0:00:02 > 0:00:09Thieves will steal our cars, our valuables, just about anything they can get their hands on.
0:00:09 > 0:00:15To cut down on crime and antisocial behaviour, police and other agencies use new technology and tactics
0:00:15 > 0:00:22- when the bad guys are getting caught in the act.- I see him commit the robbery. Lovely.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26Local councils, shops and businesses are laying some traps of their own.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Why should we feel frightened?
0:00:29 > 0:00:34And the general public can help crooks get their comeuppance.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37- No way are you getting away. - We did it for everyone.
0:00:37 > 0:00:43- We will name and shame you. - So anyone up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:51 > 0:00:58Today: at first this man seems friendly, but suddenly the charm turns to harm.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02- He's about to pull out a knife. - He'd gained the girl's trust
0:01:02 > 0:01:05and to then suddenly pull a knife...
0:01:05 > 0:01:11He aims to rob a safe, but he has many cameras aiming at him.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Also today: airport bag snatching.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19He was becoming Heathrow's most prolific offender.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22We needed to ramp up our efforts.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26The tricky task of bagging a Heathrow master thief.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29And it's hardly smash and grab.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33This gang of three take nearly three hours to break in.
0:01:46 > 0:01:498.15 in the morning in Sutton, South London.
0:01:52 > 0:01:58We're looking at the recorded footage from CCTV cameras set up to watch over a casino arcade
0:01:58 > 0:02:02that's open 24 hours a day.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06The young manageress in the office is getting on with her paperwork.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12A man wearing casual clothes walks in. He may not look threatening,
0:02:12 > 0:02:19but in his bag he is carrying a large knife. The young woman goes out to see what he wants.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24He concocts a story, telling her he was in here last night
0:02:24 > 0:02:29and he had somehow lost his favourite ring. They start a search.
0:02:29 > 0:02:37After a few minutes, the manager goes out to the office, unaware that this man is about to turn violent.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40At first, he waits outside.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Then suddenly... he pulls out the knife.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51His true intention is to rob the safe.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55To be confronted with a guy wielding a massive knife,
0:02:55 > 0:03:00- words can't describe how horrified you must be. - It's a callous crime.
0:03:00 > 0:03:06She must have been scared for her life. She would not have known what he was going to do next.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10Although what unfolds is terrifying for the young woman,
0:03:10 > 0:03:16we'll see shortly how her brave actions set in motion a sequence of events that lead to the capture
0:03:16 > 0:03:19of a callous criminal.
0:03:23 > 0:03:30Across the UK in 2012, police recorded more than 15,000 robberies that involved a knife.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34A cold statistic about a crime that's on the increase,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37but behind the statistic are real people,
0:03:37 > 0:03:42more than 15,000 victims, all of whom must have felt for a few terrifying seconds
0:03:42 > 0:03:47that their lives were literally on a knife edge.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52When he pulled the knife on me, it was just fear. All I could think of.
0:03:52 > 0:03:58Albie was attacked by a robber with a knife in an incident unrelated to the one in Sutton.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02He was working at a convenience store when an armed man burst in and slashed at him.
0:04:02 > 0:04:09As I stood back as he attacked me, he just caught my left shoulder, but he was going for my neck.
0:04:09 > 0:04:16A robber escaped with cash from the till and Albie escaped with his life, but the shock stayed with him.
0:04:16 > 0:04:22I went through a state. The next day after the day it happened, I didn't want to get out of bed.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27It must have been all the stress and pressure of the previous day.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31It took him months off work to get over the ordeal.
0:04:31 > 0:04:37I'm back in the shop, still working there and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I'm more confident,
0:04:37 > 0:04:42but I know in a situation like that money ain't worth getting killed.
0:04:42 > 0:04:48But, sadly, there are plenty of criminals who believe money IS worth threatening to kill over.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52But back to the events at the Sutton arcade.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56One of the more unusual aspects is that when the man first walked in,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59he doesn't look threatening at all.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03I don't think you would have thought anything of it to see him.
0:05:03 > 0:05:09He actually looks quite presentable. He's got a bag over his shoulder. He's quite trendy, really.
