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 > 0:00:12But now, the police are using cutting-edge technology to catch
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- the bad guys.- We 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 are fighting crime
0:00:20 > 0:00:23with their own tricks and traps...
0:00:23 > 0:00:27It's just unbelievable that she thinks she could get away with this.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29..and the public are using secret cameras
0:00:29 > 0:00:32to make sure that crooks get their comeuppance.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Fair means or foul, I was going to get rid of him.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37I thought, "We've got her."
0:00:37 > 0:00:40And 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 > 0:00:46They might just get caught red-handed.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Today, there's a new kind of criminal in town -
0:00:55 > 0:00:59thieves who feed gas into cashpoint machines,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01and then ignite them.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07They're after quick cash and don't care about the consequences.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10They're going to kill someone. They really are going to kill someone at
0:01:10 > 0:01:13some stage. All they're concentrating on is getting large
0:01:13 > 0:01:15sums of money for themselves.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Also today - Robert and Jane are getting ready for a holiday,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24safe in the knowledge that using clever technology,
0:01:24 > 0:01:28they'll be able to keep an eye on their home while they're away.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And when they do check it from abroad,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33they get a shock.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35An intruder is about to break in.
0:01:37 > 0:01:38We felt helpless.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43We were on the edge of our seats, watching a horror movie unfold.
0:01:43 > 0:01:48But this horror movie has a surprise ending - for the burglar.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52When he tries to escape, he gets nabbed by the Hampshire Home Guard.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58And we've heard of cat burglars,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02but these thieves look more like mice, scurrying around,
0:02:02 > 0:02:07stealing expensive wheels of cheese from a warehouse, but little
0:02:07 > 0:02:10do they realise, these mice are in a trap.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Criminals are always looking for new and devious ways to steal cash.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Some thieves don't care if they put
0:02:21 > 0:02:24innocent lives in danger in the process.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Timperley is a suburban village in Greater Manchester.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38It's where Emily grew up and where she decided to return with her
0:02:38 > 0:02:40young son Leo when they needed a new home.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44When she saw a one-bedroom flat was available to rent above
0:02:44 > 0:02:48the local Post Office, Emily jumped at the chance.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51I knew all my friends and family were round there.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54I went to go and view it with my mum and it was lovely.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Leo had the bedroom and I had, like,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59sort of the lounge, but it was big enough.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03Emily took a job at the local supermarket to make ends meet and
0:03:03 > 0:03:06she and Leo soon settled in.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08So much easier for me to go to work
0:03:08 > 0:03:10cos we didn't have to walk 45 minutes to school.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12It was a five-minute walk.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Whee!
0:03:14 > 0:03:16I had the time to spend more time with Leo.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18It was lovely.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23But Emily comes to regret her choice of home when the Post Office
0:03:23 > 0:03:26downstairs is subject to a ruthless
0:03:26 > 0:03:29attack by a dangerous gang of criminals.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35It's night-time in summer.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Emily is asleep in her bed in the lounge and Leo's in his bedroom.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Just before midnight, he woke up and came into my bedroom,
0:03:42 > 0:03:43which is not like him at all.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47I just thought maybe he just wanted a bit of cuddle time with Mummy.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53It's as if Leo has had a premonition, because around 2am,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56they are woken up by a violent explosion.
0:03:59 > 0:04:00SIRENS
0:04:00 > 0:04:02I just heard this massive bang.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07The house shook, all the alarms went off,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10the Post Office alarm, my alarm.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Emily rushes to the window to see what's happened.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17There was a car trying to ram-raid the front of the Post Office.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20The men were trying to pull the shutters up.
0:04:20 > 0:04:21I didn't know once they did that,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24whether they were going to come up into my bedroom, you know,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26bang my door down.
0:04:26 > 0:04:27Leo was really, like, upset.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31It was...petrifying.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33She dials 999.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38As I was on the phone to the police, I then see them escape.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40They drove through a red light,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44straight over a bridge and I was just dead relieved.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47But her relief soon turns to terror.
0:04:47 > 0:04:48The building is on fire.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51I could smell some smoke.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53It was pitch-black, couldn't see anything.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55All the electrics had gone
0:04:55 > 0:04:58and it just started to get thicker,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01the smoke coming up from the Post Office.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Using the light on her phone,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Emily goes to check if they can get down the stairs and finds her whole
0:05:07 > 0:05:09flat is a scene of devastation.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12There was wires hanging from the ceiling.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15The floorboard in the kitchen was all caved in and I just thought I
0:05:15 > 0:05:19can't get out. At that point, me and Leo were trapped in the room.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24The police call taker tells Emily to place bedding at the bottom of the
0:05:24 > 0:05:28living room door to keep out the smoke until help can reach them.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30I had to stay calm for Leo.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33He was crying his eyes out.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Firefighters arrive within minutes and escort Emily and Leo out of
0:05:37 > 0:05:39the building. As she leaves,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Emily looks into Leo's bedroom and makes a shocking discovery.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47The wardrobe had landed onto Leo's bed.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Horrible to think he would have been crushed.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55It turns out the gang have used gas to cause an explosion in
0:05:55 > 0:05:57the Post Office's cash machine
0:05:57 > 0:05:59but still failed to get to the money inside.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05So then, they tried to get into the back of the cash machine by
0:06:05 > 0:06:07ram-raiding the post office's main window,
0:06:07 > 0:06:11but couldn't get past the metal shutters.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Their reckless actions have caused heavy damage to the building.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Emily and Leo were lucky not to lose their lives,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22but they have lost many of their possessions.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Most of the stuff was irreplaceable and memories.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30After the explosion, I felt anxious, I didn't sleep.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Leo has a few nightmares and bad dreams.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41The attempted crime at the Post Office is the latest in a series of
0:06:41 > 0:06:43similar raids in the region.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Greater Manchester Police's serious and organised crime group
0:06:46 > 0:06:50are brought in. Detective Sergeant Richard Casselly
0:06:50 > 0:06:53is the senior investigating officer.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57We've noticed an incredible increase in these offences,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00I think it was about 16 offences over a very short period of time,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02several months.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04What they'd basically do would be go to an ATM machine,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07usually at night-time, when the premises are closed,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10put gas into those machines, ignite the gas,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13causing a major explosion and steal the cash from within.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15We've not seen this MO before.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18It was a new thing that had just started.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21It's not always the same offenders who are doing it, but I'd have a
0:07:21 > 0:07:23guess it's the same group.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27Richard's team know they have to stop these thieves before they cause
0:07:27 > 0:07:29serious injury.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30It may be in the hours of darkness,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33but they don't know if someone's in the business premises.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35They don't know if someone's going to be walking past.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38They're going to kill someone, because they have no regard for anyone at all.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40All they're concentrating on
0:07:40 > 0:07:43is getting large sums of money for themselves.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47The day after the attempted raid at the Post Office, Richard gets a lead.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52A member of the public who lives just over a mile away calls
0:07:52 > 0:07:53the police to say she heard a
0:07:53 > 0:07:57disturbance in her street in the early hours of the morning.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02What she basically heard was a vehicle pull up to where she lives, outside,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06they parked up and then she heard metal objects being moved out of
0:08:06 > 0:08:09the vehicle, cos she could hear them being scraped along the floor.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14When police go to the location near the caller's house,
0:08:14 > 0:08:16they find a stolen car.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Inside that stolen vehicle are gas canisters, which have obviously been
0:08:20 > 0:08:23used in our offence a little bit earlier.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25On one of the gas canisters,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27police find partial DNA matches to
0:08:27 > 0:08:31two men who have a history of previous offences.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35There's a lot more work to do when we get this partial DNA profile,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38because it's not enough to arrest someone,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40charge them and put them in prison.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44What it basically does do is start to build a picture for us.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47The gang seems to go to ground for three months.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54But then, there's another raid and it's the most dangerous yet.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57At this petrol station in Partington, Greater Manchester.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02It's just gone 3am on a Friday.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06The forecourt camera records two figures at the garage's cashpoint.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11They start feeding gas into the machine.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14And two minutes later, they ignite it.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Coming up...
0:09:24 > 0:09:27flaming debris flies across the forecourt.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33A rubbish bin right next to the petrol pumps catches fire.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I knew there was 11,000 or 12,000 litres of fuel on the site.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38I thought, "Oh, my God."
0:09:38 > 0:09:41But the thieves had made a big mistake.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55This surveillance video shows a cheese cellar,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58where large wheels of precious Parmesan have been maturing for
0:09:58 > 0:10:03the past year. They're worth over £1,000 each.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08And the burglar, who's about to make off with these gourmet goods,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10knows this only too well.
0:10:10 > 0:10:11You're on camera - say cheese!
0:10:14 > 0:10:17But he's not the only mouse to take the bait.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21Not one, not two,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24there's a whole nest of them, scurrying around,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27nibbling at the stack until they've all had a slice of the action.
0:10:28 > 0:10:34They're part of a gang said to have stolen 168 Parmesan wheels and
0:10:34 > 0:10:3716,000 bottles of wine over the past two years.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42But this time, the mice have failed to see the mousetrap
0:10:42 > 0:10:46because they've been caught on CCTV.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51And it doesn't take long for police to sniff out and arrest a total of
0:10:51 > 0:10:56ten Parmesan thieves, and put an end to the little cheese and wine party.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08When we go on holiday, we always think, "Have I cancelled the papers?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11"Did I remember to turn off the gas?" To which we should add,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14"Have I done all I can to make my home secure?"
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Because burglars do love an empty house.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23A burglar returns to the scene of a previous crime.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27The homeowners are on holiday, so he thinks he can take his time,
0:11:27 > 0:11:29stealing their precious possessions.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32But the locals think differently.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36The neighbourhood watch team becomes a neighbourhood Swat team.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46The village of Curdridge nestles in the Hampshire countryside.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50The beauty of the area drew Robert and Jane
0:11:50 > 0:11:53here from London 25 years ago.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55We realised we were going to have
0:11:55 > 0:11:58a baby and wanted to get out of London.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59We loved the countryside,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03so we moved down to a very quiet peaceful village in Hampshire.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07The couple have made many friends in the village over the years.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09It's a fabulous neighbourhood.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11We know everybody here in the lane.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14The neighbours here all club together and we look after
0:12:14 > 0:12:17everybody's property, whether it's watering the plants or looking after
0:12:17 > 0:12:19their chickens when they go on holiday.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23The neighbours also decided to club together for security reasons.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27We run a very good neighbourhood watch system here in the village.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30You know, twice a year we have get-togethers, so we all know
0:12:30 > 0:12:32each other, know each other's phone numbers.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35But have never had any sign of any trouble at all.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Nothing ever happens.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40It's almost just been an excuse to meet up every six months
0:12:40 > 0:12:42and have a glass of wine and that's it.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47But one day, the neighbourhood watch team proves that it can do more than
0:12:47 > 0:12:49knock back a few glasses of wine
0:12:49 > 0:12:52when they knock down a burglar at Robert and Jane's house.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00It's nearly midnight on a Friday and Robert arrives home after a day of
0:13:00 > 0:13:02meetings in London.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04He's on his own because Jane is abroad.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06I went upstairs to go to bed.
0:13:06 > 0:13:12After about half an hour, I kept hearing a sort of a squeaking noise.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Suspecting it's a mouse,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Robert goes to investigate
0:13:16 > 0:13:19and realises the noise is coming from a bedroom.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22I opened the bedroom door and there is a guy sitting on the bed.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27I kind of just froze for a few seconds.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30The man has filled a bag with Robert and Jane's belongings.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Roberts tells him to drop it and leave.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35I didn't want to have a confrontation.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39It was just get him out of the house and then I'd worry about everything
0:13:39 > 0:13:43after that. The burglar leaves the bag in the bedroom and starts going
0:13:43 > 0:13:48down the stairs. He then suddenly stopped and turned and faced me and
0:13:48 > 0:13:50said, "I want my bag."
0:13:50 > 0:13:53I said, "You can't have your bag. It's my bag. It's my things."
0:13:53 > 0:13:56The thief pushes past Robert.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00We had a sort of a little scuffle as he came past me and he ran down
0:14:00 > 0:14:03the corridor and then slammed the door in my face.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07The man goes back into the bedroom, smashes the window,
0:14:07 > 0:14:09throws the bag out and then makes his escape.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14As well as precious jewellery,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18it turns out the burglar has stolen bikes and other items from an
0:14:18 > 0:14:21outbuilding. Over the next few days,
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Robert arranges for replacement windows and more security measures.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27I was left a bit shaken and then it occurred to me,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30I'd been thinking about CCTV and I thought,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32"Well, actually now is the opportune time to go and do it."
0:14:32 > 0:14:35I need to make it happen.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37He installs two cameras that can
0:14:37 > 0:14:40send him pictures and alerts over the internet.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I'm quite into the technology
0:14:42 > 0:14:45and liked the concept that it would alert me
0:14:45 > 0:14:49via smartphone if it detected an intruder.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Robert flies out to meet Jane on holiday.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57When he arrives, he tells her about how he took on the burglar.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01I was very proud of what Robert did, but obviously it was very, very scary,
0:15:01 > 0:15:05because the guy could have had a knife or a gun or anything.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09Jane and Robert are determined to enjoy their break in Andorra, but a
0:15:09 > 0:15:12few days into their holiday,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16an alert from their home security system pops up on Robert's phone.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19An intruder has been detected.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Oh, goodness! Movement in the driveway.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25I thought, "Well, maybe it's the postman or the milkman or something
0:15:25 > 0:15:29"like that," and then I looked, and realised, "Oh, gosh, it's the same guy."
0:15:29 > 0:15:31I could see him. It's the same guy.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- We've got to do something.- Robert and I had both started sort of
0:15:34 > 0:15:37panicking, shouting, "What shall we do?
0:15:37 > 0:15:40"What's going on? This is impossible."
0:15:40 > 0:15:42And I'm shouting at my wife, saying, "You got to call the police.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44"You've got to get somebody there."
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Of course, we didn't know how to call the police from Andorra.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49You can't dial 999 from a foreign country.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Luckily, Jane knows the phone numbers
0:15:52 > 0:15:54of their neighbourhood watch team.
0:15:54 > 0:15:59We called our next door neighbour and the next one and the next one.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Time after time, people are not answering their phones.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04It was the third neighbour, actually, managed to answer.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Jane asked their neighbour to call 999.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12But when she does, because she's not the property owner,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16the call handler suspects it may be a hoax and wants to check before
0:16:16 > 0:16:18sending the police.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Meanwhile, the intruder has worked out that the house is empty.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26He goes to shut the gate, so it doesn't draw any attention.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29I'm just watching this live, going mad.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33We felt helpless, but we could see it happening.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38Jane phones their daughter in Devon, who contacts Hampshire Police.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43She gives them my number and they, the police then ring me and say,
0:16:43 > 0:16:44"Are you being burgled?"
0:16:44 > 0:16:46And I said, "Yes!"
0:16:46 > 0:16:48"And how do you know?" I said, "Cos I can see it on video.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52- "It's on my camera."- Officers are dispatched to the house.
0:16:54 > 0:16:55The burglar is oblivious to
0:16:55 > 0:16:59the intense activity he's causing in two countries.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02He climbs onto a roof in order to break in.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04We were devastated because he's
0:17:04 > 0:17:06found something in his hand to go and smash a window.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08GLASS SHATTERS
0:17:08 > 0:17:12And there's a smash to the window, and I thought, "Oh, no, not another one."
0:17:12 > 0:17:17We were on the edge of our seats watching a horror movie unfold.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Then they see someone else arrive.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22It's the neighbour who Jane talked to on the phone.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26We see a retired lady turn up on her own and, you think,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29"Oh, my goodness, what have we now done?"
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Feeling guilty, because you realise, actually,
0:17:31 > 0:17:35are we asking our neighbours to put themselves into a position that
0:17:35 > 0:17:38it isn't really fair to engage in on our behalves?
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Then more locals arrive.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44The neighbour has organised a posse!
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Four neighbours all turned up, which was just phenomenal.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51And they could see him inside the house.
0:17:51 > 0:17:52- MAN:- How did you get in here?
0:17:52 > 0:17:55And they're shouting at him, "You shouldn't be there!"
0:17:55 > 0:17:58And he's saying he couldn't get out. And of course, they can't get in.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00So it's a bit of a stalemate.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01Realising he is surrounded,
0:18:01 > 0:18:06the burglar goes upstairs and back out through the window he'd smashed.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11We saw this person jump and land on the gravel.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14He actually landed badly and fell over.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And then, we saw one, two, three neighbours pile in on top.
0:18:19 > 0:18:20JANE LAUGHS
0:18:20 > 0:18:23And these are guys who are kind of in their late 60s,
0:18:23 > 0:18:2670s and they just sat on top of him.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31The 22-year-old burglar tries to struggle free from his captors.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33The woman runs for reinforcements.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38We hear a lot of horrible shouting.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40ANGRY SHOUTS
0:18:40 > 0:18:43I knew at some point that he could easily break away.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48He had bitten our neighbour's arm through a thick anorak and, you know,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51had raised the most horrific bruising.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55But the brave neighbours somehow managed to keep the strong young man
0:18:55 > 0:19:00pinned down. Six minutes later, reinforcements arrive,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03followed by a police dog handler.
0:19:03 > 0:19:04BARKING
0:19:04 > 0:19:08We realised, thank goodness, that's it.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10The police have come. It will all be fine.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15But though they're pleased the burglar has been caught,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18the impact of the two break-ins hits the couple hard.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22They travel home immediately.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26We just felt invaded, you know.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Someone had come into our house, they'd been going through my drawers.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32It doesn't feel like your place any more.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35When the intruder appeared in court a month later,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Jane read out a victim statement.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40I wanted my chance to explain just,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43you know, how horrible it was.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46I really felt everybody was concerned
0:19:46 > 0:19:48and was listening to me as the victim,
0:19:48 > 0:19:53so I was very grateful for that and I was very happy that justice did
0:19:53 > 0:19:54take its course.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00The man pleaded guilty to burglary and other offences,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03including assault and criminal damage.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05He was sentenced to three years in prison.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Robert and Jane know that without their courageous neighbours,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17they could have had a very unpleasant homecoming.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21We were extremely grateful to the neighbours and, in fact, on the Sunday,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24we invited them all round for some lunch.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26We wanted to thank everybody and we
0:20:26 > 0:20:28all talked about it and shared the experience.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31They have to be the heroes of the day.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42We're back in Greater Manchester,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46where the police are on the trail of dangerous criminals who use gas to
0:20:46 > 0:20:49blow up cash machines to get at the money inside,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53with little concern about the risk to other people's lives.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56CCTV has just captured two men
0:20:56 > 0:21:00causing this explosion at a petrol station.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06They scoop up armfuls of cash and throw away any notes that are burnt.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14It's 5:30am and the garage owner Shohel is woken at home by a
0:21:14 > 0:21:17panicked assistant who's just gone to open up the garage.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19PHONE RINGS
0:21:19 > 0:21:20His words were,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24"Shohel, there's police everywhere and the site is in bits."
0:21:24 > 0:21:27And I just thought, "Oh, my God, what's happened here?"
0:21:27 > 0:21:31Shohel jumps straight into the car and rushes to the garage.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34I could just see a sea of police everywhere.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37I remember seeing money on the floor
0:21:37 > 0:21:39and the cash machine in two halves.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Some of the garage's pumps are badly damaged.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47Each pump cost anywhere between £20,000 and £50,000.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51I just said, "Oh, my God, how am I going to serve customers now?"
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Shohel and police officers look back through the garage's camera
0:21:56 > 0:21:58recordings to see exactly what's happened.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02When Shohel sees the explosion,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06he knows the situation could have become catastrophic.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11When I saw the fireball go across from the cash machine to the pump,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15I knew there was 11,000 or 12,000 litres of fuel on the site.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17It could have gone directly underneath,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19into the tanks and taken the whole site out.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25If that had gone up in flames, it's not just the petrol station.
0:22:25 > 0:22:31Within that very close proximity, you're talking about 200-odd houses.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34It could have literally taken out the whole of that.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39The robbers get away with £41,000.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43And the repair bill for the garage is nearly £84,000.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Shohel won't be able to trade properly until the pumps are fixed,
0:22:47 > 0:22:49leaving him severely out of pocket.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53It was supporting my life, my family, I've got suppliers to pay,
0:22:53 > 0:22:57I've got bills to pay, I've got wages to pay.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01The emotion of just frustration and anger, as well as upset.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06The pressure is on for senior investigating officer
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Richard Casselly and his team to track down the men responsible.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14When you look at the service station offence, it just shows how mad,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16how chaotic and how much of a
0:23:16 > 0:23:18disregard for people these people have.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21They're going to kill someone. They really are going to kill someone at some stage,
0:23:21 > 0:23:23because they have no regard for anyone at all.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25All they're concentrating on is
0:23:25 > 0:23:27getting large sums of money for themselves.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30But the gang has made a careless mistake.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32The thieves left behind the gas canisters
0:23:32 > 0:23:34used to ignite the cash machine.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37They are sent off for forensic analysis.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40And there's another breakthrough for Richard and his team -
0:23:40 > 0:23:44a member of the public has just called with valuable information.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49They've seen offenders near the ATM making off on motorbikes straight
0:23:49 > 0:23:52after the offence, with what appears to be rucksacks on their back.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Richard's team collect CCTV from street cameras in the area to see if
0:23:58 > 0:24:02- they can spot anything. - In the early hours of the morning,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- there's not going to be many people on the road.- And they strike lucky.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09A nearby camera shows the thieves on their motorcycles fleeing the scene
0:24:09 > 0:24:14- of the crime.- And we could see that one of the bikes in an image was
0:24:14 > 0:24:17like a red type of bike, with quite distinct flashing on the side.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23At the same time, the forensic report on the gas canisters
0:24:23 > 0:24:25the crooks left at the garage comes back.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30Partial DNA has been found matching that of a man known to the police.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35The same DNA was also found on gas canisters used at the earlier raid
0:24:35 > 0:24:37on the Post Office.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Partial DNA hits are now at the offence at the Post Office,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43and then also at the offence at the service station,
0:24:43 > 0:24:47so even though it's circumstantial evidence, it's becoming stronger.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51The police now have enough evidence to arrest that man and another
0:24:51 > 0:24:55suspect, whose partial DNA was also found on the canister.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00At the first suspect's house, they find £5,700 in cash.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03This chap, he doesn't work.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05He's on benefits and he's got a lot
0:25:05 > 0:25:09of money there in notes, which he's got no reason to have.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15This search of the second suspect's house proves even more fruitful.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17We recover a rucksack.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Inside the rucksack is gas canisters with piping.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24They find more gas canisters stashed in the rear yard and a
0:25:24 > 0:25:26rather familiar-looking motorcycle.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Now, this again is a significant find to us.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33We have CCTV footage of two bikes making away from the scene.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37One of them's a red bike with flashing down the sides,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40which is identical in appearance to this.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46Even more vital evidence is uncovered by studying where
0:25:46 > 0:25:49the suspects' mobile phones have been used over the past few months.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53We are able to put them at the scenes of offences and also at the
0:25:53 > 0:25:57scenes of vehicle abandonments, which they were unable to explain.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01This is really strong evidence that again links them to the offences
0:26:01 > 0:26:02that we are investigating.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06With all the evidence stacked up against them,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08both men admitted to the crimes.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16In court, one pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and causing an
0:26:16 > 0:26:19explosion likely to endanger life and was sentenced to
0:26:19 > 0:26:22eight and a half years in prison.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27The other man also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30to causing an explosion and to an additional robbery.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34He was jailed for 11 and a half years.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36But that wasn't the end of the matter.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40I was at court on the day they got these sentences and immediately
0:26:40 > 0:26:42after sentencing, they both cheered, laughed,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45and one of them even blew a raspberry
0:26:45 > 0:26:46at the gallery as he was taken down.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49It was clear they thought they'd got away with it to a degree and got
0:26:49 > 0:26:51really lenient sentences.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53As a result, we went back,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56had a conversation with the Crown Prosecution Service and requested
0:26:56 > 0:27:01these sentences were appealed due to being unduly lenient.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03And the appeals court agreed -
0:27:03 > 0:27:05their prison sentences
0:27:05 > 0:27:09were increased to 13 years and six months, and 18 years.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Not such a laughing matter now.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Detective Richard is pleased with the new jail terms and the
0:27:20 > 0:27:23overall impact this case has had on other criminals
0:27:23 > 0:27:24in Greater Manchester.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Since the result, there has been a reduction in that type of crime.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30It puts people off with the big sentences.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34I hope it brings a little bit of closure as well for the victims in this.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37For Shohel, who had to build his petrol station back up,
0:27:37 > 0:27:42the robbers being arrested and convicted was wonderful news.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44It was a sense of relief.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45I'm glad it's over.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48They've been caught, they can't do
0:27:48 > 0:27:51it again and nobody else can be affected.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Emily and Leo's flat was so badly damaged by the thieves causing an
0:27:55 > 0:27:58explosion in the Post Office below, they had to move out.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02But now, they are happily settled in a new home.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05It's onwards and upwards now.
0:28:05 > 0:28:06A new chapter.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Leo's started a new school, has loads of friends.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13It's nice to see Leo happy and smiley.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23That's it for today. And that's it for a few more criminals who have
0:28:23 > 0:28:25been caught red-handed.