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.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11To cut down on crime and antisocial behaviour,
0:00:11 > 0:00:15the police and other agencies are using new tactics and technology
0:00:15 > 0:00:18so the bad guys get caught in the act.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20The CCTV is gold dust.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23- Great evidence for the police. - Got to have him stopped.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27Local councils, shops and businesses are laying some traps of their own.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29The eureka moment when you get that evidence.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31And the general public, too,
0:00:31 > 0:00:34can help unsuspecting crooks get their comeuppance.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37- People won't stand by. - I couldn't sit back and do nothing.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Yes, we've got her!
0:00:39 > 0:00:43So, anyone who's up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Today, when a grandmother's money starts to missing,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57the family are shocked to find out who's responsible.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01This person betrayed all the trust we put in her.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03It's the last person they suspected.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Also today, follow that car.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10An exciting ride for a local man
0:01:10 > 0:01:12whose four-by-four is commandeered by police for a pursuit.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16I shuffled across, he jumped in and off we went in hot pursuit.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Just like the movies, but the going gets tough.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21I didn't realise it could go that fast.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25It's just, oh, dear, it's going to go bang in a minute.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29And a robber holds up a corner shop at gunpoint
0:01:29 > 0:01:33but, hold on - that's not a gun it's a banana!
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Colchester, Essex.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49These pictures are from elderly grandmother Barbara's living room.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Barbara suffers from Alzheimer's
0:01:51 > 0:01:55and needs help from people like the carer shown here.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57My mum really liked the carer.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00She's the person that we'd bought wedding presents,
0:02:00 > 0:02:01birthday presents for.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05But when money keeps going missing from their mum's handbag,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07they want to know what's going on.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11So now, a home-made hidden camera is streaming footage
0:02:11 > 0:02:15to Barbara's family, who are watching it live from miles away.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19What they see happening, live in front of their eyes,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21comes as a shock.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I was just so angry that this person betrayed
0:02:24 > 0:02:26all the trust that we put in her
0:02:26 > 0:02:29and betrayed the trust of a little old lady.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Colchester, east Essex.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42For the past few years, Julie and her sister
0:02:42 > 0:02:46have been looking after their mum, Barbara's, finances.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50Barbara's family have asked that we don't use her real name
0:02:50 > 0:02:52but, over half a century ago,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55it was their mum who took good care of them.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58My mum and dad were married for just under 50 years
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and I have to say my mum really wore the trousers
0:03:01 > 0:03:03and she did her best to make sure
0:03:03 > 0:03:08that we had what we needed and that we had a great childhood.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Julie's father passed away in 1996.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Then, more than ten years later,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17they noticed that their mum was becoming forgetful.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19We didn't think it was Alzheimer's
0:03:19 > 0:03:22because, quite frankly, my mum is a very smart person.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25She was always on the ball and she was very informed.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28But she was subsequently sent for tests,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31where it was diagnosed that she did have Alzheimer's.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Julie and her sister are advised
0:03:33 > 0:03:36to take over the running of their mum's affairs.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41A power of attorney enables you to give someone that you really trust
0:03:41 > 0:03:46complete control over your finances and your health and welfare.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50So, for us, it meant that we could always look at her bank accounts
0:03:50 > 0:03:54and we could talk to any authority about anything to do with my mum.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57As the family don't live very near Barbara,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00they arrange for a carer to visit her every day.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Mum really liked her, we were happy with her.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06We were only concerned that my mum was being cared for properly
0:04:06 > 0:04:10and that she liked the carer that was coming to see her every day.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Julie's sister drives over to visit her mum each week
0:04:14 > 0:04:17to take her shopping. She gives her housekeeping money,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20though Barbara is still able to withdraw cash herself.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Because she likes to pay the people that come to her house
0:04:23 > 0:04:25to do her hair, to do her gardening.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27But after a while,
0:04:27 > 0:04:31Julie notices that her mum is taking money out more frequently.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34I realised that my mother was actually spending
0:04:34 > 0:04:36more than I do every week, which was impossible.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Julie needs to find out what's going on.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42There were no pointers towards any one person
