0:00:02 > 0:00:04Thieves will steal our cars, our valuables,
0:00:04 > 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 > 0:00:35People won't stand by.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39- I couldn't sit back and do nothing. - Yes! We've got her!
0:00:39 > 0:00:43So anyone who's up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Today, she's thankful for some help.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56But this man doesn't want her thanks.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58He wants her purse.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02He rips it roughly out of her hands and runs.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04To me, it's just one of the worst crimes you can have.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06He preys on elderly people.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09He even targets the same victim twice.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12When I came back, my money was gone.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14I went to see her, and I said,
0:01:14 > 0:01:18"Marion, I cannot believe that this has happened to you again."
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Also today, in Shakespeare's Stratford,
0:01:21 > 0:01:25a real-life Shakespearean plot of intrigue and betrayal.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26We couldn't believe it, really.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30You just don't expect someone to be that dishonest with you.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34At a Tudor museum, all's not well and doesn't end well
0:01:34 > 0:01:35for a trusted friend.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41And where's the best place to park a stolen car?
0:01:41 > 0:01:42Next to these two other cars?
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Well, maybe not.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48The thieves haven't yet noticed that those two cars are...
0:01:48 > 0:01:49police cars.
0:01:49 > 0:01:50Well, they will soon.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05A CCTV camera view of a busy street in the City of London.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09A woman in her late nineties is walking home from the shops.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Just behind her, a man is heading the same way.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20Although the woman's walking slowly, the man never seems to catch up.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Why does he keep stopping, looking around, etc?
0:02:22 > 0:02:26He's not checking a map on a phone or anything like this.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28He's acting in a suspicious nature.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32This man is, in fact, stalking the elderly woman.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35He preys on defenceless victims
0:02:35 > 0:02:39and he is following his latest victim home to steal her handbag.
0:02:39 > 0:02:40It's absolutely despicable
0:02:40 > 0:02:44that a person deliberately targets vulnerable elderly people.
0:02:44 > 0:02:4990-year-old Marion also falls prey to this deceitful burglar's tricks.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54I really couldn't believe how somebody could con you into that.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56The City of London Police
0:02:56 > 0:02:59are determined to catch this callous thief.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09The Square Mile of the city
0:03:09 > 0:03:12is better known for its skyscrapers and financial offices.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16But thousands of people live here, too.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21PC Christine Phillips has been walking this beat for six years.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23A lot of people,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26they think about the City of London, it's just the financial district
0:03:26 > 0:03:29where everybody comes into work and they go home at the end of the day.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32But we also have about 8,000 residents who live in the city.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Being a Neighbourhood Officer,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36you are actually part of that community.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39People know you, I get to walk out, I patrol the area.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41One of the city's residents
0:03:41 > 0:03:46is 90-year-old grandmother Marion, who lives in sheltered housing.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49We're very lucky to live here,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53because you're safe as houses,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and I've been here for ten years.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Marion has had no experience of crime here
0:04:01 > 0:04:05until one summer's day, when one particular man comes to call.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11A CCTV camera covers the front door of Marion's building.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12It's mid-afternoon,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16and one of the other elderly residents is returning home.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18She has a key to let herself in.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22But now this man appears.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24He holds the door open before it closes,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27for another resident to come out.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28It's Marion.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30She's only popped out for a few moments
0:04:30 > 0:04:32for some medicines to be delivered,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35and she's left her flat door unlocked.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38The man continues on into the building.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41The chemist is supposed to deliver my pills.
0:04:41 > 0:04:47So I went outside and sat on the ledge just outside the door.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Marion patiently waits for her delivery.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Five minutes later, the same man, now without his T-shirt,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59walks out of the building, straight past Marion.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Eventually, she returns to her flat.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05And when I came back, my money was gone.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Marion's shocked when she realises her handbag must have been stolen.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I felt very vulnerable.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18And it made me realise you should lock the door,
0:05:18 > 0:05:22and everybody then here locked their doors.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25The police check for fingerprints and DNA,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28but the burglar has left no evidence behind.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31PC Christine Phillips goes to see Marion.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34She didn't let on how upset she was, distressed, but you know it is,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37and so you do actually offer support to the person.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40But, fortunately for her, she does have family around that visit,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43so she's not there by herself, panicking.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46Christine examines the CCTV footage.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Unfortunately, only the side and back of the man's head can be seen.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Out comes our suspect.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55He's now not wearing that top that he had on.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59It's covering Marion's handbag as he's walking outside.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01The police don't know who the man is.
