three, I think it's behind us, then, over.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02We just joined the M42 eastbound as we've been told the vehicle
0:36:02 > 0:36:07has entered in and we believe the vehicle is actually behind us now.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09So I think we're going to see if the vehicle passes us
0:36:09 > 0:36:11to see how many are on board and then make a decision about
0:36:11 > 0:36:14whether we stop the vehicle or let it run.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18There are times when you know that you've...
0:36:18 > 0:36:20if you're going to go and stop somebody
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and they haven't actually got anything on their possession,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25then it's difficult to prove they've been involved
0:36:25 > 0:36:27in the commission of a crime.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29So you've got to weigh up the pros and cons.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Is it worth stopping them and letting them know
0:36:31 > 0:36:33that you're on to them?
0:36:33 > 0:36:35That you know the vehicle they're using, the route they take,
0:36:35 > 0:36:37whatever it happens to be?
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Or do you say, let's just let them go on this occasion.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42The next time they come back could be the occasion
0:36:42 > 0:36:44where they're coming to collect the goods.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Ask him what he plans to do - stop it, drive by it?
0:36:49 > 0:36:52Sierra nine-zero, from two-three.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Are you planning on stopping it or driving past
0:36:54 > 0:36:56and having a look first?
0:36:56 > 0:36:58No, we don't think it's going on.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01We're going to put a stop on, just passing five over eight.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04We just want to know where all the other resources are, please.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07We've just gone past six over three.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13- Does he want us to put the follow-me and take it off, or what? - OK, yeah, get in front.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Yeah, received. We'll get the follow-me on
0:37:16 > 0:37:21- and see if we can get him in to Hopwood, over.- Gotcha.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24We've got the vehicle behind us now and another police vehicle
0:37:24 > 0:37:28is directly behind that Volkswagen Sharan.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31We've got the rear sign in the vehicle illuminated...
0:37:31 > 0:37:32BEEP
0:37:32 > 0:37:35..requesting the vehicle to follow us off.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39- I still think it's only just one, or maybe just two at the most. - I think it's just the one, yeah.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41There's a head in the passenger's seat, I think.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45Yeah, there's certainly not a row of people in the back.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- RADIO:- Right, I think it's two of them. I think it's two of them.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52- Three-two, one mark. Stand by. - They might be lying down.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Yeah. They are. They're lying down in the back.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56Did you get that, Angus?
0:37:56 > 0:37:58- Yes.- Yeah two, three received.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Why are they lying down in the back, then?
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Hello, can you get out the vehicle, please?
0:38:15 > 0:38:20Oh, there's loads, there's four in the back.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23- Four in the back? - Four in the back, lying down.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26The Volkswagen Sharan is a typical car used by cable thieves,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29who rip out the back seats to make more room for their crews.
0:38:29 > 0:38:35Where have you lads been? Speak English?
0:38:35 > 0:38:38- MAN IN CAR:- No. - Any of you speak English?
0:38:38 > 0:38:43- Where are you from? Country? - Romania.- Romania? All of you?
0:38:43 > 0:38:47- ANGUS:- So there'll be a lot of stuff hiding somewhere.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50We'll get the details, mate, and then it's intel, isn't it?
0:38:50 > 0:38:54Um, who speaks English? English?
0:38:56 > 0:38:59The language barrier is a big problem for the cops.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03The identification side is always difficult
0:39:03 > 0:39:06because whenever they come from a foreign country, a European country,
0:39:06 > 0:39:10the language barrier, you can't confirm the details they give
0:39:10 > 0:39:13because we've no way of accessing the Czechoslovakian or Romanian
0:39:13 > 0:39:17or Polish databases to see if these people are genuine.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21They've been rooting in the undergrowth...
0:39:21 > 0:39:25- Yeah.- ..and wet through.- Yep.- OK.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Same as, wet through, fingers.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- Soaking wet, I can feel that even through my gloves.- Yep.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Wet clothes may indicate they've already been out
0:39:34 > 0:39:39searching for the cables, the question is where is it now?
0:39:39 > 0:39:42Another one with... They've been out rambling, Angus.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46- Yeah, I'd say so. They've no' been to the pub, anyway.- Any ID?
0:39:46 > 0:39:50- Mobile.- Mobile as well, you've got mobiles? They've all got mobiles.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53But no ID. No money?
0:39:53 > 0:39:55But one thing they do have...
0:39:55 > 0:39:59These were hidden underneath the passenger seat,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02and they are the ideal tools for cutting cable
0:40:02 > 0:40:04and we tend to find that they use
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Stanley knives to strip the outer sheath off the cable.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- They've been up to Troon recently as well.- Have they?- Aye.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- Good golf course up there, mate. - There is indeed.
0:40:13 > 0:40:20This vehicle is linked very strongly to cable theft
0:40:20 > 0:40:24and theft from HGVs and also to diesel.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27They're all soaking wet through.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31Trainers, socks, bottoms of their trousers.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Obviously been rambling somewhere in the evening.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38Unfortunately, we've not been able to catch them with anything.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41But it's very good intelligence, just getting their details now.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44When you stop these people, you have to have a sense of humour
0:40:44 > 0:40:46because if you let it get to you all the time,
0:40:46 > 0:40:50that they're getting away with something and you know they've done it, then you'd get wound up,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53you'd get frustrated and wouldn't enjoy the rest of the shift.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55So there are times there when you've just got to say,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57"Hey ho, you win some, you lose some."
0:40:57 > 0:41:00The Romanians haven't got away completely scot-free -
0:41:00 > 0:41:03the driver is being reported for carrying his passengers
0:41:03 > 0:41:06without any seats and he'll have to take them home one by one.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09So it's another way of disrupting them. If they want to come out
0:41:09 > 0:41:12and try and steal at night-time or just commit offences
0:41:12 > 0:41:16that are going to cause people disruption, then we'll do the same.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18We'll disrupt them.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20Disrupting criminals using the motorway
0:41:20 > 0:41:22is one of the main priorities for the motorway cops.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25But keeping road users safe is even more important
0:41:25 > 0:41:29and sometimes thief-taking takes a back seat.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Angus and Katie are on their way to find a van driver
0:41:32 > 0:41:36who's been reported weaving in and out of roadworks on the M5.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39We've been given observations by a local force in relation to
0:41:39 > 0:41:44a vehicle that the driver's possibly drunk in charge.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47So we've just been given the recent location that
0:41:47 > 0:41:50it's between junctions four and three on the M5 northbound,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53which is where we are now, trying to make some progress
0:41:53 > 0:41:55to see if we can see the vehicle.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59The suspected drink-driver has sparked a nationwide search
0:41:59 > 0:42:02after his employer's reported him AWOL earlier in the day.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06The company had been concerned that the vehicle had been
0:42:06 > 0:42:09missing for the day. He'd left in the early hours of the morning
0:42:09 > 0:42:12and he hadn't returned back to his yard again.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15So the company then put a phone call in to say that they were
0:42:15 > 0:42:19concerned that there was something wrong with the driver.
0:42:22 > 0:42:23Yeah, that's it.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Proceed. Suspicious Transit panel van.
0:42:32 > 0:42:37The missing van is behind them, stopped on the hard shoulder.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Four-four, sorry, we're just trying to get in.
0:42:39 > 0:42:44It's stationary on the shelf, we're just with the vehicle now.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48So we reverse back, thinking he's going to just climb out the cab and come and speak to us.
0:42:48 > 0:42:49The driver is Polish
0:42:49 > 0:42:53and the dangers of the motorway seem lost in translation.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56He had opened the door and I was trying to hold on to him
0:42:56 > 0:42:58to stop him from getting out.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05There was trucks coming and one had literally just missed him.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09And Katie was struggling to get him to actually understand what she wanted.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12Katie was trying her best to get him to go over the passenger side
0:43:12 > 0:43:14and he wasn't moving.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16As soon as I opened the door to the van,
0:43:16 > 0:43:20the...the smell and the fumes of alcohol...
0:43:20 > 0:43:22It was astounding, to be honest.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24It just hit me and then the smell of sick.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26Hurry up and get out.
0:43:26 > 0:43:31In the last ten years, there have been more than 100 fatalities on the hard shoulder.
0:43:31 > 0:43:32Shut that door.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34Angus and Katie aren't wasting any time.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37The man is under arrest for drink-driving.
0:43:37 > 0:43:39'At the side of the road, he wasn't worth breath testing.'
