0:00:00 > 0:00:04Thieves will steal our cash, our cars, our valuables -
0:00:04 > 0:00:06just about anything they can get their hands on.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11But now, the police are using cutting-edge technology to catch the bad guys.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14We want to make sure we've got a concrete case.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Enough evidence to convict at court.
0:00:16 > 0:00:17Local councils, shops,
0:00:17 > 0:00:22and businesses are fighting crime with their own tricks and traps...
0:00:22 > 0:00:25It's just unbelievable that she thinks she can get away with this.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..and the public are using secret cameras,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30to make sure that crooks get their comeuppance.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Fair means or foul, I was going to get rid of him.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35I thought, we've got her!
0:00:35 > 0:00:39And I was so happy! Thank God!
0:00:39 > 0:00:43So, anyone who's up to no good had better think twice.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45They might just caught red-handed.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Today, Samantha is nervous about running
0:00:51 > 0:00:53a clothes shop for the first time.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55But all is going well,
0:00:55 > 0:00:57until in the dark hours of one Halloween...
0:00:58 > 0:01:02..a ghostly man in a grotesque mask breaks into her shop.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09I felt sickness and dread in the pit of my stomach.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13The man and his accomplice want to steal designer dresses,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16and for Samantha, it becomes a late-night horror show.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23Also today, Elaine and her family finally persuade her World War II
0:01:23 > 0:01:27veteran dad to hire a carer, because his health is deteriorating.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31But soon, he faces a new problem,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34when his own home becomes a crime scene.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38Dad got his wallet, and one of the 20s was missing.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41He was visibly shaking, hurt,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43and felt quite sick.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49And, Neil nicknames and shames shoplifters on a poster board
0:01:49 > 0:01:53in his hardware store. He's had enough of people stealing
0:01:53 > 0:01:54his takings.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58We lose £30,000 worth a year.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02It equates to one or two members of staff.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Neil's called his latest thief Mr Till Man,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08because he tries to steal from a cash drawer.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13But it turns out Mr Till Man is a few tools short of a full box.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22Every year, over half a million new businesses are started in Britain,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25by people dreaming of a brighter future.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Sometimes, they've invested their life savings.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29But burglars don't care about that.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32All they're interested in...is easy money.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Milford Haven in Wales
0:02:40 > 0:02:42is well-known for its marina and the independent shops
0:02:42 > 0:02:45which line its town centre.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Samantha owns one of them, a clothes store.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50She and husband David
0:02:50 > 0:02:53settled in the town with their two children eight years ago.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58My husband served 27 years in the Army and it's his home town.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02So we decided to come here because we thought it would be a good
0:03:02 > 0:03:03upbringing for the children.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05It's a very safe area.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09After David retired from the Army in 2011,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11the couple decided to take an enormous risk,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14using their life savings to buy a clothes business.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20I'd never run a shop before.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24And we used my husband's pension, so it was quite a gamble.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28But we felt that we wanted to put something into the town
0:03:28 > 0:03:32and by having the shop, I think, within the town,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35you're providing a service to the community.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38For six years, the store ticked along nicely.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41But then one Halloween,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45a midnight invasion by burglars meant Samantha's business dream
0:03:45 > 0:03:47took a nightmarish turn.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52It's early in the morning on a weekday
0:03:52 > 0:03:56and Samantha receives a phone call from the police with bad news.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59PHONE VIBRATING
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Her shop's been broken into.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04I felt sickness and dread in the pit of my stomach.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07She rushes to the shop and finds clothes
0:04:07 > 0:04:09lying on the pavement outside.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Her front door has been smashed in,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15and there's a metal beer barrel sitting on top of broken glass.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18I could see that a lot of stock had been taken,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20and it is a very unsettling
0:04:20 > 0:04:22and very heartbreaking feeling.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25A forensics police officer arrives,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27and Samantha tells him that her security cameras
0:04:27 > 0:04:29might have captured the crime.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33They watch the recording,
0:04:33 > 0:04:38and at 11pm, as the clock ticks towards midnight on Halloween,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40the security video turns into a horror movie.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Out of the darkness, a ghostly figure in a scary mask appears...