0:04:42 > 0:04:44or it might have been my mum doing something really silly
0:04:44 > 0:04:46with the money. We just didn't know.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48She decides to investigate.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52That's when we started to talk about putting cameras in the house,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54just so that we could see what was happening.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56But there's a problem.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Most hidden cameras require daily visits
0:04:59 > 0:05:02to collect footage or to change batteries.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Julie and her sister live too far away.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09So Julie asks friends if they have any ideas.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13A family friend did explain to us that he could build a camera,
0:05:13 > 0:05:18using a really small computer and that's exactly what he did.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22He built the camera and we placed it in a radio in my mum's lounge.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25The sisters don't want to worry their mum
0:05:25 > 0:05:27by telling her about the camera.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30They turn it on for the first time on Mother's Day.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33It works by streaming live pictures over the internet
0:05:33 > 0:05:37to the rest of the family's computers and smartphones.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39My sister and the family friend who built the computer
0:05:39 > 0:05:43did actually both watch, live on camera,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47all the events that happened that morning and you can clearly see
0:05:47 > 0:05:50my mum is walking around in the house looking very frail.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53The camera points at Barbara's favourite chair.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55She likes to sit here to read the newspaper
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and keeps her handbag beside the chair.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01The carer walked in about 8 o'clock.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05She was the first person to be filmed.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Barbara leaves the room.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13The carer places a glass of water and a pill dispenser on the table
0:06:13 > 0:06:15but while she's stood by the chair,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18she also rummages around by Barbara's handbag.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24A few moments later, she's back.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30She bends over, unfortunately blocking most of the camera's view.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34But she delves into the handbag and pulls out Barbara's purse.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37It's not easy to see, but twice,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41she appears to pass something from the purse to her left hand.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47She then closes the purse and places it back in the handbag.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51As she turns, the stolen money can be seen in her hand.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Julie hears about what's happening from her sister,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57who's been watching it all live.
0:06:57 > 0:07:04My sister was absolutely devastated and I was just so angry
0:07:04 > 0:07:08that this person that was always very friendly to us,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12that we'd been so nice to, was stealing from this little old lady
0:07:12 > 0:07:14who was really easy to care for.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17She's always happy, she's always cheerful,
0:07:17 > 0:07:22and she just betrayed all the trust we put in her, so mine was anger.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27The shocking footage continues, as the woman makes herself at home.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29To add insult to injury,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32instead of doing what she's actually paid to do,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35which was to tidy up all the mess you can see in the background here,
0:07:35 > 0:07:40she actually sits down and has a good read of the paper.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44The carer then checks her phone before settling back for a nap.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Obviously stealing from someone vulnerable and elderly
0:07:47 > 0:07:49is exhausting work.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51You feel disgust and relief
0:07:51 > 0:07:55that you've actually caught this person who's betrayed your trust.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59The following day, they watch the carer steal money again.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02But this time, they accidentally stop the recording.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Julie's sister and family friend
0:08:04 > 0:08:07take the footage of the first theft to the police.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11They give witness statements for the second time they saw her steal.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14They decided that there was absolute proof
0:08:14 > 0:08:20that she was stealing from my mother and she was subsequently arrested.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23The woman denies everything and protests her innocence.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28Eventually the case goes to crown court and she pleads not guilty.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31The jury made a unanimous decision,
0:08:31 > 0:08:35on both counts of theft, that she was guilty.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42The woman is sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46She also has to pay fines and a victim surcharge.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51The family are just relieved it's all over.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Barbara now has new carers
0:08:53 > 0:08:57- who she and her daughters are very pleased with.- My mum's quite happy.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Her Alzheimer's has progressed, it's all very slow,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03but she's in her own little world, she's really happy,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07she's always cheerful, she likes to have a giggle
0:09:07 > 0:09:11and that's why we didn't want her to know about any of this.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Julie wants to stop others
0:09:14 > 0:09:17from becoming a victim of this type of crime.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19I think the most important thing that you can do is,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21first of all, to get power of attorney,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25both for their health and welfare and for their financial affairs.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Then it's really easy to do to put cameras in the home.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31We've actually got cameras in more than one room now,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34not because we're suspicious of anybody stealing,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37but from a safety point of view for my mum.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39If she wasn't in her chair for any length of time,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42we'd be alerted to it. So, I think it's really important
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and also you can monitor their spending.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Of course, the majority of carers are trustworthy,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56but many of us and our vulnerable friends and relatives
0:09:56 > 0:09:59have cash in the house from time to time
0:09:59 > 0:10:02and there are things we can do to keep it from being stolen.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Keeping your money in a handbag or a purse,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07perhaps on the kitchen worktop of the coffee table,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11is a really bad idea because that's the first place someone will look.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Put your cash somewhere separate with your cards.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15That way, if they do take your whole bag,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17they're not taking your purse with it.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Perhaps you might want to consider recording the money you've got
0:10:20 > 0:10:21and what you're spending,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24so you can be absolutely sure if money's going missing.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27If you do have to have some cash in your house,
0:10:27 > 0:10:29for example, you've had some building work
0:10:29 > 0:10:32and you need to pay the builder that week, then keep it quiet.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34The fewer people that know about it, the better.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Don't put it anywhere obvious.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Think of somewhere random that's unique to your property.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42They're not likely to look there, wouldn't know where to look.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50And now, a robber who, literally, goes bananas.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54As cheeky thefts go, this is the pick of the bunch.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Entering a grocery store, this man already has money in his hand,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05but he wants more.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09It turns out he's as bent as the bananas beside the counter
0:11:09 > 0:11:12and, maybe, that's why they catch his eye.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Picking one up, he puts it in his pocket
0:11:14 > 0:11:18and then goes to the shop assistant, pretending he's got a gun.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21He demands the contents of the till and the assistant,
0:11:21 > 0:11:25actually believing the man's armed, hands over the money.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27The robber then asks for cigarettes.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31One can only wonder what he'd have done
0:11:31 > 0:11:33if something else had been next to the counter.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37A melon or pineapple probably wouldn't be so effective.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41Now another customer comes to the counter to buy a drink.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44She's completely oblivious that she's interrupting a stick-up
0:11:44 > 0:11:48but, deciding it would be fruitless to ask for any more,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50the man with the banana splits -
0:11:50 > 0:11:52though he fails to avoid
0:11:52 > 0:11:55the potential banana skin of the rubbish bin.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00and he's also slipped up by having his face caught on camera.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Keen to avoid another banana drama,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05the police released these images,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07asking the public to keep their eyes peeled,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11so surely it won't be long before Banana Man is in custard -
0:12:11 > 0:12:13sorry, custody.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Coming up, a thief works over a popular restaurant
0:12:19 > 0:12:21in the middle of the night.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24The longer I see this, the angrier I'm getting now.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28He takes a fag break and leaves behind a clue - his cigarette butt -
0:12:28 > 0:12:31and the restaurant owner's cameras smoke him out.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38But first, an off-road Boy's Own adventure,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41where a local man joins forces with the police
0:12:41 > 0:12:43to track an elusive criminal.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Farmers' lives are being made a misery by a persistent thief
0:12:51 > 0:12:55who's been stealing large amounts of their machinery and farm vehicles.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57The impact of these thefts are massive.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00These are pieces of equipment that are the livelihood
0:13:00 > 0:13:02of the people that they're stealing from.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07This is him, filmed from a police helicopter in a stolen four-by-four.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11He recklessly destroys fences, putting animals in danger.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14You can see the sheep, the horses, scattering all over the place.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17The thief's getting away until a local man, David,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20offers the police his own four-by-four.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23He was looking up at me and I said, "You need one of these, mate."
0:13:23 > 0:13:25And he said, "Can we borrow it?"
0:13:25 > 0:13:28David and the police set off in hot pursuit.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- I didn't realise it could go that fast!- The chase is on.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41We're on the borders of County Durham and North Yorkshire.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45David lives and works in this area of outstanding natural beauty.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48It's stunning countryside, whichever way you look.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53It's mainly arable land and it's big, big open fields.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57These wide open spaces are David's office, so he knows them well.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02I've worked here for, crumbs, 20-something seasons now,
0:14:02 > 0:14:04so you know every farm, every landowner,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06where the gates are, where the gates aren't.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09But the isolated country lanes and fields
0:14:09 > 0:14:12can also be useful to thieves who target farms.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15You hear about it all the time, it's happened to us.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Sometimes you'll know who these people are
0:14:17 > 0:14:19but you can't do anything about it.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22But there's one thief that Superintendent Andy Huddleston
0:14:22 > 0:14:25and his team from Durham Police are especially keen to track down.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28This person was wanted for multiple offences
0:14:28 > 0:14:29across the north of England.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33He was pinching four-wheel drives, trailers,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36anything that was agriculturally related, really.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40These are crimes that are causing some real hardship for the victims.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43They were farmers that were in parts of the world
0:14:43 > 0:14:46that are not particularly wealthy.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49That has a massive impact on how they do their business.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52The police are desperate to catch this thief in the act
0:14:52 > 0:14:54but when they've tried to follow him in the past,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57he's used the rough terrain to escape.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Vehicles that he's stealing, he knows he could go off-road,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04do things we physically couldn't do with the vehicles that we had.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08But one afternoon in September, they get another chance.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10The thief is driving off
0:15:10 > 0:15:13with a stolen four-by-four pick-up truck and trailer
0:15:13 > 0:15:15and he's been spotted.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18A police helicopter tracks him,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21while Andy and other officers approach in patrol cars.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27They tell the driver to pull over but he has other ideas.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Suddenly veering off the road, the thief,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32who's with an accomplice, busts through a fence.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35They quickly detach the trailer,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39so now the four-by-four can easily outmanoeuvre
0:15:39 > 0:15:41the patrol cars on the rough ground.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44The helicopter can follow the criminals
0:15:44 > 0:15:46but will have to refuel at some point.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48It's frustrating for Andy.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53Yeah, you think, "What can we do to stop this person?"
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Enter David, who's unwittingly about to get involved.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59He's on his way home after a morning on the moors,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02driving along a back road to avoid traffic.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Suddenly the stolen pick-up races out of some farmland
0:16:06 > 0:16:08and onto the lane ahead of him.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11This pick-up flies out in front of me here.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14I think he brakes suddenly cos he saw there's a gap to a track,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16so I stop and think, "What on Earth's going on?",
0:16:16 > 0:16:19cos it all looked very dodgy and he tore across there,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22up that track, to the bottom of that wood.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25David doesn't know what to make of the situation.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28All of this is bad boys. This looks interesting.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31With that comes three police patrol cars.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35The police are still on the tail of the four-by-four
0:16:35 > 0:16:38but can't keep up over the rough farmland.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Andy's police car comes to a halt next to David.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46I looked down at him, jokingly, cos he was looking up at me, and said,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- "You need one of these, mate."- And that's just what Andy's thinking.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51The vehicle was a Land Rover and, for me,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55exactly what we needed to continue on with what we were doing.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00He said, "Can we borrow it?" And I said, "Well, you can get in."
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Andy explained that, as the vehicle's commandeered,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05HE will have to drive.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09I shuffled across, he jumped in and off we went in hot pursuit.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11By now, the pick-up's far ahead
0:17:11 > 0:17:14but the helicopter's still keeping track.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22As Andy tries to catch up with the pick-up,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25he has reservations about bringing David.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28I wanted the vehicle. I didn't really want anybody else with me.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31But David's local knowledge proves useful.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I said, "We can go up here, cos you'll cut him off.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35"He's way in front now. You'll meet him."
0:17:35 > 0:17:37This was a guy who knew the area.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40I couldn't have asked for a better crew mate
0:17:40 > 0:17:42to continue what we needed to do.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45The helicopter camera shows Andy and David's vehicle
0:17:45 > 0:17:48is a few fields behind the stolen four-by-four.
0:17:48 > 0:17:49But they're closing in fast.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Everything was jumping around in the back.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I didn't realise it could go that fast!
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Oh, dear, it's going to go bang in a minute.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58The driver of the stolen pick-up
0:17:58 > 0:18:01definitely isn't following the Countryside Code.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05He had everything to play for.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08He knew he was going to go to prison if he got caught.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10He was going straight through everything.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12I thought he was going to break the pick-up in the end.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21But even the pick-up can't bust through a metal gate.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23The passenger gets out and opens it.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26He can see Andy and David are hot on their heels.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30We nearly had him then. He slammed the gate, literally in front of us,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34so we had to stop, open the gate and then he got away,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37and that's when he disappeared into this farmyard.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43The helicopter warns Andy the pick-up has suddenly stopped.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49At first, it looks like the driver is trapped in a dead end,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51but really, he's planning an ambush.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Andy said what they've done in the past,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56is reverse straight into the radiator of the police car
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and, literally, as we came round the corner,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00his reversing lights are staring at us.
0:19:00 > 0:19:05The stolen four-by-four tries to ram them, but Andy gets out of the way.
0:19:09 > 0:19:10That was the funny moment.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12He thought it was some farmer chasing him,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16then he looked up and saw this guy in uniform, driving this Land Rover.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18He was off again like a scalded cat.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Andy and David keep him in sight.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Never before had the police continued to follow him
0:19:26 > 0:19:29with such degree of... We've got a vehicle that can match yours,
0:19:29 > 0:19:31in terms of what you're doing.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34But the driver's increasingly desperate attempt to evade capture
0:19:34 > 0:19:36has taken its toll on the stolen pick-up.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39We noticed pipework hanging out from underneath.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41It had ruptured the fuel tank on his vehicle.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Running out of fuel, the driver speeds into a field
0:19:44 > 0:19:47full of sheep and horses, nearly hitting the animals.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50He's trying to escape onto the main road.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59But David's already told the police there's only way out of the field
0:19:59 > 0:20:03and they're waiting for the stolen vehicle there. It's boxed in.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05And that, for me, was the turning point,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08where he's decided it's game over.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13Finally, after nearly half an hour off-road, the men give up.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15As Andy goes to arrest the driver,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18a plain-clothes officer comes to help,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21while another deals with the accomplice.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27It's the end of the road - and the off-road - for this driver.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30He's charged with multiple offences.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36In court, he's convicted of theft of vehicles
0:20:36 > 0:20:39and other agricultural items.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42He's sentenced to two years and eight months in jail.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48This criminal had been a thorn in the side of local farmers.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Police were keen to reward David for his help.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53I got a bottle of whisky off Durham Constabulary
0:20:53 > 0:20:56- and a police commendation as well. - David's an absolute star.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Had he not been the person with that knowledge and that vehicle,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01we would not have had the result that we had.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05Though on the day, David had a bit of explaining to do
0:21:05 > 0:21:07to his wife and family.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10When I got home, two hours later than they were expecting me back,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12you didn't know where to start, really.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16I had to explain why the Land Rover had a few scratches
0:21:16 > 0:21:19and dents on it, so I got Andy to do that.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Smoking is not good for anyone's health.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33But it's a particularly bad habit to have if you're a burglar.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Cardiff, South Wales. Meet Giovanni.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44This flamboyant Italian is a well-known local restaurateur
0:21:44 > 0:21:48and many famous celebrities have been through his doors.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51We look after celebrities and lots of wonderful customers
0:21:51 > 0:21:54and we love families together, having a great time.
0:21:54 > 0:21:55That's special, you know.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Voila. Salute.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01But the high life can sometimes attract the lowlife.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04This man has broken into the restaurant after closing time,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07looking for items that aren't on the menu.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12He's so brazen, in the middle of his raid, he even stops for a cigarette.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16The longer I see this, the angrier I'm getting now. It's disgusting.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Hoping this crook can get served his just dessert,
0:22:19 > 0:22:24Giovanni puts the restaurant's CCTV footage out on the internet.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26We've got a massive following. It just went viral.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30He hopes someone will give him a tip and identify the thief.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40The Welsh capital, Cardiff, is a busy port
0:22:40 > 0:22:42and its regular influx of tourists
0:22:42 > 0:22:44means it has a thriving dining scene.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50Born in Italy, Giovanni came to live here when he was three.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53He now runs this restaurant in the city with his family.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57I don't call it a job. I really call it a passion.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00'We're traditional Italian.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04'We do modern specialities, but a lot of our food is traditional
0:23:04 > 0:23:07and we like being traditional and we love families together,'
0:23:07 > 0:23:09having a great time. That's special, you know.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15'And also, running it as a family, everyone's part of the family.'
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Giovanni discovered his love of food at an early age,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22helping out in the kitchen at his parents' takeaway business.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Then, as a young man, he travelled the world,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28working as a waiter on cruise liners.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31I missed sunny South Wales. The Welsh people are wonderful,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34so I came back and decided to open a restaurant in Cardiff.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38To begin with, Giovanni's restaurant is a humble affair.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40I remember cooking on a four-burner cooker,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42the way you cook at home, you know.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44It's funny, when we first started,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47we used to give customers barrels of beer to sit on and they'd say,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50"We've got one more," and we'd say, "We've got no more chairs left."
0:23:50 > 0:23:55Giovanni sticks at it. More than 30 years on, his restaurant has grown.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58He's also had some rather famous diners through the doors.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00If you've got passion
0:24:00 > 0:24:03and you believe you're going to succeed, then chances are you will.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06If you've got no heart, you've got no pasta.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Pasta? Where did that come from?
0:24:10 > 0:24:14But Giovanni and his beloved pasta need protection from crime.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Having been a victim of thieves in the past,
0:24:16 > 0:24:21he installs CCTV cameras and they soon prove their worth.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23It's a Sunday morning
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and Giovanni arrives to find there's been a break-in.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- Doors are damaged and equipment stolen.- It's frustrating.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35When you work so hard and you buy things you need
0:24:35 > 0:24:37and then somebody comes along and steals them,
0:24:37 > 0:24:38you get really angry, you know.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43Giovanni calls the police and then checks the CCTV.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48It's nearly 4am when this man appears in the restaurant building.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51The burglar alarm is ringing but it's a Saturday night
0:24:51 > 0:24:55and there's loud music playing in a nearby nightclub.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58So, with all the noise, nobody hears the alarm
0:24:58 > 0:25:01and the burglar continues undisturbed.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04But he's unable to get into the restaurant itself,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07as there are strong combination locks on the doors.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11So, after searching the rest of the building, he finds some tools.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15And then he starts chiselling away at the padlock
0:25:15 > 0:25:17on the door to the maintenance room.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21The locks are very strong but, at some point, they are going to give.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Eventually, after using a chisel, a screwdriver and then a shovel,
0:25:26 > 0:25:30he prises the door open and starts searching for stuff to steal.
0:25:30 > 0:25:36He's so laidback, he even comes out for a fag break halfway through.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39The longer I see this, the angrier I'm getting now.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45It is, it's so...disrespectful.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47After finishing his cigarette,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51the thief flicks the butt up into a hole in the ceiling.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55He then finally leaves, taking hundreds of pounds-worth of tools.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58These tools, sadly, belong to one of my staff,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02you know, who is our in-house maintenance chap.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Stealing something is bad enough.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Stealing tools, where a person needs to use them
0:26:07 > 0:26:09to make a living, is disgusting.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Giovanni pays to replace the tools
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and has to repair the damage caused to the doors.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17But the thief has miscalculated.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20He didn't realise there was cameras watching him.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24And, after looking at the CCTV, the police go up into the ceiling,
0:26:24 > 0:26:29retrieve the cigarette end and send it off for forensic analysis.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31While the police investigate,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Giovanni also decides to do his own bit to help.
0:26:34 > 0:26:39He puts images of the man on the restaurant's internet web page.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41We've got a massive following because of Giovanni's restaurants.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43We've got a lot a lot of customers.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46They shared it and shared and shared it. It just went viral.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50It's amazing how many people thought they recognised him.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55The same name keeps coming up and Giovanni passes it on to the police.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00The police then were able to do a search.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02They knew who they were looking for.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05In less than a month, the burglar is arrested
0:27:05 > 0:27:10and smoking so nonchalantly leads him to getting his fingers burnt
0:27:10 > 0:27:13because the discarded cigarette end has been analysed
0:27:13 > 0:27:16and he's positively linked to the crime.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21They took the DNA and they were able to match the DNA with the thief.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24The restaurant thief has served himself up on a plate.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30In court, he pleads guilty to burglary
0:27:30 > 0:27:33and is given a 112-day prison sentence and fined.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Since the burglary, more cameras have been added
0:27:40 > 0:27:42and the alarm system updated
0:27:42 > 0:27:45to make sure service continues with a smile at Giovanni's.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50Best feeling in the world is to see customers laughing,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53to see customers having a great night out together.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56That's why I can't understand thieves,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58because there are so many ways to earn a living,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00to feel good about it.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02And Giovanni should know.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05It's a far cry from customers sitting on beer barrels.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07A long time ago.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11In fact, I've gone from being the youngest restaurant owner
0:28:11 > 0:28:13to the oldest restaurant owner.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Say no more. But I don't look it, don't worry.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23That's it for today. Join us next time,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27when police and the public catch more criminals red-handed.