0:00:02 > 0:00:05Thieves will steal our cars, our valuables,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08just about anything they can get their hands on.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12To cut down on crime and antisocial behaviour,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15the police and other agencies are using new tactics
0:00:15 > 0:00:19and technology where the bad guys actually get caught in the act.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Brilliant footage. Police officers love CCTV.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26Local councils, shops and businesses are laying some traps of their own.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29As soon as he walked into the picture, I knew who he was.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32And the general public too can help unsuspecting crooks
0:00:32 > 0:00:33get their comeuppance.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34We definitely needed proof.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37You're not going to get away with it, you might as well pack up.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39It made me swallow with pride, it was brilliant.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43So, anyone's who's up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57Today, a man armed with a crowbar terrorises a jewellery shop owner.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00He's grabbed me and he's swearing "I'm going to cave your head in."
0:01:00 > 0:01:04But what he doesn't know is that his violent act is being broadcast right
0:01:04 > 0:01:08around the town on short wave radio to the police, the council
0:01:08 > 0:01:10and local shopkeepers.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Also today, blink and you'll miss it.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16A criminal can steal a handbag in seconds.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Your stomach absolutely lurches with a complete sick feeling.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Cameras pick up a sneaky bag snatcher
0:01:22 > 0:01:27but this thief doesn't realise exactly what he's picked up.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29And you'd think something that's very big,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33very yellow and weighs seven tonnes would be very hard to nick.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Well, best think again.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37They've been so successful, they're going to do another one.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41It's organised crime on a big scale, but just one tiny
0:01:41 > 0:01:45piece of police technology could turn it into disorganised crime.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Scarborough, the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02A place where people can relax and unwind.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Apart from Ricky, that is.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Because he runs a jewellery shop that's attracted
0:02:08 > 0:02:11two violent armed raids.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14The first time, by a terrifying robber with a carving knife.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17You think is he going to stab you, slash you?
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Ricky bravely chases the man by himself and ends up collapsing.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I'm thinking, "Am I having a heart attack here?"
0:02:24 > 0:02:26And now, a few years later,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Ricky is attacked by a second armed robber with a crowbar.
0:02:29 > 0:02:30But as we'll see,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34this time Ricky will have back-up from the whole town.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37I nearly had tears in my eyes because there was this huge
0:02:37 > 0:02:40posse of people from the shops following this guy.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Scarborough is dubbed the Queen of Yorkshire's coast, and
0:02:51 > 0:02:55as befits a queen, it has more than its fair share of jewellery shops.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Ricky started this one up from nothing over 30 years ago.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03It's my life. Our main thing is customer relations.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06We relate to people as people, not just money coming in.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Ricky has a close knit team of staff who work for him.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12We're like one big family and if something happens to someone,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14we all try to sort it out together.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Just try to run a nice business and earn a good living, really.
0:03:18 > 0:03:19The problem is,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23goods that are worth a lot of money can attract a bad penny or two.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26There are some nasty people who want to come in and hurt you
0:03:26 > 0:03:28and then take what they want.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Some years back, Ricky and a colleague
0:03:30 > 0:03:32faced their first terrifying ordeal.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35It started out as a quiet day in the shop.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37I was actually behind the counter having a cup of tea.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Miles away, just sort of drifting.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42And all of a sudden, the door burst open.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46It's a masked man brandishing a large carving knife.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50He'd started screaming at me, "Get on the floor."
0:03:50 > 0:03:52And you think, "Is this happening? Is it real?
0:03:52 > 0:03:54"What's he going to do with this knife?"
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Ricky's colleague immediately dashes for the back room
0:03:57 > 0:04:01and locks herself in, something Ricky has trained his staff to do.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05So they can't be used as hostages, and I haven't to think,
0:04:05 > 0:04:06"Are they safe?"
0:04:06 > 0:04:08The armed man jumps over the counter
0:04:08 > 0:04:11being careful not to leave fingerprints.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12He just skipped over it.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16He heads to the window display and grabs two diamond rings
0:04:16 > 0:04:18while Ricky runs for the front door.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20He's hoping to lock the man in.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23But he's not quite fast enough.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25The robber gets past.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Ricky's incensed and gives chase.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32You think, well, all my life I've worked hard to get what we've got.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35So I was chasing him, not thinking, "He's got a knife",
0:04:35 > 0:04:37you just think, "I want my goods back."
0:04:39 > 0:04:42But after several hundred yards, Ricky begins to feel ill
0:04:42 > 0:04:43and has difficulty breathing.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46I'm thinking, "Am I having a heart attack here?"
0:04:46 > 0:04:50And I just went down.
0:04:50 > 0:04:51The robber escapes.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Ricky later finds out his collapse was brought on by a
0:04:54 > 0:04:56severe adrenaline rush.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00The adrenaline was going a bit funny and my breathing was going.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02I didn't know if I was going to start to feel like
0:05:02 > 0:05:04I was going to cry or something.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08It's not a manly thing to say but you don't have a choice, it happens.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11But Ricky's bravery in the shop had an effect.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15He'd panicked the armed robber into making a mistake.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17As he came back and saw me going out the door, I think
0:05:17 > 0:05:20he needed a bit of assurance to get me quick.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22And he put a handprint on the counter.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24That handprint,
0:05:24 > 0:05:25together with the CCTV footage,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28leads to the man being caught by police.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30He's sentenced to six years in prison.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Unfortunately, the jewellery isn't recovered.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38That incident, several years ago,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41has led Ricky to improve his security.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43We've had special glass fitted front and back.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45We have to use special locks now.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49He's upgraded his CCTV system and he joins a brand-new
0:05:49 > 0:05:53type of community scheme, a short-wave radio network.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56That means shopkeepers and security staff from different
0:05:56 > 0:05:59shops in the town can be in constant radio contact.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01This Shopwatch, what actually happens,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04you have a link to everybody in town.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Everybody who's on it can hear what's going on.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Businesses across the town centre will know straightaway
0:06:09 > 0:06:12if there's trouble brewing. And what's more,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16the local council's CCTV control room can also listen in.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19So if I say a lady's just gone out of here with a checked
0:06:19 > 0:06:22shirt on and she's this size and brown hair,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25the cameras are straight onto it and they can see it.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29But despite all these new security measures,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33Ricky's shop is attacked again by another robber who's ready to
0:06:33 > 0:06:36use brute force and terror to steal some jewellery.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41It's just gone 5:00pm on a winter's day when a man buzzes at the door.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44He gets lucky. There's a new member of staff working with Ricky.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Inexperienced and trusting, she lets the caller in.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51She actually thought it was a workman at the door. She let him in.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54And he walked very quickly towards the back of the shop.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56This man is an armed robber.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00He pulls out a heavy crowbar and shows he's prepared to use it,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02smashing the desk in front of the assistant.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05And he made a great big hole in the desk.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Then he swung it round, smashed here,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11and then he actually smashed down here again.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14The raider now crosses the shop to threaten Ricky.
0:07:14 > 0:07:15Screaming and shouting and swearing.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18And threatening, "I'm going to come down and if you don't do
0:07:18 > 0:07:20"what I want, I'm going to smash your head in."
0:07:20 > 0:07:23The robber briefly turns back towards the terrified woman
0:07:23 > 0:07:26assistant, but she escapes into the panic room.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28But this robber has a surprise coming.
0:07:28 > 0:07:29He doesn't know it yet,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33but right now he's broadcasting on short-wave radio.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37A hidden transmitter means the crime can be heard all over town.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Unaware, the robber yells at Ricky,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42demanding expensive watches from the display.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44He forced me over to this bit here.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47He tried to push me in the window but then he forced me
0:07:47 > 0:07:50over here like this, with his crowbar here behind me.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55And he was taking watches out of the window and putting them in this bag.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57The man then tries to escape,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01but another security device has automatically locked the front door.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Ricky heads for safety in the panic room.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07I'm trying to get in the back door but meanwhile the lady, who
0:08:07 > 0:08:11doesn't normally work with me, is on the police phone, has locked me out.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13It's a terrifying moment for Ricky.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17He can't get out. He's furious. He's come down here, he's raging.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Swearing like mad at me.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21There's butterflies and all sorts of things going on.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24He's grabbed me and he's swearing, "I'm going to cave your head in.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26"I'm going to get out of this BLEEP door."
0:08:26 > 0:08:27He is forced to open the door.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30The violent man dashes out of the shop and makes a run for it.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Well, he can run but he can't hide.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38The robbery has taken just seconds but neighbouring shop staff
0:08:38 > 0:08:41and the police are already racing to the scene.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43This time Ricky has the help he needs.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Everybody in town knew what was going on.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48So when I actually followed him through the alleyway,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50by the time I got to the other end of it
0:08:50 > 0:08:53nearly every detective who works in all the shops,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55not the police ones, the other ones,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59were actually running down after him and there was a huge group of them.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01It made me swallow with pride, it was brilliant.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Chased down, the robber is soon surrounded by the police
0:09:05 > 0:09:06and a posse of shop workers.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08I nearly had tears in my eyes,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11because as I got there, there was nearly every police vehicle
0:09:11 > 0:09:15apart from a helicopter, all the lads from all the shops,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17the store detectives were there.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19It was just amazing.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23When Ricky gets back to his shop, accompanied by security staff,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25he finds even more police waiting.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Their response time was two and a half minutes.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31That was in the shop.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34The end of the street and the town was cordoned off in less time.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37So, I mean, you try to match that. That is totally mind-blowing.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43The robber, 40-year-old Leon Littlechild,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45pleads guilty in court.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Not much choice, really. He's put away for four and a half years.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Ricky's stolen watches are returned.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Since then, it's been business as usual at the jewellers.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Not surprisingly, Ricky is a fan of Shopwatch,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06and thinks that shopkeepers in other towns could benefit.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09If they haven't got the Shopwatch, they should have it.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12The first one was a getaway because we didn't have it,
0:10:12 > 0:10:14and the second one we did and it's as simple as that.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18It was just amazing. Just amazing what was going on.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22I've never in my life seen such a quick response.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31Coming up, antisocial scooter riders who are riling the residents
0:10:31 > 0:10:33and refusing to buzz off.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35But a fed-up neighbour has got their number
0:10:35 > 0:10:37and finds a way to get the last laugh.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42And big-time criminals move off with £1 million worth
0:10:42 > 0:10:44of earth-movers and diggers.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47The bigger the crime, the harder they fall.
0:10:51 > 0:10:57But first, this CCTV picture is from a carriage of an inter-city train.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59We're about to see one of the passengers in these seats
0:10:59 > 0:11:03lose £2,000 worth of property.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Just there. See that?
0:11:05 > 0:11:09We'll take a closer look in a moment because most likely you missed it.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Just like everybody else in the carriage missed it.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Including the sleeping victim.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17She's just had her handbag stolen.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19When she wakes, she's in for a shock.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23It can have a devastating effect on people, initially.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Panicking, searching through the carriage looking for her bag.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29A bag-snatch only takes seconds to commit,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32but the consequences for the victim can last a long while.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45When we pack our bags and catch a train,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48the last thing on our mind is the worry that our fellow
0:11:48 > 0:11:51passengers might not be on the straight-and-narrow.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53PC Allan Fernie works for the
0:11:53 > 0:11:55British Transport Police in Lancaster.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00We investigate any crime which is on or connected to the railway.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02You've got to bear in mind that every day
0:12:02 > 0:12:05there are millions of people travelling by train.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08So, the amount of thefts that there are in comparison
0:12:08 > 0:12:10are quite small but it does happen.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Allan and his colleagues police a stretch of track on the main
0:12:14 > 0:12:16route between London and Scotland.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18It's beautiful countryside,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and passengers' eyes are likely to be gazing at the view.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26But all the while, a thief could be gazing longingly at their luggage.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30There is some outstanding scenery, so people can become distracted
0:12:30 > 0:12:34and people do have a tendency to nod off and when they get off,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37the handbag, it's disappeared.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39And it can be a serious loss.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Not just of money, but of precious items, like phones, glasses,
0:12:43 > 0:12:44keys and bank cards.
0:12:44 > 0:12:51People do lose items which are very sentimental and can't be replaced.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Christina knows how distressing it is to have a handbag stolen.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Hers was taken late at night on a train.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Your stomach absolutely lurches with a complete sick feeling.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07And I had everything in it, so it was awful. Awful.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11Christina gets off the train and is now stranded at a station.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13It does make you feel very vulnerable
0:13:13 > 0:13:17when you are without any money or phone or keys or anything.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19It's a horrible feeling.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21You're locked out of your life
0:13:21 > 0:13:24because you haven't got any of the stuff you need for that.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Christina eventually begs a bus driver to let her travel home for
0:13:27 > 0:13:31free but the loss of cards, phone and keys affects her for weeks.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35I think the people who do this think this is not a violent crime,
0:13:35 > 0:13:36it's no big deal.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39It doesn't make much difference, it's only material stuff.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Well, it isn't only material stuff. You do feel violated as a woman.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47I'm lucky I haven't carried that feeling of being
0:13:47 > 0:13:50unsafe around with me but I can easily see why someone would.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52It's a horrible thing to do to someone else.
0:13:55 > 0:13:56Back in Lancaster,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00PC Allan Fernie of the British Transport Police sees bag-snatching
0:14:00 > 0:14:04as a serious crime, and he's on a mission to catch the snatchers.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06But it's not an easy task.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09With so many passengers leaving the average train,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11witnesses are hard to come by.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Unfortunately, people are moving around.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16They're moving from different parts of the country.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18And very hard to trace.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23Thankfully, there's one eyewitness that's always on watch -
0:14:23 > 0:14:26the CCTV camera that's usually fitted inside a train carriage.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29And here's the proof of how useful it can be.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32A woman who's been at a business meeting in Glasgow is
0:14:32 > 0:14:34heading back down south.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37She was obviously tired, as we can all relate to,
0:14:37 > 0:14:41travelling on trains, it's easy to nod off.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43A man walks down the carriage.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45There are plenty of seats available,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47but that's not what he's looking for.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52It appears that the offender is looking for an opportunity.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Looking for property that's laying on tables or unattended.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00He takes a seat opposite the victim.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04The woman has a bright orange handbag that's easy to spot.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06After some minutes, the man crosses the aisle
0:15:06 > 0:15:08and sits opposite the sleeping woman.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11The train now approaching the station, people are now getting up
0:15:11 > 0:15:16and the offender, there, has knelt down and taken the bag.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18We can see it in his hand.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22It takes just a couple of seconds for the man to steal the bag.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25No-one else has noticed a crime has been committed.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28The thieves are very quick and very clever.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30You have to be very sharp-eyed to catch it.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32The thief gets off at the next station
0:15:32 > 0:15:34and the train pulls away again.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39When the woman later wakes up, she searches frantically for her bag
0:15:39 > 0:15:42but eventually realises, to her horror, it's been stolen
0:15:42 > 0:15:44and calls the guard.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47The case is passed to PC Allan Fernie.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50He starts his investigation by gathering evidence from all
0:15:50 > 0:15:52available CCTV cameras.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56We then obtained CCTV from Oxenholme platform.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58And we could see the offender get off the train
0:15:58 > 0:16:01and go into the gents' toilets.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05And when he came out of the toilet, he didn't have the handbag.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08The thief has abandoned the bag in the gents.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11Good news, because this is no ordinary bag.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14It's worth £1,000 in itself.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Luckily, the thief's only taken some cash and small items.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22This was reunited with the victim on the night.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26With clear pictures of the thief's face,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29the next step is to track him down.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Allan believes that the man might live near the station where
0:16:31 > 0:16:35he got off, so sends the images to local police.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38The local police officers instantly recognised the offender.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Bingo.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46In court, the 32-year-old man has to pay compensation
0:16:46 > 0:16:50and is sentenced to a 150-hour community order.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Let's hope that will put him back on the right track.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59It's a good feeling when you get a result.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Particularly when you inform the victim.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06People are pleased that the police have been there to help
0:17:06 > 0:17:08and get a result.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Thieves often target people when they're relaxed and off-guard,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19like Christina. But obviously, we can't all be on edge
0:17:19 > 0:17:21every minute of the day that we're out and about.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24So how can you avoid becoming a victim of bag theft?
0:17:24 > 0:17:27It's really important to always be vigilant
0:17:27 > 0:17:30and prevent this handbag from being stolen.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32So if you keep it on your knee at all times,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36or if it's a larger bag, perhaps put the handle through your foot
0:17:36 > 0:17:38when you're a passenger on a bus,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40or get one of the straps that goes right across your chest over your
0:17:40 > 0:17:44head, making it even more difficult for someone to grab it and run away.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47If your bag is stolen and in your bag you have your house keys
0:17:47 > 0:17:50and something that identifies your home address,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52that now makes your home vulnerable.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54So please try and keep them separately.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Potentially, you're looking at £1,000
0:17:56 > 0:17:57worth of property in your bag.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00If you were carrying round £1,000 in cash,
0:18:00 > 0:18:01you'd hold it an awful lot closer.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13In Baildon, Yorkshire, there's a very irritating noise.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18Is it a lawn mower? A chain saw? An extremely large wasp?
0:18:18 > 0:18:22No. It's just these two idiots on scooters.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25They're buzzing up and down this residential street,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29just yards from a children's playground, annoying everyone.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31One resident, tired of the racket,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35starts filming them on his phone, hoping it will make them buzz off.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38But rather than take the hint and scoot off,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41the scooter scoundrels scornfully pull a wheelie.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44But the police are able to pick out one of the number
0:18:44 > 0:18:46plates from this footage.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49They pay a visit to the house of a 20-year-old
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and seize his scooter under the Anti-social Behaviour Act.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Now he's saddled with a recovery fee
0:18:54 > 0:18:58and storage charges running into hundreds of pounds.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00And let's hope, as he counts the costs,
0:19:00 > 0:19:04- he realises he's been - wheelie- rather stupid.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Thieves particularly like to steal items that are small
0:19:12 > 0:19:16and valuable because they're easy to carry off.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19But just because something's large and weighs several tonnes,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21doesn't mean it can't be stolen.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29This huge construction vehicle is pretty hard to miss.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Bright yellow, weighing seven tonnes,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35it's used to carry materials around building sites.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38It's not easy for vehicles this size to disappear, and yet
0:19:38 > 0:19:42recently in Hertfordshire, they've been vanishing into thin air.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47This is an organised gang who go out on a daily basis
0:19:47 > 0:19:50and they're stealing £40-80,000 worth of equipment each time.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Nearly £1 million worth have gone missing.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57And there's another cost too.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Without these vehicles to move materials,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01the builders' work grinds to a halt.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03No materials, no work.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05They fail to meet their contracts.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08They have to lay off staff, and in one particular instance
0:20:08 > 0:20:10I know of a builder that had to go out of business.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13This is a major crime operation planned by a ruthless
0:20:13 > 0:20:16gang of thieves who care little how people are affected.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21They even dupe innocent members of the public into hiding the loot.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25To my horror, what I was led to believe was house clearance furniture
0:20:25 > 0:20:28turned out to be stolen equipment.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33But such large scale crime attracts a large-scale response from police.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37They have some tricks of their own to help them track the gang.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41And this Mr Big and his cohorts are about to get cut down to size.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53The construction industry heavily depends on equipment hire companies,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56like this one, managed by Peter Withe.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Our machines typically feed and keep the site going.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Anything from bricklayers to ground workers
0:21:02 > 0:21:05to carpenters to roof tilers.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08You name it, that machine is keeping these guys going.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11So when these pieces of heavy machinery suddenly start to
0:21:11 > 0:21:14vanish from sight, it has immediate
0:21:14 > 0:21:17and serious consequences for Peter's customers.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21There was a massive increase in insurance excesses.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25And typically if there's no materials for the bricklayer
0:21:25 > 0:21:28to lay, for example, he will have to go home.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31If he goes home, he's not going to earn any money.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The hire companies do what they can to secure the machines.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36And they're fitted with hidden tracking devices.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39But the thieves seem to be one step ahead.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43This is a tracker that we fit in our machines.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46They were finding and removing them from the machine, so obviously,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49we couldn't find that machine because it wasn't being tracked.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Several months and further thefts later,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56police are still looking for a lead.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00The case falls on the desk of Detective Constable Jon Hancock.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03There were organised criminals that were committing these crimes
0:22:03 > 0:22:06and were turning up posing as builders.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10We were playing catch-up, gathering the evidence for the historic crimes
0:22:10 > 0:22:13whilst new crimes were coming in all the time.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Jon and his team set to work painstakingly gathering
0:22:16 > 0:22:20a mass of evidence and information, and they get a breakthrough.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22It's from an unlikely source.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Some poor quality CCTV from a theatre car park camera.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31Off camera, the item of plant that is subsequently stolen in this
0:22:31 > 0:22:32footage is about here.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35What's happening is the theft of the machinery is now occurring
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and it's making a noise.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41That noise causes staff from the theatre to rush out and investigate.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45There's not supposed to be building work going on during performances.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Off screen here, they're complaining to the builders,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50the thieves, of the noise.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54And the evidence she was able to give was that they were polite
0:22:54 > 0:22:55and they said they were very sorry
0:22:55 > 0:22:59but they had to take the machinery away for repair.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02The staff go back into the theatre but a few minutes later,
0:23:02 > 0:23:04this bloke enters.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Now this man here turns out to be one of the offenders.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Presumably he's come to find out how suspicious
0:23:11 > 0:23:13the staff are about the activity outside.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Which to us was a bit of a gift, really.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Much clearer than the building site CCTV.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23And you can see he's got distinctive tattoos on his arm and leg
0:23:23 > 0:23:25which subsequently helped us identify him.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28The man is 36-year-old Stacy Dunn.
0:23:28 > 0:23:34It was reasonably obvious who some of the other gang members would've been.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39It's not long before Jon has a fairly good idea exactly
0:23:39 > 0:23:40who he's dealing with.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Stacy Dunn and some known associates.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45But the evidence is still only circumstantial.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50The pictures are so poor, no-one can be identified.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Solid proof is needed, and Jon sets out to get it.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57He hides his own extra police trackers on the machinery.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00He hopes once the thieves find one tracker,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03they won't think to look hard for any more.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Now they just need someone to take the bait.
0:24:06 > 0:24:11There was ironically an element inside of us that thought,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14"Goodness. I hope one of these actually does get stolen."
0:24:14 > 0:24:16They don't have long to wait.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20This is the footage of a machine being stolen
0:24:20 > 0:24:22from a building site at a school.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Down the road, the gang discard the first tracker.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29But the police one stays hidden and continues to send signals all
0:24:29 > 0:24:32the way to the gang's secret storehouse.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36We were able to track it to this location here, this remote farm barn.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39It's the major turning point for this investigation.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41This Hertfordshire barn
0:24:41 > 0:24:45and three others like it are central to the gang's criminal activity.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49But it turns out that the owner of the barn has no idea
0:24:49 > 0:24:51the building's being put to illegal use.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55He's an innocent victim who wishes his identity to remain hidden.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59He tells how two men had knocked on his door asking to rent the barn.
0:24:59 > 0:25:06What I was told, they was doing household clearance furniture.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11It seemed an ideal opportunity to make a bit of income out of it.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15What actually happened was a mile apart.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Now the barn offers DC Jon Hancock the ideal opportunity
0:25:19 > 0:25:23to crack this case and catch the culprits red-handed.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24We've got the upper hand.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27We're able to install a covert camera at this location
0:25:27 > 0:25:29and record the comings and goings of the thieves.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32The camera is placed close to the barn
0:25:32 > 0:25:35and records the members of the gang at work.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38The men are clearly identifiable as they come and go.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Also at night, flashes from welding are a clue to
0:25:42 > 0:25:44the thieves' plan for the stolen equipment.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47The identity of these pieces of machinery can be changed
0:25:47 > 0:25:50and ultimately exported abroad.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54And just a week later, the clean machine is ready for shipping out.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57A driver from Eastern Europe pulls up in his lorry
0:25:57 > 0:25:59and the equipment is loaded.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Because the police tracker's still working, they can follow the lorry.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06They intercept it on the M25.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10The driver has no idea he's carrying stolen cargo.
0:26:12 > 0:26:13Meanwhile, back at the farm,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16the gang have no idea they've been rumbled.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19And they go out and steal yet another vehicle,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22giving the police more evidence all on camera.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Not only did we have the great piece of CCTV from that building site which
0:26:26 > 0:26:28showed the offenders and what they were wearing,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32but we've got the covert images here showing the same offenders wearing
0:26:32 > 0:26:35the same clothing, driving that piece of machinery into this barn.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Police now have enough evidence but before they have time to
0:26:39 > 0:26:44arrest them, astonishingly, the gang come back with yet another vehicle.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46It's like a production line.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Is there no end to this gang's greed?
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Well thankfully, yes, there is.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55And it comes when the police swoop and arrest all four men.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58The innocent owner of the barn is shocked
0:26:58 > 0:27:00at what the gang have hidden in there.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04To my horror, house clearance furniture turned out to be
0:27:04 > 0:27:08two JCB telescopic handlers.
0:27:08 > 0:27:13The search team found paint, grinding equipment, welding equipment,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15all used to change the identity of these pieces of machinery.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Jon and his team map out the movements of each
0:27:19 > 0:27:21gang member in fine detail.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26They even find some DNA evidence at one of the sites.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28We were able to build a big
0:27:28 > 0:27:31evidential picture of this conspiracy.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33A very complex picture.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37In court, it takes seven weeks to examine it fully.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43The four gang members are found guilty of involvement
0:27:43 > 0:27:46in 24 vehicle thefts.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48They are sentenced to a combined total of more
0:27:48 > 0:27:50than 20 years in prison.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54In Hertfordshire,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56everyone in the building trade breathes a sigh of relief.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01It can't be understated that the efforts of Jon Hancock
0:28:01 > 0:28:06and his colleagues were absolutely paramount in bringing this closure.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08It was a relief all round.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12The police also get quite a lot of equipment back.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16The value of the heavy machinery was approximately £1 million.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19And we've recovered a substantial amount of it.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23I think it sends a signal that Hertfordshire police will not
0:28:23 > 0:28:24tolerate organised crime.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31That's it for today.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Join us next time, when police and the public
0:28:33 > 0:28:36will be catching more criminals red-handed.