0:00:02 > 0:00:05Thieves will steal our cars, our valuables,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08just about anything they can get their hands on.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12To cut down on crime and antisocial behaviour,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15the police and other agencies are using new tactics and technology
0:00:15 > 0:00:18where the bad guys are getting caught in the act.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21- CCTV is vital.- You can see they are definitely the people there.
0:00:21 > 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 > 0:00:30And the general public, too,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33can help unsuspecting crooks get their comeuppance.
0:00:33 > 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 > 0:00:46They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Today, a gang of robbers
0:00:53 > 0:00:55armed with an arsenal of different weapons
0:00:55 > 0:00:59strike terror into the staff of a city's shops.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01I was aware that someone had just walked up to me
0:01:01 > 0:01:03with a knife in their hand and a balaclava.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06They're doing everything they can to basically put fear into people.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08They take away thousands of pounds
0:01:08 > 0:01:11and leave behind terrified shop staff.
0:01:12 > 0:01:13Also today,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Peter comes face-to-face with a shadowy stranger
0:01:16 > 0:01:18outside his neighbour's house.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22He looked at me and I said, "Are you burgling that house?"
0:01:22 > 0:01:24I can't believe I said that.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27But the burglar couldn't have foreseen what happens next.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32And a camera is set up to keep a watch on the cat
0:01:32 > 0:01:34while the owner's away,
0:01:34 > 0:01:36but it catches a cat burglar instead.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Bristol.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51And an armed gang is on the loose.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57They've been raiding convenience stores, terrorising staff.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59It was scary.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01You know, you don't really know what they're going to do.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04The manager had a knife in his face, he was being told,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06"I'm going to stab you."
0:02:06 > 0:02:08They've also broken into Kirsty's home.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Someone's armed. You're at your most vulnerable.
0:02:11 > 0:02:12That's a really scary thing.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15The police launch a major investigation,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18but catching these criminals will be difficult.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21We didn't have any fingerprints and we didn't have any DNA, either.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24So, we didn't have a lot to work with.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Like any other city, Bristol has its fair share of crime.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Though serious offences, such as armed robbery, are rare.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45But recently, a gang carried out a series of raids
0:02:45 > 0:02:48over a terrifying two-and-a-half week period.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51It's a Wednesday night in September.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Detective Constable Mai Wong is on duty
0:02:54 > 0:02:58when a report comes in of a robbery at a local general store.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I was tasked to go out and investigate.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05I went up to the store with crime scene people,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08trying to preserve any evidence that might be there.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13But the only real evidence they find is a CCTV recording.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16It's just before 10.30 in the evening
0:03:16 > 0:03:19when three hooded men storm through the door.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23All are armed.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25One has a large knife.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27One, a claw hammer.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29The other, a baseball bat.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31They demand cash.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33They were threatening to stab people,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36they'll stab them until they're dead.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40A shop assistant goes to push a panic button, but she's not quick enough.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42There's a guy with a claw hammer saying,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46"I'm going to hurt you with my claw hammer if you touch that button."
0:03:46 > 0:03:50The robbers want the code to open the safe.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53They march one of the staff into the office.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55But he doesn't know the combination.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59The robbers don't believe him and punch him in the face.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02He was being told, "I'm going to stab you."
0:04:02 > 0:04:04He was terrified, basically.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09One of the raiders forces one of the assistants to open the till.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11They grab cash and cigarettes,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15but when they realise they can't open the safe,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19the robbers leave with money and goods worth around £1,000.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24But above all, there's the emotional and physical cost to their victims.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28He had a cut to the mouth area where he'd been punched.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30It has a massive impact on him.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Although it's a couple of minutes for these guys to walk in,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36he's going to think about it over and over again,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39replaying what had happened to him and what could have happened.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42The robbers frightened and intimidated the staff,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45but were careful not to leave any evidence behind.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Although on the CCTV it looks like they've got bare hands,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51they've actually got gloves on them.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53There were going to be no fingerprints,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55we didn't have any DNA, either.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58So, we didn't have a lot to work with.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01And five days later, the gang strikes again.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Another armed robbery.
0:05:03 > 0:05:089.30pm. This motorcyclist pulls up outside another store.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10He flashes a signal.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Two men with hoods emerge from the shadows and join him.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19They burst into the shop armed with two knives and a baseball bat.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22One assistant is forced to the floor.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Her colleague is taken to open the safe.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30She's made to hold a bag while a robber fills it with cash.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32She then has to empty the tills at knife-point.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37The gang make off with over £1,500
0:05:37 > 0:05:40and leave behind two more traumatised victims.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44They're doing everything they can to basically put fear into people.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46This time, it's two knives,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48so perhaps you could say that they've upped the ante.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Once again, no faces and no fingerprints.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56But this time, Mai finds some clues on the CCTV footage.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Really clearly here, you've got the motorcycle helmet,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03you've got his distinctive jacket and you've got the knife.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Now, that knife is very distinctive in the colour of the handle
0:06:06 > 0:06:08and the type of knife it is.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Images of the clothing and weapons
0:06:10 > 0:06:12are circulated around the force.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16And it's not long before there's a breakthrough.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22A week later, police officers stop 24-year-old Levin Cook,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25who's driving a car on a provisional licence.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29He has a passenger with him - 21-year-old Lee Humphreys.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30They seize the car,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33because he shouldn't actually have been driving the car as he was.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35And they ask him,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39"Is there anything that you want to take from your car?"
0:06:39 > 0:06:41He starts to look a bit nervous at this,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43so they get a little bit suspicious.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46"Why doesn't he want us to look in the car?"
0:06:46 > 0:06:47There's a very good reason.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52When they open the boot, the officers find weapons and items of clothing.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56One of the weapons... was a baseball bat.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58It matches the CCTV.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01A knife is found. Now, it's quite distinctive.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05The handle is a bright green colour, which matches this knife.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08They also find a claw hammer,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10a stripy facemask,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and a bag that looks familiar.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16The pair are arrested, but deny everything.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20The seized weapons and clothing match those captured on CCTV.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23But with no forensics or DNA,
0:07:23 > 0:07:28Mai can't actually prove that Cook and Humphreys are two of the robbers.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Although there's a lot of circumstantial evidence
0:07:30 > 0:07:34which suggests that they are the people responsible,
0:07:34 > 0:07:35we're unsure if we've got enough
0:07:35 > 0:07:38to say that they are definitely the people there.
0:07:38 > 0:07:43Mai continues the investigation and the hunt for the third robber.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Cook and Humphreys are released on bail.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49The car they were driving stays with the police.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Five days later, there's a new development.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57A local resident, Kirsty, drives home from a job interview
0:07:57 > 0:08:00and parks outside her house as usual.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04But later on, in the early hours of the morning,
0:08:04 > 0:08:09when Kirsty, her boyfriend and their pet dogs are all asleep,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Kirsty is suddenly woken up by a noise outside.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14I could hear my engine...
0:08:14 > 0:08:17I thought it was my engine, my car engine, pulling away.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20She looks out to see her car's been stolen.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24It's just one of those heart-sinking moments, you think...
0:08:24 > 0:08:26no, it really has gone.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29It's not just the loss of the vehicle that's upsetting.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32All the important documents she'd taken to the job interview
0:08:32 > 0:08:35are still in the car and have been stolen, too.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Things like passport, driving licence, master certificates,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40literally all gone.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43And half of it won't be able to be replaced.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Then she makes an even more chilling discovery.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Someone's been in her house.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51The lock on the front door has been forced.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Her car keys and her boyfriend's wallet have been stolen.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57I've been sleeping, the door was ajar.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00They've had to walk past where I was asleep.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04I didn't hear them. Two big dogs didn't hear them.
0:09:04 > 0:09:05It's a really creepy thought
0:09:05 > 0:09:08to think that someone's maybe looked at you.
0:09:08 > 0:09:09You're at your most vulnerable.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11That's a really scary thing,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15knowing that someone has been in the house with you.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18And the break-in was for a sinister purpose.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Kirsty's car is used as the getaway car for the next robbery.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27The gang strike again
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and shop worker Amy has to face a frightening ordeal.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33It was scary, yeah. You don't really know what they're going to do.
0:09:33 > 0:09:34They were quite unpredictable.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43A window smashes in a cul-de-sac
0:09:43 > 0:09:45and a neighbour dares to go and look.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Some people call it stupid going out in the first place.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Maybe, but I couldn't sit back and do nothing.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55And a man who's oh, so careful with his parking,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59but couldn't care less where he dumps his rubbish.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02And later, he's back, he's changed his car,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04but he hasn't changed his dirty habit.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08However, this driver, who likes to fill his boots with garbage,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11is about to be given the boot himself.
0:10:14 > 0:10:20But first, a camera set up to watch cats catches a large human rat.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29The owner of this house has hired a cat-sitting agency
0:10:29 > 0:10:32to keep an eye on his cat while he's away.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35They set up a camera link to watch the cat...
0:10:35 > 0:10:37but get a nasty shock
0:10:37 > 0:10:41when they see a very different kind of animal creeping up the stairs.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46A sinister intruder who's carrying a large knife.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Thank heavens there's no-one in the house apart from the cat,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53and they have sensibly scarpered.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56But this cat burglar isn't interested in cats.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59He makes off with a valuable computer.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02But he clearly has cat's eyes himself.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04As he leaves, he spots the camera.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07He grabs it to destroy the evidence.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12But, fortunately, the pictures have already been recorded
0:11:12 > 0:11:14and they're handed over to the police,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16who release the pictures to the media.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Pretty soon, the cat's out of the bag.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Someone identifies the thief and he's arrested.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27So, this particular cat is now on his way to the doghouse.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35The police advise us against taking the law into our own hands,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38but the watchful eyes and ears of our neighbours
0:11:38 > 0:11:41can sometimes provide the police with some very useful information.
0:11:47 > 0:11:48Mill Hill, London,
0:11:48 > 0:11:52and a night to remember for the residents of this close.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55I thought, this is really like a sort of Boy's Own story.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59It's a snowy winter's evening.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02A man leaves his car at the top of the cul-de-sac
0:12:02 > 0:12:05and walks in towards the houses.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08But he doesn't live here. He's a burglar.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Yet he's about to come face-to-face
0:12:10 > 0:12:13with someone who does live here - Peter.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15I said, "Are you burgling that house?"
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Only Peter would feel that it was up to him
0:12:18 > 0:12:20to try and apprehend the burglar.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Peter puts himself in danger to defend his neighbour's property.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28This guy is bigger than me, fitter than me. I could be in trouble here.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Peter and his family
0:12:39 > 0:12:43have lived in this quiet cul-de-sac in Mill Hill for 25 years.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45I chose to live here
0:12:45 > 0:12:48because it's a nice, leafy part of north-west London.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52I have a very good relationship with my neighbours. We get on so well.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54It's a lovely road to live in.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57One of the neighbours who's lived here nearly as long as Peter
0:12:57 > 0:12:59is Jilly.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Peter's quite a character. He's a great chap for having a go.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05And he's a one-off.
0:13:05 > 0:13:11He's completely - dare I use the words - obsessed with CCTV cameras.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Peter became interested in security cameras after he retired.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19He took up a part-time job as a CCTV operator
0:13:19 > 0:13:22and found he was a natural at spotting villains.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24I was catching more and more people
0:13:24 > 0:13:26and I was getting such a buzz out of it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30He enjoyed the work so much, he installed his own system at home.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32You know, just to reassure myself
0:13:32 > 0:13:35that if we found our car door open in the middle of the night,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37I could review my cameras.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41The cameras have never caught any evidence of wrongdoing until...
0:13:41 > 0:13:43one dark January evening
0:13:43 > 0:13:48when this car is driven into the quiet cul-de-sac.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Having circled around, it parks.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55A man gets out and takes care to lock the doors.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Perhaps he's worried there's a thief about.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Then he walks along the pavement past Peter's house.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07A few moments later, Peter's daughter hears a disturbing sound.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08GLASS SMASHES
0:14:10 > 0:14:13"Dad," she said, "I've just heard a window break."
0:14:13 > 0:14:16She said, "And I've looked out and there's a strange man outside."
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Before calling the police,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Peter thinks it's best to go and see what's going on.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23I need to go out and have a look.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25I'll put my coat on and I'll walk up the road.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27I won't get involved in anything.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30But his intention to avoid confrontation doesn't last long.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34He sees a silhouetted figure on his neighbour Jilly's driveway.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36He's at my next door neighbour's window,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40he's got the window wide open, the glass is clearly broken.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Unfortunately, he saw me as I saw him.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Peter stands his ground.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48And I said, "Are you burgling that house?"
0:14:48 > 0:14:50I can't believe I said that. But I said, "Are you burgling...?"
0:14:50 > 0:14:53I said, "You are, aren't you? You're a burglar."
0:14:53 > 0:14:54Straight face-to-face.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58I'm six foot one and a half. This guy was above me.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02And then I realised that I could be in trouble here.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05But Peter must look scarier than he thinks.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10He suddenly jumped up in the air, throwing his arms out.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12It was surreal.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14And he ran.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16So, I started to chase after him.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Peter stays hot on the burglar's heels.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21He runs after him down the road,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23while at the same time phoning for help.
0:15:23 > 0:15:29I'm trying to ring 999, at the same time, keep up with him.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33And I'm not a particularly fast sprinter any more.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37And I looked up and I couldn't see him. And I was so determined.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39I managed to stop a car.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41And I said to him,
0:15:41 > 0:15:45"I'm chasing a guy that's attempted to burgle my neighbour."
0:15:45 > 0:15:46He said, "Get in."
0:15:46 > 0:15:48The pair set off after the man.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Meanwhile, Jilly has arrived home from work.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Her headlights illuminate the damage to her home.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59When I saw the glass and the shattered window, I thought,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02"My goodness me, what has happened?"
0:16:02 > 0:16:06And my immediate thought is, "Are the burglars inside?"
0:16:06 > 0:16:09I was on my own, the house was in darkness.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12I might disturb them. I might get hurt.
0:16:12 > 0:16:17Scared, Jilly stays in her car while she works out what to do.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19And then a face appears at her window.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21But it's a friendly face.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24There was our lovely neighbour Peter.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28The burglar got away, but Peter's able to reassure Jilly.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31She was so shocked. She said, "We've been burgled."
0:16:31 > 0:16:34I went, "No, you haven't. No, you haven't."
0:16:34 > 0:16:36I said, "I went out and challenged the guy..."
0:16:36 > 0:16:38I said, "..and he's run off."
0:16:38 > 0:16:42The police arrive within minutes and escort Jilly into her house.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45There was glass inside, but everywhere,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47huge mess,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51which we could clear up once the fingerprinting people had been.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Peter goes to check his CCTV.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56I didn't expect to find anything on it.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58I said, "But it's worth having a look."
0:16:58 > 0:17:00He casts his trained eyes over the footage
0:17:00 > 0:17:03and tracks the thief's movements.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07He's broken a window and he knows he's made a noise.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10So, he walks off. He's having a look around.
0:17:10 > 0:17:11Making sure nobody's heard it.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Nobody's come out, so he comes back.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16He does the same thing again.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20The man checks for a second time that nobody has heard the window smash.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Then he goes back to burgle the house,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25and that's when he's confronted by Peter.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29But the vital thing the footage shows is the would-be burglar's vehicle.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33Couldn't believe he actually parked his car
0:17:33 > 0:17:35outside my other neighbour's house.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37It was clearly him.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41So, straightaway, I looked out the window, the car is still there.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44The police have left Jilly's house,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46but Peter phones and tells them about the car.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48So, they said, "Right, if you could...
0:17:48 > 0:17:51"We'll send officers. If you could get yourself out of sight."
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Which Peter does, though not for long.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Afraid the man will return before the police arrive,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02he calls on another neighbour and, together, they come up with a plan.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05We decided if we let his tyres down
0:18:05 > 0:18:07then he really couldn't drive off
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and there's every chance the police will catch him.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13And while we're letting the second tyre down,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15I had a phone call and it was a police officer,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18and he said, "Mr Reynolds, where are you?"
0:18:18 > 0:18:22I said, "Well, just letting his tyres down at the moment."
0:18:22 > 0:18:24He went, "Yeah, we're sitting watching you."
0:18:24 > 0:18:26He said, "We're in an unmarked car."
0:18:26 > 0:18:30He said, "It would be more helpful if you actually went out of sight."
0:18:30 > 0:18:34But it turns out that keeping watch on the car isn't necessary.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Because a man walks into a police station to report a stolen car.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40And it's this car.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44The man is the would-be burglar and he's promptly arrested.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46At last, Peter can relax.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49And I think, in fact, Peter actually thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing
0:18:49 > 0:18:53and was sorry that he couldn't be more part of it
0:18:53 > 0:18:55and the chap didn't come back for his car.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02In court, the man is sentenced to a 12-month community order
0:19:02 > 0:19:05and has to complete a programme of unpaid work.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Peter's detective work paid off
0:19:11 > 0:19:15and he's awarded a Borough Commander's Commendation
0:19:15 > 0:19:17for his efforts.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Keeping a burglar in sight wasn't particularly brave.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Some people call it stupid going out in the first place.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Maybe, but I couldn't sit back and do nothing.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32Jilly is certainly grateful that her neighbour chose to intervene.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34If Peter had not been next door...
0:19:34 > 0:19:36No, I don't like to think of the consequences, actually.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41Thank goodness for Peter and thank goodness for neighbourly neighbours.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48We can't always rely on having someone like Peter living next door.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50So, what should we do
0:19:50 > 0:19:54if we spot someone acting suspiciously in our neighbourhood?
0:19:54 > 0:19:56You should never confront an offender,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58because their behaviour is often unpredictable.
0:19:58 > 0:19:59They're full of adrenaline,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02they're just in the middle of something they know is wrong,
0:20:02 > 0:20:03could potentially get caught.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Your safety is much more important.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08If you can see what's happening and they can't see you,
0:20:08 > 0:20:09that's a good place to be.
0:20:09 > 0:20:10Get on the phone to the police
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and describe exactly what you're seeing.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15What height, weight, hair colour, what build,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17what kind of clothing that they've got on,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20because this is something that could be picked up through CCTV.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22And note down what direction that they've left in.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25The police could cut them off at the end of the street
0:20:25 > 0:20:27before they've even got out of the area.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29We really do need to check alarms out when we hear them,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31whether it be a premises or a vehicle.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34We just need to make sure that everything's in order.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37If you do come home and you've had your property broken into,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40then please take the advice of the people on the end of the phone
0:20:40 > 0:20:42that you're talking to, who'll tell you,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45look, don't touch anything, keep away from it,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48you've got a smashed window, dirty footprints on your carpet.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50We'll get our crime scene investigators there
0:20:50 > 0:20:53as soon as we possibly can, gather the vital evidence
0:20:53 > 0:20:55and hopefully help us to catch the bad guys.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Now, this next chap
0:21:00 > 0:21:04must know the value of sharp-eyed council CCTV operators,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07because he leaves them an extra tip.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Salford, it's just gone 4pm,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20and this driver is making a bit of a meal of parking his van.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26And it's not just his parking that's a bit suspect.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Because he now starts illegally throwing trash
0:21:29 > 0:21:32out the back of the van and into the bushes.
0:21:32 > 0:21:33When he's done,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36he manages to drive off a darned sight quicker than he drove in.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Now, rubbish attracts rubbish, it seems.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Because later that evening, another vehicle parks up
0:21:44 > 0:21:48and this driver, too, starts chucking out junk.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49And bizarrely,
0:21:49 > 0:21:54he pushes the waste dumped earlier further into the undergrowth.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58But it's all caught on this camera, and when council investigators
0:21:58 > 0:22:02check out these two cars' numberplates with the DVLA,
0:22:02 > 0:22:03well, guess what.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08It turns out both vehicles are registered to the very same person,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12a local businessman who sells mobile phone accessories.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15But now he's found a new twist to that old rule of business -
0:22:15 > 0:22:18where there's muck, there's money.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Because his mucking about
0:22:20 > 0:22:24has lost him a whopping £1,400 in costs and compensation.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Hopefully, he'll dispose of his rubbish properly in future
0:22:27 > 0:22:30and stick to using the black car.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32He seems better at driving that one.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Back to Bristol,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41where a gang of armed robbers has raided two shops in less than a week.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44But DC Mai Wong is on the trail.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54The trio of robbers have hit two convenience stores
0:22:54 > 0:22:57just five days apart, terrorising the staff.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59He was terrified, basically.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01I mean, he had a knife in his face, it was waved in his face.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03He was being told, "I'm going to stab you."
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Two men, Cook and Humphreys, were arrested
0:23:07 > 0:23:11after a stash of weapons was found in the boot of their car.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16But without enough proof to hold them, they were released on bail.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Mai and the team are trying to find more evidence.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Five days later, a nearby resident, Kirsty,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26has her house broken into and her car stolen.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28It's knowing that you've been asleep
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and someone's been in the house with you.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33That's a really scary thing.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36The very next evening,
0:23:36 > 0:23:40a stolen car is spotted by an off-duty police officer.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42The three men inside it catch his eye
0:23:42 > 0:23:45because they are behaving suspiciously.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48They all had their hoods up, so they kept their faces covered.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52And he thought, "This isn't right. Something's about to happen."
0:23:52 > 0:23:55As the off-duty officer phones to alert his police colleagues,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58the car drives off.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01In fact, it's heading to a nearby area of Bristol
0:24:01 > 0:24:05where it pulls up outside a convenience store.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Inside, shop supervisor Amy is working the late shift.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Well, it was really my first shift as being supervisor,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14so I was in charge and I was working with one other colleague.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Three men burst in, all carrying knives.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20I was aware that someone had just walked up to me
0:24:20 > 0:24:22with a knife in their hand and a balaclava
0:24:22 > 0:24:24and I realised what situation I was in.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Two robbers grab cigarettes and force Amy's colleague to open the till
0:24:28 > 0:24:32while Amy is taken at knife-point to the office safe.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35It was scary, yeah. You don't really know what they're going to do.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37They were quite unpredictable.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Amy struggles to open the safe.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42My hands were shaking a little bit. I was a bit shaky, yeah.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44After the safe is emptied of cash,
0:24:44 > 0:24:49Amy is ordered back out to join her colleague and the robbers leave.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54And we just sort of, you know, took in what had just happened.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Amy's shaken. Her colleague's traumatised.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01She broke down a little bit, so I went round to give her a hug.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04But, yeah, she was pretty shaken after they'd left.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09As the robbers attempt their getaway, Amy phones the police.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11But units are already closing in.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Because the off-duty police officer said,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15"Something's about to go down,"
0:25:15 > 0:25:17people have started to make their way to that area.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21A helicopter goes up and starts to track the car.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24The robbers realise they are not going to outrun a helicopter.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26They stop the car and split up
0:25:26 > 0:25:29to make it harder to catch up with them.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32But now there are a lot of officers flooding the area
0:25:32 > 0:25:34and two of the robbers are captured.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36They are familiar faces.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40It's Levin Cook and Lee Humphreys again.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45The police find the stolen goods from Amy's shop dumped in a field nearby.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49And we recover the cigarettes, the cash, and the clothing
0:25:49 > 0:25:53which is identical to the clothing that's worn in the robbery.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57This time, Cook and Humphreys have been caught red-handed.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00But there's still their accomplice, the third man, on the loose.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02We've got two people in custody.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05I know that I've got to look for another person.
0:26:05 > 0:26:06So, I start to look at links.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Who have police officers seen these boys with?
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Build up a case for a third person to be arrested.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15One person who emerges is 18-year-old Bradley Johnson.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18So, I started to look at his social media accounts
0:26:18 > 0:26:21and some of his friends' social media accounts.
0:26:21 > 0:26:22In various pictures,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Johnson is seen in similar clothing to the robberies
0:26:25 > 0:26:28and can be linked to Cook and Humphreys.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30He's arrested and his phone seized.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32And on this mobile phone,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34we found a picture of him on a scooter
0:26:34 > 0:26:37in very distinctive clothing.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40He is wearing the crash helmet from the second robbery
0:26:40 > 0:26:44and he's wearing the clothing from the CCTV throughout the robberies.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48They've caught the third man.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Since the start of the robberies just over two weeks ago,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Mai and her team have collected a large amount of evidence.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57From having nothing, we've then got clothing,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00we've got CCTV, we've got weapons,
0:27:00 > 0:27:04and we've got them almost caught at the scene of the third robbery.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Faced with the evidence,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09the robbers have no choice but to plead guilty in court.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Johnson is sentenced to four years.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Humphreys gets five years and seven months.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24And Cook is locked away for six years and eight months.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29They're now safely off the streets.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30They've been put in prison,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33which is a really good result for the victims of this
0:27:33 > 0:27:35who've been affected by it for months.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39We've managed to put three really nasty robbers away
0:27:39 > 0:27:41for some period of time.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43I was glad that they got what was coming to them
0:27:43 > 0:27:47and I felt that they got the sentences they deserved.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50And there's some good news for Kirsty. She got her car back.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53And although her important documents weren't recovered,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57she was offered the job that she'd gone for on the day of the burglary.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Yeah, I was really, really pleased, actually, that I got the job,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03which meant that I didn't have to try and get
0:28:03 > 0:28:07all the documents together within a week or something like that
0:28:07 > 0:28:08for the next interview.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10So, that was the saving grace, yeah.
0:28:17 > 0:28:18That's it for today.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Join us next time,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23when police and the public catch more criminals red-handed.