Episode 7 Caught Red Handed


Episode 7

Similar Content

Browse content similar to Episode 7. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Thieves will steal our cars, our valuables,

0:00:020:00:05

just about anything they can get their hands on.

0:00:050:00:08

To cut down on crime and antisocial behaviour, the police

0:00:100:00:13

and other agencies are using new tactics and technology,

0:00:130:00:16

where the bad guys are getting caught in the act.

0:00:160:00:19

CCTV was vital.

0:00:190:00:20

You can see they are definitely the people there.

0:00:200:00:22

The camera doesn't lie.

0:00:220:00:23

Local councils, shops and businesses

0:00:230:00:25

are laying some traps of their own.

0:00:250:00:27

There's a eureka moment when you get that evidence.

0:00:270:00:29

And the general public, too,

0:00:290:00:31

can help unsuspecting crooks get their comeuppance.

0:00:310:00:34

People won't stand by.

0:00:340:00:36

I couldn't sit back and do nothing.

0:00:360:00:38

Yes! We've got her.

0:00:380:00:40

So, anyone who's up to no good had better think twice.

0:00:400:00:43

They might just get caught red-handed.

0:00:430:00:46

Today, an armed robber on the run.

0:00:510:00:54

He raids shop after shop, threatening victims with a gun.

0:00:540:00:59

And boasts about it.

0:00:590:01:01

This is just goading the police by wearing this T-shirt.

0:01:010:01:03

He isn't going to be stopping till the police catch up with him.

0:01:030:01:07

Also today, the peaceful British countryside,

0:01:070:01:11

where sheep may safely graze...

0:01:110:01:13

RECORD SCRATCHES But no chance of that here.

0:01:130:01:16

Just beggars belief, really.

0:01:160:01:18

And one cause is this yellow-bellied tipper,

0:01:180:01:21

a careless creature who ruins his habitat

0:01:210:01:24

with rubbish that can kill.

0:01:240:01:26

Young lambs or larger livestock choking on plastic

0:01:260:01:29

that they've ingested.

0:01:290:01:31

And a shop with a glass door - easy pickings for a pair of burglars.

0:01:310:01:36

But not this time.

0:01:360:01:37

It's a locksmith's shop,

0:01:370:01:39

so they could to be here for a while.

0:01:390:01:40

An armed robber is on a rampage

0:01:510:01:53

in Stockport holding up stores.

0:01:530:01:55

Had a man

0:01:550:01:56

out there pointing firearms in people's faces.

0:01:560:02:00

In just two weeks, he commits 19 raids.

0:02:000:02:04

He hands over threatening notes...

0:02:040:02:06

..terrifying his victims.

0:02:070:02:09

Anything could've happened to her.

0:02:090:02:10

Immediately, I felt intimidated.

0:02:100:02:13

Completely intimidated.

0:02:130:02:15

He even taunts the police. But the manhunt is on.

0:02:150:02:19

Stockport, Greater Manchester.

0:02:250:02:28

Detective Sergeant Steve Hartley

0:02:280:02:30

and Detective Constable Lee McCarthy are working over the August

0:02:300:02:34

bank holiday weekend.

0:02:340:02:36

Reports start to flood in of a spate of walk-in robberies at shops

0:02:360:02:40

and businesses.

0:02:400:02:42

It's the start of one of the biggest cases in their careers.

0:02:420:02:46

The first crime in the series which was one of the most serious

0:02:460:02:49

and aggressive crimes that was committed by the offender

0:02:490:02:53

started off as him entering an independent convenience store.

0:02:530:02:56

It's captured on the store's CCTV security cameras.

0:02:580:03:02

At 6pm on the Saturday, a cyclist arrives at the shop and strolls in.

0:03:020:03:07

The young woman is on her own in the shop.

0:03:090:03:11

The man picks up a bag of crisps and goes to the counter.

0:03:120:03:16

He seems to be counting out his money, ready to pay.

0:03:160:03:19

But, actually, he's waiting for the assistant to open the till.

0:03:190:03:23

And when she does, in a sudden, shocking movement,

0:03:230:03:26

the man pulls out a gun and points it straight at her.

0:03:260:03:30

And while she backs away, terrified,

0:03:300:03:33

he reaches in and grabs ?400 from the till.

0:03:330:03:36

Then, calmly getting back on his bike, the robber leaves the shop and

0:03:380:03:42

a very frightened young woman.

0:03:420:03:45

This must've been horrendous for her.

0:03:450:03:47

Having seen this footage,

0:03:470:03:48

we had a man out there pointing firearms in people's faces.

0:03:480:03:53

It was important that we found this person as soon as possible.

0:03:530:03:56

They're helped by some high-quality CCTV.

0:03:560:03:59

The store have positioned these cameras in such a way

0:03:590:04:03

that it makes it easier for us to conduct an investigation.

0:04:030:04:07

With an armed robber on the loose,

0:04:070:04:09

the police launch an extensive search.

0:04:090:04:12

But it's not long before another shop is targeted.

0:04:120:04:15

This time, it's a family business run by Julie.

0:04:150:04:18

It's not her real name, she has asked us not to reveal her identity.

0:04:180:04:23

We've been established there for 30 years. It's my mum and dad's shop.

0:04:230:04:27

My dad passed away, so it's passed down to the family.

0:04:270:04:30

It's just a little convenience store on an estate serving

0:04:300:04:34

the local community.

0:04:340:04:35

We don't get trouble. Customers are lovely. We know everyone there.

0:04:360:04:40

I don't think we've ever had something like this.

0:04:410:04:43

Julie's security camera shows how, a few days before the bank holiday,

0:04:450:04:49

this man first entered her store.

0:04:490:04:51

She remembers him because he'd set her on edge.

0:04:510:04:54

Immediately, I felt intimidated.

0:04:540:04:57

The way he acted, his eyes were darting around everywhere.

0:04:570:05:01

Didn't look normal.

0:05:010:05:03

You were on red alert straightaway.

0:05:030:05:05

For whatever reason,

0:05:050:05:06

this time the man just walks away.

0:05:060:05:09

But Julie tells her family and staff to keep an eye out for him.

0:05:090:05:13

But on this bank holiday, Monday afternoon,

0:05:130:05:15

he comes back.

0:05:150:05:17

My mum was at the till. We had a member of staff upstairs.

0:05:170:05:21

As it's a family business,

0:05:210:05:23

Julie's mum regularly does shifts at the store.

0:05:230:05:26

My mum was just serving the customers as usual.

0:05:260:05:29

Julie's mum has no idea

0:05:290:05:31

that this man in the queue committed an armed robbery two days earlier.

0:05:310:05:35

He buys a packet of cigarette papers.

0:05:350:05:37

But again, it's just a cheap way for him

0:05:370:05:40

to get a good look at the till and what's in it.

0:05:400:05:43

He then asks for a box of matches.

0:05:440:05:47

This time, when Julie's mum opens the till,

0:05:470:05:50

he seizes a bundle of cash.

0:05:500:05:52

Mum slams the top lid down as quickly as she could,

0:05:540:05:57

but it was too late.

0:05:570:05:58

He gets away with around ?100,

0:06:000:06:03

and that's a lot of money to take from Julie's family.

0:06:030:06:06

It's your living at the end of the day.

0:06:060:06:08

It feeds you, it clothes you, it gives you shelter,

0:06:080:06:11

it gives you a roof over your head.

0:06:110:06:13

For someone to come in and do that, it's...so wrong.

0:06:130:06:17

Julie's particularly upset that her mum's had to face

0:06:190:06:22

such a frightening experience.

0:06:220:06:24

I think that she was in shock. Scared. Really intimidated.

0:06:240:06:28

Sort of, right, is something like this going to happen again?

0:06:280:06:32

It's not fair on her at all. I mean, she's nearly 70.

0:06:320:06:36

You just want to protect her.

0:06:360:06:37

Makes you feel ill inside.

0:06:370:06:39

The robber behaves so confidently

0:06:400:06:42

that the police feel it's likely he could already

0:06:420:06:45

be on their books for some reason.

0:06:450:06:47

They search the force database.

0:06:470:06:49

From the CCTV images that we've managed to seize,

0:06:490:06:52

we put certain attributes into the computer - his hair colour,

0:06:520:06:56

height, age range, offending behaviour

0:06:560:07:00

and also the area the offence has been committed.

0:07:000:07:03

A name is put forward.

0:07:030:07:05

The computer gave me a number of results,

0:07:050:07:07

and one of the results I had back was Peter Thomas.

0:07:070:07:11

It's a breakthrough.

0:07:110:07:12

They're confident Peter Thomas is the culprit.

0:07:120:07:15

But they have no current address for him.

0:07:150:07:17

Meanwhile, the robber's crimes start to escalate.

0:07:170:07:21

Over the next few days, he hits a succession of businesses,

0:07:210:07:24

and he's come up with a new way to intimidate his victims.

0:07:240:07:28

Now, he hands over threatening notes to demand money

0:07:280:07:32

telling staff he's carrying a gun.

0:07:320:07:35

The notes suggest serious harm will come to the people

0:07:350:07:37

if they didn't do what they were told.

0:07:370:07:40

He also would have his hands in his pockets,

0:07:400:07:42

insinuating that he had a firearm with him.

0:07:420:07:45

I can't imagine how frightened these people were

0:07:450:07:47

when this was happening to them.

0:07:470:07:49

But these notes are a mistake. They give the police a lead.

0:07:490:07:53

He leaves one of them behind after a raid

0:07:530:07:55

and police send it off for fingerprint analysis.

0:07:550:07:58

Results confirm it is Peter Thomas.

0:07:580:08:01

But while Thomas is careless about hiding his identity,

0:08:010:08:05

he does go to great lengths to conceal his whereabouts.

0:08:050:08:09

It was a game of cat and mouse.

0:08:090:08:10

He was constantly moving around, booking into hotels under

0:08:100:08:13

different names, paying with cash - proceeds from his crimes.

0:08:130:08:17

So we're always one or two steps behind.

0:08:170:08:20

Thomas embarks on a grand theft tour of the North West of England.

0:08:200:08:24

Popping up in Blackpool, Preston,

0:08:240:08:27

Bolton.

0:08:270:08:28

And for one robbery, Thomas puts on this T-shirt.

0:08:290:08:33

This is just goading the police by wearing this T-shirt.

0:08:330:08:36

He knows he's wanted, he knows he's committing these offences.

0:08:360:08:40

It shows a blatant disrespect for law and order,

0:08:400:08:42

for the people subjected to these crimes.

0:08:420:08:46

But all the time police officers are scouring the streets, gaining

0:08:460:08:49

intelligence, building up a picture of his movements.

0:08:490:08:53

The net is closing in.

0:08:530:08:55

But Thomas' behaviour becomes even more erratic.

0:08:550:08:59

At this bookmakers,

0:08:590:09:01

he hands over a threatening note to the woman behind the counter.

0:09:010:09:05

But he gets impatient waiting

0:09:050:09:07

and he launches himself at her.

0:09:070:09:10

He grabs what he can from the till.

0:09:110:09:14

It's a disturbing turn of events.

0:09:140:09:16

His nature is more aggressive.

0:09:160:09:18

He's come towards the sales assistant

0:09:180:09:19

and she's had nowhere to go at that time.

0:09:190:09:21

She's been boxed in.

0:09:210:09:22

Anything could have happened to her.

0:09:220:09:25

That was extremely worrying for the investigation team

0:09:250:09:27

because now he didn't appear to be in as much control as he used to be.

0:09:270:09:32

I'd be faithful if he carried on that he might commit

0:09:320:09:34

acts of violence and cause somebody serious harm.

0:09:340:09:37

But Thomas' increasing desperation is also making him careless,

0:09:370:09:42

and police get another important lead.

0:09:420:09:45

He had taken a taxi out of the area.

0:09:450:09:47

We managed to trace the person who drove him

0:09:470:09:51

to a particular area of Manchester.

0:09:510:09:53

They flood the district with undercover officers

0:09:530:09:56

and soon they get a tip-off.

0:09:560:09:58

And then the inquiries on the ground by some covert officers were able to

0:09:580:10:03

identify an address where he was later located.

0:10:030:10:07

Holed up in a flat, Thomas is surprised in a police raid,

0:10:070:10:10

and he is arrested.

0:10:100:10:12

They also find an imitation gun.

0:10:120:10:14

At the end of his two-week spree,

0:10:160:10:17

he's committed a total of 19 offences.

0:10:170:10:20

Steve and Lee have collected a large amount of CCTV images,

0:10:210:10:26

forensic proof and witness statements.

0:10:260:10:28

It pays off when they confront Thomas.

0:10:280:10:31

The evidence was so overwhelming,

0:10:310:10:33

it actually made him admit to each and every crime that we put to him.

0:10:330:10:37

The best thing about that is that he doesn't put any of the victims

0:10:370:10:40

or witnesses through the ordeal of having a court case or

0:10:400:10:43

a trial hanging over him.

0:10:430:10:44

In court, Peter Thomas is sentenced to a total of 12 years.

0:10:470:10:52

Thomas brought terror to his victims.

0:10:550:10:57

Although his gun was a fake, they weren't to know.

0:10:570:11:01

Our worry was this person was not going to stop offending

0:11:010:11:04

until the police caught up with him.

0:11:040:11:06

I think the result was a great result.

0:11:060:11:08

We couldn't really hope for much more.

0:11:080:11:10

It'll be a long time before he'll be able to get on the streets again.

0:11:100:11:13

It's good news for his victims, like Julie and her mum.

0:11:130:11:17

Very relieved. Very relieved he's locked up.

0:11:170:11:21

Of all the places a burglar may choose to break into, you'd imagine

0:11:280:11:31

a locksmith's would be pretty low on the list, wouldn't you?

0:11:310:11:34

Two men stroll up to a local locksmiths shop in Evesham.

0:11:400:11:43

But, at nearly 4am,

0:11:430:11:45

it's unlikely they're wanting a key cut or a heel repair.

0:11:450:11:49

And their real purpose becomes clear

0:11:490:11:51

when one of them tries to crowbar the door open.

0:11:510:11:55

But as you might expect, this shop has a rather strong lock on it.

0:11:550:11:59

Frustrated, the would-be burglar smashes a window pane

0:12:000:12:04

and tries to open the door from the inside.

0:12:040:12:07

But locksmiths know a thing or two, and they've fitted a lock

0:12:070:12:11

that can't be turned from the inside either.

0:12:110:12:14

His accomplice wants a go.

0:12:140:12:16

Maybe he has a cunning plan.

0:12:160:12:18

No.

0:12:180:12:20

He simply flaps about a bit with his hand. Not so cunning.

0:12:200:12:24

Time for brute force then - an attempt to kick the door in.

0:12:240:12:28

What, with trainers on?

0:12:280:12:30

Well, here he goes...

0:12:300:12:32

Oh, no.

0:12:320:12:34

The pair run off hotfooted

0:12:340:12:35

and probably sore-footed, too.

0:12:350:12:37

The locksmiths hope someone will recognise the man

0:12:380:12:41

in the batman hat and his accomplice,

0:12:410:12:44

and will lead Batman and, uh, Robbing to a police station.

0:12:440:12:48

Although, knowing their ability to pick targets,

0:12:480:12:50

it won't be long before they try breaking into one of those, too.

0:12:500:12:54

Watching that pair struggle may have been comical,

0:12:570:13:00

but the important thing is they gave up trying.

0:13:000:13:04

And that tells us something when it comes to protecting our own homes.

0:13:040:13:08

Good locks. Mortise locks, deadlocks.

0:13:080:13:11

Have more than one and make sure you actually use them.

0:13:110:13:14

If we've got gravel paths

0:13:140:13:16

or perhaps a warning sound

0:13:160:13:18

when the doors open to bell chime

0:13:180:13:21

or an alarm system that creates

0:13:210:13:23

a really loud sound for our neighbours to be aware

0:13:230:13:25

that someone has entered the property.

0:13:250:13:27

Or even a squeaky gate that might annoy us

0:13:270:13:29

but alerts the neighbour to the fact that there's someone

0:13:290:13:31

attacking your property while you're on holiday.

0:13:310:13:33

If you can't afford to put

0:13:330:13:35

an electronic alarm up, then

0:13:350:13:36

there are products on the market now

0:13:360:13:38

which is just the dummy box

0:13:380:13:39

fitted to the side of the house

0:13:390:13:41

and looks like any other alarm.

0:13:410:13:43

The other thing is, put your valuables where they wouldn't look.

0:13:430:13:46

So, you know, put them in your children's cupboards,

0:13:460:13:48

for example, or under your stairs in an old box.

0:13:480:13:52

Don't make it obvious.

0:13:520:13:54

A heartless crime when this man steals from people in need.

0:13:590:14:03

Well, it's the lowest of the low, isn't it?

0:14:030:14:05

But there's a bizarre turn days later when the thief comes back.

0:14:050:14:09

What he does next is beyond belief.

0:14:090:14:12

Just so crazy.

0:14:120:14:14

Towns and cities are fighting a constant battle

0:14:190:14:22

to keep litter off the streets.

0:14:220:14:23

But it can be the scourge of the countryside as well,

0:14:230:14:26

where it's not just unsightly, but it also causes serious damage.

0:14:260:14:29

The beautiful unspoilt landscape of County Durham

0:14:370:14:40

is enjoyed by visitors and local residents alike.

0:14:400:14:44

It's an absolutely idyllic area.

0:14:440:14:47

But, unfortunately,

0:14:470:14:48

parts of this countryside are not completely unspoilt.

0:14:480:14:52

They're under attack...

0:14:520:14:54

from people dumping rubbish.

0:14:540:14:57

This has arrived over the last few days.

0:14:570:14:59

It's just terrible, isn't it? It's just terrible.

0:14:590:15:01

Livestock and wildlife are being put in danger.

0:15:010:15:04

This farm has experienced loss of young lambs

0:15:040:15:06

choking on plastic that they've ingested.

0:15:060:15:09

But councils are waging war against the culprits

0:15:090:15:12

using secret surveillance technology...

0:15:120:15:15

We try to put the cameras in the best place possible.

0:15:150:15:18

..to dump the dumpers themselves in court.

0:15:180:15:21

Around 70% of land in the UK is agricultural,

0:15:250:15:29

so if someone illegally tips waste in the countryside,

0:15:290:15:33

there's a good chance it's damaging a farmer's property.

0:15:330:15:37

James Copeland works for the National Farmer's Union.

0:15:370:15:40

Fly-tipping is a national issue.

0:15:400:15:41

It affects two-thirds of farmers.

0:15:410:15:43

There's about 850,000

0:15:430:15:45

instances every year.

0:15:450:15:46

That's one every 37 seconds.

0:15:460:15:48

It's a staggering amount.

0:15:480:15:50

As well as farms, rubbish is also dumped on public land,

0:15:500:15:54

and it's become a big problem in one area west of Durham.

0:15:540:15:58

Ian Hoult works for Durham County Council.

0:15:580:16:01

Anybody that has fly-tipping landing on their land has got

0:16:010:16:04

an obligation to clear it up,

0:16:040:16:06

and private landowners

0:16:060:16:08

and the council are the same

0:16:080:16:10

in that way. And, of course, it costs money.

0:16:100:16:13

Here in Durham, it costs us something like ?500,000,

0:16:130:16:17

so it's a significant amount of money.

0:16:170:16:19

So everyone in the UK is paying

0:16:190:16:21

to clear up the mess these people make.

0:16:210:16:23

Fly-tipping isn't a victimless crime. It is affecting everyone.

0:16:230:16:27

In County Durham, visitors and residents are fed up.

0:16:270:16:30

Why? Why do they do this?

0:16:300:16:33

If they've come this far to actually dump the rubbish,

0:16:330:16:35

why can't they just go that little bit further to a tip?

0:16:350:16:38

In fact, the tip might well be closer. You know?

0:16:380:16:41

It just beggars belief, really.

0:16:410:16:42

Ian's on his way to visit an area continually hit by illegal dumpers.

0:16:420:16:48

The location that we're heading towards

0:16:480:16:50

is a really beautiful rural lane.

0:16:500:16:52

It's got beautiful views across the valley.

0:16:520:16:54

It leads to a local farmer's land. And, of course, fly-tipping causes

0:16:540:16:58

all sorts of problems for them.

0:16:580:17:00

Livestock are affected,

0:17:000:17:03

as are other animals.

0:17:030:17:04

This farmer has experienced loss of livestock.

0:17:040:17:07

Young lambs choking on plastic that they've ingested or larger

0:17:070:17:10

livestock not being able to feed and basically have to be put down.

0:17:100:17:13

At least this time it's been spotted and will be cleared away.

0:17:130:17:17

So we' re just arriving here now.

0:17:180:17:20

There's a fly-tipped fridge and looks like a television.

0:17:200:17:24

So I'm just going to go check it out.

0:17:240:17:26

This rubbish is being dumped on both public and farmland,

0:17:260:17:30

and some of it contains potentially harmful chemicals.

0:17:300:17:33

It's just terrible, isn't it? It's just terrible.

0:17:330:17:36

It kind of looks like a commercial fridge.

0:17:360:17:40

I'm not sure, we might need somebody to help manoeuvre that to see

0:17:400:17:43

if we can get a serial number off the back.

0:17:430:17:46

But kind of in the meantime, we're going to make sure that

0:17:460:17:49

we let people know that it is being investigated.

0:17:490:17:52

Ian's determined to crack down on the tippers,

0:17:520:17:55

but to prosecute, he needs evidence.

0:17:550:17:57

And recently, he's had success using hidden cameras.

0:17:590:18:02

We've got a couple of different types of cameras.

0:18:020:18:04

This one is what they call a bullet lens.

0:18:040:18:06

Great for shooting in low light.

0:18:060:18:09

And we've also got a semi-camouflaged piece of kit.

0:18:090:18:12

They're both motion censored, so whenever somebody passes,

0:18:120:18:14

you capture footage at that point in time.

0:18:140:18:17

Ian hides the cameras where he's most likely to catch

0:18:170:18:20

a fly-tipper in the act.

0:18:200:18:22

We look to get the best mixture of the broad vision,

0:18:220:18:24

so you can pick up what was actually getting dumped,

0:18:240:18:26

and we also want to get specifics -

0:18:260:18:28

so we want to get the registration plate, we want to get the details.

0:18:280:18:31

He even puts up signs to warn people that cameras are recording.

0:18:310:18:35

But it's not long before there's another offence.

0:18:370:18:40

Within a week of the cameras being deployed,

0:18:400:18:43

we were back up here taking the memory stick out

0:18:430:18:45

and making sure that we were able to download that footage.

0:18:450:18:49

Ian studies the recording.

0:18:490:18:52

The camera's been triggered by this man.

0:18:520:18:54

He casually dumps garden furniture and waste

0:18:580:19:01

as if he was at a rubbish tip.

0:19:010:19:03

That table even looks like it could be recycled.

0:19:050:19:09

He's spoiling the countryside and committing a crime.

0:19:090:19:13

There's always mixed feelings when you see footage like this.

0:19:150:19:17

There is the feeling that we've got the registration plate...

0:19:170:19:21

You can't help but feel gutted at the same time

0:19:210:19:24

that actually somebody wants to go

0:19:240:19:26

and put that sort of waste in the open air.

0:19:260:19:29

It could have all have been recycled.

0:19:290:19:31

The man heads off,

0:19:310:19:32

but he's not finished.

0:19:320:19:34

Ten minutes later, he's back with more junk.

0:19:340:19:39

I struggle to comprehend it, really.

0:19:390:19:42

The impact that that has on this locality is enormous.

0:19:420:19:45

With the camera footage as evidence,

0:19:450:19:48

Ian and his team can find and confront the fly-tipper.

0:19:480:19:51

We went to do a door knock.

0:19:510:19:53

We firstly cautioned him, we then presented him

0:19:530:19:55

with some stills of the footage that we got with his registration plate,

0:19:550:19:59

with a picture of him,

0:19:590:20:01

so he admitted it and then we prosecuted him.

0:20:010:20:04

In court, the man pleads guilty

0:20:070:20:09

and is ordered to pay fines and costs of almost ?400.

0:20:090:20:13

A lot of money considering he could have got

0:20:140:20:17

rid of his waste for free in a legal way.

0:20:170:20:20

He also now has a criminal record.

0:20:200:20:23

I think it's important that, hopefully, he's learned his lesson

0:20:230:20:25

and other people have learned their lesson, too.

0:20:250:20:28

News of the prosecution spreads

0:20:280:20:30

and hopefully deters others from illegally dumping.

0:20:300:20:33

It was pleasing to see the prosecution

0:20:330:20:35

and the support from the community -

0:20:350:20:37

the impact that that has had on social media.

0:20:370:20:39

It's bonded the community to basically say that we're not

0:20:390:20:42

accepting fly-tipping and that people are actually looking now how

0:20:420:20:45

they can make sure that what they are doing

0:20:450:20:47

in the disposal of their waste doesn't affect the countryside.

0:20:470:20:49

But there's still more work to be done.

0:20:500:20:53

Ian's mission has inspired

0:20:530:20:54

a county-wide partnership against fly-tipping -

0:20:540:20:56

a campaign called Operation Stop It.

0:20:560:20:59

We've got two focuses in terms of the campaign.

0:20:590:21:02

The first one is about helping householders understand that

0:21:020:21:04

if you give a man and a van 50 quid, do you really know where it's gone?

0:21:040:21:09

And we want residents to be part of this and make sure

0:21:090:21:11

that they're asking the right questions.

0:21:110:21:13

And the second part of the campaign

0:21:130:21:15

is targeting those people that are carrying waste.

0:21:150:21:17

So we're looking to make sure that Durham remains a beautiful place.

0:21:170:21:21

Ian and his colleagues are also arming themselves with many

0:21:210:21:24

more cameras, so fly-tippers beware!

0:21:240:21:28

All thefts have victims,

0:21:320:21:33

but stealing from somebody who is sick or vulnerable

0:21:330:21:36

is particularly cold-hearted.

0:21:360:21:38

Whitley Bay on the northeast coast of England.

0:21:440:21:48

A customer walks into a shop and looks around.

0:21:500:21:53

This is a charity shop that raises money to help sufferers of a rare

0:21:530:21:58

and painful disease.

0:21:580:21:59

But this customer isn't here to give,

0:21:590:22:02

he's here to take.

0:22:020:22:04

And he helps himself to a valuable computer tablet on display.

0:22:040:22:09

Every penny counts,

0:22:090:22:11

and that ?50 would have gone to one of the sufferers.

0:22:110:22:16

Locals are outraged by the theft.

0:22:160:22:19

Well, it's the lowest of the low, isn't it?

0:22:190:22:21

But just over a week later, events take a bizarre turn.

0:22:210:22:25

Just seemed so weird. I've never known it.

0:22:250:22:28

The thief returns to the scene of the crime,

0:22:280:22:31

but this time the staff are ready for him.

0:22:310:22:34

Eric Duffield co-founded this charity in 2003

0:22:390:22:43

after learning about a local man with a rare disease, Jonny Kennedy.

0:22:430:22:48

I saw this documentary on Channel 4 called

0:22:480:22:51

The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off,

0:22:510:22:53

and it followed Jonny on his last four months of his life.

0:22:530:22:57

Jonny suffered from an incurable skin condition

0:22:570:23:00

called epidermolysis bullosa, or EB,

0:23:000:23:04

where the skin is so fragile that the slightest touch causes damage.

0:23:040:23:08

In spite of his poor health, though, Jonny lived life to the full.

0:23:080:23:12

And I thought if he could go through life with pain

0:23:120:23:17

and still do the things a normal person wouldn't do,

0:23:170:23:22

I had nothing but total admiration.

0:23:220:23:25

It gave me that drive to help this charity the best way I could.

0:23:250:23:29

That's 4.50, please. Do you want a bag?

0:23:290:23:32

Since then, sadly, Jonny's passed away.

0:23:320:23:34

Eric and his team of volunteers have carried on raising

0:23:340:23:37

money for other sufferers to buy specialist equipment

0:23:370:23:40

and treats, like birthday presents and days out.

0:23:400:23:43

It means a lot to them

0:23:430:23:44

because it means they can escape the pain and enjoy themselves.

0:23:440:23:48

The charity is dependent on income from the shop.

0:23:480:23:52

Fortunately, the local community are generous

0:23:520:23:55

and volunteers like Stephen enjoy helping out.

0:23:550:23:58

We all get on great with each other, you know.

0:23:580:24:01

Which is, I think, a good thing, you know,

0:24:010:24:03

to be happy in your job. Whether you're getting paid or not paid,

0:24:030:24:06

it's nice to be appreciated for what you do.

0:24:060:24:09

But criminals have little respect for charity.

0:24:090:24:12

The shop has fallen victim to thieves 11 times since it opened.

0:24:120:24:16

I don't think anybody expects a charity shop to be targeted,

0:24:160:24:21

and it was disheartening. But the community rallied round 100%.

0:24:210:24:27

And they said, "Look, don't let it get you down."

0:24:270:24:30

And I don't. I don't.

0:24:300:24:33

But Eric does take action and invests in a security system.

0:24:330:24:37

For a while, it seems to be working as a deterrent...

0:24:370:24:41

until one day

0:24:410:24:43

Eric gets a call from the shop staff saying that a computer tablet

0:24:430:24:46

has disappeared from the window display.

0:24:460:24:49

And I thought, "Oh, no, here we go again."

0:24:490:24:51

But this time, Eric has an extra pair of eyes - a CCTV recording...

0:24:510:24:56

..and this is what he sees.

0:24:580:25:01

A man walks into the shop.

0:25:010:25:04

A member of staff is tidying up by the window.

0:25:040:25:07

The man heads further into the store to look at some clothes,

0:25:070:25:11

but it's something more valuable that's really caught his eye.

0:25:110:25:15

The moment the coast is clear, the man makes a beeline for the window

0:25:150:25:19

and the computer tablet.

0:25:190:25:22

Obviously, he has seen it from the outside, so he knows exactly

0:25:220:25:27

what he's going for.

0:25:270:25:29

He takes a sneaky look to see if he's being watched...

0:25:290:25:32

..then reaches into the window to take the tablet.

0:25:340:25:38

He pretends to continue browsing.

0:25:380:25:42

He looks back at the window as a decoy, basically.

0:25:420:25:44

He's just standing there.

0:25:440:25:46

Moments later, the man drops the tablet into his bag.

0:25:460:25:50

Stealing from anywhere is a crime,

0:25:520:25:54

but to steal from a charity, it really, really annoys me.

0:25:540:25:58

This brazen thief even pauses to chat with a member of staff

0:25:580:26:02

and carries on wandering round the shop like an ordinary customer.

0:26:020:26:06

But then, on reaching the back, he notices a CCTV camera.

0:26:060:26:11

He hasn't counted on that.

0:26:110:26:13

He looks up at the camera and he thinks, "Oh, my God!"

0:26:130:26:18

But it still doesn't deter him.

0:26:180:26:20

He doesn't panic, he just walks out.

0:26:200:26:24

But it's not just a recording of his face he's left behind.

0:26:240:26:28

The tablet needs a stylus pen to work,

0:26:280:26:31

and that's still sitting in the window.

0:26:310:26:34

Eric takes the CCTV footage to the police

0:26:340:26:37

and the theft is reported in the local paper.

0:26:370:26:39

But then, eight days later,

0:26:410:26:43

there's a strange turn of events.

0:26:430:26:45

The thief comes back to the shop.

0:26:450:26:47

He's apparently trying to re-donate the tablet.

0:26:470:26:51

Without that stylus, it's probably been pretty useless.

0:26:510:26:54

But immediately, he's recognised.

0:26:540:26:56

When I saw the tablet and this guy standing there, I thought,

0:26:560:26:58

"Ah, he fits the description, there's the tablet that was pinched.

0:26:580:27:02

"Ah, that must be him," and I just stood eye to eye.

0:27:020:27:05

Stephen keeps a watch on the man while a colleague calls Eric.

0:27:050:27:08

He's out shopping in the town.

0:27:080:27:10

Luckily enough, there was a police officer standing outside the

0:27:100:27:13

shopping centre, so I pulled him in.

0:27:130:27:15

Eric and the officer race to the charity shop.

0:27:150:27:17

The man's still there.

0:27:170:27:19

Then I saw his face, "What's happened here?"

0:27:190:27:21

I think he realised then what he had done.

0:27:210:27:24

He was immediately arrested and taken away and charged.

0:27:240:27:28

Eric can't be sure why the man tried to donate the tablet

0:27:280:27:31

back to the charity.

0:27:310:27:32

Did he have a guilty conscience? Had somebody told him?

0:27:320:27:35

We don't know.

0:27:350:27:37

But to use the excuse,

0:27:370:27:38

"I didn't realise I had it."

0:27:380:27:41

It's just so crazy!

0:27:410:27:43

In court, the man is found guilty

0:27:480:27:50

and is ordered to pay ?180 in fines and costs.

0:27:500:27:54

But that's not the end of the story.

0:27:570:27:59

When news reaches the local community,

0:28:010:28:03

they rally round to support the charity.

0:28:030:28:06

People were just so generous.

0:28:060:28:09

One of the biggest donations from a lady,

0:28:090:28:11

she donated ?5,000, and we were totally gobsmacked.

0:28:110:28:18

And then we had received cheques for ?50, ?100, ?1,000,

0:28:180:28:23

which means we can help more people.

0:28:230:28:26

That's it for today.

0:28:310:28:32

Join us next time when police

0:28:320:28:33

and the public catch more criminals...red-handed.

0:28:330:28:36

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS