0:00:02 > 0:00:05Thieves will steal our cash, our cars, our valuables,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07just 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 > 0:00:15We want to make sure we've got a concrete case.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Enough evidence to convict at court.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Local councils, shops and businesses
0:00:20 > 0:00:23are fighting crime with their own tricks and traps.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27It's just unbelievable that she thinks she can get away with it.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29And the public are using secret cameras
0:00:29 > 0:00:32to make sure the crooks get their comeuppance.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Fair means or foul, I was going to get rid of him.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36I thought, "We've got her."
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And I was so happy. Thank God.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44So anyone who is up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47They might just get Caught Red Handed.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Today, at a bookmaker's,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57manager Mike thinks this man is just a normal customer -
0:00:57 > 0:00:59until he pulls out a gun.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01I heard the sound of a gun being cocked.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03I just sort of froze inside.
0:01:03 > 0:01:04Am I going to die?
0:01:06 > 0:01:09The robber later strikes at another bookmaker's,
0:01:09 > 0:01:10and he's becoming more violent.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Desperate to catch such a dangerous man,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19the police use the latest technology to uncover clues to his identity.
0:01:21 > 0:01:27Also today, Julian the blacksmith chats to a man outside his yard.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30He has no idea this visitor and an accomplice
0:01:30 > 0:01:33are actually in the process of stealing from him.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35He just looked like an ordinary customer,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38didn't realise that the van that he was just stood right next to
0:01:38 > 0:01:40was full up with my stuff.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43But when Julian works out he's been hoodwinked,
0:01:43 > 0:01:44he's hot on their heels.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Also later, two incompetent wannabe thieves
0:01:50 > 0:01:53plan to smash through the giant windowpane
0:01:53 > 0:01:54of an estate agents,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58but the window fights back, and one of them ends up feeling the pain.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Gun crime in this country is rare,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09but for it to remain that way,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12robbers who use firearms need to be caught quickly
0:02:12 > 0:02:14and that's why the police are developing new techniques
0:02:14 > 0:02:16and technology all the time.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25In Newport, South Wales, Mike lives with his partner, Victoria,
0:02:25 > 0:02:26and their children.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Mike works in a local bookmaker's.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36He got the job when he was 20, after a spell of unemployment.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39I'd applied for job after job after job.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I had maybe one interview out of, say, 30 applications.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45But Mike never stopped believing in himself.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Wandering around handing out CVs,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50people, like, getting fed up with seeing my face, month after month,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52but you've just got to keep trying.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Then one day, he took a chance and went into a bookmaker's.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Walked in, said "Have you any jobs going?"
0:02:58 > 0:03:00They said, "Yeah, actually. Drop your CV in,
0:03:00 > 0:03:01"and fill in an application form."
0:03:01 > 0:03:03After an interview, Mike got the job.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Fantastic, sort of went home, like, singing.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11And the going stayed good.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14He worked his way up and was eventually promoted to manager.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18It hasn't always been plain sailing, but I still love being my own,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21running my own store, being a manager sort of thing.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23It's something I take pride in.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25But two years into the job,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29Mike has to face a terrifying and life-endangering experience.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36It's coming up to 9.30 on a Saturday evening in summer.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42The bookmaker's CCTV shows Mike is the only one on shift.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46The shop is empty, until this man walks in.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50Looked up, heard the door.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53I was like, "You all right, bud?" "Yeah, all right, mate."
0:03:53 > 0:03:55He asked me, "Am I too late to put the Irish lottery on?"
0:03:55 > 0:03:57I was like, "Yeah, mate, sorry."
0:03:57 > 0:03:59He said, "Oh, all right, can I have the results then."
0:03:59 > 0:04:01"Yeah, no problem, bud."
0:04:01 > 0:04:04While Mike looks up the results,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08the man steps away from the counter and puts his hand in his pocket.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Because I'm focusing on the till, I'm not paying attention to him.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19As Mike hands him a printout of the results, the man pulls out a gun.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Mike recoils in terror.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30I heard the sound of a gun being cocked, because... I still hear it now.
0:04:30 > 0:04:36Look up, see the gun. Oh, just, inside, I just went...
0:04:36 > 0:04:37I just sort of froze inside.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40I didn't even think consciously, everything was just a blur.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44The robber demands money from the till.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Fight or flight isn't an option.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49The only option I had was do as I was told.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51I was thinking of the kids and the family. They've got to have a father.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55I need to do everything I can to make sure I can go home.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57But the till has been emptied recently,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and there's only £80 in it.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03He's not happy with how much it is. He wants more.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06The robber orders Mike to open the safe next to him.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12Mike does so, and gives him the £400 that's in there.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Then the gunman sees there's another safe.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18But Mike tells him it has a time delay
0:05:18 > 0:05:20and can't be opened immediately.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23He was demanding stuff I couldn't give at that time.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25What's he doing? He's never going to make enough out of this place
0:05:25 > 0:05:28for this to be even worth it. Am I going to die?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Mike tries to stay as calm as possible.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34So I've let him know, yeah, I'll open the safe for you, mate,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36if you want, but you have to wait 15 minutes.
0:05:36 > 0:05:37You can wait if you like.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40But the robber's in too much of a hurry.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44He's now spotted a coin tray and demands Mike hand it over.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47I just stuck the tray on the side and just hands back up in the air.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Help yourself, take the bloody tray, just leave me alone.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54The gunman eventually heads for the door,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56warning Mike not to press the alarm.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01On his way out, he pauses to wipe fingerprints off the door handle,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05before leaving the shop and a very shaken Mike.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09I was on the verge of tears,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12sort of pretty much from the moment he turned his back and walked away.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Threw the deadlocks on the door, phoned our bosses,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19just sort of quivering and jabbering through what had happened...
0:06:20 > 0:06:23..and then loads of police turned up, like, seven or eight of them.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28After making his statement to the police, Mike goes home to Victoria.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32She just come up to me and put her arms around me,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34and I broke down in front of her.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39- EMOTIONALLY:- Um, it wasn't easy to talk about.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40It's not easy to talk about now.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44But she was great.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48After the robbery, Mike's mental health suffers.
0:06:49 > 0:06:50For the next two weeks,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53he can't face the prospect of going back to work.
0:06:53 > 0:06:54I'm just numb inside,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56like, I love my kids but I didn't want them near me
0:06:56 > 0:06:58because I felt like I was going to be short with them,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00I felt quite snappy with people.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Mike is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder
0:07:04 > 0:07:06and receives counselling.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Meanwhile, the dangerous gunman who threatened him
0:07:09 > 0:07:11is still at large.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16But Detective Constable Dave Hancock of Gwent Police
0:07:16 > 0:07:18aims to put that right.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Within Gwent, we don't have many armed robberies.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24It's a massive threat that someone is going around with a firearm,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27you know, threatening people and demanding money,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29and, you know, if we didn't catch that person,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31things would potentially escalate.
0:07:31 > 0:07:32The pressure is on,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35but even with good CCTV pictures of the robbery,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38the investigation is hampered
0:07:38 > 0:07:40by a lack of clear-cut evidence.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Didn't have any footage from outside
0:07:42 > 0:07:46to show whether a vehicle was used in getting to the scene
0:07:46 > 0:07:48and, also, the movements of the offender after it.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Where did he go?
0:07:50 > 0:07:52The robber also covered his face,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55making it difficult to identify him.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57But he wasn't wearing gloves.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Dave is hopeful the man might have left forensic evidence
0:08:00 > 0:08:02on the coin tray he'd touched.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05The coin dispenser was swabbed for DNA.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07But Dave's hopes are soon dashed.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11When you look at the footage you can see that the offender
0:08:11 > 0:08:15is very selective in how he removes the coins from the tray,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17which suggests he is forensically aware.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Unfortunately, it didn't actually give us any DNA
0:08:20 > 0:08:24and didn't identify any suspects at that stage.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26The trail has run cold.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29A dangerous armed robber is still on the streets.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Later, the robber strikes at another bookies,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38and this time he's even more violent.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42But the police have an effective weapon of their own.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45An expert video analyst finds vital evidence
0:08:45 > 0:08:49in one single frame out of 45,000.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Now here's a pair of not-so-calculating criminals.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05These two muppets on a moped rudely tell a driver to clear off
0:09:05 > 0:09:07because they want to get on
0:09:07 > 0:09:09with robbing the estate agents behind them.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Whoa, you need stabilisers.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18The pair are struggling because they are carrying a big block.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21One of them uses it to try to bust through the toughened glass
0:09:21 > 0:09:26of the shop front window. But he'll be glad for his crash helmet.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29He's going to get more than he bargained for.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31GLASS SMASHES
0:09:33 > 0:09:37The clumsy crook has knocked the 60kg pane of glass
0:09:37 > 0:09:40out of its frame, bringing it down on his bonce.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45After head-butting the moped,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47he gets back onto his feet and grabs a computer.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53The dizzy delinquent then gets back on his bike,
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and the two of them nearly collide with an ambulance
0:09:55 > 0:09:57as they escape.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01But the police soon catch up with these bumbling burglars,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03who also stole the moped.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06The main offender gets 26 months in jail,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and his accomplice is electronically tagged
0:10:09 > 0:10:11and put under curfew for six months,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14which must be a bit of a "pane".
0:10:20 > 0:10:22A pair of thieves in a van
0:10:22 > 0:10:26spot a blacksmith has left his yard unattended.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30They steal over £1,000 worth of his property while he's away.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34But the blacksmith has just turned up,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37and he's about to catch them in the act.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Unless these fast-thinking thieves can pull the wool over his eyes.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Gittisham is a village in East Devon,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and it's home to Julian's traditional blacksmiths.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Established in 1890,
0:10:55 > 0:11:00the family business has been going for over 125 years.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04It's been around for five generations.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06It's not like a nine to five job.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09It's my hobby as well, so I like it very much.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Julian grew up at his father's anvil,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16and the pair forged a successful business together.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Now history is repeating itself,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22with Julian's 18-year-old son Alex taking up the trade.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26When I was younger, I was always mesmerised by my dad
0:11:26 > 0:11:29getting this hot metal out of the forge fire,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32and he's bending it into all sorts of shapes.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Julian and Alex's ironwork is popular,
0:11:34 > 0:11:36and they get lots of visitors,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40so they updated their CCTV to a multiple camera system
0:11:40 > 0:11:42covering most of their yard.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46We see the customers popping in, and we can be down to greet them
0:11:46 > 0:11:49before they go to the trouble of looking around like, you know.
0:11:49 > 0:11:50But we've never experienced anyone
0:11:50 > 0:11:53that has wanted to actually take advantage
0:11:53 > 0:11:54and try and steal stuff.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58But that's about to change
0:11:58 > 0:12:01when Julian finds himself encountering
0:12:01 > 0:12:03a very devious pair of thieves.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10It's a Monday afternoon in November,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and the area has been experiencing heavy rain and flooding.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Hearing that some cars are stranded in the floods,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Julian drops everything to go and help.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Alex is at college, so their yard is left unattended.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Just after Julian leaves,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32his CCTV cameras show this van arriving
0:12:32 > 0:12:34and parking up on the drive at the front of the workshop.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40A man in a flat cap gets out and gingerly walks in...
0:12:41 > 0:12:45..shortly followed by a younger man, also sporting a flat cap.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49While Julian is out doing good deeds,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52this pair are planning to do over his business.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56The older man spots their security camera.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02He comes over to it and pulls the lead out of the back.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06But it's already recorded his face,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and he hasn't noticed there are other cameras
0:13:09 > 0:13:11around the yard filming what happens next.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14The pair start stealing Julian's equipment.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21But they are about to have company.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26Julian is returning to pick up his car so he can go and get Alex,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28who's been left stranded by the floods.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31He has no idea that he's heading into a crime scene.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36On the drive, the thieves are loading as much into their van
0:13:36 > 0:13:37as they can.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41They are going back in for more,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43when they see Julian suddenly come round the corner
0:13:43 > 0:13:44into the yard.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49The younger man hares back to their van...
0:13:49 > 0:13:53while the older man calmly greets Julian, aiming to distract him.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00This guy was coming in, and, to me,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02he just looked like an ordinary customer,
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and I said, "How can I help?"
0:14:04 > 0:14:07He said, "A car, there was a lady down the road wanting some help,"
0:14:07 > 0:14:12and I said, "Well, I'm going that way in a minute and I'll help her."
0:14:12 > 0:14:15I sort of couldn't make out why he didn't help,
0:14:15 > 0:14:16and then he went on to say...
0:14:18 > 0:14:20"Your father used to help us, sort of thing,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22"with a blacksmith and that."
0:14:22 > 0:14:24He didn't look that old, this fellow,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26and my father, unfortunately,
0:14:26 > 0:14:30had been passed away 20 years, so I thought that was a bit strange.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34And he said, "Well, I won't trouble you no more."
0:14:34 > 0:14:36He said, "We'll be off."
0:14:36 > 0:14:40As Julian waves them away, he's unaware he's been deceived,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42and this brazen couple are driving off
0:14:42 > 0:14:45with a load of his metal and tools, as bold as brass.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51A few minutes later, Julian goes to pick up Alex,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54but he can't get the men he's just bumped into out of his mind.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57I just mentioned it to Alex on the way back.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00I said, "There's something strange about that."
0:15:00 > 0:15:01I didn't think, first of all,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03that there would have been anything wrong,
0:15:03 > 0:15:07because you don't really suspect people to be a robber.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10So the only thing we could do was check the footage.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12When they get back,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Alex notices straightaway that one of the camera feeds is down.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20But when they look at what the other cameras have recorded,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22they see exactly what's happened.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24We were just gobsmacked, really.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Unbelievable, you know,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30to think I was helping somebody in their hour of need
0:15:30 > 0:15:33and those guys there were out to do the wrongdoing,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35and I was being broken into.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38They quickly check what's missing,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40and find lots of wind turbine batteries
0:15:40 > 0:15:45have been taken, along with a copper tank and expensive welding leads,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48around £1,500 worth of goods.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53I was very angry, annoyed that they'd found it so easy.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56As I was coming down, it was just a matter of seconds,
0:15:56 > 0:15:57I could have caught them in the act,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and they were so cool and collected to turn around to me
0:16:00 > 0:16:02and say what they did.
0:16:02 > 0:16:03Didn't realise that the van
0:16:03 > 0:16:07that he was just stood right next to was full up with my stuff!
0:16:07 > 0:16:08I kicked myself.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12But Julian and Alex soon realised
0:16:12 > 0:16:15they could have the last laugh on these flat-capped criminals.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Thanks to this camera, they haven't only captured the offenders' faces,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23they have their number plate, too.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27After handing this video over to the police,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30young Alex follows the old blacksmith's rule,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32strike while the iron's hot.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35He puts the images on the forge's Facebook page.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39I thought, well, maybe if I post it to this,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42some people must have recognised them in the area.
0:16:42 > 0:16:43Yeah, very proud of Alex, really.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45I wouldn't have done that myself.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I'm still a little old-fashioned.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52He managed to get that out on Facebook within minutes.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55The outcome, it was amazing.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58The videos have been viewed 60,000, 70,000 times.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Local sightings of the van
0:17:02 > 0:17:04and possible names for the men are sent in,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07and Alex passes them on to the police.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10In the meantime, the police have traced the van's numberplate.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14It's registered to the younger thief, who lives in Wiltshire,
0:17:14 > 0:17:1660 miles away.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Officers pay him a visit.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21The van was there, but the people, apparently, weren't.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24The men are on the run,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28but with their faces everywhere, they are soon arrested.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31I mean, justice has got to be done, really.
0:17:31 > 0:17:32And the evidence was all there.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36And that evidence was so conclusive,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39they realised the case against them was cast-iron.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45The 24-year-old man pleaded guilty to theft,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48and was given a four-month suspended sentence,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51placed under curfew for three months,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53and ordered to pay £480 compensation.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58The 39-year-old man also pleaded guilty.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01He was given a six-month suspended sentence,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04and ordered to pay £480 in compensation.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Back at the blacksmiths, since the incident,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Julian and Alex have improved the yard's security
0:18:14 > 0:18:18by putting up a sheet metal gate and extra cameras.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21The area is kind of a secure compound now.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24They are looking forward to forging ahead
0:18:24 > 0:18:27and shaping the future of their business together.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31I'm hoping to work with my dad for a lot longer,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33and then take over the forge
0:18:33 > 0:18:36and make it a million-dollar business.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Especially now another generation are raring to take over,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42sort of thing, with modern techniques and whatever,
0:18:42 > 0:18:44we're nearly there.
0:18:44 > 0:18:45I'll put my feet up!
0:18:56 > 0:19:00We're back at Newport, where an armed robber is on the run.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03He recently raided Mike's bookmaker's.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05I heard the sound of a gun being cocked.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Having a gun pointed straight at his head
0:19:08 > 0:19:11has had a traumatic effect on Mike.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Inside, I just went...
0:19:13 > 0:19:16It wasn't easy to talk about.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17It's not easy to talk about now.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Four weeks after Mike's shop was attacked, the robber strikes again.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27It's midday on a Sunday
0:19:27 > 0:19:31when this man approaches another bookmaker's in the area.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34He's wearing a baseball cap and dark glasses,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36neither of which he takes off after entering.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40The cashier is behind a secure counter.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45The man grabs some betting cards and sits down.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48He stays there for the next 30 minutes...
0:19:50 > 0:19:52..before asking the cashier for a cup of water...
0:19:53 > 0:19:55..and striking up a conversation.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Eventually, the shop empties,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04and, having built up a rapport with the cashier,
0:20:04 > 0:20:08the man points out some litter that's been dropped in the corner.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10It appears he's being helpful,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14but his real aim is to entice the cashier out from behind the counter.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21After the rubbish is thrown in the bin, the man pounces.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26He follows the cashier, pulling out a gun...
0:20:28 > 0:20:31..and then he shoves him violently, demanding money.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37But the cashier bravely resists,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39and a scuffle breaks out between the two.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Eventually, the robber grabs £200 from the till
0:20:45 > 0:20:47and punches the cashier...
0:20:49 > 0:20:50..before making his getaway.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54The robber puts his hand to his gun,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57warning the cashier not to follow him, and escapes across the road.
0:21:00 > 0:21:01The police are called.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Detective Constable Dave Hancocke and other officers rush to the shop.
0:21:08 > 0:21:09I went to the scene.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12I can remember the victim telling officers that that was it,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15he didn't want to come back to work, he wanted to retire there and then.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17I'm just glad that, physically, he was OK,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19but, yeah, it's life-changing stuff.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Although this is the second armed robbery
0:21:23 > 0:21:26at a local bookmaker's within the space of a month,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Dave can't be sure it's the same man.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Even with the CCTV.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34When we actually viewed the footage from the second incident
0:21:34 > 0:21:36and compared it to the first,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38initially, it didn't appear to be the same person.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40In the first incident, he looks younger,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42and, on the second incident,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44you can clearly see he appears to be a lot older.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46You can see his grey hair when the hat comes off.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49So, immediately, there's no real link between the two.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54The robber had also kept hold of the cup he'd drunk from
0:21:54 > 0:21:57to avoid leaving any forensic evidence behind.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01The police need some leads,
0:22:01 > 0:22:05so they get local media to publish a picture of the robber.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07We sent out the image to Crimestoppers
0:22:07 > 0:22:11and other social media to try and have the public help us.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13And the appeal brings a breakthrough.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18A member of the public gives them a name, 43-year-old Gareth Williams.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22We started looking into his background.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24He had had a criminal history
0:22:24 > 0:22:27and had committed offences of a similar nature.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31When we looked at where he was living, he was living within Gwent.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34From looking at police pictures of that individual,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37it was clear that he had a resemblance to the robber.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40The police's prime suspect now identified,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43they find out the registration number of his car...
0:22:44 > 0:22:47..and check its movements using traffic cameras
0:22:47 > 0:22:49and the CCTV of local businesses
0:22:49 > 0:22:51on the days of the two robberies.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54When we looked at automatic number plate recognition,
0:22:54 > 0:22:59it was evident that his vehicle had travelled to and from
0:22:59 > 0:23:00the areas of both bookies
0:23:00 > 0:23:03before and after the robberies had actually taken place.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08The police track Williams down,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10arrest him and take him into custody.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Dave interviews him under caution,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18but Williams categorically denies being the robber.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20When we spoke to him about his movements,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23he gave an account as to why his vehicle
0:23:23 > 0:23:26would be in those locations at those relevant times.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28It's a sense of frustration.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31That's when we then have to look at gathering the evidence
0:23:31 > 0:23:33to disprove what he's told us.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36They analyse call data from Williams's mobile phone
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and discover that it was used near Mike's bookmaker's
0:23:39 > 0:23:41just minutes after the robbery.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45Although the gunman's face was partially obscured
0:23:45 > 0:23:47by a hood and scarf,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51they still ask Mike to attend a video ID parade
0:23:51 > 0:23:53to see if he can recognise the suspect.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55You get shown eight or nine images.
0:23:55 > 0:23:56One at a time.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00There was one where I physically just went...
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- HE GASPS - ..as I saw his face.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03They said, "OK, can you identify?"
0:24:03 > 0:24:05I said, "Yeah, I'm 85% sure it's that one."
0:24:07 > 0:24:08"Why do you say only a 85%?"
0:24:08 > 0:24:10I said, "Because consciously,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12"I couldn't tell you if that guy was sat right next to me.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16"But subconsciously, my blood just ran cold when I saw that guy."
0:24:16 > 0:24:19The police charged Williams with the two robberies,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21but they have a serious problem.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25He continues to plead his innocence and with no DNA evidence,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28David needs to make the case against Williams bulletproof.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Or he may well go free.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36So, forensic imagery analyst Ash Haldenby is called in.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41His job is to compare footage of the robber at the crime scenes
0:24:41 > 0:24:43with images of the suspect in custody
0:24:43 > 0:24:46to determine if it is the same man.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Even if the individual's face is partially covered,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55there will be areas of it that you can see.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56In the first incident,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58the best footage came
0:24:58 > 0:25:01as the offender was actually leaving the premises.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02And as you get still closer,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05you get a little bit of his eyes, the shape of his face,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and also the shape of his nose.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12And this criminal's nose is quite distinctive.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15The fact that the nose kinked off to the one side of the face,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17this one was a really significant curve.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19This also matched the suspect's nose.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22It sort of had an appearance of having been broken
0:25:22 > 0:25:24at some point in the past.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29Also, indents on the robber's nose suggests he usually wears glasses.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30Like Williams.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34But more is needed.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Ash then sifts through the footage of the other robbery.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39The second incident,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42there wasn't as much detail in terms of the centre of the face.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46So it was a case of look at all around of what you could see.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48The robber was in the bookmaker's for half an hour.
0:25:48 > 0:25:53So Ash scours over 45,000 frames of footage.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Then he finds one single frame,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59one split-second shot that could just crack the case.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01As the scuffle takes place,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04and the hat was knocked off the offender's head,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07the offender's facing away from the camera,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10but you get a nice shot of the upper left ear,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13which appears to dimple inwards, quite significantly.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18I was really excited to find this feature that is so unique.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Like, wow, this is really, really significant.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23It's such a distinctive feature.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26If we find it on the suspect's ear,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28then it's going to be really, really powerful support.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33And Williams does have the same section of his left ear missing.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37It would actually be from having sustained injury
0:26:37 > 0:26:40so in the same way as a scar would be highly distinctive.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42There's very little chance of someone else,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44who has all these other features,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46also having this piece missing out of his ear.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51Ash also finds many other facial similarities
0:26:51 > 0:26:54between the gunman in the two robberies and Williams.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57It's a major breakthrough for Dave.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59It felt like the final piece of the jigsaw, really.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03The evidence that Ash provided was crucial,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05it really put our suspect at both scenes.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Even with the overwhelming evidence against him,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Williams still refuses to plead guilty.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16So his victims have to testify in court.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20But with their help, and Dave's watertight case, justice is served.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Williams was convicted of two counts of robbery
0:27:25 > 0:27:28and possession of a firearm with intent.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31He was given life imprisonment and will serve a minimum term
0:27:31 > 0:27:35of eight years in jail before he can be considered for parole.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Dave's delighted with the verdict.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Someone has committed this type of offence.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48You want them off the street to make the community safer.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51And also, giving massive closure to the victims,
0:27:51 > 0:27:52realising that this person
0:27:52 > 0:27:54will no longer be walking down the street.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56It was just an immense sense of relief.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58I couldn't thank Dave enough.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00In the months following the robbery,
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Mike's post-traumatic stress disorder has significantly improved.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06He's back managing at his bookies,
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and he's optimistic about the future.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11My family have, particularly Victoria,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13has just helped me through it,
0:28:13 > 0:28:15and we've endured this sort of thing together,
0:28:15 > 0:28:16and it's just made us stronger.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Now we are very, very, very happy in our own household.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23- Rar!- Rar!
0:28:27 > 0:28:30That's it for today, and that's it for a few more criminals
0:28:30 > 0:28:32who've been Caught Red Handed.