0:05:09 > 0:05:16Not somebody that would generally fit the profile of this type of offence.
0:05:16 > 0:05:23Both Detective Constables Emily Marshall and Mark Turner were involved in solving this crime
0:05:23 > 0:05:26and both examined the shocking footage.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28It's around eight in the morning.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32The man comes up to the door and walks in.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37The young manageress, working alone, sees him arrive on a TV monitor.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42She leaves the protection of her locked office and goes to see what he wants.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47He was asking if she'd seen a ring that had been lost the day before.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53- Perfectly plausible reason to be in the venue.- The helpful manageress starts to scour the place
0:05:53 > 0:05:58for the missing jewellery. All the time, the two chat.
0:05:58 > 0:06:04She seems particularly trusting of him and spends a good bit of time with him, trying to help him out.
0:06:04 > 0:06:10That in itself is fairly unusual. He's trying to build some sort of rapport with his victim,
0:06:10 > 0:06:15which in this type of robbery you wouldn't expect that to happen.
0:06:15 > 0:06:22In fact, the man is coldly planning at some stage to turn violently against this helpful young woman,
0:06:22 > 0:06:26but for now he gives nothing away.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31He goes out the back to where the toilets are. He says, "Can I have a look?"
0:06:31 > 0:06:35He's possibly casing the joint for want of a better phrase.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39He's looking where he might hide and commit the offence.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44Now the man finds a way to get the manageress to open up the office,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48- where he thinks the cash is kept. - He says, "Can I leave my address
0:06:48 > 0:06:52"so that if my ring turns up you can let me know."
0:06:52 > 0:06:57- She's now going into the door. - She tells him you can't come in here. Staff area.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01But he puts his foot in the opening to keep the door from shutting.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03He reaches down to the bag.
0:07:03 > 0:07:10He gets hold of the large knife he has hidden, then for a brief moment he seems to hesitate.
0:07:10 > 0:07:17You can almost see the thought. "Do I pull the knife out or not?" He's made that decision.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21From his point of view, there's no going back. He has to do it.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26That's the most shocking thing, seeing that large kitchen knife.
0:07:26 > 0:07:32He'd gained the girl's trust and to then suddenly pull a knife out of his bag and charge in.
0:07:32 > 0:07:38He forcefully barges in and pushes the young manageress to the floor.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42This poor girl, she's just come in for a day's work.
0:07:42 > 0:07:49- Complete shock and fear. - You can see her shaking. I found that quite disturbing.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54He then tells her, "Open the safe and look away from me."
0:07:54 > 0:07:59The woman's fear is heightened as she can't see what he's up to.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05She must have been scared for her life. She would not have known what he would do next.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09What he does do while the young manageress is shaking in terror
0:08:09 > 0:08:13is empty pots of money from the safe into his bag.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17It wasn't very much money he's actually got away with
0:08:17 > 0:08:20for the effort and the fear he's put her through.
0:08:20 > 0:08:26She's a female on her own and this man is considerably bigger than her, yet he still felt the need
0:08:26 > 0:08:33- to pull out a knife.- Once he has emptied the safe of cash - it's estimated to be about £1,800 -
0:08:33 > 0:08:38he gets ready to leave. And he issues one more frightening threat.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43He tells her, "Don't call the police. There's somebody watching outside."
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- And then he just casually exits. - He walks out onto the street,
0:08:47 > 0:08:52blends into the crowd. You wouldn't know he'd committed this robbery.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57But the police ARE going to learn about it sooner rather than later
0:08:57 > 0:09:04because back in the casino office, the young manageress bravely dials 999.
0:09:04 > 0:09:10- Emily is one of those that goes to investigate. - The girl was very distressed,
0:09:10 > 0:09:16but she was really good and helped us, gave us some really useful information.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20Crucially, she also gives Emily the camera footage.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25We don't see CCTV as clear as that, generally, certainly not seeing the actual weapon
0:09:25 > 0:09:31and the reactions to what happened. Getting such a good facial image was brilliant.