0:06:03 > 0:06:04But then, some weeks later,
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Christine hears about a burglary in another housing estate.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Here, too, an elderly woman has had her handbag stolen from her flat.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16But this time, the burglar finds a different way to con his way in.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19She told me that a person had come up to the door of her flat
0:06:19 > 0:06:22saying that he was working on some repairs in the flat next to her,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25could he borrow a pen and a piece of paper
0:06:25 > 0:06:27to leave a note for the people there?
0:06:27 > 0:06:30The woman lets the man in and goes to get the pen and paper.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32As he went, she looked and, straightaway,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35she realised her handbag had been stolen.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Again, there's no forensic evidence or CCTV from this crime scene.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42But Christine suspects there may be a link with a series of thefts
0:06:42 > 0:06:44in a neighbouring area of London.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47There had been a spate of burglaries with a similar method,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50also targeting elderly, vulnerable people.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53She contacts the officers investigating those burglaries
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and looks at their CCTV evidence.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00This is footage from one of those crimes.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03A man pretends to help an elderly woman with a shopping trolley
0:07:03 > 0:07:05through her building's front door.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09He keeps his hands covered so he doesn't leave any fingerprints.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Now he dupes the woman into getting out her purse,
0:07:13 > 0:07:18then just wrenches it out of her hands and runs.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20The footage is poor quality,
0:07:20 > 0:07:22but Christine's convinced it's the same man.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24It's absolutely despicable
0:07:24 > 0:07:27that a person deliberately targets vulnerable people,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31not to have any regard for the consequences on those people
0:07:31 > 0:07:34frightened in their home, maybe have medical implications, etc.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37To me, it's just one of the worst crimes you can have.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Then there's yet another burglary in Christine's area.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42And, incredibly, it's Marion
0:07:42 > 0:07:45who becomes a victim for the second time.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49CCTV images show the man at her building's front door.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52My intercom went
0:07:52 > 0:07:55and I said, "Who is it?"
0:07:55 > 0:08:00So they said, "I can't get any answer from number five.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03"Do you think I could come in
0:08:03 > 0:08:06"and borrow a pen and paper?"
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Marion kindly offers her help.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11He came in.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12He sat there.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15The man asks for a drink of water.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I went just to get the glass.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Then he was gone.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Marion is shocked to discover two handbags have been stolen.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30And the bag that I had there was gone
0:08:30 > 0:08:34and I had a bag there, and that was gone.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39I couldn't believe it, how somebody could con you into that.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41He surely must have a conscience.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45As well as personal items in the bags,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Marion's lost bank cards and £350 in cash.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Christine is dismayed to hear the news.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53I went to see her and I said,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56"Marion, I cannot believe that this has happened to you again."
0:08:56 > 0:08:59You know, "It's just awful. We've just got to have him stopped."
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Christine and her colleagues in the City of London
0:09:02 > 0:09:04intensify their search for the burglar.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08But they still don't have a clear image of his face.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Then he strikes yet again on Christine's beat.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15An elderly woman has her bag stolen after she arrives home.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19She was late nineties, very limited eyesight,
0:09:19 > 0:09:20and he'd picked her as a target.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Believing the burglar may have followed his victim home,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Christine checks CCTV footage from cameras on the woman's route
0:09:28 > 0:09:30and sees this man.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Why does he never actually catch up with a person of that age
0:09:33 > 0:09:35who's walking very, very slowly?
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Why does he keep stopping, looking around, etc?
0:09:38 > 0:09:41He's not checking a map on a phone or anything like this.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43He's stalking the woman.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46And this footage provides a breakthrough for Christine.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49She now has a clear image to share with other officers and the public.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52I decided to go around the area and make some local enquiries,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56show the images to a few people to see if anybody recognised the male.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Several shop workers and market traders
0:09:58 > 0:10:00think they've seen the man before.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Christine asks them to keep watch
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and to ring the police if he reappears.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10Two weeks later, one of her lookouts phones in.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13He called up and said, "He's here, I know he's wanted for this crime."
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Operators in the control room swung the cameras round in that direction
0:10:17 > 0:10:19and they could see him walking behind an elderly lady
0:10:19 > 0:10:23who, in a similar manner, was on her way home to the neighbouring estate.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Officers got to the scene to actually do a stop on him.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29The man is arrested.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31He's 43-year-old William Beggs.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34He protests his innocence,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37but Christine and her colleagues set out to prove otherwise.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41They examine data from his mobile phone to track his movements.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43They also search his home.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46And they actually found, when they searched the premises,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49the jacket that he had been seen wearing on the CCTV footage
0:10:49 > 0:10:51when he stole the handbag from Marion,
0:10:51 > 0:10:53which was absolutely fantastic news.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56I had good news to take back to my victims at last.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58After all the evidence is collated,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Beggs is charged with a total of 17 burglaries.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08In court, he is sentenced to ten years in prison.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The City of London's residents can rest easier
0:11:12 > 0:11:14now this thief is off their streets.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17I was really pleased we finally found this person
0:11:17 > 0:11:20who is deliberately targeting vulnerable people.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23It's really good that he's been put away for quite a long time.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26And Marion's also pleased the man's behind bars.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31I was relieved that he couldn't do that to anybody else.
0:11:31 > 0:11:38Now I take heed not to be conned and coerced by a conman.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Most people who come knocking at the door are honest and trustworthy.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53But, sadly, as Marion found out, some aren't.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55But there are steps we can take to help keep ourselves
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and vulnerable friends and neighbours safe.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Often, people will try and pretend to be somebody that they're not.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05If they are from a legitimate company or a service provider,
0:12:05 > 0:12:06they will have identification
0:12:06 > 0:12:09and they'll be quite happy to wait while you check out who they are.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12It's OK to tell them to come back at a scheduled date and time
0:12:12 > 0:12:15when you can perhaps have a friend or family there.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17You don't even have to open the door.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19If you look through the viewfinder and you don't feel happy,
0:12:19 > 0:12:20don't open the door.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23You can be rude in such circumstances.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26There are some basic things that you can do which aren't expensive.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Most doors can come with door viewers. You can put chain locks on.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31It creates that little bit of distance
0:12:31 > 0:12:33between you and the person knocking on the door.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35This is about protecting you,
0:12:35 > 0:12:37so if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46If there was a contest for Britain's dumbest criminals,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49these car thieves in Greater Manchester
0:12:49 > 0:12:50would score pretty highly.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56It's nearly 2am.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59A couple of thieves have stolen a Mercedes
0:12:59 > 0:13:03and have decided to stash it overnight in this car park.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05But they're having trouble getting in.
0:13:05 > 0:13:06Maybe they should have paused
0:13:06 > 0:13:10to wonder why the gate has such a complicated security system.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14You see, this is no ordinary car park,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and the cars in it aren't ordinary cars.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21They're police cars, because it's a police station car park.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26And at this point, a police van comes up behind them.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Now, who knows? They might have got away with just driving calmly off.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34But no. These two completely lose their marbles.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37They lurch forward and get stuck on a grass verge
0:13:37 > 0:13:41before jumping out, running across a main road
0:13:41 > 0:13:43and diving into a river.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Not surprisingly, the police in the van
0:13:45 > 0:13:48find all this more than a little suspicious.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51The men are chased, caught and arrested.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54It makes life a lot easier for the police
0:13:54 > 0:13:56when criminals in stolen vehicles
0:13:56 > 0:13:59actually bring themselves to the station.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00And as for the thieves,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03when they're brought back to the police car park,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06this time, it's a lot easier getting past the gate.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14A man runs amok on a rampage of mindless vandalism
0:14:14 > 0:14:16and smashes his way into a shop.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Came round the corner to be faced with four broken windows.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I was thinking, "Why is he doing that?" It was just sheer madness.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26But when he runs outside again,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29he meets his comeuppance coming round the corner.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Surely no-one would stoop so low as to steal from a friend.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41But, sadly, there are people out there
0:14:41 > 0:14:43who will betray the trust of people they know well.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55The owners of a Tudor museum, John and Janet, are living their own
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Shakespearean-style tale of treachery.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03They suspect one of their staff is stealing from them.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05It wasn't so much the money. It was the principle.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07The betrayal is the thing that hurt.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11Visitor numbers are up, but takings are down.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13We felt quite angry. It was quite traitorous, really.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15With the help of a camera,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19the couple hope to discover whether there's a thief in their midst
0:15:19 > 0:15:21or if it's all much ado about nothing.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33The medieval market town of Stratford-upon-Avon
0:15:33 > 0:15:35is a popular tourist destination,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39largely thanks to its connection with William Shakespeare.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44Its historic status attracts thousands of visitors every year.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47John and Janet run one of Stratford's many museums
0:15:47 > 0:15:49dedicated to Tudor Britain.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54Tudor World is an independent museum in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon
0:15:54 > 0:15:56within a 16th-century property.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59It was a tavern called the Three Tunns, owned by William Rogers,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02whose nephew was Shakespeare's godson.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04You can sit at the table of William Shakespeare,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07you can sit on the throne, you can try hats on,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09you can smell what it was like.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12If you fall down on those cobblestones outside,
0:16:12 > 0:16:13you can be safe in the knowledge
0:16:13 > 0:16:16you've fallen over on the same cobblestones as William Shakespeare
0:16:16 > 0:16:18when he's had too many beers.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20As well as being open to the public,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23the museum hosts school excursions by day
0:16:23 > 0:16:26and, by night, they run a special ghost tours.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Taking over the museum was a midsummer night's dream come true
0:16:30 > 0:16:33for former council worker John and ex-teacher Janet.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35We both love history,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38so we gave up proper jobs to take over this place,
0:16:38 > 0:16:43and now we dress in costumes, we do acting, the accounts,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45we do everything between us.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47The two history buffs can now live each day
0:16:47 > 0:16:50in the era they're so passionate about.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51If you look back historically,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54it's probably one of the most eventful periods.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56- Intrigue.- Spies.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58- Marriages.- Adultery.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59Births, deaths, executions.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Everything's there. It's just brilliant.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05But then a drama of their own begins to play out,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07a tale of deception,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11when the couple suspect a thief is pilfering from the museum gift shop.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14We started to notice money was going missing.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Sometimes, it seemed like it was really busy,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18and then when you check the takings later in the day,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21you think, "Well, it's actually not what we should be taking."
0:17:21 > 0:17:25Their staff are fellow enthusiasts, so John and Janet can't believe
0:17:25 > 0:17:28one of these trusted colleagues could be stealing from them.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33You just don't expect someone to be that dishonest with you.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35To catch the thief in the act,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39John turns to a very 21st-century method of detection.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42I decided that we would install CCTV.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44I went off and bought a kit.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46We had it pointed straight down
0:17:46 > 0:17:49so you could see any transactions with the till.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52You could see people handing money over, change being returned.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58It's a Sunday morning, and the camera is recording.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02In costume, one of John and Janet's most loyal employees,
0:18:02 > 0:18:04and a close friend, is behind the till.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07We didn't initially see anything happening, and we thought,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11"Oh, dear, I feel really bad now," to, you know, have been suspicious.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13And then we saw it.
0:18:15 > 0:18:16Wearing his black hat,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20their black-hearted friend pockets a £10 note.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23The camera above his head sees him start stealing
0:18:23 > 0:18:26just ten minutes into his shift.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28And it doesn't stop there.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Some tourists enter.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34He takes the entry fee, but doesn't ring up the sale at the till.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36He leaves the cash on top of the draw.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39As soon as the visitors go into the museum,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42he stashes the cash in his doublet.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44It's heartbreaking for John and Janet.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Obviously, the betrayal is the thing that hurt.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52And your emotions go from shock to anger.
0:18:52 > 0:18:53He's been with us for years.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55He'd had his wedding here, you know,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58and he always said how much he loved the job,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00and we couldn't believe it, really.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Other visitors pay for souvenirs on sale in the shop.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08Leaving the till open after another customer and another sale,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11he builds up a pile of notes on top of the till drawer.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13He hands out change.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17Then, when alone, he folds the cash and stuffs it into his pouch.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Janet's astounded. This is her livelihood.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21There we go.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26We're making a whole sort of £2.50 on the tea towel
0:19:26 > 0:19:27whilst losing £20 there!
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Brilliant.
0:19:29 > 0:19:35Over his seven-hour shift, the stealing goes on and on and on.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Then, when for a few minutes there are no customers,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43he takes a moment to gloat and count his takings.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46He decided this would be a perfect opportunity,
0:19:46 > 0:19:50on our time, in our shop, with our money,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52to count it up,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55just to make sure, you know, he's doing quite well.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00I couldn't believe the cheek he had and just be so blatant.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04By the end of the day, the thief has stolen £190.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08Without the footage, there's no way I could have confronted him.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11I knew that I'd have to take action.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16I wasn't even so much... At the time, it wasn't so much the money.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17It was the principle.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19John hands the evidence to the police
0:20:19 > 0:20:22before finally confronting his friend.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25We then called him in a couple of days later,
0:20:25 > 0:20:29where I told him that I was letting him go for stealing.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35And when I told him that, he looked completely shocked.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39And then he turned on the big doggy eyes like he was going to cry.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42"John, I would never steal from you. I'm your friend."
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Which I just said...
0:20:45 > 0:20:47"I have the evidence
0:20:47 > 0:20:50"and this matter's been reported to the police."
0:20:50 > 0:20:53And he was then asked to leave the premises.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59It's the final act in this costume drama.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02The police pay the false friend a visit.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05He admits his guilt and is given a conditional caution.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08He has to pay back the money to John and Janet.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13The whole experience has left them feeling betrayed.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15There was so many times that he would come to us
0:21:15 > 0:21:19and ask for money in advance because he was doing badly.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20We'd always give him a sub.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22And the same when he had his wedding here.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Obviously, we didn't charge them.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26We just wanted them to have a nice day.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28However, at the museum,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32the couple can now get back to the business of enjoying a rosy future
0:21:32 > 0:21:34living life in the past.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36We are so passionate about it.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47You'd expect life in a rural town to be all peace and quiet.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50But that makes it all the worse if a criminal comes to call.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Truro, Cornwall, in the early hours of the morning.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00This man is on a trail of destruction.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02He's already vandalised three shops,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and now he's broken into this hardware store.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08He was just on a mission to cause mindless criminal damage.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12It was just sheer madness. I couldn't believe my eyes.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15He causes thousands of pounds worth of damage and misery
0:22:15 > 0:22:17for the owners and staff.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20He hit each window four or five times.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Lots of shards of glass across the shop.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26There was furniture that he smashed up, and it was just...
0:22:26 > 0:22:28You know, it was just awful to see that.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31But this vandal is about to get his comeuppance.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Truro is officially the only city in Cornwall,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42and its busy shopping centre
0:22:42 > 0:22:45has attracted a wide variety of independent stores.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Amongst them is this fabric shop, where Sarah works with her family.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Truro Fabrics has been going for just over 30 years.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57It was set up by my dad and mum,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01with my nan originally on the shop floor as well.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03I came in when I was 19,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06I was going to help out over the Christmas period,
0:23:06 > 0:23:08and I've been here ever since!
0:23:09 > 0:23:12No, it was lovely. There's not many people that can say
0:23:12 > 0:23:14they've worked with their nan and their parents.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Just around the corner,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18this hardware store has been in business even longer.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Thank you very much.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Ina works there as a floor manager.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27The shop, actually, has been open for way over a hundred years.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30We've got quite a few staff that have been here quite a long time.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33People get advice on anything they need
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and it's as much for the staff
0:23:35 > 0:23:38as it is for the products that we do that people come in.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Truro isn't known as a crime hot spot.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42But on one Friday night,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45its shopping centre becomes the target
0:23:45 > 0:23:47of a man on a wrecking rampage.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50It's 2.15am.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55The security cameras are recording inside Ina's hardware store
0:23:55 > 0:23:58when a man outside throws something at the window.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00GLASS SMASHES
0:24:00 > 0:24:01It smashes.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06He reaches into the shop through the broken window and grabs a chair
0:24:06 > 0:24:08and flings it at the window several times
0:24:08 > 0:24:10to break the rest of the glass.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13He steps into the shop.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15The alarm starts to ring.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18But he's intent on destruction.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21He starts by kicking down a couple of stands.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Seeing a camera, he throws a hammer at it.
0:24:24 > 0:24:25But misses.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Even with the alarm sounding, the man appears in no hurry.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33But after 20 minutes of random vandalism,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36suddenly, something startles him and he breaks into a run.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45In the morning, it's 6.50 when Ina arrives to open the store.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Going inside, it's obvious there's been a break-in.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51I saw the stands strewn on the floor and whatnot.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53I thought, "Oh, God."
0:24:53 > 0:24:55When I went to the top of the steps and looked around,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58you could see things had been thrown,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00things had been knocked over, and it was just...
0:25:00 > 0:25:03You know, it was just awful to see that.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Ina is not the only victim.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Nearby, Sarah also makes an unpleasant discovery
0:25:09 > 0:25:11when she arrives to open her family's fabric shop.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Came round the corner to be faced with four broken windows.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17So I was like, "Oh, great.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19"Mum and Dad are away, what do I do?"
0:25:19 > 0:25:21It's just a nightmare when Dad's not around.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23He holds all the information.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26So it was like, "Ohh, no. Not now, please."
0:25:26 > 0:25:29It's clear the damage is deliberate.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32He'd hit each window probably at least three,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34if not four or five times.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37It just seemed so needless. It was mindless criminal damage.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40And, unfortunately, he left us a whole mess to sort out.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Although there's been no break-in,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45the shop's interior has been badly affected.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48The glass, although it hadn't broken,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52it had projectiled lots of shards of glass across the shop.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54The floor was like it had been covered in frost.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56It was just glittery.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58So we had to cordon off the shop and stay shut.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Sarah calls the police,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02who tell her other places have also been vandalised.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04The lady on the end of the phone was saying,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07"I'm the police, we'll contact you and come and look at the damage
0:26:07 > 0:26:10"and see what the situation is with you as well."
0:26:10 > 0:26:14At Ina's hardware store, when she phones the police,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18she's surprised to hear they already have a suspect in custody.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21When Ina checks back on her CCTV recording,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23she sees what's happened.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I was thinking, "Well, why is he doing that? What...?
0:26:28 > 0:26:30"What's he gaining from that?"
0:26:30 > 0:26:32It was just sheer madness.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33I couldn't believe my eyes.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38She watches as the culprit nonchalantly leaves the store.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42But in the distance, Ina now sees something that cheers her up a bit.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44The man who so casually wrecked her shop
0:26:44 > 0:26:46is about to lose his cool.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50He looks down the street and then suddenly starts to run.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52He's been spotted by a police officer,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54who gives chase and nabs him.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57That just made me smile, to be quite honest!
0:26:57 > 0:27:00I was amazed that that happened,
0:27:00 > 0:27:02and the fact that he was caught, you know,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05so it was brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07And in her fabric shop nearby,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10the police give Sarah the good news that they have caught the man
0:27:10 > 0:27:13who has confessed to vandalising her store, too.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16That was nice to know that they'd actually got somebody for it
0:27:16 > 0:27:19and that he'd actually admitted to having done it.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22In both Ina's, Sarah's and other Truro shops,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26the cost of replacing expensive windows and damaged stock
0:27:26 > 0:27:28runs into thousands of pounds.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Other people have got to clear that up,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33other people have got to put right what he's put wrong,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35and I couldn't understand why somebody would be like that.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43In court, the 24-year-old pleads guilty to one offence of burglary
0:27:43 > 0:27:45and five counts of criminal damage.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49He is sentenced to eight months in prison and ordered to pay costs.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55The hardware store and the fabric shop
0:27:55 > 0:27:59have now improved their security, and it's back to business as usual
0:27:59 > 0:28:02for the shopkeepers and their customers in Truro.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04We had several customers bringing flowers and cards
0:28:04 > 0:28:05to say they were sorry
0:28:05 > 0:28:08and if we wanted to do a collection towards the windows,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10that they would be happy to contribute.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13They were surprised that something like that would happen in Truro.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15The customers were fantastic.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18They were thrilled to bits that he was apprehended and caught
0:28:18 > 0:28:20and justice was done.
0:28:24 > 0:28:25That's it for today.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Join us next time,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31when police and the public catch more criminals red-handed.