0:00:02 > 0:00:04Thieves will steal our cars, our valuables,
0:00:04 > 0:00:09just about anything they can get their hands on.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11To cut down on crime and antisocial behaviour,
0:00:11 > 0:00:15police and other agencies are using new technology and tactics,
0:00:15 > 0:00:18and the bad guys are actually getting caught in the act.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22I can see the man actually commit robbery. Lovely, thank you very much.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Local councils, shops and businesses are laying some traps of their own.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29Why should we feel frightened for the rest of our lives?
0:00:29 > 0:00:31And the general public, too, can help unsuspecting crooks
0:00:31 > 0:00:34- get their comeuppance. - No way are you getting away!
0:00:34 > 0:00:37We did it for everyone else as well that she might be stealing from.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39We'll name and shame you.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42So, anyone who's up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Today, he's the scourge of the city's shops.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58One-man crime wave, I think they call it.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Preston's most wanted and most photographed.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Also today...he takes money from the mountain rescue teams.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11It's just despicable that someone can resort that low to do that.
0:01:11 > 0:01:16But the Lake District community combines to catch him.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18And a prolific bike thief.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22Three bikes nicked on the same day, but it's not what you think.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24This man is WHEELIE hoping to get caught!
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Meet Thomas Green, he's in a newsagent's here
0:01:37 > 0:01:40but he likes to visit all sorts of shops.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42This is him in a phone store,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44an Italian restaurant,
0:01:44 > 0:01:45another newsagent's,
0:01:45 > 0:01:47an electrical store,
0:01:47 > 0:01:49and a fast food chain.
0:01:49 > 0:01:54He's not a shopaholic but he does have a very bad habit - burglary.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58One-man crime wave, I think they call it.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Thomas Green is one of the most prolific
0:02:00 > 0:02:04and brazen burglars that Preston, Lancashire, has ever seen.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Thomas Green quickly became Preston's most wanted.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09And the most unwanted by shopkeepers.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11But with help from their cameras,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14he's leaving a trail for the police to follow.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24As in all towns and cities,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28the retail trade in Preston is a driving force for the local economy.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32But over a few short weeks,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Preston's shops and businesses are suddenly
0:02:34 > 0:02:39put under strain with multiple burglaries in quick succession.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Burglaries in the city centre are few and far between.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44The same pattern began to emerge.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48Two offences on one particular day - money or electrical items.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53To start with, the amount stolen had been fairly small.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54But that's about to change.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Aaron runs this pawnbroker store.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02One morning he has to rush in first thing after a break-in.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04From the outside, you couldn't really tell,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07but when we got in, it was a mess.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09A burglar has waltzed off with thousands of pounds' worth
0:03:09 > 0:03:13of stock, using a rather elaborate entry method.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17He's climbed up this drainpipe, along onto the top of our sign,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20he's then shimmied along,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22and he's gone through that, what's a smashed window now,
0:03:22 > 0:03:23we've boarded it up now.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28He's got inside, walked along to the front of the building.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31He's then gone across to the far end of the building.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35He's smashed a hole in the ceiling which is about two, three feet
0:03:35 > 0:03:36above the ceiling tiles.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41He's then kicked the ceiling tiles through and climbed down the shelves.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43He's in then, he's gone for the mobile phones in the window,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45got the cash in the till.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48He's definitely planned it because he's known exactly where he's going.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52But this shop, that sells high-tech stock, has high-tech security
0:03:52 > 0:03:57cameras too. Aaron checks the CCTV footage and sees the intruder.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Here he comes out of the back room,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02carrying one of the shop's own boxes.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04He intends to fill it up with loot.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07This is him now, not a care in the world.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10There's an alarm blasting out in the streets, it's blasting
0:04:10 > 0:04:12in the shop, and it's pitch dark.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15You'd have thought he'd look a bit more scared than that,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18but whilst all that's going on he's just blase, picking up
0:04:18 > 0:04:22phones and carrying on like he's done this many times before.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Although the intruder's entry was inventive,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28his exit is, hm, slightly less so(!)
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Clambering up the shelves, he accidentally pulls more
0:04:30 > 0:04:35ceiling tiles down, and then he realises his box of stolen
0:04:35 > 0:04:39goodies is too big to get through the hole he's made in the ceiling.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43He's dropped the box inside the ceiling tiles of our window display,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46then he's climbed back through with whatever he's got
0:04:46 > 0:04:47stuffed in his pockets.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50There were a few handsets dotted around upstairs as well,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52that we ended up recovering, thankfully.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Despite the transformation from cat burglar to bull in a china shop,
0:04:56 > 0:05:01the man still manages to get away with £4,500 worth
0:05:01 > 0:05:04of mobile phones and tablets, badly affecting the business.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06With the items that were stolen,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09including all the repairs and the damage and the staff...
0:05:09 > 0:05:13the cost is probably just short of about £6,000.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15And, you know, in this economic climate,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18being a small business, that's hard to bear, that.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20That's quite a lot of loss, there.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23The case falls on the desk of Detective Constable Warren Gibson
0:05:23 > 0:05:25and when he sees the footage,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27he immediately knows who he is looking at.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Straight away. Straight away, immediately recognised him
0:05:30 > 0:05:31as Thomas Green.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35A career criminal, Thomas Green has only just been released from prison.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38He's having to steal money to fund his daily living
0:05:38 > 0:05:41and what other habits he might have.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Warren looks into the other incidents
0:05:43 > 0:05:45that have been recently reported,
0:05:45 > 0:05:48seven of which have occurred in just the last four days.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52Where possible, he studies CCTV footage from the raided premises
0:05:52 > 0:05:56and you can guess who he finds to be the culprit.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Here in this newsagent's,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Green wastes no time nicking some cash.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03He walks straight up to the unattended counter,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06he reaches for a plastic wallet with money in it
0:06:06 > 0:06:07and strides back out.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Here, he's creeping around the back rooms
0:06:12 > 0:06:13of an Italian restaurant.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17It's 9:30am and staff are in the building, preparing for lunch.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20This doesn't seem to deter Green, though.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22He spends a couple of minutes grabbing what he can,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25including cash from their tips jar.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29The offences seem to happen two offences per day.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32The impact is financial to the businesses of Preston
0:06:32 > 0:06:34so it's imperative that we locate him.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Warren launches an operation to find Green.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39He has no fixed address
0:06:39 > 0:06:42so they try everywhere he might plausibly be living.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46As the investigation digs deeper, things begin to become uncomfortable
0:06:46 > 0:06:49for Green's associates and relatives, too.
0:06:49 > 0:06:50But as the heat's turned up,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52the trail goes cold.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Green has pocketed so much from his robbery at Aaron's pawnbroker's,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59he's been able to move out of the area for a while.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01But there's only a few weeks of respite
0:07:01 > 0:07:03for the businesses of Preston.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06That offending restarted three weeks later.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09And again, the same pattern began to emerge -
0:07:09 > 0:07:12two offences on one particular day.
0:07:12 > 0:07:13Green is back big time,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16and he's followed by an unknown accomplice.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Here we see them at a city centre grocer's.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21They'd been in the shop earlier on in the day
0:07:21 > 0:07:23asking for a quantity of beans
0:07:23 > 0:07:26but they were told to come back in the afternoon.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28The shopkeeper goes to the storeroom
0:07:28 > 0:07:30to fetch the newly-delivered crate of beans.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36After checking out the till,
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Green gives his mate a signal
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and the man slams the storeroom door shut on the shopkeeper,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43trapping him inside.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Green opens the till, grabs a bundle of notes
0:07:46 > 0:07:47and the pair leg it.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Well, it's despicable.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52I mean, it's a cowardly attack -
0:07:52 > 0:07:55two lads on one small shopkeeper.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58It took him some time to get over that incident
0:07:58 > 0:08:01where he was bundled into that storeroom.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Green's campaign of crime is back on.
0:08:04 > 0:08:05The next day,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08he steals lottery cards and money from this newsagent's.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11And then soon after, at this fast food restaurant,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15he even has the barefaced cheek to sneak into the back room
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and rifle through the staff's belongings
0:08:18 > 0:08:19while they serve outside.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22He's stolen two very expensive mobile phones,
0:08:22 > 0:08:23causing a great loss to the two ladies.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Personal data, photographs,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28those occasions which don't get repeated -
0:08:28 > 0:08:30birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32They'll never see them again.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34The police search intensifies.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Thomas Green quickly became Preston's most wanted.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39The heat was turned up a little bit.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Friends and family were spoken to.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44We visited over 25 addresses
0:08:44 > 0:08:46looking for him and conducting searches.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50The extra attention means that Green switches back from daylight robbery
0:08:50 > 0:08:51to the cover of night,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54such as this break-in at a TV workshop.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57But it will be his last.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00The wealth of CCTV evidence is overwhelming,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04and Green's cocky crime capers are about to come to an end.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Although he tries to stay on the run,
0:09:06 > 0:09:08the police track him down.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I drove onto an estate and a particular street
0:09:11 > 0:09:14with a colleague of mine, in a plain vehicle,
0:09:14 > 0:09:19and we saw Mr Green on a settee, inside the property.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21They call in other officers and arrest him.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Upon arrest, he assaulted three police officers
0:09:24 > 0:09:25by spitting at them.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27And we all saw and managed to locate
0:09:27 > 0:09:31a considerable amount of drugs on his person.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36He's stolen around £22,000 in total.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40And with all this CCTV footage of his prolific pilfering,
0:09:40 > 0:09:44Thomas Green is convicted of 12 separate offences.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46He is jailed for two years and eight months.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54We've got a very nasty individual off the streets, in custody.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57This type of offence can't be tolerated.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00These people who think they can get away with it, can't.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02And the people of Preston, such as Aaron,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05are certainly glad he is now behind bars.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07When I heard that Green had been arrested,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09it was brilliant. Made my day!
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Cos the amount of inconvenience and loss that we'd suffered because of him...
0:10:12 > 0:10:15it was great to hear that he'd been captured eventually.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17It put it to an end so no-one else had to suffer.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Coming up, he may be dressed in a vest like Bruce Willis in a movie,
0:10:26 > 0:10:28but this is a home movie
0:10:28 > 0:10:30and it's not his home.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35Yet this action man's performance is being covered from every angle.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37And take a look at this bike thief.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39It's not what you think.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Why are police officers stealing bikes in Cambridge?
0:10:51 > 0:10:53It's 2:30 in the morning in York,
0:10:53 > 0:10:57and these young men are on their way back from a night out in town
0:10:57 > 0:10:59when one of them seems to take a strong exception
0:10:59 > 0:11:01to these wheelie bins.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Maybe he's a frustrated dustman,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06or thinks the recycling hasn't been done properly.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08But, whatever the reason, this daft lad
0:11:08 > 0:11:11runs over to pull over some more bins.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14His mates think, "Well, this looks like fun!"
0:11:14 > 0:11:16and join him in the rampage up the street.
0:11:16 > 0:11:21They obviously think they can get away with such trashy behaviour,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23but this bunch have got another think coming.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27A council CCTV operator is watching all of this happen.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29He's radioed the police, and these litter louts
0:11:29 > 0:11:32are about to be caught in the act by a couple of police officers
0:11:32 > 0:11:35coming round the corner in a van.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Just try blaming it on foxes now!
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Despite the lads adopting a "Who, sir? Me, sir?" attitude,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46the officers know exactly who's responsible for all this mess.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50They give them a stern talking-to.
0:11:50 > 0:11:51But that's not all.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54They come up with a fitting instant punishment -
0:11:54 > 0:11:56telling the lads that, if they clean up,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59then there will be no further action.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03It's an offer they can't, er, "refuse".
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Under the watchful eye of the officers,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08the young men painstakingly work their way back down the street,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11leaving no bin unturned.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15It's just what they deserve, a rubbish end to their evening.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23There are givers and takers in this world, but, unfortunately,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27some people want to take again and again what others have given them.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38We're in the Lake District, Cumbria.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40This footage of a man in a hat is being replayed
0:12:40 > 0:12:44on a CCTV screen in a pub.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47The landlord of the pub is filming it with his smartphone,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50so that he can post the clip on the internet.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52I actually thought it would be a good idea
0:12:52 > 0:12:54to put the video onto social media
0:12:54 > 0:12:56to see if we could get anyone to recognise him.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59There has been a spate of charity collection boxes going missing
0:12:59 > 0:13:02all over Cumbria, and this man in the hat
0:13:02 > 0:13:06is showing an unhealthy interest in a Mountain Rescue donation box
0:13:06 > 0:13:08on the bar.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12It's quite despicable that somebody can resort that low to do that.
0:13:12 > 0:13:18He takes the money generous donors have given to help save lives,
0:13:18 > 0:13:22but because of this CCTV, the community join forces to catch him.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25His luck might finally be running out.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32The Lake District National Park attracts large numbers
0:13:32 > 0:13:35of fell walkers and climbers to its picturesque scenery
0:13:35 > 0:13:37and rugged terrain.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Near Kendal, the Watermill Inn,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42a winner of the Tourism Pub of the Year award,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45is a popular place to stop off for a pie and a pint.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Brian Coulthwaite has run the pub for 25 years.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52The Watermill is very important to us and our family.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55We bought the place as a guesthouse and turned it into a pub.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59It's our home, we've built it up from nothing
0:13:59 > 0:14:01and we're still building it up now.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Many of Brian's customers come to the Lake District
0:14:04 > 0:14:06to do some serious hiking in the mountains,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10and if one is ever unfortunate enough to have an accident,
0:14:10 > 0:14:15the nearby Mountain Rescue teams are on hand to save them.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20We've had a Mountain Rescue charity box since we opened as a pub.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23It's a vital service, because they don't get paid from the government,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27the Mountain Rescue, so they rely on people donating money.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30The rescuers need the money to pay for essential equipment.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Without it, they couldn't run an efficient service
0:14:33 > 0:14:36and that could have fatal consequences.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40People will certainly perish - certainly in the Lake District
0:14:40 > 0:14:42there's 300 or more call-outs a year
0:14:42 > 0:14:47and without that funding, there would be no help available.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50So Brian's customers are happy to make their donations
0:14:50 > 0:14:52in the knowledge that it goes to a good cause.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56The bar where the collection box sits is watched over
0:14:56 > 0:14:58by one of the pub's CCTV cameras.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01The CCTV was originally installed just for our own benefit -
0:15:01 > 0:15:04if we were working in the back office,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06we could actually see how busy the pub was
0:15:06 > 0:15:10and if the bar staff needed a hand, we could nip in and clear the queue.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13But the cameras can also help with security, as they did one day
0:15:13 > 0:15:17when Brian got what up here they call "the collywobbles" -
0:15:17 > 0:15:20an uneasy feeling that something's wrong.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21We were chatting to one of the locals -
0:15:21 > 0:15:23he went to put some money in the box and said,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25"Where's the Mountain Rescue box?"
0:15:25 > 0:15:28They mount a search and rescue operation of their own
0:15:28 > 0:15:30to find the collection box.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35But to no avail. So Brian goes to check his CCTV recordings.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39We rewound the CCTV, and then fast-forwarded it
0:15:39 > 0:15:44until it disappeared off the bar at about lunchtime.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46A closer look reveals what happened to the box.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53A man has entered the bar and is waiting for a coffee he's ordered.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55He's dressed like he's been walking in the hills,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58with a pair of binoculars hanging from his neck.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01He just looked like he'd been out birdwatching or walking.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05What the man REALLY has his eyes on is the Mountain Rescue charity box.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10He adjusts his coat, takes a shifty look about,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14then makes a very uncharitable grab for the box
0:16:14 > 0:16:16and holds it under his arm.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20He did it in such a natural fashion that no-one actually saw him doing it.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23But the CCTV did.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Fortunately the camera's right there
0:16:26 > 0:16:29so we've got an excellent picture of his face.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Brian comes up with a quick way
0:16:31 > 0:16:33to get others to look out for that face.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36After I had called the police and reported the incident,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39I actually put the video onto social media
0:16:39 > 0:16:43to see if we could get anyone to sort of recognise him,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47and within three days it had over 11,000 hits.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48The footage spreads rapidly
0:16:48 > 0:16:51among homes and businesses in the Lake District.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53I think the fact we've had over 11,000 hits
0:16:53 > 0:16:55was because people were actually disgusted
0:16:55 > 0:17:00that someone should take money that people have donated to a good cause.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Amongst the thousands of people who have seen Brian's video
0:17:03 > 0:17:07is the manager of the Queens Hotel in nearby Ambleside.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12And one day, a man with a familiar face appears in his bar.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Though the man is wearing a different hat,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17the manager is convinced it's the charity box thief.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19He doesn't tell any of the staff,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22because he wants everyone to behave normally -
0:17:22 > 0:17:25but watches closely to see what happens.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33And yes, the man in the hat steals the charity box.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38But as he tries to leave, the manager walks up behind him
0:17:38 > 0:17:42and says, "I have witnessed you stealing our charity tin.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47"The police are on their way, please have a seat."
0:17:47 > 0:17:50The thief doesn't argue. He accepts his fate in a polite manner.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53But in court, the judge describes the manner of his crimes
0:17:53 > 0:17:56as about as mean as it gets.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03He's 55-year-old Derrick Matthews.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06He's been stealing charity collection boxes
0:18:06 > 0:18:09from all over Cumbria and the Midlands.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13He receives a five-year prison sentence.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16And now all the money donated by generous people
0:18:16 > 0:18:21will get to the charities it's meant for, like the Mountain Rescue teams.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24The social media's certainly done a great favour in this case,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28it's obviously led to the capture of Derrick Matthews
0:18:28 > 0:18:31and is a good result in the end.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35And Brian's full of praise for the actions of his fellow publican.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37I think the fact that the chap from Ambleside
0:18:37 > 0:18:40actually recognised the chap and kept an eye on him in the pub
0:18:40 > 0:18:43and then seeing him take something there and doing a citizen's arrest,
0:18:43 > 0:18:47was brilliant, because more people need to do things like that.
0:18:52 > 0:18:53Get on your bike!
0:18:53 > 0:18:57That was once a rallying cry for people to get up
0:18:57 > 0:18:59and try new opportunities.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04Which is all very well and good, as long as it's your own bike!
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Bike theft is a big problem.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16In the UK, an estimated half a million bikes are stolen each year.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19And the police in Manchester and Cambridge
0:19:19 > 0:19:23have been trying two very different tactics to tackle the problem.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28This is Manchester city centre. A man is stealing a bike
0:19:28 > 0:19:31and, as visible proof of how rife bike theft is,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35just two hours later on the same day, at the same stand,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38there's a different thief, stealing a different bike.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42It's daylight robbery in full view of passers-by,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44but these thieves are about to find out
0:19:44 > 0:19:47that they've been caught in a hidden trap,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50because these are police bait bikes.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Undercover officers have been watching
0:19:54 > 0:19:56and swoop in to make arrests.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Both these men get jailed.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03It sends out a clear message to other would-be bike thieves
0:20:03 > 0:20:06in the city - don't try your luck!
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Over in Cambridge, police also want to send out
0:20:14 > 0:20:16a message about bike theft,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19but they're using another very different approach.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23In these pictures, it's the police who are nicking the bikes.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27He looks like another thief caught on camera, but the man in a hat
0:20:27 > 0:20:32next to the letter box is actually Police Constable Mark Mossop.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35He's hoping someone will try to stop him taking a bike
0:20:35 > 0:20:37and will call the police.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41I knew the man was just looking at me, and I don't mind admitting
0:20:41 > 0:20:44at that point, I'm getting very nervous.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47This police unit are trying something new, because Cambridge is
0:20:47 > 0:20:52the country's cycling capital, and more bikes means more bike thefts.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55In an average year we could see 2,500 bikes just
0:20:55 > 0:20:57taken from Cambridge city alone.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00In a typical month, it could be up to 200 bikes.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02It's a big problem for Cambridge
0:21:02 > 0:21:04and a problem we're determined to tackle.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09Sergeant Andrea Gilbert sees distressed cyclists every day.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Taking somebody's bike is very upsetting to them.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15These bikes are worth hundreds of pounds, thousands of pounds,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18or it might just be sentimental value to somebody.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20If you don't think bikes can have such personal value,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22you should meet Geoffrey Williams.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27When he was 14, he bought a bike and fell so much in love with it,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30he nicknamed it - sorry, her - Celia.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33It was a bit different, a bit special cos it was hand-built.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36The main thing is it rode terrifically well.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40And for over 40 years, they've wandered hand-in-handlebar
0:21:40 > 0:21:45through almost every country in Europe and even across the Sahara.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49In all, over a hundred thousand miles on the saddle of Celia.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Certainly, if my bottom could talk it would probably be double that.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00After they both survive a couple of crashes, Geoffrey decides he and
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Celia are getting a bit old for this sort of thing, and they settle down.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07After that, it just became a normal mode of transport
0:22:07 > 0:22:11and so it continued until one day I got up and she'd gone.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Celia survived the Sahara only to be swiped in suburbia -
0:22:17 > 0:22:19from Geoffrey's back garden.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22I was actually devastated by it,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26because when you're cycling along on something like Celia,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29and you have done all your life, you have a little chat to her.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32When you're going up a hill slowly you sort of say,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34"Come on, Celia, get a move on!"
0:22:34 > 0:22:37You're just blaming the bike rather than yourself of course.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40The thieves would have no idea what they were taking.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42To me, of course, it was priceless.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46OK, not every cyclist has such a strong bond
0:22:46 > 0:22:49with their bike as Geoffrey, but in Cambridge,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52police are determined to reduce the number of people
0:22:52 > 0:22:55who are affected by this particular type of theft.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58We spent three months really focusing on cycle crime,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00and doing a lot of patrols and a lot of prevention work
0:23:00 > 0:23:02and trying to get this message across to people.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06They want the public to be a bit more bothered about their bikes,
0:23:06 > 0:23:07and other people's,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11so they decide to make a video to bring the message home.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14We wanted to create a film to show people how potentially
0:23:14 > 0:23:18easy it is to steal a bike but how under-reported it is also.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23So, PC Mark gets his first major film part, playing a bicycle thief.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27They want to film people trying to stop Mark stealing the bike,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31but this movie doesn't seem to be wowing the audience.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34I'm trying to act as suspiciously as possible,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36making it blatantly obvious.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40I'll just pick the bike up, cos the rear wheel is fixed to the lock.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44I didn't feel like I was being watched at all on this occasion.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Forget the soft-pedal approach - zap up the action level.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51You can see that I just tear the bike away from the lamppost.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55People walking towards me at the time, and I rode away on it.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Again, nothing doing - the crowd's hardly going wild for this film.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03So, at the third location, Mark moves up a gear.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Surely his performance will get noticed here.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09By this guy in the white T-shirt, maybe.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11So I'm down trying to cut into the bike
0:24:11 > 0:24:16and this is the closest we've come all day to being verbally challenged.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18I knew the man was just looking at me.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20I'm getting very nervous
0:24:20 > 0:24:23because I'm going to be involved in some sort of confrontation.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28But Mr Mobile here isn't interested in being a have-a-go hero.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31So, bring out the bright orange bolt croppers.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Come on, react!
0:24:34 > 0:24:38But no, Mark snips the chain and rides off right under his nose.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41He didn't phone the police, he didn't make any challenge.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46In fact, hang on, what he does do is park his bike in the space
0:24:46 > 0:24:48left by the one Mark stole.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52But the wheel of misfortune is about to strike this chap's own
0:24:52 > 0:24:53set of wheels.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Mark and the others have gone home,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58but the CCTV camera carries on recording.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01About ten minutes after this had occurred,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03his bike was stolen by a real thief.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Oh, dear.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07It all goes to prove the point that
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Mark and Andrea's film is trying to make.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14And I'm sure he's thinking, "If only someone had seen someone steal
0:25:14 > 0:25:16"my bike and rang it into the police,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18"I might have got my bike back."
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Along with increased patrols and other police work, their film's
0:25:23 > 0:25:27publicity helps put the brakes on the bike thieves of Cambridge.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30The operation was ran over three months and it was really successful.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34We saw a reduction in cycle theft by 23%.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39That is, 169 fewer victims had their bike stolen over that period.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45The professionals have some good advice about how we can
0:25:45 > 0:25:47keep our bikes safe.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51What we recommend is that you invest good money in a good lock
0:25:51 > 0:25:53to secure your bike.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57It's recommended to use two locks, one of them being a D-lock.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And attach the actual bike to something sturdy.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02Take a note of the serial number of the bike,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04so if it does get stolen then the police have got
0:26:04 > 0:26:07a chance of recovering it and getting your property back.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13Next, it's like the Big Brother house. Fed up after being burgled,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16a homeowner fixes hidden cameras in nearly every room,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20and it's not long before an uninvited house guest comes along to
0:26:20 > 0:26:22put on a good show for the cameras.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32A sunny day in Ipswich, captured by this home CCTV system.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35But it's about to capture a whole lot more.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39This man walks past, apparently chatting on his mobile.
0:26:40 > 0:26:4430 seconds later, he walks back on the other side of the road.
0:26:44 > 0:26:45Maybe he's lost?
0:26:45 > 0:26:49No. Actually, he's casing the joint.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Ten minutes after that, he can be seen sneaking across the back
0:26:52 > 0:26:54garden, looking for a way in.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58And he finds it - an unsecured conservatory door.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Mindful of the kitchen's shiny floor, he has taken his shoes off
0:27:02 > 0:27:05and covered his feet so that he doesn't leave a footprint.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09He's also got gloves on his hands to avoid fingerprints.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12He does a quick recce of the place, looking for stuff to steal -
0:27:12 > 0:27:15from the kitchen to the bedroom.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Oi, you! No jumping on the bed!
0:27:19 > 0:27:21After a bit more searching, he then scurries outside,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25fetches his rucksack so that he can fill it with goodies,
0:27:25 > 0:27:30including a games console, a mobile phone and...some perfume.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34But his day is not going to end with a sweet smell of success.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37He may think he's being clever, covering his tracks,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39his footprints and fingerprints.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42What he hasn't counted on is the multitude of cameras
0:27:42 > 0:27:44that have been covering him.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46The homeowner had them installed
0:27:46 > 0:27:49just in case he ever had another break-in.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Later, a police officer recognised this 21-year-old
0:27:52 > 0:27:54from previous dealings with him.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Joshua Smith is arrested and charged.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02He pleaded guilty to burglary.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04He didn't have much choice, really.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07And with other offences taken into consideration,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10he was sentenced to 32 months in jail.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12If only he'd known.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14He should have carried on walking
0:28:14 > 0:28:16and never entered this Big Brother house.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20That's it for today.
0:28:20 > 0:28:21Join us next time,
0:28:21 > 0:28:25when the police and the public catch more criminals red-handed.