0:00:02 > 0:00:05Thieves will steal our cash, our cars, our valuables.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Just about anything they can get their hands on.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11But now the police are using cutting-edge technology
0:00:11 > 0:00:13to catch the bad guys.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16The CCTV is gold dust.
0:00:16 > 0:00:17Great evidence for the police.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19Got to have him stopped.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Local councils, shops and businesses
0:00:21 > 0:00:24are fighting crime with their own tricks and traps.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27It's a eureka moment when you get that evidence.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29And the public are using secret cameras
0:00:29 > 0:00:33to make sure crooks get their comeuppance.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35It makes me feel so angry.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37He's paid the price, he's been dealt with.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Yes! We've got her!
0:00:39 > 0:00:43So anyone who is up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45They might just get Caught Red Handed.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Today...
0:00:53 > 0:00:56when Sharon bumped into an armed robber in her local shop,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58she could have called the police.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Instead, she called her husband.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03It was just adrenaline. Seeing my wife so scared.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09It was not advised, it was risky, but it did the trick.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Something clicked in my head and I just flew.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Just instinct to do what I done.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Also today - John's dry ski centre has been burgled again...
0:01:20 > 0:01:21and again...
0:01:21 > 0:01:22and again.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24And he's at his wits' end.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28It's not only the monetary loss. It's the upset, the distress.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Is it worth carrying on if this is going to happen?
0:01:30 > 0:01:34But when the police convince him to install a spy camera...
0:01:34 > 0:01:37John just can't wait for the thief to strike again.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41I came in on the Sunday morning and we'd had a break-in.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46It was euphoria. Hooray!
0:01:46 > 0:01:49And computer shop owner Muiz gets a brick through his window...
0:01:51 > 0:01:55..but this burglar is as thick as the brick he's thrown.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58And before long, the police throw the book at him.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Norwich's castle and medieval walls used to protect the city
0:02:10 > 0:02:12from villains. But these days,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15it's down to the local police and citizens.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Former bouncer Darren renovates houses.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24He lives on the outskirts of the city, near a shop owned by Mike.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28It's a hub. It's not just where people buy things,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30it's where people come to talk.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32The sound I hear most when I walk in is laughter.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Darren is one of Mike's most regular customers.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40I'm there every day. Have a good laugh and a little banter in there.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Yeah, that's a nice little shop to go into.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Darren has been married to his wife Sharon for 13 years,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49and he'd do anything to protect her.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51As we're going to see.
0:02:51 > 0:02:52My wife means the world to me.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Don't know where I'd be without her.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57She's a friend, she's...everything a man could want, really.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02With Darren being an ex-bouncer, if he ever sees someone in trouble,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05his instinct is to intervene.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Couple of times, seen a man hit a woman, and just stepped in.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12I'm just in the wrong place all the while.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14I don't stand outside my front door thinking,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16"Mmm, vigilante's now coming."
0:03:17 > 0:03:20The bravery of both Darren and his wife Sharon
0:03:20 > 0:03:22is to prove vital to shop owner Mike
0:03:22 > 0:03:25when an armed robber attacks his store.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33It's early evening, three days before Christmas.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Finish the Christmas shopping, we thought we'd have a takeaway.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40So me and my wife walked over to the Chinese just over the road.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Right near the shop.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47At the same time as Darren and Sharon are heading to the Chinese,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Mike happens to be checking his shop's CCTV cameras
0:03:50 > 0:03:53via a computer at his home ten miles away,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57and he notices a motorcyclist walking in and out
0:03:57 > 0:03:58of the store suspiciously.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02Came in with his helmet on and looked around, and I thought,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04"There's something weird about this."
0:04:04 > 0:04:07He went out again, so I relaxed.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Even though the man's left, Mike continues watching.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13He likes to keep a close eye on the shop because his daughter
0:04:13 > 0:04:16and her family live in the flat above.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20She had a terrifying encounter with an armed robber 20 years ago.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22My daughter was in a bank when
0:04:22 > 0:04:24somebody put a revolver to her head
0:04:24 > 0:04:27and threatened to kill her if the cashiers didn't hand over money.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32That affected her for a long, long, long time.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36But now Mike's about to witness an armed robbery himself.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Darren and Sharon had just arrived at the Chinese takeaway
0:04:40 > 0:04:41near Mike's shop.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I went in, sat down, ordered the food.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48While they are waiting, Sharon decides to nip out
0:04:48 > 0:04:51to Mike's shop to buy a drink. But when she gets there,
0:04:51 > 0:04:55she finds a nervous shop assistant who's worried that the stranger
0:04:55 > 0:04:57in a crash helmet might come back.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00The girl said to my wife, "There's a dodgy geezer keeps coming in here",
0:05:00 > 0:05:04so my wife said, "I'll stay here with you. Don't worry about it."
0:05:05 > 0:05:07And then the man returns.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Couple of minutes later he was back in again.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12And he must have said something to the girls,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15because one of them went straight out of the door.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19The shop assistant leaves to get help and call the police.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21The man turns to face Sharon.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26And she notices he's carrying a sawn-off shotgun.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28He turned round and said,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30"You're going nowhere, I'm robbing the shop."
0:05:30 > 0:05:31And she thought,
0:05:31 > 0:05:35"I'm not going to stay in here and get shot by anyone."
0:05:35 > 0:05:36She just barged her way past.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Sharon's brave escape leaves the armed robber alone.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43He heads straight for the till.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Sharon runs to the takeaway,
0:05:45 > 0:05:48where Darren's still waiting, and raps on the window.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Bang, bang, bang, bang.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53I look round, sort of like startled, to see who it was,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56and there's my wife.
0:05:56 > 0:06:02In... Well, in 20-odd years, I've never, ever seen her so scared.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05I just jumped up, and she shouted, "Armed robbery!"
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Darren races to the shop with Sharon close behind.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Most people would be running in the opposite direction!
0:06:11 > 0:06:15It was just adrenaline, just seeing my wife so scared.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18The couple courageously confront the armed robber,
0:06:18 > 0:06:20who is still trying to get into the till.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23There's a man there in a fluorescent jacket, gloves,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26and this sawn-off shotgun in his hand.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30And he sort of like just pointed it at me.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32I remember looking at him, looking at the shotgun
0:06:32 > 0:06:34and I still said, "No."
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Darren decides to take on the robber -
0:06:36 > 0:06:39the opposite of what police would suggest.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41But he feels he has no option.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Just something flipped in my head and I just flew.
0:06:47 > 0:06:48He forces the man backwards.
0:06:50 > 0:06:51I push the gun out of the way.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Darren grabs the robber's crash helmet.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57That was the only place I could control him.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Cos I wasn't sure if he still had the gun on him.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Everything seemed to take ages. It was like slow motion.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07The sliding door where the cigarettes are,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11it's going back and forth, back and forth.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Watching on his computer at home,
0:07:13 > 0:07:17shop owner Mike's horrified as he sees the struggle unfold.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19I think he's brave. Sometimes I think he's foolhardy,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22because I may not have done that myself, but on the other hand,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25I may have done exactly what he did if my wife had been in jeopardy.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Sharon tells Darren the police are on their way.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31I was pulling him down to try to get his legs under him,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33and that sort of like worked,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35so he couldn't breathe.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38The robber drops the shotgun.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41He just let go and it fell on the floor, and it fell apart.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44With Darren gripping him tightly,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48the robber becomes exhausted and asks if he can come up for air.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52I let him go, got him up, then just held him there.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Darren tells the man exactly what he thinks of him.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Said what a naughty boy he was, and he just apologised.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59"Look, I'm sorry, didn't mean to hurt anyone."
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I go, "But you did." I go, "You hurt a lot of people.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04"You put the God fear in them."
0:08:04 > 0:08:06He goes, "I was desperate."
0:08:06 > 0:08:09We all get desperate, you don't hurt people.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Darren takes a closer look at the gun.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15He had two bits of black tubing
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and an old antique gun,
0:08:18 > 0:08:19what he put up,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21so it looked like that was
0:08:21 > 0:08:22a sawn-off shotgun.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Moments later, the police arrive in force.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28There's about six police cars there.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30And there's this CID bloke.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33And he went, "Well done, sir, well done.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34"Stupid, but well done."
0:08:34 > 0:08:37And, yeah, he just patted me
0:08:37 > 0:08:38and said, "Thanks very much."
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Yeah, I was stupid, but I was lucky.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Probably had my dad up there, looking upon me.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45You know, so he keep me safe.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49It took some time for Darren and Sharon
0:08:49 > 0:08:52to come to terms with their close shave.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Yeah, we had a good cuddle at night, what could have been what,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59and didn't get no sleep round Christmas, really,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02but, erm...we got on with it.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06For Mike, the incident brought back terrible memories.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08I ran the whole gamut of emotions.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12I was happy that nothing had seriously gone wrong.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16I was angry that my daughter, my children and my staff
0:09:16 > 0:09:21and my customers had been put to this...stupid action,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24but it was great to know that we got him.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Thanks to Darren.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33In court, the man pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery
0:09:33 > 0:09:37and another of possession of a firearm with intent
0:09:37 > 0:09:39to cause fear of violence.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
0:09:45 > 0:09:4811 years. That's a long while, isn't it?
0:09:48 > 0:09:49A lot part of his life.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53You just hope other people learn lessons from it.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Darren went to watch the court case with Sharon,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and they got a pleasant surprise.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Me and the wife sitting there, and the judge just said,
0:10:01 > 0:10:06what a brave thing I done, me and my wife,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and we'll give you an award, a community award.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Me and Sharon both got £300 each
0:10:11 > 0:10:14and a certificate from the Sheriff of Norwich.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18That was nice. Yeah, it was an experience and a half.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28This man is about to be well and truly up the pole.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30The reason is quite bizarre.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33He wants to knick some knickers.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35CAMERAS FLASH
0:10:37 > 0:10:39How high do you think that pole is?
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Three metres? Four, five?
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Nope, it's nearly seven metres.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47A full 22ft off the ground.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49And on top of it is a clothesline
0:10:49 > 0:10:51holding pink ladies' underwear
0:10:51 > 0:10:53for a breast cancer charity event.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Now, this chap is certainly not the charitable type,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00but he is one heck of a climber.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04If you ever want someone to change a flag up a flagpole,
0:11:04 > 0:11:05this is your man.
0:11:06 > 0:11:12But why he wants to nab a display of knickers and bras is anyone's guess.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Perhaps he wants to be a pole dancer one day.
0:11:16 > 0:11:17And off he goes.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Maybe he hopes to sell his stolen underwear
0:11:19 > 0:11:21to a contact in the underworld.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25But a man walking down the road with pink pants
0:11:25 > 0:11:26will be very easy to spot.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29And this knicker nicker will get nicked!
0:11:34 > 0:11:38CCTV footage on its own may not be enough to solve a crime.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Sometimes, you need other evidence.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45Fingerprints, DNA, even footprints to help bring criminals to justice.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52A ski centre cafe is repeatedly raided by a prolific burglar.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54It was quite depressing, in a way.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58The damage that was caused was running into hundreds,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00if not thousands of pounds.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03A single footwear print is all the police have to go on.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07This thief is going to prove tough to track down.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20Runcorn in Cheshire sits on the south bank of the River Mersey.
0:12:22 > 0:12:2550 years ago, the town's population more than doubled
0:12:25 > 0:12:29when new housing estates were built around open parkland.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33And one of the parks has an unusual recreational facility.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37People are surprised. They don't expect to find a ski slope
0:12:37 > 0:12:39in the middle of Runcorn,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41but we've been here a long time.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44John landed a part-time job at the ski centre
0:12:44 > 0:12:47after leaving school 30 years ago.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50The first time I put skis on, I just loved it.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Would sneak out and spend the day skiing
0:12:52 > 0:12:55when I perhaps should have been doing a bit more other work.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00John trained to be a ski instructor and enjoyed his job so much
0:13:00 > 0:13:03he bought the business when the owners retired.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06His love of skiing runs in the family.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Both my sons have come to the ski centre and been involved.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13We've developed it. It is hard work, but it is good fun.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Don't really think I want to be anywhere else.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20John also has a cafe in a nearby cabin, serving refreshments
0:13:20 > 0:13:23to people visiting the 800-acre park.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26The local people use it. Lots of nice families come.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27It works really well.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33John lives 20 minutes away, and the centre's unattended at night.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37So he's installed metal cladding to protect the buildings.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41There are also CCTV cameras for extra security.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44There is minor bits of vandalism,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48but I think we've just been part of
0:13:48 > 0:13:49the sort of fabric of the town.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52We've not had problems for the last ten years.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58But suddenly, John's business gets hit by a series
0:13:58 > 0:14:00of late-night burglaries.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06It's a Saturday in the middle of summer
0:14:06 > 0:14:09and John's getting ready for a busy weekend.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Arrived in. Something didn't look right.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Couldn't quite work out what it was.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18John discovers the ski centre cafe has been broken into.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21A metal shutter and a window are badly damaged.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24They'd stolen lots of sweets, lots of drinks.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Out of the machines, out of the chiller cabinets.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30But only the cafe has been burgled.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34The ski equipment in the main building has been left alone.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37So John and the police think it could be the work
0:14:37 > 0:14:39of sweet-toothed teenagers.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41It was quite sort of depressing, in a way.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43It's not only the monetary loss, it's the upset,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46the distress after all we've done.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47HE SIGHS
0:14:47 > 0:14:49"I could do without this.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52"But it's a one-off. It'll not happen again."
0:14:52 > 0:14:56But, a few weeks later, it DOES happen again.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58And that was a bit harder to take.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02This time, all the confectionery and drinks from the cafe have gone.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05The thought was now, "Are we being targeted?
0:15:05 > 0:15:07"Is it worth carrying on if this is going to happen?"
0:15:10 > 0:15:13The crime reports land on the desk of PC Tom Ashton,
0:15:13 > 0:15:18who works in a Cheshire police unit that specialises in burglaries.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Tom knows the ski centre well.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22When I was about seven,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25I went to the ski slope with my dad because it was really handy,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28on your doorstep, to come and start learning
0:15:28 > 0:15:31how to do snow sports before you go away on holiday.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34The ski centre raids are out of the ordinary.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36We know a lot of the burglars around Runcorn.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40We know their MO, we know how they work, but this wasn't like that.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42People usually target premises for high-value stuff,
0:15:42 > 0:15:46so to break in and steal bars of chocolate, multipacks of drinks,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48was all a bit odd.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52No fingerprints or DNA evidence are found after the two break-ins.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55And no-one is spotted by the security cameras.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Whoever was committing the burglaries
0:15:58 > 0:16:00was either avoiding them or covering them up
0:16:00 > 0:16:04with a tea towel or a dishcloth or something like that.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06The only evidence Tom has to go on
0:16:06 > 0:16:08is a footwear print found by officers
0:16:08 > 0:16:09after the first break-in.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12It was on a piece of broken glass that was on the floor.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14So that was seized.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19But we can't say whose shoe that is unless we happen to find the shoe.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24A few weeks go by and the police investigation makes no headway.
0:16:25 > 0:16:31I would drive in every day with this almost fear of...
0:16:31 > 0:16:33"Am I going to discover something?"
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Over the next month, there are two more break-ins.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40And now the burglar isn't just hitting the cafe.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42They've broken into the main ski building as well.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45They're going systematically through the cupboards.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47They're not leaving any clues.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51The damage that was caused on each occasion was running into hundreds,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53if not thousands of pounds.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56It was a big, big heartache.
0:16:56 > 0:16:57The only evidence police find after
0:16:57 > 0:16:59these burglaries is
0:16:59 > 0:17:00another footwear print.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02It's frustrating when it's happening
0:17:02 > 0:17:05over and over and over again
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and we're not getting any closer to identifying who's done it.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10The assumption is, it's somebody who knew us.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13You start to suspect everybody.
0:17:13 > 0:17:14And that's not good.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18We had a bit of a scrum down in work to decide what was
0:17:18 > 0:17:20the next best thing to do.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Burglary squad suggested that perhaps some covert CCTV
0:17:23 > 0:17:26would be in order.
0:17:26 > 0:17:27John agrees to let the police
0:17:27 > 0:17:30install two hidden cameras inside the cafe.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35They're motion-activated and can be left for weeks.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Obviously, you don't want John to be the victim of ANOTHER break-in,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41but you know that without that happening,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44you're unlikely to catch whoever's doing it.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47In the weeks that follow, there are no more burglaries.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51John starts to fear they will never identify the villain.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53But then...
0:17:53 > 0:17:57I came in on the Sunday morning and we'd had a break-in.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59It was euphoria - "Hooray!"
0:17:59 > 0:18:02I was actually pleased we'd had a break-in.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04"Hopefully, the cameras will have caught something."
0:18:06 > 0:18:11They have. Finally, the elusive culprit is caught on camera.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16The thief shines his torch almost directly at the lens,
0:18:16 > 0:18:17but doesn't spot it.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24The infrared images show the burglar is a middle-aged man,
0:18:24 > 0:18:25not a light-fingered youth.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31He spends over an hour stealing sweets and drinks,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33hiding them in the park to retrieve later.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37But the excitement of getting the footage is short-lived.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40We were really hoping to come in, identify him straightaway,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42and be able to go out and lock him up.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44But we had a look at the footage, didn't jump out at us.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47A few names were thrown in the hat as to who it might have been,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49but none of them really fitted.
0:18:49 > 0:18:50It's frustrating,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54but the cameras have put to bed one of John's main worries.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57It was a relief. It was, "We're not being targeted by the local kids,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01"it's not a local gang, it's just one person.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03"They'll be easy to catch."
0:19:03 > 0:19:04Or so we thought!
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Tom hands out the image of the thief to officers on night shift...
0:19:10 > 0:19:14..and asks them to keep an eye on the ski centre whenever possible.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18And soon, one of Tom's colleagues makes a breakthrough.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22'We'd gone two or three times throughout the course of the night,
0:19:22 > 0:19:23'just parked up,'
0:19:23 > 0:19:25waiting for anyone to arrive.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27At four o'clock in the morning,
0:19:27 > 0:19:29the officer spots a suspicious-looking man
0:19:29 > 0:19:32going up the lane that leads to the ski centre.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34He's walking, kicking his feet up,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36and he notices the tread marks on his shoes,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38which is this quite distinctive, wavy pattern,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40which is what we'd recovered from the scene,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42and he said as soon as he turned around and looked at him,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46he immediately knew it's the chap from the CCTV footage.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49The man is arrested on the spot.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52It's great we had him in custody and we were fairly positive
0:19:52 > 0:19:54that we were going to recover some more evidence.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57It's a nice feeling to be able to go and tell John.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02Just such a relief after the several months of frustration and anguish
0:20:02 > 0:20:04that they've caught somebody.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Tom and his team confirm that the suspect's trainers
0:20:07 > 0:20:11do match the footwear print left after the burglaries.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13And when they search his house,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16they find a hoodie identical to the one in the hidden camera footage.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24In court, the man pleaded guilty to five burglaries at the ski centre
0:20:24 > 0:20:27and was sentenced to two years in prison.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32It was a feeling of victory when it all came together.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Ultimately, what we'd done meant that the evidence that we did get
0:20:36 > 0:20:37was pretty much overwhelming,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41so it was a real sense of success for me and the team.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Thanks to some top-notch police work,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47John's business is back on the up.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49We've reopened the cafe, the kiosk.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52We're not going to let somebody stop us doing what we do.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56We always look to see how we can improve and move forward.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58We've been here a long time.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00We'll be here a long time to come.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08We've just seen how footwear prints and CCTV
0:21:08 > 0:21:10can be used to catch thieves.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14But what other technologies and techniques do the police use
0:21:14 > 0:21:16to bring criminals to justice?
0:21:16 > 0:21:18Police investigations and science
0:21:18 > 0:21:22are coming closer together as technology advances,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25as society uses different methods to communicate,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28so policing now is not just about investigating what's
0:21:28 > 0:21:30literally happened in front of us,
0:21:30 > 0:21:32but it's what's happened over the internet,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34it's what's happened through a computer,
0:21:34 > 0:21:35through a mobile device or a tablet.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Things like cyber crime, digital forensics,
0:21:38 > 0:21:42our ability to use CCTV for facial recognition,
0:21:42 > 0:21:47these are all developments that are aiding in the fight against crime.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50If you recognise that you have been the victim of a burglary,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53it's really important that you contact the police straightaway,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56but it's as important not to enter that scene.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58There are clues everywhere.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Every contact leaves a trace,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03so every time an individual comes into contact with something, so,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05for example, if they sit in a car,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07there will be fibres from the car seat on the individual
0:22:07 > 0:22:09and fibres from the individual on the car seat.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11So don't go in, if you can help it.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Don't let anyone else have access, such as a pet,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17and just wait for those specially trained officers
0:22:17 > 0:22:19to come and they can gather all of the clues
0:22:19 > 0:22:22and then your life can go back to normal after that.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28A shop owner gets a rude awakening...
0:22:31 > 0:22:34I never came across such a thing, like, in my life.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36..but when the police arrive later,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40they find that this thief is a few bricks short of a load.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41They were, like, laughing.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44He was, like, "He's the worst burglar we ever seen."
0:22:48 > 0:22:49BAGPIPES PLAYING
0:22:52 > 0:22:54The haunting sound of bagpipes
0:22:54 > 0:22:58is a fitting welcome to Dundee on the east coast of Scotland.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04In the 1800s, the town was renowned for its jute textile industry.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Nowadays, it's a thriving design and innovation centre,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10which appeals to computer graduate Muiz.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Dundee's lovely. Dundee's lovely, yeah.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17I love the Dundee. People, you know, they are so friendly.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Muiz moved here from Glasgow with his wife Laura,
0:23:20 > 0:23:22because Dundee's her hometown
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and she wanted to be closer to her family.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30He decided to open his own shop, repairing computers and phones.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32I'm basically a technology geek,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36so anything related to technology, you know, I love it.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Muiz works all hours to make his new venture a success.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44In the beginning, you have to give all your time and effort to your
0:23:44 > 0:23:47business, so that's what I'm doing here just now.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52But Muiz's fledgling business is about to come under attack.
0:23:56 > 0:23:5811 o'clock on a Wednesday evening
0:23:58 > 0:24:02and Muiz remotely checks his shop's CCTV from home.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08Everything seems fine, so he calls it a night.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11I said to my wife, you know, "I'm so tired, so I'm just going to sleep."
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Half an hour later, he's woken by a phone call from the police.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18They've caught someone who's smashed his shop window.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21I was, like, "Somebody smashed whose window?"
0:24:21 > 0:24:23"Somebody smashed your shop's window."
0:24:23 > 0:24:24I was, like, "What?!"
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Muiz heads to the shop, dreading what he might find.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29I was really worried for me.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31I only depend on the shop now.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34I don't have any other way of income.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37When Muiz arrives, he's met by police officers
0:24:37 > 0:24:40who ask him to check his shop to see if anything's missing.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43I was like, "I've got a CCTV camera, so I can show you."
0:24:44 > 0:24:48They gather round to watch the security camera's infrared footage.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54It shows how a man in a hoodie walks up to the shop
0:24:54 > 0:24:56and peers through the window.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00He had a brick in his hand.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03The brick can just be seen in the man's right hand.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08He looks like he's leaving, but then...
0:25:12 > 0:25:14When the brick breaks the window,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16the noise echoes all around the street.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19And he runs off.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23It was old glass.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27It wasn't, like, shatterproof, so it just made a big hole in it.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30But then, a minute later,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34the man returns and carefully climbs through the hole.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39He starts searching for things to steal,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42but, despite his break-in being so incredibly loud,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44he doesn't seem in any hurry.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48He wasn't the quickest thief I've ever seen in my life!
0:25:49 > 0:25:52The man spends several minutes out of camera view
0:25:52 > 0:25:56at the back of the shop, but doesn't take anything.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00He only manages to find a customer's broken phone near the counter.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04He grabbed a phone and then, after that, he came towards my till.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08The burglar steals Muiz's float from the till,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10then rifles a set of drawers.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13A couple of my bills are lying in there,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16so I would be happy if he can pay those bills!
0:26:16 > 0:26:19It's now been five minutes since the man smashed the window
0:26:19 > 0:26:21and he still isn't showing any urgency.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Maybe he should, because a neighbour heard the noise...
0:26:27 > 0:26:29..and called 999.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33The police came in and the guy who phoned them up, he told them, like,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35"That's the guy inside there."
0:26:35 > 0:26:38The lackadaisical burglar is bang to rights...
0:26:39 > 0:26:43..and the police officers waste no time arresting him.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45They were, like, laughing. He was, like,
0:26:45 > 0:26:50"He's the worst burglar we ever seen in our lives."
0:26:50 > 0:26:52It's very rare to have caught them red-handed.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56They were saying it happens once in ten years.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02The officers search him and recover the stolen phone
0:27:02 > 0:27:04and Muiz's float money.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11In court, the burglar was sentenced to six months in prison.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18The break-in was reported in the local papers
0:27:18 > 0:27:20and word spread about Muiz's shop.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23It was nice to see people coming in and asking you,
0:27:23 > 0:27:24"Is everything OK now?
0:27:24 > 0:27:27"We heard that, you know, this happened."
0:27:27 > 0:27:30A couple of people phoned me, "Oh, Muiz, you got famous!"
0:27:30 > 0:27:32I was, like, "Thank you very much!"
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Muiz was keen to find the Good Samaritan who called 999 and then
0:27:39 > 0:27:43pointed the burglar out to the police when they arrived.
0:27:43 > 0:27:44One day, eventually, he turned up
0:27:44 > 0:27:47and he goes, like, "I live upstairs, I heard a big bang
0:27:47 > 0:27:50"and then I just...straightaway, I phoned the police."
0:27:50 > 0:27:53And I was, like, "You know what? You've done a big favour to me
0:27:53 > 0:27:55"and I really appreciate that, you know?
0:27:55 > 0:27:57"I am very thankful to you, as well."
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Muiz gave his Good Samaritan a box of chocolates
0:28:00 > 0:28:02as a thank-you present.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04I was so happy, you know,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07that such kind people still live in this world.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10I'm really, really grateful to him, and also the police, as well,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13who cooperated with him and caught the thief red-handed.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19That's all for today.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23Thousands of criminals are captured on camera every year.
0:28:23 > 0:28:24Make sure you join us next time
0:28:24 > 0:28:28to see more villains who've been Caught Red Handed.