0:09:31 > 0:09:37Later, back at the station, the armed robber's face is scrutinised to see
0:09:37 > 0:09:43if anyone knows who he is. Detective Constable Mark Turner sees the footage.
0:09:43 > 0:09:49I thought, "I know this guy from somewhere." And it just came to me. A flash of light!
0:09:49 > 0:09:54As we'll see shortly, it's now this villain's turn to be scared.
0:09:58 > 0:10:05Now to a less violent type of crime. A shop break-in by a gang of night-time raiders.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15It's 3am and this store has some unwelcome, out-of-hours customers.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19They have one main item on their shopping list - Mulberry handbags,
0:10:19 > 0:10:24worth around £600 each. This man nabs eight of them.
0:10:24 > 0:10:30Another raider arrives. The alarm is sounding and they're now rushing to get out fast,
0:10:30 > 0:10:37which is ironic because, as we'll see, they just spent half the night trying to get in.
0:10:38 > 0:10:44Cavells is an upmarket shop in the town of Oakham in the Midlands.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48It sells a lot of designer clothes, handbags and shoes.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53Unfortunately for Corry, the owner, thieves - possibly the same gang -
0:10:53 > 0:10:58have targeted the shop three times in just seven months.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02In the hope of putting burglars off trying their luck again,
0:11:02 > 0:11:08Corry has updated his security, including 16 CCTV cameras.
0:11:08 > 0:11:14But tonight the arrival of these hooded figures shows that, despite the increased security,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16they'll still try to break in.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20As they approach the rear of the building, a security light comes on.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24One of the gang climbs up and smashes the bulb.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28But the cameras still have night vision.
0:11:28 > 0:11:34The gang find some metal in an outdoor store cupboard and head for a window.
0:11:34 > 0:11:40They try to prise it open with a pole, but only succeed in tripping another security light.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44The pole is used to smash the bulb instead.
0:11:44 > 0:11:52Next, they try to lever off the new security bars from another window, but they're not budging.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57After a bit more scouting about, they spot a possible way in -
0:11:57 > 0:12:01an air vent just off camera, high up on an exterior wall.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05One of them fetches a wheelie bin so they can reach it.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10The vent has been bricked up, but they start to chip away at it
0:12:10 > 0:12:14in the hope that eventually they will make a breakthrough.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Perseverance is not something these three lack.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21They chisel away at those bricks for two and a half hours.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Finally, they make an opening big enough to get through.
0:12:26 > 0:12:33The pace of the raid gets much faster - grabbing expensive bags, carrying and throwing them out
0:12:33 > 0:12:37through the hole onto some sacking. They manage to steal 50 bags.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40It's a haul worth £30,000.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Police arrive just minutes later.
0:12:45 > 0:12:51It looks like the thieves have got away with it, but the CCTV pictures alert police to the methods
0:12:51 > 0:12:58this gang uses and a little time later police catch a set of burglars who were tried and put in prison.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Since then, Corry has had no more burglaries.
0:13:02 > 0:13:09To make sure things stay like that, he has reinforced his defences again, especially the air vent.
0:13:14 > 0:13:20Coming up on Caught Red-Handed: a different type of bag snatcher - at an airport.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24You could steal one bag with thousands in it.
0:13:24 > 0:13:31Special visual tracking plus the sharp eyes of a child help catch a notorious thief.
0:13:38 > 0:13:44But first we're back in Sutton, South London. Detective Constable Emily Marshall is part of a team
0:13:44 > 0:13:49that goes to investigate the robbery at knifepoint in a casino arcade.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Anybody who does commit these kind of offences,
0:13:53 > 0:14:00we'll look to target them because it has a huge impact on victims of these crimes,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04but also the community in general. We'll throw everything at it.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08They have clear CCTV footage of the crime from inside the building.
0:14:08 > 0:14:15As the casino is on the high street, Emily can check if council street cameras picked anything up.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19We've got some camera footage from outside on the high street
0:14:19 > 0:14:22and that shows him leaving
0:14:22 > 0:14:28and getting into a cab outside the British Rail station.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Within half an hour, the police can see how the man got away.
0:14:32 > 0:14:39Wearing a distinctive black hat, he can be picked out as he walks past a bus stop and gets in a cab.
0:14:39 > 0:14:46Officers have waited at the station for that taxi to return and they've spoken to the driver.
0:14:46 > 0:14:52That vehicle has been taken back to the police station to be examined for forensics.
0:14:52 > 0:14:58The cameras inside the casino also help speed up the process of gathering evidence.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03A forensic examiner saw the CCTV so they could see what he'd done
0:15:03 > 0:15:06and where he'd emptied the pots and things.
0:15:06 > 0:15:13- From those again we managed to get good fingerprints.- It's unclear why the robber chose not to wear gloves
0:15:13 > 0:15:18or hide his face from the cameras. Maybe he thinks he's anonymous to the police
0:15:18 > 0:15:22and that without a name they won't be able to catch him.
0:15:22 > 0:15:29Back at the police station, Emily gets other officers to view the crime to see if anyone knows him.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33Detective Constable Mark Turner has just started his shift.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36I was made aware of this nasty knifepoint robbery.
0:15:36 > 0:15:42In the office, people wanted to know who this guy was, so I asked to look at the footage.
0:15:42 > 0:15:49To avoid mistakes and ensure identifications are legally valid, officers follow a strict procedure.
0:15:49 > 0:15:55If an officer makes an identification from CCTV, they must do it alone.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59You need to be viewing where you won't be disturbed by other people.
0:15:59 > 0:16:05Mark's worked in Sutton for seven years and has banked up a lot of images of faces.
0:16:05 > 0:16:12I just thought, "I know this guy!" I needed to rack my brains as to where I'd seen him before.
0:16:12 > 0:16:17And that was it, really. And it came to me, like a flash of light.
0:16:19 > 0:16:26Just over four hours after the unknown armed robber walked in to the casino, they know who he is.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29The man's name is Daniel Morris.
0:16:29 > 0:16:35Over a year earlier, Mark had sat in on a police interview with him.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39He actually struck me as quite a charming individual.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44He could talk quite freely and openly, very eloquent. And he does have boyish looks
0:16:44 > 0:16:51- that you don't often see on this sort of footage.- One other thing made Morris stand out.
0:16:51 > 0:16:57After the interview, there were references to films that he likes, in particular Catch Me If You Can,
0:16:57 > 0:17:05which stars Leonardo di Caprio, and the film talks about somebody who is one step ahead of the police.
0:17:05 > 0:17:11It seemed to be the type of image Mr Morris was trying to convey to police officers at the time.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Now the case turns into a manhunt.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18A crime squad is despatched to play real-life catch me if you can with Morris
0:17:18 > 0:17:21and catch him they do.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28He was charged that same day that he was arrested.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31He didn't give an account or tell us anything.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37While awaiting his court case, Morris has time to mull things over
0:17:37 > 0:17:41and, not surprisingly, ends up pleading guilty.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46The fact that the CCTV footage is so clear and we did have fingerprints
0:17:46 > 0:17:51both in the taxi and the pots, it's really hard to try and put a defence forward for that.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58Daniel Morris gets sentenced to eight years in prison for armed robbery
0:17:58 > 0:18:02and a further two years for another offence.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07There's more serious features to robbery, the knife being one.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11That obviously would come into play on such a serious sentence,
0:18:11 > 0:18:13which is a really good result.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18Obviously, I was satisfied, really pleased. It's premeditated.
0:18:18 > 0:18:24He's turned up with a knife with the intention of causing absolute fear and horror
0:18:24 > 0:18:28for that lady, that individual. It's heinous, it's horrible.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Anybody that is thinking of going out and doing something like this,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36they need to be aware that we'll be there and think twice.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40The police will find out who you are and will come down on you.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45People will be brought to justice that carry knives.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52Now to a different sort of criminal. A master bag snatcher at Heathrow Airport.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Heathrow Airport, Terminal Four departure hall.
0:19:03 > 0:19:10After the stress of getting here on time, passengers anxiously look to check-in their luggage.
0:19:13 > 0:19:19But camouflaged amidst the hustle and bustle, some people are checking out the passengers' bags
0:19:19 > 0:19:22for a very different reason - to steal them.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30Sometimes a CCTV camera catches one of them in action, like this man.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33He's already clocked his target.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37It's a small rucksack hanging on the handle of a passenger's trolley.
0:19:38 > 0:19:44The thief heads past it off-screen and positions himself to swoop in from a better angle.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50And when the passenger is distracted enough, he pounces
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and disappears into the crowd.
0:19:54 > 0:20:01He was rapidly becoming Heathrow's most prolific offender and we needed to ramp up our efforts to catch him.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05The name of this infamous thief is Feti Rabal.
0:20:05 > 0:20:11The Metropolitan Police use their special video unit called VIIDO to sift and cross-refer footage
0:20:11 > 0:20:18from many cameras at the airport to get the evidence they need to send this bag snatcher to jail.
0:20:25 > 0:20:32Heathrow Airport is one of the busiest in the world, with thousands of travellers every day.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Where there are lots of people, there are lots of bags.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Thieves like to come to the airport
0:20:38 > 0:20:42because they know people carry a lot of cash with them in transit
0:20:42 > 0:20:45and will have valuables in their hand luggage.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49You could steal one bag and get £50 in it.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52The next bag, you could be very lucky and have thousands of pounds.
0:20:52 > 0:21:00It's not just the amount of loot that draws thieves here. It's also the large number of opportunities.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04People are more vulnerable. They're distracted by checking in
0:21:04 > 0:21:07or just the busy, frenetic environment.
0:21:07 > 0:21:14Airports are always busy. Thieves blend in with the crowd as they look for easy pickings.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18This passenger is engaged in the online booking-in process.
0:21:18 > 0:21:24His attention is exclusively on the screen in front and he has no awareness of his bag behind him.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28That would be a good opportunity for a professional bag thief.
0:21:28 > 0:21:34Passports, money, valuables, gadgets could all be gone in seconds.
0:21:34 > 0:21:40Victims like Pippa know the loss can be more than just money. Her laptop was stolen
0:21:40 > 0:21:44when she flew to Kenya to visit her family for Christmas.
0:21:44 > 0:21:50My friend rang to say goodbye. I put my bag on the seat next to me,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53put the laptop on top of my bag, took the call
0:21:53 > 0:21:58and I wasn't wearing my glasses, so I was squinting at the screens.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02When I got up to go, I realised that my laptop was gone.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04I felt devastated.
0:22:04 > 0:22:10You know, there was just so much on there that was irreplaceable.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15Every word I'd ever written for my degree was on that laptop.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19So it's just... It's an awful time.
0:22:21 > 0:22:27Detective Constable Steve Greig helps catch the criminals that cause so much misery for passengers.
0:22:27 > 0:22:33Recently, there was one specific individual who everybody was looking out for.
0:22:33 > 0:22:39This particular offender is a professional thief. It's what he does to support himself.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43An Algerian national called Feti Rabal.
0:22:43 > 0:22:49We have captured and prosecuted him in the past and he's served prison sentences for those offences.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54After he's served the prison sentence, he'll perhaps stay away for a period of time,
0:22:54 > 0:23:00but then he can't help himself and he will return to the airport and start re-offending here.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06This is the prolific Rabal in action again.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10With a travel case for a prop, he looks like any other traveller,
0:23:10 > 0:23:14but he's just biding his time for the right moment to steal.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18This time he's after a bag on the back of this family's trolley.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23He targets people who he perceives to be affluent. We know he profiles
0:23:23 > 0:23:29middle-aged Asian women, who he perceives will carry a lot of Asian jewellery.
0:23:29 > 0:23:35He thinks he's onto a winner here, but the young daughter of the family vigilantly watches the luggage.
0:23:35 > 0:23:41He's going to have to wait longer. He grabs a trolley to make his loitering seem less obvious.
0:23:41 > 0:23:47One reason he's chosen this family is that they've settled themselves next to his favourite escape route,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50the exit for the London Tube.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55He doesn't just offend at Heathrow. He's also worked the underground system, the Tube network.
0:23:56 > 0:24:04And what we've found is he will offend en route to the airport and even as he is returning home from it.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10The family decide to offload some of their luggage by a wall.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15The daughter diligently stands guard over it and turns to face Rabal's direction.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20He's not keen on this, so heads for a different location out of her view.
0:24:20 > 0:24:26The mum with the bag he's after takes the trolley to check in their suitcases.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29He knows she's going to return, so sticks around.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33When she comes back, she sits on the trolley with her back to the bag.
0:24:33 > 0:24:40Things are beginning to look easier for the bag snatcher. There's now just the daughter to contend with.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44And a moment later she wanders off camera.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Rabal takes his chance.
0:24:46 > 0:24:52He checks his escape route is clear, then circles back round and calmly removes the bag.
0:24:55 > 0:25:01The daughter spots him and alerts her mum, but it's too late. He's running for the Tube.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08The crime is reported and the police ask for footage from the airport's CCTV cameras.
0:25:08 > 0:25:13This has to be sifted and that's a task for a special unit.
0:25:13 > 0:25:19It's called the Visual Images Identifications and Detections Office. Or VIIDO for short.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24In the VIIDO unit, we are expected to look at
0:25:24 > 0:25:29any potential area where an event has happened. It could be from an assault,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32a bag crime, a shoplifting.
0:25:32 > 0:25:38We would investigate that CCTV and put a whole package together which could be produced at court.
0:25:38 > 0:25:45With a forensic eye for detail, they also trawl for the clearest image of the criminal on camera.
0:25:45 > 0:25:51A job can take three, four, maybe five hours to actually find the best possible image
0:25:51 > 0:25:54to make an identification safe.
0:25:56 > 0:26:02Rabal's image is sent out to plainclothes officers who patrol the forecourt.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07A whole raft of officers would recognise him on sight. Also British Transport Police
0:26:07 > 0:26:10were mounting their own patrols
0:26:10 > 0:26:14And the intelligence gathered by the VIIDO unit pays off.
0:26:14 > 0:26:20The gentleman was caught on the transport network as he was in transit to Heathrow Airport.
0:26:20 > 0:26:26He was recognised by a British Transport Police officer who intercepted and arrested him.
0:26:28 > 0:26:33Rabal pleads guilty to 11 offences. Six of them were at Heathrow
0:26:33 > 0:26:40- and they had netted him a large amount of money.- The cumulative value of the property was £13,000,
0:26:40 > 0:26:46which is a significant amount. Perhaps you get an insight into why they would offend here.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51In court, he's sentenced to 32 months in prison.
0:26:52 > 0:26:59He also gets the maximum ASBO of ten years to keep him away from Heathrow.
0:26:59 > 0:27:04His mere presence at the airport would lead to his arrest for breaching that ASBO.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08That should be the last they see of him. A good result.
0:27:08 > 0:27:13It's chastening when you see people at the check-in desk, distressed because they've had property stolen.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17We were very pleased to remove this prolific offender from Heathrow.
0:27:17 > 0:27:24And Pippa, who had her laptop stolen, was given an upgrade to comfort her in her time of trouble.
0:27:24 > 0:27:31The lovely people at the airline upgraded me to upper class with my own air steward.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35It was just so lovely. It did make me feel a little bit better.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49There are obvious things we can do to avoid bags being stolen,
0:27:49 > 0:27:54like keeping a close watch over them, but sometimes thieves can even get around that
0:27:54 > 0:27:57by creating cunning distractions.
0:27:57 > 0:28:04One of them would be to drop coins on the floor around the victim. The victim engages in picking them up
0:28:04 > 0:28:07and an associate removes the bag.
0:28:07 > 0:28:13There's also tactics people use where they spray the victim's coat with a cream-like substance.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Mustard is very common.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20They would help the victim in dusting themselves down
0:28:20 > 0:28:25and during that maybe an associate would come and remove the bag.
0:28:25 > 0:28:31So next time we're jetting away, check that no one's getting away with our luggage.
0:28:31 > 0:28:37Join us next time when the police and the public catch more criminals red-handed.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd