0:00:03 > 0:00:06Thieves will steal our cars, our valuables,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09just about anything they can get their hands on.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13To cut down on crime and antisocial behaviour,
0:00:13 > 0:00:17the police and other agencies are using new tactics and technology
0:00:17 > 0:00:19where the bad guys are getting caught in the act.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23The CCTV was vital. You can see they are definitely the people there.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24The camera doesn't lie.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28Local councils, shops and businesses are laying some traps of their own.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30There's a eureka moment when you get that evidence.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33And the general public too can help unsuspecting crooks
0:00:33 > 0:00:35get their comeuppance.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37People won't stand by.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39I couldn't sit back and do nothing.
0:00:39 > 0:00:40Yes! We've got her!
0:00:40 > 0:00:45So, anyone who's up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53Today...
0:00:53 > 0:00:54This man's a jewellery snatcher,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57not just once, or twice or ten times.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01So far, he's got away with nearly 40 snatch-and-grabs
0:01:01 > 0:01:03from jewellery shops.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06It was in excess of ?200,000 of thefts.
0:01:06 > 0:01:07This thief takes what he can
0:01:07 > 0:01:10but he also leaves a couple of things behind -
0:01:10 > 0:01:12clues for the police.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Also today, look out -
0:01:14 > 0:01:17there's a thief in the kitchen...in broad daylight.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18My goodness.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21To have her look in my eye, talking to me,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23knowing she was stealing from my mother...
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Absolutely can't get over that.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26I just don't know how she did it.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30And... Who's a good boy, then?
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Well, not this guy.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35They're not his dogs and this is not his house.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47The City of London.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51A customer in a jewellery shop appears to be tempted by a watch...
0:01:51 > 0:01:53And he is...
0:01:53 > 0:01:56But he just doesn't intend to pay for it.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00This man's a one-man crimewave,
0:02:00 > 0:02:05stealing over and over and over again, smooth talking his way in.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07He's very convincing. I think he would fool anybody.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And they're happy to pass him over items worth thousands
0:02:10 > 0:02:12and thousands of pounds.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15But he makes mistakes, leaving behind valuable clues.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Eureka, the feel-good moment,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19to actually identify one particular individual.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31The City of London is the UK's most important financial district.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35With so much money around, it's not surprising that the City
0:02:35 > 0:02:37also has a number of high-end jewellery shops.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43But they occasionally attract the wrong sort of client.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48It's early summer when Detective Constable Geoff Holbrook
0:02:48 > 0:02:51gets a call about an attempted jewellery snatch.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54I received a report of an incident that had occurred
0:02:54 > 0:02:56at a jewellers in Fleet Street in the City of London.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02The jewellers had CCTV which covered the whole incident in its entirety.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Geoff and his colleagues collect the recorded footage of the incident,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10unaware at this stage that this is the start
0:03:10 > 0:03:12of an extensive investigation.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17It's just before lunchtime when a customer walks in.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21His demeanour is to gain the trust of the staff there.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24He's put his bag out. He's...playing with his wallet.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Relaxed and chatting, he asks to look at a gold chain.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31He doesn't look like a person that is there to steal
0:03:31 > 0:03:33or there to run away.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Claiming he needs to check the window display,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39the man is buzzed out by the sales assistant.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43He returns a few moments later.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44At this point, the male can be seen.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47He opens his bag and he gets some paper out.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50He's just placed one of the bits of paper to his side
0:03:50 > 0:03:52and just leaves it on the table.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Suddenly the man changes his mind about wanting a necklace
0:03:55 > 0:03:59and asks to see a watch that's worth ?12,500.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02And that's the watch that he eventually tries to steal
0:04:02 > 0:04:07and then what you will see is the male stand up
0:04:07 > 0:04:09cos he says he wants to look at some cufflinks.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11You can see him gesturing towards his cuff there.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14The cufflinks are also in the front window display.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18The man asks for the door to be opened again so he can take a look,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20but the shop assistant is beginning to have his doubts.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24I think it's at this point that he's getting a bit suspicious.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26The man's been in there 50 minutes
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and he's looking at too many different items.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31You will see the member of staff puts his left hand on the release
0:04:31 > 0:04:34button but he's also pulling the tray away.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36The salesman's instinct is correct.
0:04:38 > 0:04:39It's all over in a flash.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44The would-be thief escapes without any loot thanks to the
0:04:44 > 0:04:46quick reactions of the salesman.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49But remember that piece of paper.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54In the thief's rush to escape, he's left it behind on the desk.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56It's valuable evidence.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58I think he's either forgotten that he's put it there or he's
0:04:58 > 0:05:02in such a hurry to get away because he needs to get out that door,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05he lets it go - he's going to be locked inside.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Hoping to identify the man, Geoff takes stills from the video
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and circulates them to colleagues.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14He sends the piece of paper away for forensic analysis.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19The very next day, Geoff's colleague, PC Mike O'Sullivan,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22is on duty when news of another jewellery snatch comes in.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26We received a report of a high-value theft from jewellers
0:05:26 > 0:05:28on Liverpool Street.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32A man had grabbed a diamond ring worth ?4,500.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35It had been very clear from the description that was given
0:05:35 > 0:05:36and the way the male acted
0:05:36 > 0:05:39that this was the same male as the day before.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Straight away, we knew we were dealing with a serial offender.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46It is now a police priority to stop this man,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49not just because of the goods stolen,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51but because of the effects on shop staff.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Staff were quite shaken, simply just the way the male had acted,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56almost like a confidence trickster.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Mike visits the shop where the ring's been snatched.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Small jewellers... It's a massive loss to them.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04But the culprit has been careless.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Mike finds some potential evidence that may show fingerprints.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12One was a counter where he'd had his hand before he ran out.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Er...another was a jacket that he'd left behind
0:06:15 > 0:06:18and a rucksack containing a drinks bottle.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And in one of the jacket pockets,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Mike finds a SIM card for a mobile phone.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26I took that it straight back to the office
0:06:26 > 0:06:29and used a special computer
0:06:29 > 0:06:30and it'll give you the telephone number
0:06:30 > 0:06:32that the SIM is associated with.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36It's a breakthrough in the investigation.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39With the number, Mike can find out from the phone's network
0:06:39 > 0:06:42provider who the thief's been talking to.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45The rest of the seized evidence is sent to forensics for analysis.
0:06:46 > 0:06:47Later...
0:06:48 > 0:06:51The jewellery snatcher continues his rampage,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54striking again in London's Square Mile...
0:06:54 > 0:06:57On the third offence, ?7,500 worth of jewellery.
0:06:57 > 0:06:58..and again.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00On the fourth offence,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04he gets away with ?21,500 worth of necklaces
0:07:04 > 0:07:06and this man needs to be stopped.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Now, "Every dog has its day"
0:07:14 > 0:07:15may or may not be true
0:07:15 > 0:07:19but here's a shaggy dog story that really takes the biscuit.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27The woman who owns this house has fixed up a camera to keep
0:07:27 > 0:07:31an eye on her two young dogs while she's at work.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Normally, it's just unexciting shots of her two pooches mooching.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41But today, she gets a sudden shock.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44There's a stranger in her house and she's horrified to watch
0:07:44 > 0:07:49on live video as he casually goes walkies around her house.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Uh-oh... It looks like he's seen the camera.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55But hang on, what's he doing?
0:07:55 > 0:07:57He's feeding her dogs treats!
0:07:59 > 0:08:04Oh, yes. This fun-loving criminal plays with his new best friends.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07OK, these aren't the greatest guard dogs,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09but while they keep the intruder amused,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12their owner has time to call the police,
0:08:12 > 0:08:13who soon surround the property.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17The cops send in a scary police Alsatian
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and the intruder is hounded out
0:08:20 > 0:08:22into the arms of the police.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24He's well and truly collared.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28So, as break-ins go, this one's been a bit of a dog's dinner.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34Coming up...
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Hard to believe anybody would miss THIS,
0:08:37 > 0:08:42but when a pub gargoyle is taken, the owners are outraged.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44The barefaced cheek of it.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48So, they turn to social media to try and get their gnome back home.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Keeping ourselves from being caught out by crooks and conmen
0:08:54 > 0:08:56is a matter of staying on our guard,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00but looking after the interests of others is a bit more difficult,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02particularly when they're vulnerable.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10You don't want another one?
0:09:10 > 0:09:13These pictures are from hidden cameras in a South London kitchen.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18This carer is making lunch for elderly grandmother Monica
0:09:18 > 0:09:20in the room next door.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Monica's cashbox is also in this cupboard.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Money's been disappearing, so Monica's daughter Anne-Marie
0:09:27 > 0:09:30has set up a camera to find out what's going on
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and she makes a shocking discovery.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37I didn't think for a minute it was somebody who had our trust
0:09:37 > 0:09:39and I thought I heard her take the cashbox.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42And then I thought... "It's her."
0:09:43 > 0:09:44I was in shock.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Anne-Marie thinks she's found the thief.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49But can she get the proof?
0:09:55 > 0:09:59Monica is a sprightly 91-year-old, but suffers from Alzheimer's.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Daughter Anne-Marie feels it's important to tell their story.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10My mum's lovely. She's a very kind person, very generous.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12She loves going out, actually.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14We take her out to the theatre quite a lot.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16She really, really enjoys musical theatre.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Monica grew up in Manchester
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and she met Tom through friends at a church social club.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25He always made her laugh a lot.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28They fell in love and married after the war.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32They went on to have four children and six grandchildren
0:10:32 > 0:10:38until, after 60 years of marriage, Tom passed away at the age of 90.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41When my dad died, it was obviously a shock for everybody.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Erm... But really, what we didn't realise was he'd been covering up
0:10:45 > 0:10:48quite a lot about my mum's illness and so that's when
0:10:48 > 0:10:51we went to the doctor and eventually she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Monica moves to a sheltered flat in London
0:10:55 > 0:10:59so she can live near Anne-Marie and some of her other children.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It was just suitable all round, so much as we could all see her more
0:11:02 > 0:11:05regularly than we would have done if she'd have stayed where she was.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08But they can't be with their mum all the time,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11so they arrange visits from carers through an agency.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15The carers basically are there to keep an eye on her, really,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and to give her her medicine, so they will come and have a chat
0:11:18 > 0:11:20with her and make her a sandwich, make her some food
0:11:20 > 0:11:22and the housekeeping as well.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26The family also take care of Monica's day-to-day expenses.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30Money is kept in a locked cashbox in the kitchen cupboard.
0:11:30 > 0:11:31The key is kept nearby,
0:11:31 > 0:11:35as the box is topped up by the family to ?60 a week.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39We'd send each other e-mails because we don't always see each other,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42usually to say, "I spent ?30 on food, groceries,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45"I bought this, this and this, there's ?20 left in the box."
0:11:45 > 0:11:49The money doesn't always add up, but at first, Anne-Marie isn't worried.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52We wouldn't always send the e-mail and we'd forget
0:11:52 > 0:11:54or one e-mail might have said, "There's ?20 left."
0:11:55 > 0:11:57And I would check it and look and say,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59"Oh, there's only ?10 left."
0:11:59 > 0:12:02So, my sister might say, "Oh, did I say 20? Maybe I meant 10."
0:12:02 > 0:12:04And then there would be a complete confusion.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09As time goes by, she notices that cash is regularly missing.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13I started going back through e-mails and checking
0:12:13 > 0:12:16and slowly there seemed to be a little bit of a pattern forming
0:12:16 > 0:12:18that money was actually going.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21It's an upsetting moment.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22I was distraught.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24I just thought, "How can anybody
0:12:24 > 0:12:27"come into this lovely old lady's house
0:12:27 > 0:12:28"and steal from her?"
0:12:28 > 0:12:30I didn't feel like we were protecting her enough.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32I think that's what made me upset.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Anne-Marie is sure an outsider must be responsible.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41I didn't think for a minute it was somebody who had our trust
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and if someone is going into my mum's flat
0:12:43 > 0:12:45or if my mum is letting somebody in,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47we need to know and so that's
0:12:47 > 0:12:50when we started looking into the idea of hidden cameras.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54She phones an expert for advice.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57I actually burst out crying and the person on the end of the line
0:12:57 > 0:12:58calmed me down and said,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00"Don't worry. We'll catch them."
0:13:00 > 0:13:03She doesn't want to upset her mum by telling her about her
0:13:03 > 0:13:06suspicions, so investigates in secret.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11First, she hides a camera in a bunch of flowers on top of the fridge,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13but unfortunately, it doesn't work.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17So, I tried it again and there was nothing and it was just very
0:13:17 > 0:13:20frustrating, yet money was going during this time.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25Next, she tries a different camera disguised as a small battery charger.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29It triggers when it senses motion and also records sound.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33She hides it in the cupboard containing the cashbox.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37I soon realised actually that it probably wasn't the best
0:13:37 > 0:13:38location for it,
0:13:38 > 0:13:43but the first indication of who this might be
0:13:43 > 0:13:45was when it was in the cupboard
0:13:45 > 0:13:48and the cupboard opened and I saw the face of the carer.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Almost straight away, the carer looks directly at the camera
0:13:53 > 0:13:56but doesn't think anything of it.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59But on the recording, there is a distinctive sound.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00BRIEF RATTLE
0:14:00 > 0:14:03I thought I heard her take the cashbox
0:14:03 > 0:14:06and then I sort of thought... "It's her."
0:14:06 > 0:14:09The metallic rattle of the cashbox being moved
0:14:09 > 0:14:12provides Anne-Marie with her prime suspect.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17She checks back over dates when money seemed to go missing.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Her suspicions are confirmed.
0:14:20 > 0:14:21My goodness.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23I...I was in shock, really.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25I was just completely in shock,
0:14:25 > 0:14:26to actually know someone.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29To have her look in my eye, talking to me,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31knowing she was stealing from my mother,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33absolutely can't get over that.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34I just don't know how she did it.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37But the sound of the cashbox opening isn't enough
0:14:37 > 0:14:40evidence for the police to bring charges yet.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Anne-Marie needs pictures of the carer stealing money.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47She is determined to catch the thief, not just for her mum's sake.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48I wanted it stopped.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51I didn't want her going into anybody else's house
0:14:51 > 0:14:53and stealing or taking or taking advantage.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00Over the next few frustrating weeks, Anne-Marie moves the camera
0:15:00 > 0:15:02around the kitchen hunting for the right angle.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07There were different bits of clips that didn't show up
0:15:07 > 0:15:09in the right position, but I kept hearing my dad's voice
0:15:09 > 0:15:12all the way through this, saying, don't give up.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Just carry on, you'll get her.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16And she does.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22The camera is sitting on top of the fridge.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25The carer's making a sandwich for Monica.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32She rips the clingfilm with her teeth and delivers lunch.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36A moment later, she's back
0:15:36 > 0:15:39and rummages for the key that opens the cashbox.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44Chatting to Monica at the same time, she takes out the box,
0:15:44 > 0:15:49unlocks it and steals a ?10 note.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55She puts the box and key back where she found them.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57And stuffs the money into her top.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Finally, Anne-Marie has the evidence she needs.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07I did sort of go, "Yes, we've got her!"
0:16:07 > 0:16:09I was appalled, but actually I was quite relieved
0:16:09 > 0:16:11because I was exhausted.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15The police watch the incriminating video and arrest the woman.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17She denies everything.
0:16:17 > 0:16:18Then they showed her the footage
0:16:18 > 0:16:21and that's when she went into panic mode,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24saying, yes, I had to get the client some goods.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26They said, OK, which shop did you have to go to?
0:16:26 > 0:16:28She said, "Oh, I think it was Sainsbury's".
0:16:28 > 0:16:31They said, "OK, we'll get the CCTV footage from Sainsbury's
0:16:31 > 0:16:33"at this time and it will show you".
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Then she cried again and realised basically she'd been rumbled.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44In court, the woman is found guilty of two counts of theft and sentenced
0:16:44 > 0:16:46to do unpaid community work
0:16:46 > 0:16:50and pay ?700 in costs and compensation.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56The sentence brings some relief to Anne-Marie after a difficult year.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59It's been a bit of a rollercoaster.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02It wasn't a pleasant time to go through, but when he said guilty,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05that was it, that was exactly what I wanted to hear.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Monica now has some new carers and the family are very happy with them.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13She's got some absolutely lovely carers.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15They are aware of what's happened.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19I made them aware of what's happened and they are glad that I did that
0:17:19 > 0:17:23because they say people like this person gave them all a bad name.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26So the best outcome of this is
0:17:26 > 0:17:30one person won't be taking advantage of old people any more.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Yeah, it was worth it.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40The thing is, you can't go through life mistrusting everyone, can you?
0:17:40 > 0:17:44It's hard to know where to draw the line and what to watch out for.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47You should always trust your instincts.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49If you're a little bit uncertain about someone
0:17:49 > 0:17:50that you've got in your home,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52then there might be a good reason for that.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55If you do think things are going missing, make a note,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58keep a record of them and that will help the police as well
0:17:58 > 0:18:00as anybody else who is looking into any suspicions you may have.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03When you get someone knocking at the door, you've got time
0:18:03 > 0:18:06to check the references, but you've also got time to send them away.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08Think about it.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11A good conman will give you the telephone number of a friend
0:18:11 > 0:18:14or family member, so do a bit of research first.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16If you don't feel able to do it yourself,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19perhaps use a friend who is good on social media to find out
0:18:19 > 0:18:22who that referee is and that it is a reputable person.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26But it's also important to listen to your family, friends, neighbours,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29if they are a little bit uncertain about these people as well.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31If the person is being really pushy,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33then they're probably not the person you want to employ.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Back to the City of London now,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41where police are looking for a thief
0:18:41 > 0:18:44who's stolen jewellery worth over ?200,000.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54DC Geoff Holbrook and PC Mike O'Sullivan
0:18:54 > 0:18:57are hunting a serial jewellery thief.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Pretending to be a customer, he then snatches and runs.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05He's come in, he's engaging with staff and gaining their trust.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07But the police are on his trail.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09The thief has made mistakes.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13He leaves behind paper at one of the crime scenes and a bottle
0:19:13 > 0:19:15and a jacket at the second.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18A mobile phone SIM card is discovered
0:19:18 > 0:19:19in the pocket of the jacket.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21The evidence is sent to forensics
0:19:21 > 0:19:24for analysis by Paul Dainty and his team.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26First, they work on the piece of paper.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30The technicians subject it to a number of chemical treatments
0:19:30 > 0:19:34to actually make those invisible fingerprints become visible.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36We found the suspect had left some trace evidence.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39His sweat had been absorbed back into the paperwork
0:19:39 > 0:19:42which revealed his fingerprints to us.
0:19:42 > 0:19:43A positive result.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46They compare them to prints from the second crime scene
0:19:46 > 0:19:50found on the shop's glass counter.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52And the plastic bottle.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56It turns out all the marks are from the same fingers.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57Eureka!
0:19:57 > 0:20:00That's the feel-good moment, that's where we think, actually,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03we're going to be able to do some good here.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Running the prints through the police database,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08they get the match they hoped for.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11The suspect has been arrested by the police before
0:20:11 > 0:20:13and now they have a name -
0:20:13 > 0:20:1527-year-old Jermaine Fofana.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19So we'd pass information to the investigating officers
0:20:19 > 0:20:22and when we do get a positive result, we can't wait to tell them.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Geoff and Mike get the news.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27So now we've got a name, which is fantastic news for us.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31The problem now being, we don't know where this person is.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Fofana has no fixed address in London.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35He's only visible when he raids a shop
0:20:35 > 0:20:39and leaves his image behind on the CCTV footage.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42This shop in the City is his next target.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44He's doing the same thing.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47He's come in, he's engaging with staff, gaining their trust.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52The shop has an open front door for a quick escape.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55He gets out four items of jewellery and places them on the tray
0:20:55 > 0:21:00on the counter there and this is in excess of ?7,500 worth of items.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02A member of staff will go away from where he's standing
0:21:02 > 0:21:05and then you'll see that he just grabs the item,
0:21:05 > 0:21:06turns his back and runs.
0:21:07 > 0:21:12And he vanishes with thousands of pounds' worth of jewellery.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Another day and here he is again
0:21:14 > 0:21:16in another City jewellery shop.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19On the fourth and final offence in the City,
0:21:19 > 0:21:24he gets away with ?21,500 worth of necklaces.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27But the police are closing in.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31A mobile phone SIM card that Mike found at the second crime scene
0:21:31 > 0:21:34helps the detectives to narrow their search.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36The service provider gave us
0:21:36 > 0:21:39a list of phone calls that this phone had been calling.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Through further interrogation of those numbers,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44we were able to get locations for them
0:21:44 > 0:21:48based on the calls he's been making and where he's making them to.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Those locations are dotted around the rest of London
0:21:51 > 0:21:54where Fofana has been raiding yet more shops.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Hence why we called upon our colleagues
0:21:56 > 0:21:59in the Metropolitan Police to assist in that.
0:21:59 > 0:22:00The net is tightening.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Officers investigate each address.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Then they strike lucky.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07A location is identified through one of the numbers,
0:22:07 > 0:22:12so officers went to that address and they essentially staked it out.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16They were sat outside, on the hope that he actually turned up.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19And lo and behold, he does actually attend and is arrested.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21They've got him.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Fofana eventually owns up to many more crimes across Greater London.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Approximately 40 offences.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31And it was in excess of ?200,000 that he had been able to steal.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40In court, Fofana is sentenced to 5? years in prison.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Police haven't yet recovered all the jewellery, but they hope to.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49And meanwhile, they are pleased that a prolific thief is
0:22:49 > 0:22:51now off the streets. For us, this was a great result.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56What seemed like just a small, isolated incident
0:22:56 > 0:23:00had obviously grew to a much larger, broader scale of thefts that
0:23:00 > 0:23:04were occurring, so for the police, it was a great result.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Everywhere you look these days, you see people posting messages
0:23:11 > 0:23:13and texts on their phones.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17You see, social media is a great way to spread news fast,
0:23:17 > 0:23:21particularly if you've lost property, an animal...
0:23:21 > 0:23:22or even a gargoyle.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34The pretty village of Hawarden, in the Welsh countryside, provides
0:23:34 > 0:23:38a picturesque backdrop...to something a little grotesque,
0:23:38 > 0:23:42when one day this gargoyle, affectionately known as Julian,
0:23:42 > 0:23:43is abducted.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45I thought, "You cheeky sod."
0:23:45 > 0:23:48I thought, "That's ridic... That's just pure theft."
0:23:48 > 0:23:52But the ugly deed is caught on camera and the owners decide to launch
0:23:52 > 0:23:58a social media campaign to find who took their gnome away from home.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01The power of social media is phenomenal.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Stuart and his business partner, also, mmm, Stuart,
0:24:09 > 0:24:14took over and refurbished the Crown and Liver in Hawarden six years ago.
0:24:14 > 0:24:15It's a bit of a different pub, really.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Everyone's welcome, as long as everyone's well-behaved.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21The two Stus have updated the menu,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23the decor and the technology,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26including a CCTV system.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Our CCTV has become my infatuation.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32We started out with two cameras and a nasty little monitor,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35to what we've got now, which is a 25-camera system.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38And they've set about raising their online profile.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Social media plays a massive, important part in what we do.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46We try to put ourselves out there as being a fun and decent venue.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49And to help them, they've hired some highly skilled staff,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53including, as their new head of entertainment, Julian.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55He was found at a shop down the road.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58On a shelf, on his own, he looked a bit sorry for himself
0:24:58 > 0:25:01so we decided to purchase him. It was about ten quid,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04and it was at a time when we were sort of separating from a partner
0:25:04 > 0:25:06that had been involved with us, who wanted to move on to other things.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09And it sort of reminded us of him, so that's why we bought it.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Julian fulfils various roles in the pub,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14some more successfully than others.
0:25:14 > 0:25:19Well, gargoyles are supposed to ward off bad spirits, but Julian is quite
0:25:19 > 0:25:24partial to the odd tipple, and I've never seen him ward off any spirits.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27The customers love him. Julian is a bit of a character.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30You often see people having their picture taken with it,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33or taking it into the toilets, it's been known before.
0:25:33 > 0:25:34Girls, mainly.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Being made of solid concrete, he's best at being a doorman.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Well, doorstop, actually.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44And that's the task he's putting his full weight behind on one
0:25:44 > 0:25:47ill-fated Friday night.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48A few hours into the evening,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51a customer notices that the front door is shut.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55So we went to investigate it and realised Julian had gone missing.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57We thought it was a prank.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59You know, we're going to get a ransom note,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02we're going to find it on a beach in Majorca, or something ridiculous.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05But three days go by and there's no news.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08So Stuart turns to his extensive CCTV system.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14He watches the footage from the night Julian disappears.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19It's 7:20 when this man with a small dog walks into the doorway.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24The dog is an innocent party, so we've also obscured ITS identity.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28The man looks at his phone, then stealthily gives Julian
0:26:28 > 0:26:33a nudge with his foot, presumably to check how much he weighs.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37After another good study of his phone to make sure the street's clear,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41he wrestles the defenceless little fellow into his clothing...
0:26:43 > 0:26:44..and disappears.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Stuart's gobsmacked. I thought, "You cheeky sod."
0:26:50 > 0:26:53I thought, "That's ridic... That's just pure theft."
0:26:53 > 0:26:56That is the barefaced cheek of it.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Now he's figured out what's happened,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01he acts quickly to try and get the word out.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03All I did was film it with my phone
0:27:03 > 0:27:07and quickly put it out on to social media.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10The video instantly makes an impact.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13And the community felt really strongly about it.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15And whether it's ?10 or ?1,000, it's still theft,
0:27:15 > 0:27:19and it's somebody else's. And it took 20 minutes to get an answer,
0:27:19 > 0:27:2420 minutes for somebody to message me and say. And then subsequently had seven or eight different people
0:27:24 > 0:27:27again who came back and told me, name and address of the person,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30who it was. As more people get to see the video,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Stuart decides to give the man a chance to do the right thing.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37And once it got sort of 20,000 views, I was pretty...
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Within a day, I was pretty sure it was going to come back.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44And he's right. Later that same day...
0:27:44 > 0:27:48A man comes along, same guy, same coat, tips it out,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50a big heavy object out of his coat again.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53And puts him just behind the door. And walks off.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Back home, sweet gnome.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59And it's taken just six hours from when the video was posted.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Yes, I was made up. I thought it was fantastic.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04It was brilliant. Brilliant.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06The power of social media.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10So, as gnomes go, Julian has been pretty lucky. Well, maybe not pretty.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13I think he's more popular than he ever was before, to be honest.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15He's enjoying all the attention.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18He's like the local celebrity.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20It is fantastic.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22And as for the man who borrowed him,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25hopefully he will keep HIS nose clean, too.
0:28:30 > 0:28:31That's it for today.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35Join us next time when police and the public catch more criminals red-handed.