0:43:39 > 0:43:42Because we couldn't communicate - he couldn't speak English
0:43:42 > 0:43:45as far as I was concerned and I don't speak Polish.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47A couple of words, but not enough
0:43:47 > 0:43:50to explain to him the breath test procedure.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54'So my first instinct was to get the van off the carriageway.'
0:43:54 > 0:43:57So I jumped in to the van expecting just to start it up
0:43:57 > 0:43:59and bump it over, because all I was going to do
0:43:59 > 0:44:01was put it in gear, turn the engine
0:44:01 > 0:44:05and it would move of its own accord, even if it had run out of diesel.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08But an empty fuel tank isn't the only problem.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12And then, I could feel it, and I thought...
0:44:12 > 0:44:16"He's no managed to hold all his alcohol."
0:44:16 > 0:44:20I first of all hoped that he'd just spilled some alcohol,
0:44:20 > 0:44:25but as it sort of turned out later on, the smell was enough to say...
0:44:25 > 0:44:27it was nae just alcohol that was on that seat.
0:44:27 > 0:44:32- He's absolutely soaking wet.- Yeah. - I've sat on the seat and moved it.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34He's steaming.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38Have you seen the bottle of...empty bottle of wine
0:44:38 > 0:44:39on the passenger seat?
0:44:39 > 0:44:41I hope it's wine I was sitting on.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Much to the disgust of Angus,
0:44:43 > 0:44:48not only has the van's tank run dry, but the driver's bladder has too.
0:44:49 > 0:44:51TWO bottles of wine!
0:44:53 > 0:44:56I've had them before with beer, but never the wine.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00Seems like we've got ourselves an alcoholic, big style.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05The only reason he's stopped, the fact that he's out of fuel.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07I would hate to see what his driving's been like up the motorway,
0:45:07 > 0:45:10because even just trying to drag him out the van,
0:45:10 > 0:45:14he's legless, you know...he's absolutely bladdered, basically.
0:45:14 > 0:45:20It's shocking. When I come to the side of the vehicle
0:45:20 > 0:45:23trying to communicate the driver to get out of the vehicle,
0:45:23 > 0:45:26he just...it was like talking to a brick wall,
0:45:26 > 0:45:30he just didn't recognise anything that I was saying.
0:45:30 > 0:45:35- Have you wet yourself? Yeah? - Yeah.- Yeah.- Maybe.
0:45:35 > 0:45:40- Maybe. My seat's going to be soaking wet now.- Yeah, I pees.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44- "You pees"? You pissed yourself? - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47And that was that. I was just... My temperature started to rise,
0:45:47 > 0:45:52and my patience, as far as he was concerned, had gone.
0:45:52 > 0:45:56- Bastard. Pff! I need to go home and change.- Yeah.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59No speak English.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02The clothes wash, which is one of them things.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06I was a bit uncomfortable for a while having a wet backside,
0:46:06 > 0:46:10especially if it was nae mine, but...yeah, it was done.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12While the drunk is taken to the station,
0:46:12 > 0:46:14just off the M5 near Bromsgrove,
0:46:14 > 0:46:18Adam and John are keeping watch for a Renault Megane people carrier
0:46:18 > 0:46:22which has been linked to cable theft.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25We know what vehicles they've got because we're able to do checks
0:46:25 > 0:46:28to obviously confirm what vehicles these people are using.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31And we'll just target them, we'll go and sit up,
0:46:31 > 0:46:34we'll go and sit in plain cars. We'll even go and sit in the bushes
0:46:34 > 0:46:37if it means we'll catch somebody.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40We're thinking, mate, the M5's closed, five to three,
0:46:40 > 0:46:43it's an absolute gold mine for them tonight
0:46:43 > 0:46:45as you quite rightly said as well.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48I think they'll be absolutely mad not to have dropped off here.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51It's number two on the Government's list of priorities
0:46:51 > 0:46:54that we have to sort out because this country
0:46:54 > 0:46:57is going to come to its knees,
0:46:57 > 0:46:59because of the things that are being stolen.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03Two people carriers are going past - a Ford Galaxy,
0:47:03 > 0:47:05and the other is the Megane they've been waiting for.
0:47:05 > 0:47:09- That's it, that's it there. - Yeah.- That's it there.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11Yeah, he's just gone past, he's just gone past.
0:47:11 > 0:47:12Just gone past there.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14This time, they're going to let the Megane run
0:47:14 > 0:47:18and make plans to catch it on its return leg.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20So, we then knew that it had actually done
0:47:20 > 0:47:22a loop around the Bromsgrove area.
0:47:22 > 0:47:27Potentially, it's dropped people off and it would be coming back later.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30We're hoping that it's going to go back, M5 north now.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34So, if you just monitor that one, please.
0:47:34 > 0:47:38With the trap set, it's now a case of sit tight and wait.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41They'll have done their research, and they'll know exactly
0:47:41 > 0:47:44where they're going, what they're taking and how much.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47And then, five hours later, they'll return with it all.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51It's a very, very well drilled operation, it seems.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54Something's showing down tonight.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58At the moment, at my guess - and I think John's in for the same thing -
0:47:58 > 0:48:02it's on this section here which is closed at the moment.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04The truth of the matter will be in the early hours.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08We try to get in their mind-set as to where they're going to go,
0:48:08 > 0:48:10and we're just second guessing them thinking,
0:48:10 > 0:48:14"If we were stealing cable, where would we go?"
0:48:14 > 0:48:18Unlit sections with roadworks are a common target.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21Adam and John call reinforcements - the police helicopter.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26They said we've got a helicopter.
0:48:26 > 0:48:31I think if you can run the loop from junction one of M42,
0:48:31 > 0:48:35round to 4A, and then down to five.
0:48:35 > 0:48:39Further north, at Smethwick Police Station in Birmingham,
0:48:39 > 0:48:42the Polish van driver who emptied two bottles of wine
0:48:42 > 0:48:44and then his bladder is going to be tested
0:48:44 > 0:48:46on the station's breathalyser.
0:48:46 > 0:48:50A bit unexpected. The company have phoned it through
0:48:50 > 0:48:56and they suspected the driver might be drinking whilst at work.
0:48:56 > 0:48:58And they were spot on.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01KATIE: He is nine, zero, three, zero...
0:49:01 > 0:49:07He's so drunk, he's not even able to hold his own urine in its, um...
0:49:11 > 0:49:16Harder, harder, harder, harder. More, more, more, more.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20That's brilliant. One more, same again.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26- That's why I'm here, Katie's not allowed to be unsupervised. - Oh, ha ha ha(!)
0:49:29 > 0:49:31Keep going, keep going, harder, harder, harder.
0:49:31 > 0:49:36'I don't feel sorry for any drink-driver. Ultimately,'
0:49:36 > 0:49:38there is help out there for anybody with an addiction.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41They know they're alcoholics. There's no excuse for them
0:49:41 > 0:49:44taking a car because they can't control themselves.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47If they're an alcoholic and they've got to have alcohol,
0:49:47 > 0:49:49then they should nae be driving.
0:49:49 > 0:49:53Surrender their car licence, take the bus, take the train.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57One-four-nine, and one-four-four.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00The reading is four times over the limit.
0:50:00 > 0:50:03There's obviously been high ones
0:50:03 > 0:50:07but it's my highest reading that I've ever taken.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11Because he's standing and he's talking,
0:50:11 > 0:50:14I wouldn't have thought he'd have blown as much as he has.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18But, yeah, he's bladdered at that.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20144 at the LOWEST?
0:50:21 > 0:50:25You know, he is an accident just waiting to happen.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32Come this way, young man. You go first, I'll follow the whiff.
0:50:32 > 0:50:36Well, going by what the sarge says and six to eight units an hour,
0:50:36 > 0:50:41- it could be at least 14 hours before he'll be fit to charge.- Can I shut the door?- You can indeed, yeah.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43The next day, he was charged and released
0:50:43 > 0:50:46but he failed to appear at court.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49He's more than likely decided, without a driver's licence,
0:50:49 > 0:50:52there's nothing else he can do, because he only knows driving.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54So he's more than likely gone back to Poland.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57And he'll still have his Polish licence
0:50:57 > 0:50:58that he's NOT disqualified on,
0:50:58 > 0:51:02and he'll get a job in Poland, still driving.
0:51:02 > 0:51:0415 miles south near Bromsgrove,
0:51:04 > 0:51:07Adam and John are still waiting for news on the Megane.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10It's there, the Megane has just hit 15 to 16.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12- 15 to 16?- Yeah.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15Since its earlier sighting, the Megane has done the rounds
0:51:15 > 0:51:19and is now on the M40, 30 miles away.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22All right, mate. I'll take it you've heard the update.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25Hopefully, it will come off at one, it will go past us
0:51:25 > 0:51:30and then it will go down towards where it's going to pick the men up.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34The helicopter is probably about five minutes away,
0:51:34 > 0:51:37so it's kind of all tying in quite nicely at the moment.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40With a dog car and three other units ready for action,
0:51:40 > 0:51:42the police helicopter is airborne
0:51:42 > 0:51:44and checking the M5 for heat sources.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRR
0:51:46 > 0:51:49It was almost too, too perfect,
0:51:49 > 0:51:52that we managed to get a helicopter, that we managed to get a dog handler
0:51:52 > 0:51:56if someone did do a runner. We had everything in place,
0:51:56 > 0:52:00to the point where nothing could have possibly gone wrong.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04But there's a problem. The Megane's disappeared.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07- RADIO:- We've been down south to the next junction,
0:52:07 > 0:52:09both sides of the motorway,
0:52:09 > 0:52:12no trace of any persons or suspicious vehicles,
0:52:12 > 0:52:14we're going to resume back to our patch, over.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16OK then, mate. That's it.
0:52:16 > 0:52:20Just vanished. We'd tracked it so far,
0:52:20 > 0:52:23people spotting it, et cetera.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25And then it just went off the face of the earth,
0:52:25 > 0:52:28we couldn't think where it had gone.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31And we just had to hope in the wait
0:52:31 > 0:52:34that it would show its face a little bit later.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38Three hours later and 15 miles away near Walsall,
0:52:38 > 0:52:42the Megane has resurfaced with the Ford Galaxy seen behind it earlier.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45- RADIO:- Yeah, we've been watching at Wall Island for that Megane,
0:52:45 > 0:52:48it's just passed us. It's on the A5, Watling Street.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50We're going to try and catch it up,
0:52:50 > 0:52:52it's travelling with a Galaxy by the looks of it.
0:52:52 > 0:52:59The Megane actually appeared, further up north that evening.
0:52:59 > 0:53:05Again, it was spotted by another crew, just purely by luck.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07OK.
0:53:09 > 0:53:10INDISTINCT VOICES ON RADIO
0:53:12 > 0:53:13Yep, coming towards you now.
0:53:13 > 0:53:15'I think they've sussed the police are behind them'
0:53:15 > 0:53:17and then eventually,
0:53:17 > 0:53:20they're followed through the back streets of Walsall.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23And we can hear over the radio that it's only a couple of streets away.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26The two people carriers have driven in to a dead end.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28There's no way out.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30We're with you now, mate.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34'They didn't live in that area at all.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37'These people are from quite some distance away
0:53:37 > 0:53:40'and we knew that, we knew that they were obviously driving around
0:53:40 > 0:53:42'to see who was following them.'
0:53:42 > 0:53:44All right, boys?
0:53:44 > 0:53:47There's five men inside, all are arrested.
0:53:47 > 0:53:52What's all this stuff here? Eh? Out the vehicle, bud. Come on, out.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54Got a load of cutting equipment there.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57- Have they?- Yeah.- That's enough for going to cut, then, isn't it?
0:53:57 > 0:54:01There's no cable but they are well tooled up.
0:54:01 > 0:54:02Yeah, hacksaws.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05Out you get for a second, sit in there.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09They're using hacksaws, you know.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13They're using normal saws, they're using normal garden cutters
0:54:13 > 0:54:15and all sorts of stuff.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18That's enough for us to arrest them with, that's enough for us
0:54:18 > 0:54:21to take them in to the police station and deal with them.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24Once again, all the men are Romanian.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26Have you got any ID?
0:54:26 > 0:54:30- No.- No English, eh? That old chestnut.
0:54:30 > 0:54:36They come over, they lodge in houses of five or ten in a house,
0:54:36 > 0:54:39and then they basically go out and do shift work.
0:54:39 > 0:54:45They go out, do their shift or they find where the cable is, cut it up.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48Next shift comes out, comes and takes it,
0:54:48 > 0:54:50they cut it up and put it in vehicles.
0:54:50 > 0:54:53They've obviously... This bloke here's got a cut hand,
0:54:53 > 0:54:55- his hand's all cut open from something sharp.- Yeah.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58One of them is already on bail for cable theft.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00His last arrest was only two days ago.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Looks like we've got the right man, then.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15'A lot of the time, they'll come in for a month,'
0:55:15 > 0:55:19they may be arrested two or three times and then they'll go back.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21But there's always more willing people to come across,
0:55:21 > 0:55:24so it's almost like a constant supply of different
0:55:24 > 0:55:27people willing to come and do what they do.
0:55:27 > 0:55:31There are more than 1,000 incidents of metal theft every week.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34It's rife at the moment, to the point where there's
0:55:34 > 0:55:37so many of them, there's not enough of us.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40Problem is, we're now half four in the morning
0:55:40 > 0:55:42and potentially we won't know
0:55:42 > 0:55:46if anything's been stolen or damaged until the morning now
0:55:46 > 0:55:48when the shift workers come in for the motorways
0:55:48 > 0:55:51or the council are checking the drains to see
0:55:51 > 0:55:52if there's any manhole covers been removed.
0:55:52 > 0:55:57The stolen cabling from the M5 costs over £80 a metre
0:55:57 > 0:56:00and metal theft is estimated to cost the energy sector
0:56:00 > 0:56:03around £60 million a year.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06These people just don't care, they don't care two hoots
0:56:06 > 0:56:10about you or I and anybody that's actually going to be affected by it.
0:56:10 > 0:56:13Bottom line is 500 metres of cable being stolen
0:56:13 > 0:56:18out of the motorway central reservation is worth about £50,000.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20It's big money.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23Right, we've got two hats.
0:56:23 > 0:56:29Underneath the rear passenger seat, there's a pair of gloves.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32- Yeah...oh, and we've got a Tom Tom as well.- Ooh, we'll have that.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35A sat nav is a cop's best friend.
0:56:35 > 0:56:37- Oh, dear!- We'll have that one.
0:56:37 > 0:56:41It will give us a fair idea of where they've been, I'd have thought,
0:56:41 > 0:56:43so although there's no cable on board
0:56:43 > 0:56:46I'm pretty sure we'll be able to find where they've been
0:56:46 > 0:56:50and if any have gone, then put two and two together, so to speak.
0:56:50 > 0:56:55Isn't that right? Yeah. He says, "yes".
0:56:55 > 0:57:00Although they were arrested, and although they're in custody block,
0:57:00 > 0:57:03you still think there's an awful lot that we're going to have to prove
0:57:03 > 0:57:09to a court or a jury that they were doing what we think they're doing.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12Last year throughout the UK, police made more than 1,000 arrests
0:57:12 > 0:57:15for cable theft but that's just the tip of the iceberg.
0:57:15 > 0:57:19The knock-on effects don't just effect the motorway lights.
0:57:19 > 0:57:24If you look at it on a small scale, people don't get electricity,
0:57:24 > 0:57:28but on a wider scale, where they can wipe out telephone lines,
0:57:28 > 0:57:33power stations, hospitals, all this sort of stuff
0:57:33 > 0:57:37and then if they can take out that amount of technology
0:57:37 > 0:57:39by just stripping some cable away,
0:57:39 > 0:57:43how does that help us when a real serious incident occurs?
0:57:43 > 0:57:44How do we communicate?
0:57:44 > 0:57:47But at the moment, we're fighting a war against this,
0:57:47 > 0:57:50and it's not going to get any better until things change.
0:57:50 > 0:57:53The five Romanians were released on bail the following day pending
0:57:53 > 0:57:58forensic tests, but no charges have been brought against them.
0:57:58 > 0:58:00The investigation into the crash on the M5
0:58:00 > 0:58:04confirmed that the driver of one of the cars, the blue Peugeot,
0:58:04 > 0:58:07was to blame for the accident and after being reported for driving
0:58:07 > 0:58:11without due care, he accepted a driver improvement course.
0:58:11 > 0:58:14The burglar, a little too drunk to remember his misdemeanours,
0:58:14 > 0:58:20was found guilty of criminal damage and fined £1,500.
0:58:20 > 0:58:23And the car thief who stole the pick-up truck was arrested again
0:58:23 > 0:58:26a month later for stealing another Vauxhall Brava pick-up
0:58:26 > 0:58:29and this time, he was sent to prison for two and a half months
0:58:29 > 0:58:32and disqualified from driving for three years.
0:58:37 > 0:58:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd