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 > 0:00:14the police and other agencies are using new tactics
0:00:14 > 0:00:18and technology where the bad guys are getting caught in the act.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22- The CCTV was vital.- You can see they are definitely the people there.
0:00:22 > 0:00:23The camera doesn't lie.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27Local councils, shops and businesses are laying some traps of their own.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29There's a eureka moment when you get that evidence.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32And the general public, too, can help unsuspecting crooks
0:00:32 > 0:00:35- get their comeuppance. - People won't stand by.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37I 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 > 0:00:46They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55Today...two workmates team up to face a frenzied robber.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59He's threatening my boss - not only my boss but my friend.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02The man's swinging what looks like a sock,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05but what's inside it makes it a lethal weapon.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08If that hits you, lights out.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Also today, this apparently ordinary couple are anything but ordinary.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16They're stalking their prey and this is their next victim.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19The disgusting side of it is that these people will move forward
0:01:19 > 0:01:22to try and steal money from her.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25And police call him the worm burglar.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29He's a slippery customer with a bizarre way of getting about,
0:01:29 > 0:01:32but this worm is about to get turned.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Redditch in Worcestershire.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46A man swaggers into a shop.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50He's got his eyes on some jewellery but he wants more.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53He wants to get his thieving hands on it.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Grabbing what he can, he keeps staff at bay.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58At that point, he took a swing for me.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00He's armed with a vicious home-made weapon.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03A snooker ball in a sock can do a hell of a lot of damage.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07The robber gets away, but the staff aren't going to let it go.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10This shop manager turns Sherlock...
0:02:10 > 0:02:12I've always had a good memory for faces.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14..and launches his own investigation.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Redditch lies just south of Birmingham.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25For the past three years,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Rich has been the manager of this pawnbrokers in the high street.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33With many regular buyers and sellers, the shop is well-known
0:02:33 > 0:02:35and well established locally.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36Redditch is a small town.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Everyone seems to know everyone here.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41It's unlike any other store I've worked in.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43The staff are a close-knit team.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Adam is Redditch through and through.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48He's been working in this store for, you know,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50as long as anyone can remember.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52One of the main reasons I've stayed here
0:02:52 > 0:02:56so long is that I love the people I work with.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I consider the staff here more like extended family than
0:02:59 > 0:03:03- I do friends or colleagues. - Me and Adam, we're very close.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07- He's a good guy and we get on well. - He's more of a friend than a boss.
0:03:08 > 0:03:14This close relationship is put to the test one Saturday lunchtime.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17On that day, I was on the shop floor near the jewellery cabinet.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19One of the customers in the shop was actually Adam's mum.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22She was in the shop visiting me at the time.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27After saying hello, Adam's mum heads to the back of the store.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31We're chatting to a colleague who was behind the sales counter.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Had my back to the front of the shop,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35so I didn't think anything untoward was going on.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Rich has no warning of what's about to happen.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42A gentleman walked in wearing a black hooded top.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47The man stands there keeping his hood up.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Took a quick glimpse at him but nothing untoward at all.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54We don't have a no hoods policy.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57We get all sorts of people coming in the shop, you know,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59from all walks of life, so my first thought was,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01"Oh, just another chap looking at the phones."
0:04:01 > 0:04:05But this man's not here for window shopping.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09He puts his hand inside his top and waits for a moment.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Then suddenly, pulling out a makeshift weapon,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16he starts smashing the cabinet, grabbing at the gold jewellery.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20The sound of smashing glass, it's like nothing else.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23It shocks you to the core. It stuns you for a second,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26because you just don't understand where it's coming from,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29because we've never had an incident like that in here before,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33so, in no situation did we think it was someone breaking the glass.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Colleague in front of me screams.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38As soon as I, sort of, get my senses back,
0:04:38 > 0:04:39turn around and just see this chap
0:04:39 > 0:04:41with his hand in my jewellery Cabinet.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46As Rich approaches, the man takes a violent swing at him with his weapon.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48He misses.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Looks like it probably was a snooker ball in a sock or something similar.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54The robber then turns to grab more jewellery.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57As Rich moves forward again, Adam turns up to help.
0:04:57 > 0:04:58We're being robbed,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02he's threatening my boss - not only my boss but my friend.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03He's the type of person
0:05:03 > 0:05:05that's always going to jump in and help out.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Outnumbered, the robber makes one last desperate grab.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11He then violently forces his way out of the store.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14So, me and Ad took the opportunity to try and grab him,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16but he took a swing at Adam.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20I dodged it a little bit by stepping back and then gone to move forwards
0:05:20 > 0:05:23again and at that point, he just, sort of, properly pushed me.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Rich chases after the robber.
0:05:26 > 0:05:27I had no plans of catching up to him.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30I wasn't planning on trying to apprehend him or anything,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32but I just wanted to see where he went to see
0:05:32 > 0:05:35to see if there was a car involved or anything like that.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37But the robber is too fast, so Rich gives up the chase.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42Back at the shop, Adam's mum has witnessed the whole robbery.
0:05:42 > 0:05:43She's horrified.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47It didn't even dawn on me that my mum was in the shop.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50If she had been close to that, what could've happened?
0:05:50 > 0:05:53To actually see it must have been quite distressing for her.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Rich surveys the damage to his store.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59There was glass everywhere and the few customers that
0:05:59 > 0:06:03were in the shop were all a bit stunned and shaken.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Watching back on the CCTV,
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Rich is also shaken at how narrowly he escaped injury.
0:06:09 > 0:06:10As plenty of people have told me,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14if a weapon that can destroy glass like that connects with your skull,
0:06:14 > 0:06:16I'm sure that I might not be sitting here now.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Especially on the temple or something like that,
0:06:20 > 0:06:21it's lights out.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24I saw the reaction of my wife when she saw the CCTV footage
0:06:24 > 0:06:26and she was in tears for quite a while.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29I probably should've just stepped back and let him take it,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33because my head is far more valuable than a bit of gold in the cupboard.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38The robber has smashed and grabbed £2,000 worth of gold chains.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40The police arrive and take stills from the footage
0:06:40 > 0:06:43of the raider's face to help identification.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48But having seen him close up, Rich is sure he's met the man before.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49That point we made eye contact,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53that was the point where I thought, "You know what? I recognise you."
0:06:53 > 0:06:57- I've always had a good memory for faces.- Rich has got total recall.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59"Yeah, I've served him,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02"I know his name, leave it with me for an hour and it'll click."
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Then, did his Sherlock Holmes thing.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07And after a while, Rich remembers the man.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10He once bought a games console from the store.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12I'm thinking it was probably a few years ago
0:07:12 > 0:07:15and this stuck in my mind, because I remember it was for his birthday.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18We do some things where you can put a deposit down and pay something off
0:07:18 > 0:07:21bit by bit. Because of that, we take a name and address.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Rich painstakingly goes through years' worth of records
0:07:24 > 0:07:26until he finds a name that rings a bell.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30But he needs to see an image of that person's face to be sure.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Took the decision on myself to pop online,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36use a bit of social media, see if I can find any pictures of him
0:07:36 > 0:07:39that would give me enough confidence to contact
0:07:39 > 0:07:40the police with this guy's name.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44He types the name into the social media site and searches.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Didn't take very long. First picture that popped up,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49no doubt in my mind that that was the chap.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50Success.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54So then, I was straight on to the police with his details.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Rich's DIY investigation has paid off.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02Although he now faces an anxious wait for the police build up a case,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04so they can make an arrest.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Coming to work wasn't easy, especially popping out on my lunch.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11It was a bit disconcerting knowing that I might bump into someone
0:08:11 > 0:08:12involved in it, round any corner.
0:08:12 > 0:08:18To Rich's relief and thanks to his hard work, the robber is arrested.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22In court, 19-year-old Jordan Hurlestone
0:08:22 > 0:08:25is sent to jail for two years and three months.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32Back at the store, staff feel much safer now that the jewellery
0:08:32 > 0:08:36is behind smash-proof glass and the robber is behind bars.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41I'm very proud on a personal level that my actions were very important
0:08:41 > 0:08:42in getting this guy, getting him caught
0:08:42 > 0:08:45and getting him justice he deserved.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47I've been told that I'm wasted in this job
0:08:47 > 0:08:49and I should become a detective.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58Now, it's never a very pleasant thing to see a man crawling on a pub floor
0:08:58 > 0:09:03and that's especially true here, because he's a burglar.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10It's nearly 5am. The pub is closed
0:09:10 > 0:09:14and this burglar is, bizarrely, wriggling his way across the floor.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Why? He's keeping a low profile.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20Perhaps he believes this pub has Mission: Impossible-style
0:09:20 > 0:09:25motion sensor beams. It doesn't, by the way.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28He wants the cash from the fruit machines and turns one around,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30believing it will shield him.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Of course, if there were motion sensors,
0:09:32 > 0:09:36doing this would've set them off anyway. Never mind.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40As it is, there's a camera capturing his every slither.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43This isn't the first time this thief's done this.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48Dubbed "the worm burglar" by police, he's also wormed his way into eight
0:09:48 > 0:09:51other pubs, taking thousands of pounds.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54But in this case, the worm's turned in
0:09:54 > 0:09:57when a girlfriend grasses on him to Manchester police.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03Yep, in the end, you could say it's his bird that catches the worm.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05He's sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail
0:10:05 > 0:10:08and he can't wriggle his way out of that one.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16Coming up - cameras are carefully concealed in a nature reserve,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18but not to film the wildlife.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22They're here to catch some lowlife fly tippers.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25It is spoiling everything.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Someone is about to dump themselves in big trouble.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35If somebody told you you'd dropped a fiver
0:10:35 > 0:10:38and handed it back to you, you'd be over the moon, wouldn't you?
0:10:38 > 0:10:41But as we're about to see, it could be part of a scam
0:10:41 > 0:10:43to get into your wallet.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52As one of England's most attractive counties,
0:10:52 > 0:10:59Kent is a popular haven for retired people. But for that reason...
0:10:59 > 0:11:02it's also recently attracted a gang of organised criminals
0:11:02 > 0:11:06with a sinister purpose - to prey on the vulnerable and elderly.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10They would pick on people that couldn't defend themselves essentially,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12effectively hunting them like packs and targeting them.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Stealing money from their victims with slight of hand.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19We had victims that were saying it has had a real impact on their
0:11:19 > 0:11:22lives, that they were not wanting to go out any more.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26The police are determined to turn the heat up on these
0:11:26 > 0:11:27cold and ruthless criminals.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Detective Sergeant Rik Spicer's unit specialises in catching
0:11:35 > 0:11:39criminal gangs and they noticed a sudden rise in the number of thefts
0:11:39 > 0:11:41affecting the elderly.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43There were quite a few crime reports
0:11:43 > 0:11:44that were recognised as a crime series.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47It becomes clear that these aren't random thefts.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49There's an organised gang at work.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53The suspects would come into Kent, maybe eight, nine o'clock,
0:11:53 > 0:11:54similar to office hours,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56two teams in two cars,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59and they would go to shopping centres or busy supermarkets
0:11:59 > 0:12:02where they would just lie in wait for vulnerable people.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06This is some of the CCTV footage that Rik
0:12:06 > 0:12:08and his team collect from the crime scenes.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13These gang members are in a supermarket.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16A man and woman are targeting an unsuspecting victim
0:12:16 > 0:12:18buying his shopping at a self-service till.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21You can see that they're really paying attention to this man.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25First they want to find out the victim's bank card PIN number.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27A member of staff is asking one of the criminals to come
0:12:27 > 0:12:29and use another till, so that gives them
0:12:29 > 0:12:32the perfect excuse to come right up close to our victim.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Their plan is to stand behind the victim and watch him
0:12:36 > 0:12:37typing in his PIN number.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39You'll see them staring across his shoulder,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42what we call shoulder surfing, the female has just had a look
0:12:42 > 0:12:45and once they think that they've got the correct number for the card,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49they will then wait for their intended victim to leave the store.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Once outside the store, the gang will try to steal the victim's card.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56The trick is to get him to take out his wallet.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59They'd be saying to the victim that, "You've dropped £5.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01"Open your wallet so that I can give it back to you."
0:13:01 > 0:13:04And then, when they're trying to put it inside,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06they take the cash card off the victim.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10A lot of the people were elderly and vulnerable, so they were quite
0:13:10 > 0:13:13flustered and intimidated by the people that were crowding round them doing it.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15At this point,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18the victim is usually unaware that their card has been stolen.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22But by now, the gang are already on their way to a cashpoint with
0:13:22 > 0:13:24the card and the PIN number.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27And, perhaps, once they've committed a crime,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29move on to another supermarket.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Here, two of the gang are stalking this elderly woman.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35She's typical of the sort of victims that they pick.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37They can get to close to her
0:13:37 > 0:13:40and she's seemingly unaware of their intentions here.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43They've got her PIN number and then, as she leaves the store,
0:13:43 > 0:13:49they follow her out into the car park and to any passers-by,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52it looks quite innocuous, but they're basically walking
0:13:52 > 0:13:54as a man and wife after the victim.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57They will then move forward and use any of the techniques
0:13:57 > 0:14:01of distraction to try and steal money from her.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05At around five in the evening, after their despicable day's work,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08the gang clock off and leave the area.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Their victims are left distraught when they realise what's happened.
0:14:12 > 0:14:13We had victims that were saying that
0:14:13 > 0:14:15they were not wanting to go out any more.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19They were almost trapped indoors because they were scared of people,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21and they didn't like the fact that
0:14:21 > 0:14:23they were being targeted almost and being hunted.
0:14:24 > 0:14:2884-year-old Eddie lives in Whitstable, Kent.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31After living through the war and spending 12 years in the Navy,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34he's had some tough experiences.
0:14:34 > 0:14:35Pretty exciting.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40I've been shot at, I've been bombed, been shelled.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43I've had some good adventures, you know.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46His greatest adventure was meeting Mary.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51I have been a very, very lucky man.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56We were married for 62 years.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59She was a lovely lady, she really was.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02After having four children, seven grandchildren
0:15:02 > 0:15:06and three great-grandchildren, Eddie and Mary retired to Kent,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08to be near their family.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13The best move we ever made, Mary and I, was to move down here.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Then, tragedy struck.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19After falling ill, Mary died 18 months ago,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21leaving Eddie coping with life alone.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Mary had always loved their garden,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27so when one day a fence blows down,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Eddie wants to get things back to normal straightaway.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Mary's on my mind all the time, on a daily basis.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38The fence, I knew that I'd got to do that.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Eddie gets a quote from his contractors
0:15:40 > 0:15:42to come and put up a new fence.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45They told me how much - £500. I went to the bank.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49In the bank, what happens is captured on CCTV.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Eddie is being served out of shot,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56but this man, at the back of the queue,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00is one of the gang members and he has picked out Eddie as his target.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03He is then talking to somebody, as they come into the bank,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05and this is our other criminal.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09He clearly is then pointing out the victim and the two of them
0:16:09 > 0:16:10will just keep an eye on Edward.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14The bank teller gives Eddie the £500.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17They wrapped it in an envelope and I put the money in the bag,
0:16:17 > 0:16:20zipped up the zip, hung it on my arm.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23You see him leave there with his bag on his shoulder,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27even courteous enough to let people in, doing the decent thing.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31These people will then leave very shortly after him.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34It is a disgusting act, that they will then follow him
0:16:34 > 0:16:36down the street, to try and steal from him.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Eddie leaves on his mobility scooter to go
0:16:39 > 0:16:41shopping at a supermarket across the road.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43And when he gets to the till there,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47he discovers the envelope of money has disappeared.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Thinking back, he recalls a man behaving strangely.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55I saw this bloke walking away, or almost running away,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57and all of a sudden, he threw something away.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00And the only thing I could think of was,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04he threw the envelope away and took the money into his pocket.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08I was shocked, surprised, but I didn't feel anything,
0:17:08 > 0:17:13because all that was on my mind was getting that damn fence done.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Eddie returns to the bank, where staff call the police.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22And the Kent police are now hot on the gang's heels.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26That same day, there is a breakthrough in the case.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28The police don't know who the gang are,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30but they have spotted their cars,
0:17:30 > 0:17:35and by sifting through traffic camera footage, they have noticed a pattern.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Through CCTV and other cameras, we were able to work out
0:17:38 > 0:17:40where the vehicles were heading.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42They are heading home, to Essex.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44While the police have these cars linked to crime scenes,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47it is crucial they stop the gang while they are on the move.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Officers were dispatched to that area,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54where they were able to luckily find the cars, they stopped them
0:17:54 > 0:17:57and you had three people in each car arrested.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59The cars had pulled up outside an address
0:17:59 > 0:18:02and the officers quickly identified that they were linked to that
0:18:02 > 0:18:05address, so the officers went inside and there inside,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08they recognised a female from CCTV that they had seen from other
0:18:08 > 0:18:12offences, so she was arrested and that made the seven.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15All seven members of the gang are brought back to Kent for questioning.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18They were denying it, they were saying that they were innocent
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and they were working and that there were no offences taking place.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24But during a search of one of the cars,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27an officer finds a bank card hidden behind a headlight.
0:18:28 > 0:18:29It is a stolen card
0:18:29 > 0:18:33and it was used by a gang member at this cashpoint the previous day.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36When we got that information, it was brilliant - we were tired,
0:18:36 > 0:18:38we'd been working hard on interviewing them and we weren't
0:18:38 > 0:18:41getting anywhere with admissions, so to get that piece of information
0:18:41 > 0:18:44and be able to go down and hit them with it, it was very good.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Rick and the team spend weeks mapping out evidence from seized
0:18:48 > 0:18:51mobile phone data and CCTV footage.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Because they weren't admitting any of their offences,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58it was within our powers to start looking for more to try
0:18:58 > 0:19:00and put as many as we could to them.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04They end up charging the gang with over 13 offences.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11In court, for conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to commit fraud,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15they are each sentenced to between two and three years in prison.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Every one of them got a custodial sentence and between all
0:19:22 > 0:19:247 of them in total, over 16 years,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27so I'm just pleased that we were able to get them off the street
0:19:27 > 0:19:30and protect the vulnerable people, and very pleased they got convicted.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33As for Eddie, following his theft,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36he ended up on the front page of the local newspaper.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Got in touch with the family about it
0:19:39 > 0:19:45and they all thought they'd got a celebrity, a 15-minute celebrity!
0:19:45 > 0:19:48And here is another 15 minutes for you, Eddie.
0:19:48 > 0:19:49But Eddie's fence is now fixed
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and he hasn't let the experience get him down.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57I've been lucky, in the family and friends I've got,
0:19:57 > 0:19:59and I just...
0:19:59 > 0:20:04That's the way I see things, that's the way I look at things, you know?
0:20:07 > 0:20:10The police get many different types of these so-called
0:20:10 > 0:20:13distraction thefts reported to them.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16There are a few things worth keeping an eye out for.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20It's very unusual for a complete stranger to approach you
0:20:20 > 0:20:23and offer you money or something for nothing.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26So, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30If you are bumped or knocked in any way, then this could be
0:20:30 > 0:20:33a sign that someone is attempting to take your wallet.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36You'll see a sign saying, "Pickpockets operate in this area,"
0:20:36 > 0:20:39and instinctively, people go to their back pocket,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41just to make sure their wallet is there.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Now, obviously, the pickpockets are in the area,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46they will see that and you've just made yourself a target.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Perhaps they'll fake an incident in the street, where perhaps
0:20:50 > 0:20:53two people are arguing, which catches your attention.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56People will point to something, you know, get somebody coming
0:20:56 > 0:20:59up to you and saying, "Oh, I don't know how to get to Oxford Street."
0:20:59 > 0:21:01And they'll ask you to look at a map, and whilst you're busy
0:21:01 > 0:21:04focusing on that, you'll be losing your wallet.
0:21:04 > 0:21:05So, be alert and make sure
0:21:05 > 0:21:07that you are checking to see if that is the case.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Not in every situation, but just be aware.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Cameras these days are getting smaller and smaller.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Like this little one.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20But small though it is,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24it can be used to help solve some very big problems.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32The coast of County Durham is home
0:21:32 > 0:21:36to an important national nature reserve, Castle Eden Dene.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39People love to come down here, all kinds of weathers.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42This is an extremely special place.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46But this precious landscape has regularly been poisoned by
0:21:46 > 0:21:51mindless fly tippers, who choose this unspoiled coast to dump their waste.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52Fly tipping here can have
0:21:52 > 0:21:54a far-reaching effect on the environment.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57It's spoiling the countryside.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58Animals can clearly choke on it.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02The direct effects are long-term and serious.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Something clearly needs to be done,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07so the council start by setting small traps
0:22:07 > 0:22:11with small, hidden cameras to catch the fly tippers on-the-fly.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Castle Eden Dene Nature Reserve is near the small town of Peterlee.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25This 3.5 mile long gorge is officially
0:22:25 > 0:22:29a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Niall Benson, Chris Evans
0:22:31 > 0:22:34and Keith White work to conserve the area.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38What we have in this landscape are these deep cut denes, they are the
0:22:38 > 0:22:42last remnants, the last remnants of the natural landscape around here.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46People love to come down here, all kinds of weathers.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49During the summer, it can be a real blaze of colour down in the meadows,
0:22:49 > 0:22:53we get marsh orchid and some really interesting species down there.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57The nature reserve is managed by the organisation Natural England.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01The habitat is protected by national and international law.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04It is a unique and important place.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07But it seems this area has always been under threat
0:23:07 > 0:23:10from people who want to dump waste on it.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Decades ago, the two local coal mines
0:23:12 > 0:23:15used to dump their debris on the beach.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18The pits were tipping their waste into the sea, so you had
0:23:18 > 0:23:23100 metres of coal waste going out to sea, up to 30 metres deep.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26So you had the famous, infamous black beaches of Durham.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30It took millions of pounds and years of hard work to restore
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Durham's coastline back to its former glory,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36but that doesn't seem to matter much
0:23:36 > 0:23:39to people who see the nature reserve as their own personal rubbish dump.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42It harks back to what was done in the coal industry -
0:23:42 > 0:23:45if it was officially accepted that we could tip waste out on
0:23:45 > 0:23:48the beaches, why can we not tip waste in the bottom of the dene?
0:23:48 > 0:23:52I've seen transit vans come down to this point here,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54bloke get out, open the back and chuck everything out.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Nearby, just outside Peterlee,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01there are waste collection services and a recycling centre.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Fly tippers drive miles to ditch rubbish out here.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08It's pointless! The effort to do something illegal
0:24:08 > 0:24:11that is destroying the local environment. Why?
0:24:11 > 0:24:13And the waste can be dangerous.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18Toxic chemicals potentially leaking into the ground, streams of what
0:24:18 > 0:24:21we might get dumped here would be asbestos, burnt out vehicles.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24A car burns and you leave all sorts of toxins behind,
0:24:24 > 0:24:29and we can show you scar marks that are there, ten years on.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31It is spoiling everything.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Urgent action is called for.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41Conservationists and the council team up to try to stop the fly tippers.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Ian Hoult and his neighbourhood protection team are determined
0:24:44 > 0:24:46to catch the culprits.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I have no idea what people must be thinking when they think it is
0:24:49 > 0:24:53OK to put waste, dump waste in a location like this, it is beautiful.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58Small, modern, motion-sensor cameras are placed in strategic locations.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02We want the perfect spot, so we look at where the fly tipping has been
0:25:02 > 0:25:05happening before, to make sure we've got the right vantage point.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Sometimes that is low down. In this instance, it actually was high up.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10The cameras are hidden,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13though signs are put up to warn people they are in use.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15The cameras actually work off movement,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18so every time that something comes past, they are triggered,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21they work, we make sure that we monitor them on an ongoing basis.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25It is a surprisingly short wait before they get a result.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Within a few days, we had a new fly tip at this location.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34And when they retrieve the camera's footage, this is what they see.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41Their flytrap has caught its first fly - a small car pulls up.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45And out gets a one-man blot on the landscape, who opens his boot
0:25:45 > 0:25:48and casually flings out all sorts of rubbish.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Ian can identify the car's numberplate,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55but not the face of the phantom flinger.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Hello! There's two of them! This man has a partner in grime.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01He had actually got out the passenger side,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03so we know that somebody else is driving,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06so we are looking for somebody and their accomplice.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10The camera cuts off before the man finishes his dirty deed -
0:26:10 > 0:26:12and it IS dirty.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Ian and his team now have the nasty job of physically sifting through
0:26:15 > 0:26:17all the rubbish, looking for clues.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19You don't really know what is going to be in some waste,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21sometimes it is pretty disgusting.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25But it is really important that we investigate every single
0:26:25 > 0:26:28fly tip, because that is the only way that we know for sure
0:26:28 > 0:26:30that we've picked up on any evidence.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32This time, success.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35There is always a bit of a eureka moment, when you get that evidence.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Bingo - it is a bank statement with a name and address.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41The team decide to pay a visit.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43We arrive and we see that
0:26:43 > 0:26:45the vehicle that we've got on the footage
0:26:45 > 0:26:48is parked outside, it's the same numberplate
0:26:48 > 0:26:53and we knocked on the door and there was no problems whatsoever.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55It's a father and son team,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58so Dad has been setting his lad a bit of a rubbish example.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00We actually provided them with some stills
0:27:00 > 0:27:03and the copy of the bank statement.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05At which point in time, they hold their hands up
0:27:05 > 0:27:07and say, "Yes, that was me."
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Ian and his council team press charges.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Good news for the future of the nature reserve -
0:27:13 > 0:27:15it's a significant prosecution.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22In court, the dirty duo are ordered to pay fines and costs
0:27:22 > 0:27:26that add up to just over £550.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30An expensive way to dump their rubbish,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33considering they could have got rid of it for free.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Actually, they've also got a criminal record now.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38This is not just an antisocial type of behaviour, it's criminal,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41it's criminal activity that we need to stop.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44The success of this case sends a signal
0:27:44 > 0:27:46to other potential fly tippers.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Once the word goes out there are people being prosecuted,
0:27:49 > 0:27:51there is a great deal of reduction.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53And to keep the momentum for change going,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57a gate is installed at the top of the access lane to the reserve.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Glad to say that since they've put the barrier up there,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03- it's made a big difference. - It's really effective.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05We are still having issues, but there is a lot less fly tipping now.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09And the message goes out that fly tippers are not welcome.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13We are working together and we want to stop fly tipping in Durham -
0:28:13 > 0:28:16we are not interested in it coming here, get rid of it legally.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21That's it for today.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22Join us next time,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25when police and the public catch more criminals red-handed.