0:04:47 > 0:04:49..and kicks the door.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50He walks away.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57But then a minute later, he reappears with what looks like a crutch.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01He strikes the door, cracking the glass.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04He rams the glass with the end of the crutch,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09but still doesn't break through.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15The ghostly villain is determined to force his way in
0:05:15 > 0:05:16and five minutes later,
0:05:16 > 0:05:20he's back with a new and rather unusual implement
0:05:20 > 0:05:24for breaking glass - a heavy beer barrel.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Watching this recording is very upsetting for Samantha.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33It feels like a huge violation, and anger, that they've got no
0:05:33 > 0:05:36thought for anybody else.
0:05:36 > 0:05:37Now he's broken in,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41the burglar goes to the back of the shop and grabs a large bundle of
0:05:41 > 0:05:43expensive clothes.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45I was horrified to think that obviously it was stock
0:05:45 > 0:05:49that I'd paid for, so really it was my money.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52The man lifts a backpack off one of the mannequins,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56then goes to the door to pass the stolen goods to an accomplice.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01They leave with Samantha's valuable stock.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03But the show isn't over yet.
0:06:04 > 0:06:0715 minutes later, and the men are back.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11One goes to the till.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13I keep my till empty at night.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17And he tries the key, which was a key to my stock room.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21He tries to open it, and obviously it's the incorrect key.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23It's frustrating for Samantha and the police officer,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27that both men's faces are covered with ghoulish masks.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31And being Halloween, they won't even arouse suspicion in the street.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33I felt quite devastated,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37because I realised at that point that we may never ever find out
0:06:37 > 0:06:40who had been involved.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45But the men's attempt at a slick operation is about to run into a problem.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Because as one of them leaves, and tries to get past the beer barrel,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50he gets caught up in the clothes,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53and suddenly he goes bump in the night...
0:06:55 > 0:06:57..falling flat on his face.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00The other man comes over to see what's happened.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04He'll wish he hadn't, because one of the cameras captures a moment
0:07:04 > 0:07:06that will come back to haunt him.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13He's obviously had problems speaking to the person he's with,
0:07:13 > 0:07:18and at this moment, he removes his mask quickly, at which point I felt
0:07:18 > 0:07:21quite uplifted in a sense and...
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Praying, almost, that people would recognise who he was.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31The ghostly figures then gather up their ill-gotten gains
0:07:31 > 0:07:33before vanishing into the night.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Samantha's business has been dealt a bitter blow.
0:07:38 > 0:07:43That stock value would be maybe £4,000.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48The police officers take away the footage to try and identify the man
0:07:48 > 0:07:50who removed his mask.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53And Samantha's left to come to terms with what's happened.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55It's the run-up to Christmas,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58and the timing of the burglary couldn't be worse.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02It took me to a very dark place.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I cried for much of the time.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Because it had had a huge impact on my life,
0:08:09 > 0:08:10and obviously on my family's life.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13I did actually think at that point that I may have to close.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17But a few days later, Samantha gets some welcome news.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24The police have identified and arrested the burglar who took off his mask.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27My immediate feeling was of relief.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29I thought, I can't let this beat me any more.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31For the future of my family,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34I believed that I had to make the shop work
0:08:34 > 0:08:36and to completely turn it around.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42While Samantha's fortunes were on the way up, the unmasked burglar
0:08:42 > 0:08:44was about to be sent down.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54When he appeared in court, the man was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Since the break-in, Samantha has improved her security
0:09:01 > 0:09:04with bars on the door and a new alarm system.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08And she's been able to put her frightening Halloween
0:09:08 > 0:09:10well and truly behind her.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13The future after this incident is looking quite positive now.
0:09:13 > 0:09:19I've introduced a few new brands to encourage our younger shoppers
0:09:19 > 0:09:23into the shop and we hope to be here for many years to come.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35This armed robber is about to find out the hard way
0:09:35 > 0:09:38that you don't mess with Post Office staff in Cardiff.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Wearing a mask, he struts in demanding money
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and points a large knife at the 52-year-old shop assistant.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49But if he expects her to be terrified,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51he's going to get a painful surprise.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Take that, and that!
0:09:56 > 0:09:58She's pulled out what looks like a rolling pin.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02The robber tries to threaten her again,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and gets another swipe for his trouble.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07When he refuses to go away,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10the angry shop assistant bravely comes around the counter
0:10:10 > 0:10:12and chases him out.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Thankfully, the courageous woman's uninjured
0:10:17 > 0:10:19and because of her actions,
0:10:19 > 0:10:21nothing's been taken.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25But police are still keen to track down this would-be robber.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Though he's probably lying low after being beaten
0:10:29 > 0:10:32at his own game by a brave shopkeeper's counterattack.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42A World War II veteran keeps finding his money's going missing.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44As soon as his back is turned,
0:10:44 > 0:10:49a woman who's been hired to help him decides to help herself.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52His health may be frail,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55but a decorated sailor who survived the dangers of war
0:10:55 > 0:10:59isn't the sort of man to be cheated by a sneaky thief.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Peter, from Spalding in Lincolnshire,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12is a 89-year-old Merchant Navy veteran.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16He was awarded two medals for the dangerous work he undertook at sea
0:11:16 > 0:11:19after D-Day in World War II.
0:11:19 > 0:11:20His daughter Elaine
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and the rest of his family are proud of Peter's bravery.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28My dad joined the Merchant Navy when he was 15
0:11:28 > 0:11:32and his first ship was actually torpedoed.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35And ten people died, and ten people survived.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38So that was his first-ever trip.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41What a way to start, really.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Peter suffered a damaged eardrum when his boat was hit,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47but thankfully, survived the rest of the war.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52And in 1951, he married his long-time sweetheart, Sheila.
0:11:52 > 0:11:52Mum and Dad had a great relationship
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Mum and Dad had a great relationship
0:11:56 > 0:11:58and had my sister and I.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00We had great family holidays.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Peter and Sheila were happily married for 54 years.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Unfortunately, I lost my mum to cancer in '05.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13It was a hard, sad time.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16And he still misses my mum every day.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Elaine lives in Hertfordshire, two hours away.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21But she visits her dad every week,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and speaks to him daily over the internet.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29My dad's got the latest technology, so we FaceTime a lot.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Because he's not very mobile now,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34he walks with a Zimmer Frame.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39Because Peter's health started to deteriorate over recent years,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42he agreed to his family's suggestion that he employ a carer
0:12:42 > 0:12:44to look after him two days a week.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47But it turned out that the carer was less interested in Peter's
0:12:47 > 0:12:51wellbeing than she was in his cash.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55It's a Monday in autumn.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Peter has decided he'd rather not talk on camera,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02but he wants us to tell the story of what happened with his carer.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07It all starts with Elaine receiving a worrying phone call from her dad.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12He noticed that his money was getting less and less.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15He likes to pay cash for everything
0:13:15 > 0:13:19and he ended up having to withdraw more and more.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22So, something wasn't right.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Peter suspects the money's going missing from his wallet.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27So he decides to carefully check it
0:13:27 > 0:13:30every time a visitor leaves his bungalow.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37The next day, he has a visit from his regular care assistant.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39She's been with him for well over a year
0:13:39 > 0:13:42and Peter's come to regard her as a friend.
0:13:44 > 0:13:49When this woman left, dad got his wallet and counted the money.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54And lo and behold, one of the 20s was missing.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Peter finds it hard to accept that someone he had grown to trust
0:13:58 > 0:14:00could be stealing from him.
0:14:01 > 0:14:08We FaceTimed, and he was visibly shaking, hurt, and felt quite sick.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12The fact that this woman could actually do this,
0:14:12 > 0:14:13it's not a nice thing to see.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16You know, a frail old man,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20you know...almost in tears.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26It occurs to Peter that he could be making a terrible mistake,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28so he decides to seek more proof.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Dad said, she's coming back again on Friday morning.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Let's do it again.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36After the woman leaves on Friday,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Peter checks his wallet and finds that money's gone missing.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Knowing how astute my dad is,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46it could only have been her.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Elaine goes with her father to report what's happened to the police.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54They say they need clear-cut video evidence before they can take things further.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57We kind of thought, well, shall we just sack this woman?
0:14:57 > 0:15:02But then we were thinking, well, if she's doing this to my dad,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06how many other people is she doing it to?
0:15:07 > 0:15:11They hire a security expert, who installs a covert camera,
0:15:11 > 0:15:17and tells Peter he mustn't give the suspect carer any indication that it's there.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21It was just like a little black box on a shelf in the corner.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25It was set to go off at a certain time.
0:15:25 > 0:15:26The following Tuesday,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29the camera's in position and ready to roll as soon as
0:15:29 > 0:15:31the woman starts her shift.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36Peter puts his wallet in its usual place on a table by his chair.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Everyone's on tenterhooks.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42My dad especially - the fact that he was not well anyway,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45having that woman in the house...
0:15:47 > 0:15:49..knowing what she was doing...
0:15:52 > 0:15:53How would you feel?
0:15:53 > 0:15:56I really felt for him.
0:15:57 > 0:15:58The carer arrives,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01and Peter realises he needs to act normally
0:16:01 > 0:16:03to avoid giving the game away.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06He's gone to get a shower, as usual.
0:16:06 > 0:16:07But while he's washing,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11the camera shows how she goes into the empty sitting room,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13and heads straight for his wallet.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17She's stolen a £20 note.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22After Peter finishes his shower, she leaves.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25The security expert retrieves the footage,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28and shows the family what this carer has been up to.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30It was disbelief.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33You really can't believe what you're seeing.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35And especially when it's your dad!
0:16:35 > 0:16:39But even though they appear to have caught the theft on camera,
0:16:39 > 0:16:40there isn't a clear shot
0:16:40 > 0:16:44of the woman taking Peter's cash out of his wallet.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47So the family decide to try again when she comes next,
0:16:47 > 0:16:48from a different camera angle.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Peter's already proved he's a good actor.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56But now he must prepare for a repeat performance.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59He was amazing, I don't think I could do it.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Trying to act normally...
0:17:02 > 0:17:04I think he deserves an Oscar.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09The woman arrives, and Peter goes for his shower.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11As he leaves the room,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14she glances across to a window to see if anyone is looking in.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Then, she goes over to the wallet.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Glances again at the window...
0:17:23 > 0:17:28And with the coast clear, she takes a £20 and a £10 note,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31then pops the wallet back, and goes in to see Peter.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34As soon as the woman leaves,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Peter lets Elaine know more money has been taken.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43I said, "Right. I'm not putting my dad through any more."
0:17:43 > 0:17:48I phoned the woman up, and I said, "I know what you've been doing.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53"I'm sacking you." I didn't tell her that we'd been filming.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56And she was saying, "How dare you?
0:17:56 > 0:18:01"What do you mean? I've never stolen," and all this on the phone.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03And I said, "I don't care,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07"just don't ever come near my father again."
0:18:07 > 0:18:09The police arrest the woman.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18In court, she changed her tune and pleaded guilty to the two thefts
0:18:18 > 0:18:20that had been caught on video.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25She was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid community work,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29and ordered to pay £220 in costs and compensation.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Peter is now looked after by a different carer,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39who the family trust 100%.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44And he continues to sail on with the same fortitude that took him to war
0:18:44 > 0:18:46as a teenager.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49It's his 90th birthday coming up,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53and the amount of effort it takes for him to get up, do anything...
0:18:53 > 0:18:59But he's still forcing himself out of that chair, out of bed,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01to actually be independent.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04It's absolutely amazing.
0:19:09 > 0:19:09There are millions of carers in the UK,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12There are millions of carers in the UK,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14and very few of them are dishonest.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18But it's always wise to take precautions when hiring anyone
0:19:18 > 0:19:21who's got access to our house, or the homes of our loved ones.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24I think an important thing to know about somebody
0:19:24 > 0:19:27before you employ them is in fact why they've left their previous job,
0:19:27 > 0:19:30and if they're happy for you to speak to their previous employer.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32And if they're reluctant to allow you to do this,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35then I think that would raise some concerns.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38I would strongly advise anybody bringing an employee
0:19:38 > 0:19:39into their home,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43to ask them for their DBS check, to check on their criminal history.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45If they're unwilling, or unable to provide it,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48then you take a pass on them, and you interview somebody else.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50A really simple thing that you can do to find out
0:19:50 > 0:19:54about somebody's history is to have a look on social media.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Perhaps you'll find out something that they didn't disclose
0:19:56 > 0:19:58during the interview, and it's really interesting -
0:19:58 > 0:20:01if you put somebody's name into a search engine,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04along with the town where you are or where you think that they used to
0:20:04 > 0:20:08reside, then effectively you can get quite a lot of information back.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11We have a reputation of being a polite society and not wanting
0:20:11 > 0:20:15to be too intrusive. But you can't be too intrusive in this situation.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19And if it doesn't feel right, then move on, ask them to leave politely
0:20:19 > 0:20:22and look for somebody you feel comfortable with.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30There's trouble at t' till in a hardware store,
0:20:30 > 0:20:34when a shoplifter goes after a cash drawer the moment a staff member
0:20:34 > 0:20:35leaves it unguarded.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41The thief smuggles the till into a quiet corner to remove the cash.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45But the light-fingered felon has a problem -
0:20:45 > 0:20:47the member of staff is on his way back,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50and will discover the theft any moment.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01Mackay's family hardware shop in Cambridge has been a popular destination
0:21:01 > 0:21:06for local builders and DIY-ers for generations.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08It's something of a regular on Caught Red Handed,
0:21:08 > 0:21:13because in recent years, it's also proved popular with shoplifters.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15And the store's owner, Neil Mackay,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19has come up with a radical solution - posters displaying images
0:21:19 > 0:21:22of people suspected of stealing from the store.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Well, here's our famous Rogues' Gallery.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32CCTV images of all the people we've caught recently.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37We name them after the products they've attempted to steal.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Neil's nicknaming and shaming of thieves,
0:21:39 > 0:21:44and his extensive security camera system, are helping reduce losses,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47together with his vigilant staff.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50People like Nigel, who works in the power tool department,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and is always on the lookout for shoplifters.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56I don't think it's fair on the people
0:21:56 > 0:21:58who are working hard for a living,
0:21:58 > 0:22:02and it's money which pays our wages and bills.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06I don't think people should be allowed to get away with things like that.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Nigel thoroughly enjoys working at Mackay's,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12but he doesn't enjoy it when a thief chances their arm
0:22:12 > 0:22:14as soon as his back is turned.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Especially when it isn't only tools they're after,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20but the store's hard-earned cash.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25It's early afternoon on a busy Saturday.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30One of the store's CCTV cameras
0:22:30 > 0:22:32shows Nigel standing at his post
0:22:32 > 0:22:34in the power tool department.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37A customer asked me where some goods was,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41so I took the gentleman out to the garden department and showed him
0:22:41 > 0:22:43what he was looking for.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46While Nigel's taking the customer to a different part
0:22:46 > 0:22:50of the shop, a man peers through the front door and comes in.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55He walks behind Nigel's counter, and looks at the goods on display.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00He might seem innocent, but actually this man's a thief,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03and he's not here to buy - he's here to steal.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10Nigel is waylaid as he makes his way back to his till.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13I spoke to a couple of members of staff behind their counter.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16While Nigel chats to his colleagues,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20the man has noticed his till is temporarily unguarded.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23I think he must have been in before at some point,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26so he knew there was a till behind there,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29that he could get at quite easily.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32He continues to stake out Nigel's till for several minutes,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34circling the racks of tools nearby.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38He knew what he wanted to do,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41and was just waiting for the opportunity to take the money.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45When he thinks the coast is clear,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48the man walks behind Nigel's counter,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52makes sure no-one's watching, and pounces.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55He grabs Nigel's till drawer, and tries to remove it,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57but it's attached by a cable.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04His plan has hit a snag, and Nigel will be back any minute.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08And as the view from this other camera shows,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11it's not just the staff that the man has to worry about.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15A customer's about to walk past and spot what he's up to.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16So he quickly puts the drawer back.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Then the man seems to move away from Nigel's counter,
0:24:22 > 0:24:26but he's actually gone to pick up a pair of scissors he's seen nearby,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28before going back to Nigel's till again.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The thief crouches down and cuts the cable securing the till.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Having removed the drawer,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43the man takes it to a quiet part of the shop
0:24:43 > 0:24:45and starts trying to open it.
0:24:45 > 0:24:46But not surprisingly,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50a drawer designed for storing money isn't easy to get into.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54After struggling for several minutes,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56the frustrated thief gives up.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00He hides the drawer in some shelving,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03perhaps planning to come back and retrieve it later.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Then he leaves the store.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09When Nigel returns to his till, he's horrified.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14As I walk behind the counter, I normally check my cash drawer.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17There was nothing there!
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Looked down under the counter and saw a wire hanging down...
0:25:20 > 0:25:23It was a moment of panic.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26I shouted out that someone's stolen my till drawer
0:25:26 > 0:25:28from under the counter.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Everybody jumped to alert, rushing around,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32trying to find out where it had gone to.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36The till's been well hidden, and despite a thorough search,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38the team can't find it.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Nigel's beside himself with worry.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45After 34 years of working in the DIY business,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49I've never had a till been stolen from my counter,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51what I've been in charge of.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55So, yeah. It was quite a shock to the system.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58With a heavy heart, Nigel reports the theft to the police.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00But then he gets some good news.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06The manager, luckily enough, found the drawer at the back of the shop.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08That made me feel relief,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11cos I did feel guilty at times for not being on the counter.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Sort of blaming myself.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Even though the duty manager has found the till drawer,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20and Nigel was only away from his station for a few minutes,
0:26:20 > 0:26:24he feels responsible and goes to apologise to shop owner Neil.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28He was very nice about it, saying, "It's not your fault,
0:26:28 > 0:26:29"these things happen..."
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Although no cash has been taken,
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Neil is keen to check out what their various security cameras have recorded.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40I was absolutely amazed at what I saw.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44The bungling would-be burglar didn't even wear gloves.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47So when a police forensics officer arrives and dusts the drawer for
0:26:47 > 0:26:50fingerprints, he gets a positive result.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52We got some really good fingerprints off it.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54There was only mine on there, and his.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57With the fingerprints and CCTV pictures,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59the police identify the man,
0:26:59 > 0:27:01who has a history of offences.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03They go and arrest him
0:27:03 > 0:27:07and Neil has another pilferer poster to go on his wall of shame.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Here we have our latest entrant on the Rogues Gallery, Mr Till Man,
0:27:11 > 0:27:15who's been caught. And being before the courts...
0:27:17 > 0:27:19..we won't be seeing him for a long time.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27The man was sentenced to nine months in prison for a series of crimes,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30including his attempt to get into the Mackay's till.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38All the till drawers in the store are now kept under lock and key.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Fortunately, we have our own fasteners department,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45so they've been using a lot of the stock and bolting everything down.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Neil's son Andrew recently joined the business,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and is just as security-conscious as his dad.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54We've got to keep everything chest height.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56So no matter where you are in the store,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00you are able to see not only the staff, so they can help you,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03but also anyone who might be acting suspicious.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07Neil has asked Andrew to devise a comprehensive anti-thief strategy
0:28:07 > 0:28:11which they are calling Operation Metamorphosis.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16I'm trying to make sure that Andrew has the best opportunity to make our
0:28:16 > 0:28:18business successful in the future.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26That's it for today - and that's it for a few more criminals,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28who've been caught red-handed.