0:00:02 > 0:00:05Across Britain, you're capturing the evidence.
0:00:05 > 0:00:06I felt enough was enough.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08You're setting the traps.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10She took the first possible opportunity that she
0:00:10 > 0:00:14had on that day to come and steal money from my wallet.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17And you're even confronting the bad guys.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19There's no time to think, you had to stop him.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21There's no other way, really.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24This series is all about the part you, the Great British public,
0:00:24 > 0:00:26are playing in the fight against crime.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29It's someone else's phone, put it back!
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Whether it's catching car thieves or exposing career criminals.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36'And immediately, the till is open and he's taken the money.'
0:00:36 > 0:00:38The audacity to do that.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43We'll show you how you're turning the tables on the law-breakers.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45And helping the police catch the crooks.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Welcome to Fightback Britain.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00This week, a gang of motorbike thieves
0:01:00 > 0:01:02get more than they bargained for.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05I just had to act. It was purely a case of, I've got to get involved,
0:01:05 > 0:01:07this isn't happening.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11A woman hangs a knicker thief out to dry after her pants are pinched.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14When all of a sudden I heard that bang on the fence, I was like,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16"He's here." I was like, "Oh, my God."
0:01:16 > 0:01:19And we show you how you can get your own back on the phone snatchers.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Time to put my thief under a bit of pressure.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25- COMPUTERISED VOICE:- 'I'm coming to get you, ha-ha-ha.'
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Oh, my word, how do I stop this? This is slightly freaking me out.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Read it and weep!
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Last year, one in six of us were victims of crime.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38But that doesn't mean we took it lying down.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Over the next four weeks, we're going to show how you, the British public,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43are fighting back against the bad guys.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Yes, from using the latest cameras, to amateur detective work,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49you're making life tough for the criminals
0:01:49 > 0:01:50by passing evidence on to the police.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54And sometimes, you're going beyond the call, putting your own life
0:01:54 > 0:01:56in danger in order to protect others.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00I just made a snap decision,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03last-minute, to move over and stop him.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05HORN BLASTS
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Our first story started with an alert to Ross Philips
0:02:09 > 0:02:11at the M6 motorway control room.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Five hours into the shift, we had reports coming into the control room
0:02:15 > 0:02:17that there was an HGV travelling southbound
0:02:17 > 0:02:21on the northbound carriageway, basically into incoming traffic.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26I started to look on the CCTV cameras that we have access to.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32A 30-tonne articulated lorry is hurtling down the northbound
0:02:32 > 0:02:36carriageway of the M6 in the wrong direction.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40You can't quite believe that it's happening. It's quite frightening
0:02:40 > 0:02:43when you see members of the public having to swerve out of the way
0:02:43 > 0:02:46when they've got an HGV travelling at 40-50mph coming towards them.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Initially, the lorry speeds along with its lights off.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Bizarrely, it then starts flashing them at oncoming traffic.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Every time it approached another vehicle,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05it was like, "Oh, this could be it."
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Worst case scenario, somebody's going to die here.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12The lorry forces an oncoming car to swerve out of the way.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15The police had to act quickly.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Straightaway, we dispatch officers,
0:03:17 > 0:03:21giving them live updates on its location and its progress,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24and we made the decision to set the speeds to 20mph.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27But with the lorry showing no signs of slowing down,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30a serious accident seems inevitable.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39Ten hours earlier, truck driver Simon Cotton had started his day.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I've been driving trucks for about 20 years.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46The thing I like most about my job is being out on the road,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49listening to the radio, scenery is always changing.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55In a typical week, I would cover about 1,500km.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57# Well, I'm so tired of crying
0:03:57 > 0:04:00# But I'm out on the road again
0:04:00 > 0:04:02# I'm on the road again... #
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Also on the road was trucker, Krystian Wilenski.
0:04:05 > 0:04:06# But I'm out on the road again... #
0:04:06 > 0:04:10I'm driving in England about six, seven years.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Typical shift for me is ten hours, sometimes more.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19I came to drive here because that was my...
0:04:21 > 0:04:22..passion.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27On that day, Krystian was driving his 28-tonne DAF to his final drop,
0:04:27 > 0:04:33and Simon, in his 22-tonne, 284 horsepower MAN, was heading home.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Neither had any idea what they were about to face.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45The runaway truck was now passing junction 11
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and the traffic was getting heavier.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Scared drivers started calling 999.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52EMERGENCY OPERATOR: Police emergency.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06But with motorway police still several miles away, in the
0:05:06 > 0:05:10control room, Ross was bracing himself for a major incident.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14At this point, you can see two vehicles in a row
0:05:14 > 0:05:17have had to swerve to avoid the HGV.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19They're in that much shock
0:05:19 > 0:05:23and disbelief that they've had to pull over and stop.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26We're in here watching it on camera, thinking,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28it's going to collide with something.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32This was when he was approaching junction ten of the M6.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Where it was the first opportunity to come off the motorway, he doesn't.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41And at this point, we knew that he wasn't going to stop.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Later in the programme...
0:05:45 > 0:05:49I see an explosion of light. He was flicking his main beam on,
0:05:49 > 0:05:54and it was then I realised it was a truck coming towards us.
0:05:54 > 0:05:55HORN BLARES
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Thankfully, few of us will ever have to face a runaway lorry,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02but sadly, thousands of us will have our mobile phones stolen.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05These days, smartphones contain more than just contacts.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08There are photos, passwords, sometimes even bank details.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11And they can be worth hundreds of pounds.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13There's a thriving black market,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16so no wonder these little things are hot property for thieves.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Today in Britain,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23almost half of all robberies now involve a mobile phone.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25And it often happens like this.
0:06:27 > 0:06:33In London alone, around 300 mobile phones are stolen every single day.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35No, sir, you won't be seeing that again.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40It seems there's little we can do to fight back. Or is there?
0:06:40 > 0:06:44In fact, you can now make life very uncomfortable for phone snatchers.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46New anti-theft software
0:06:46 > 0:06:49allows you to track your phone without the thief knowing.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53So how well do these things really work? And can they help you and me
0:06:53 > 0:06:56provide police with enough evidence to put a thief behind bars?
0:06:56 > 0:07:00'I'm going to have a little bit of fun with Adrian finding out.'
0:07:00 > 0:07:04- Morning.- Morning, Julia, how are you doing?- I'm very well.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- Can I have a cup of tea?- No time, I'm afraid.- Why, what's going on?
0:07:06 > 0:07:09- Give me your hand.- Hmm, like this?
0:07:09 > 0:07:13There we go. That is my brand-new, all-singing, all-dancing smartphone.
0:07:13 > 0:07:14You shouldn't have. What happens now?
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Now...you play the thief.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19You've nicked my smartphone out of my handbag.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23I'm giving you a 30-minute head start and then I'm on your tail.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26You're crazy in the coconut. That won't work. It's London, I can hide.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Try me.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30I shall see you later. Or not, as the case may be.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Oh, you'll see me.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37Adrian's got half an hour to get as far away from me as possible.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- TAXI DRIVER:- Where to, mate?
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- Anywhere. I'm trying to hide, just take me anywhere.- Right you are.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Time to find out whether this software really works
0:07:46 > 0:07:48by tracking Adrian's movements.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Right, I'm logged on and I have started tracking.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57So I can actually see where Adrian is now.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00There he is, he's just a little blue blob.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04I just can't believe that there isn't somewhere I can hide
0:08:04 > 0:08:06where Julia won't be able to find me. I just can't believe it.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10He's actually taking quite a nice little tour around London.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11Hyde Park...
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Very predictable. Houses of Parliament.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Thanks to the software, I've mapped out Adrian's route.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Now, I'm going to raise the stakes and hunt down my prey.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Right, let's go find him.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32Sounding confident, Julia. We'll see how you get on later.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Of course, if your phone is stolen with this software on it,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38you shouldn't chase down the thief yourself.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Instead, providing police with the information
0:08:41 > 0:08:43can help them track down the thieves.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45As Ian Strudwick knows all too well.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51He's kept the presses rolling at Kenads Printers for over 20 years.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55But a burglary where £3,000 worth of computer equipment was stolen
0:08:55 > 0:08:58put his business in jeopardy.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03I was distraught, I didn't really know what to do. I was helpless.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05The computers are our lifeblood.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Without them, you can't operate.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10He decided to install the very latest tracking software
0:09:10 > 0:09:13on his replacement machine.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15We went to get these new computers,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17and a member of staff there mentioned some software
0:09:17 > 0:09:20that could help protect us in future.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Once a computer is reported as stolen, the software secretly
0:09:24 > 0:09:28switches itself on, instructs the computer's camera to take pictures,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32and automatically e-mails these, along with a GPS location,
0:09:32 > 0:09:33to the owner.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37All with the thief completely oblivious to what's happening.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42Over one in ten people are unlucky enough to be burgled more than once.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Ian is one of them.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48A week later, he fell victim for a second time, and just like before,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51his expensive computer was the target.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53This time, he was ready.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57The only question was, would the secret software actually work?
0:09:57 > 0:10:03The software was activated about an hour or so after the break-in.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Shortly after, an e-mail arrived containing the GPS location
0:10:07 > 0:10:10of his computer - it was less than 30 miles away.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15And just eight minutes later, Ian received a picture
0:10:15 > 0:10:17taken from the computer's built in camera.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21SONG: "Just The Two Of Us"
0:10:21 > 0:10:23To Ian's surprise,
0:10:23 > 0:10:27his stolen computer had e-mailed him a picture of a couple in bed.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31And every eight minutes a new photo arrived.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34# Building castles in the sky
0:10:34 > 0:10:36# Just the two of us... #
0:10:36 > 0:10:40To actually see the photos coming through - it's another world,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43it's one ordinary people don't experience.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48With this computer software, you're in their room.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51You're watching them on their bed.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54With photos of who had his computer arriving in real-time,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Ian immediately called Sussex police.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Here's the couple possibly wondering why the police are at the door.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07And here's the police in the room.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11The final picture that the computer took before it was taken off
0:11:11 > 0:11:12was the chap being handcuffed.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15And that really made you feel happy, that did.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17You know, knowing that justice was done.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21The man in the picture pleaded guilty to dishonest handling of a computer
0:11:21 > 0:11:23and was given a six month suspended sentence.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30Meanwhile I'm still trying to find Adrian, who has my mobile.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33The bad news for him is that the anti-theft app on the phone
0:11:33 > 0:11:34seems to be working.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36And I'm hot on his tail.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Cheers, Dave. Keep the change. See you, bye.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Well, I think I've come far enough in a taxi,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44so it's time to say goodbye to Dave and his cab,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and lose myself - immerse myself - in the London masses.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52So I think I know the direction he's heading in,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55time to put my thief under a bit of pressure.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57I'm going to send him a message.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00- ELECTRONIC VOICE:- I'm coming to get you ha-ha-ha.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03My word, how do I stop this? This is slightly freaking me out.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- ELECTRONIC VOICE:- I'm coming to get you...
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It's on repeat, and I can't stop it.
0:12:08 > 0:12:09He must be freaking out by now.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14So... let's take a picture.
0:12:14 > 0:12:15CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Oh, dear, there he is.
0:12:17 > 0:12:18That's not flattering.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Although, to be fair,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23not very many people take a good picture when it's up the nostril.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26That's a bit better.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27God, I thought I had a big nose.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36According to my tracker, Adrian is here by the river,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39and judging by the speed at which he's moving, he's on foot.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43My app says Adrian's here at the British Film Institute,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47perhaps to watch a sophisticated French art-house movie.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50- Could I have a beer please, mate? - Sure.- 'Or maybe not.'
0:12:50 > 0:12:51I know he's in there somewhere,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54but finding him in a building of this size could be tricky.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59So for my final trick, I'm going to set off a very noisy alarm...
0:12:59 > 0:13:01that will hopefully lead me right to him.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05SIREN Oh, God.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10SIREN INTENSIFIES
0:13:13 > 0:13:15I can hear him.
0:13:15 > 0:13:16I can hear him!
0:13:16 > 0:13:18I can smell him.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21There you are - thief, thief!
0:13:21 > 0:13:22Can you make your phone behave?
0:13:22 > 0:13:26- Having a quiet drink, are we? - I was, yeah. I'm glad to see you.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28SIREN STOPS
0:13:28 > 0:13:30THEY SIGH
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- That's better.- That really is better.- So how was it for you?
0:13:33 > 0:13:36I'm well and truly tracked down.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38As well as sending you messages,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41I could also take pictures of you.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43You've got to give that to me.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45You don't want to go public with that picture.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46I think I need to go to bed earlier.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50So, completely without your knowledge,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53snapping away just to try and see, locate you, where you are
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and what you look like, more importantly.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57It's good hard evidence to pass on to the police
0:13:57 > 0:14:01who then can try and secure a conviction.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04And I think the clever thing about it is I can do this
0:14:04 > 0:14:05without putting myself at risk.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09- Julia, I surrender to you and the technology.- I knew you would.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Today, people are using all sorts of gadgets to fight back against crime,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21everything from electronic door locks to motion-sensor cameras.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24But, occasionally, some of you find yourselves with nothing
0:14:24 > 0:14:27but your own muscle to rely on in order to prevent a crime.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Take these motorcycle shop workers
0:14:29 > 0:14:32who put themselves at a huge personal risk.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Paul Read and Adrian Couzens were managing two bike stores
0:14:38 > 0:14:40in St James Road, Croydon -
0:14:40 > 0:14:45a street full of bikes, bikes and more bikes.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47It's a kind of community place for bikers to come and meet up
0:14:47 > 0:14:50and chew the fat, really.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54We all work together, and help out each other when and where we can.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57But last year, community spirit was tested to the limit
0:14:57 > 0:14:59when they came under attack.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03It started on a warm Monday afternoon
0:15:03 > 0:15:05when Paul was about to shut up his shop.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Six lads turned up on sports bikes, which is nothing unusual, come in,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12crash helmets on, wouldn't take them off,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14which kind of put my back up a little bit.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Just hanging around the sports bikes and the Panigales, especially.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23Kind of sense of unease, because you don't normally get en masse
0:15:23 > 0:15:25and they won't take their crash helmets off.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28You normally get a couple but not en masse like they were.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32When they left I felt a bit of relief because they'd gone.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34I'd hoped it would be the last I'd see of them,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38but obviously as events transpired, the next day, it wasn't!
0:15:38 > 0:15:41The following day, it was business as usual.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43It had been a reasonably busy day - a few lookers,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45and we're coming near the end of the day,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47so I was just getting a fax off the fax machine...
0:15:49 > 0:15:51But at quarter to five
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Paul's customer's from the previous day were back.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56And today they'd come with a shopping list.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00I heard the door buzzer go, voices, stuck my head round the door,
0:16:00 > 0:16:04and there's two guys helping themselves to two Panigales.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07It was obvious that they wanted the bikes
0:16:07 > 0:16:09without putting an order in first, really.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11With no-one on hand to help,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Paul's best option was to let them leave with the goods.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16But with a rush of blood to the head,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19he single-handedly tries to stop the gang of six.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22I just had to act. It was just purely a case of,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25"I've got to get involved. This isn't happening, not today."
0:16:25 > 0:16:27The odds weren't looking good.
0:16:29 > 0:16:30But events hadn't gone unnoticed
0:16:30 > 0:16:33by Adrian in his shop across the road.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35I looked over and I could see that the front wheel
0:16:35 > 0:16:37was starting to come out.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39My first thought was, "Where's Paul?"
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Adrian sensibly triggers an alarm
0:16:42 > 0:16:45to the police but then sets off to help his friend.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48The next thing I know I see a flash of white come running past the door
0:16:48 > 0:16:52with an arm out - which was Adrian coming to my rescue.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56It was just a reaction.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59There wasn't really a thought process behind...
0:16:59 > 0:17:01this could happen, that could happen,
0:17:01 > 0:17:02they could be carrying weapons.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07I noticed a guy, sat on the forecourt on a scooter,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11and I started to push him off his scooter to try and keep him here
0:17:11 > 0:17:12while the police are on the way.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16With Adrian coming running across there was a kind of,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18"Good, I'm not on my own, maybe we can sort this out,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20"maybe we can handle this."
0:17:20 > 0:17:22But that wasn't the end of it.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27That's when the hammers and metal bars come out so it was,
0:17:27 > 0:17:28we're unarmed, they're armed,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31just kind of like step back, try and,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34you know, not get our heads beaten in.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37At one point one of the guys comes at me with a metal bar
0:17:37 > 0:17:40and you see me back off. The reason I went to where I did
0:17:40 > 0:17:43was because I knew there was an alleyway that I could get down.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Paul and Adrian were now in serious danger.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49But watch the top left of your screen.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55Two guys from a third bike shop sprinted over to lend a hand.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57When I saw them coming, I did feel relieved
0:17:57 > 0:18:03cos we're back to three, four people on our side, against the six of them
0:18:03 > 0:18:05and some of them have already started to flee the scene.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09As the gang make their escape and with still no sign of the police,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Adrian tries to slow them down.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14I went back after the guy that had got back on to his scooter,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16and pushed him off for a second time.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Unknown to me, the first time I'd pushed him off, I broke my wrist.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25And as they're leaving, I get a metal bar thrown at me
0:18:25 > 0:18:28which hits me across the back of the shoulder and the back of the head,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31which knocks me down, basically.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34The boys from the bike shops had prevented the theft
0:18:34 > 0:18:37of £50,000 worth of motorcycles.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39But it could have ended in tragedy.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43It wasn't until later that you get a sense of,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46"I've actually been lucky here. Someone's been looking out for me."
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Cos it could have been me in a hospital bed somewhere,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51or being fed through a tube.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53The boys know their actions were risky,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57but they're grateful they could count on each other when it mattered most.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04I would definitely stick up for my friends - again, no questions asked.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09There's not many bikers around, but you do get a sense of
0:19:09 > 0:19:10we'll all help each other,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12whether it's at the side of the road with a puncture
0:19:12 > 0:19:15or whether it's trying to stop some thieving little oiks.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Earlier we told you about an equally terrifying situation -
0:19:22 > 0:19:26a runaway lorry heading in the wrong direction down the M6.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31This would also require a risky intervention
0:19:31 > 0:19:35by a member of the public if disaster was to be averted.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Every time it approached another vehicle,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42it was like, "Oh, this could be it."
0:19:42 > 0:19:46Worst case scenario, somebody's going to die here.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49As the truck passes just inches from another HGV,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52it seemed only a serious collision would bring this runaway lorry
0:19:52 > 0:19:53to a halt.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56Less that half a mile away
0:19:56 > 0:19:59are truckers Simon Cotton and Krystian Wilenski.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08The matrix sign flashes up, "20mph, oncoming vehicle."
0:20:08 > 0:20:11I see a sign to reduce speed limit -
0:20:11 > 0:20:15I think, "Crap, traffic!"
0:20:15 > 0:20:19So I need to move over here, to give myself some visibility,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21some reaction time.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Simon had slowed to 20 miles an hour.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26But out of the darkness, just 400 metres ahead of him,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29he gets his first terrifying sight of the vehicle.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31I see an explosion of light,
0:20:31 > 0:20:33he's flicked his main beam on.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37It was then I realised it was a truck coming towards us.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Simon knew if the lorry collided with a car, it could kill.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46So he came up with a bold - if risky - plan.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51I just made a snap decision, last minute, to move over and stop him.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55A lorry here in the slow lane is almost at a standstill.
0:20:55 > 0:20:56Thinking a collision with his truck
0:20:56 > 0:20:58could prevent an even bigger accident,
0:20:58 > 0:21:03Simon changes lane and pulls his lorry alongside to form a roadblock.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07He was now head-to-head with the oncoming HGV.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11We was watching it thinking,
0:21:11 > 0:21:15"If this doesn't stop it, I don't know what is going to stop him."
0:21:15 > 0:21:17I sort of knew he was going to stop.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Well, it was more hope than anything, but...
0:21:23 > 0:21:29Either he was going to stop or there was going to be a collision,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32and I would have had a lot of explaining to do to my boss.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38Fortunately for Simon, the driver stopped a few metres from his cab.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41But the runaway trucker could still drive around him.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Simon knew he needed another lorry to make sure he couldn't escape.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49200m back, Krystian Wilenski approached the scene.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53I see two lorries that stay on the motorway,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57and they've got hazard lights on.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Krystian's arrived alongside me.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04And I looked out and gestured for him to pull alongside and just,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07"Block him in, mate."
0:22:07 > 0:22:09With Krystian blocking the only other escape route,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13the quick-thinking truckers had averted a potential disaster.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16It was just so much relief in here that nobody had been killed
0:22:16 > 0:22:18and eventually it had been stopped.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24He gets out the vehicle I ask him if he was all right.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26In broken English he says, "Yeah, I'm OK."
0:22:28 > 0:22:30You can smell
0:22:30 > 0:22:33some kind of alcohol or something.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35The driver was Pal Korbely.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37He'd spent the afternoon at the motorway services.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39And instead of a cup of tea,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42he'd been tucking into home-made plum brandy.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45He pleaded guilty to driving whilst under the influence
0:22:45 > 0:22:47and sentenced to eight months in prison,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50and banned from driving for three years.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Thanks to the bravery of Simon and Chris, no-one was hurt
0:22:52 > 0:22:55and they were given a police commendation,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58and a £250 reward for their actions.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00But both know it could have ended very differently.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Well somebody had to stop him. It was either a truck or a car.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And a car wouldn't have stood much of a chance.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I would do it again the same,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14because you are not alone on the road.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16If we had not done it,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18then many people get hurt.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Now, thankfully, not all crimes are life-threatening.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26In fact, sometimes it can take a while to realise
0:23:26 > 0:23:28that you've been a victim of crime at all.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31In our final story tonight, a bit of DIY detective work was needed
0:23:31 > 0:23:34to get to the bottom of some mysterious goings-on
0:23:34 > 0:23:36in a suburban back garden.
0:23:38 > 0:23:43Leanne Burrell's trusty washing line has served her well for years.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45I often hang my washing out at night
0:23:45 > 0:23:48because if it's going to be a nice day tomorrow,
0:23:48 > 0:23:49and because I work all day,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52it's best for me just to hang it out and get it out of the way.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56But suddenly her underwear started to disappear off the line.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59I felt like I was going mad, and every time I was saying to people,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02"I think my washing is being taken out of my garden,"
0:24:02 > 0:24:04they were like, "Don't be so silly."
0:24:04 > 0:24:07When you put washing on, sometimes you only come out with one sock.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10I was thinking maybe that's what's happened,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13maybe we've got a black hole somewhere in the washing machine!
0:24:13 > 0:24:14A little while later,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Leanne made a discovery at the bottom of her garden.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21There was three pieces of clothing - one was a swimming costume,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24one was a pair of knickers, and one was a bra.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29And that's when I knew somebody was taking my underwear.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31With a possible knicker thief on the prowl,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33the Burrells called in the police.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36The advice from the police was not to hang my washing out
0:24:36 > 0:24:38of an evening and to perhaps get a tumble dryer.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41But with washing still going missing,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Leanne and husband Paul decided to lay a trap.
0:24:44 > 0:24:50They bought two night-vision motion sensor cameras costing 70 quid each.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Legally, you can set up cctv on your own property,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57though pointing it at your neighbour's house should be avoided.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00But when it came to bait, there was a small problem.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04By this time I had very little underwear left,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07so I was beg, borrowing and stealing from the neighbours
0:25:07 > 0:25:12and from my family and friends to get different types of underwear
0:25:12 > 0:25:14to hang on the washing line.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Big bras, little bras, tights,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19and was thinking, "Surely they're not going to go."
0:25:19 > 0:25:22The trap was set.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Leanne would spend the night with a friend,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26while their husbands lay in wait.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28We sat waiting and waiting and waiting,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30and then I was laying on the sofa and closed my eyes
0:25:30 > 0:25:31while he kept watch.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35But then he must have had five minutes of closing his eyes
0:25:35 > 0:25:38and in that time he'd been and gone.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40I think probably they'd fallen asleep,
0:25:40 > 0:25:42but they'd kill me for telling you that!
0:25:44 > 0:25:46With the boys enjoying 40 winks,
0:25:46 > 0:25:49a man hops over the fence and approaches the washing line.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Having forgotten his bag, the knicker thief decides
0:25:57 > 0:25:59the best place to store his booty...
0:25:59 > 0:26:00is down his pants.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09When I got back and I looked outside the door, the boys said,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12"No, he hasn't been, and I said, "That's funny because we've got half
0:26:12 > 0:26:14"the washing missing off the washing line."
0:26:14 > 0:26:17With hard evidence of pants being pinched,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20the Burrells decided to set the trap again that evening.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24Trying to go to work, do a day's work, and it plays on your brain,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26and you're thinking,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28"I've got to do it, I've got to get him, got to get him."
0:26:30 > 0:26:34At 20 past one in the morning, a familiar figure appeared.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Suddenly there he was, jumping over the fence.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I rang the police and said, "I've got an intruder in my garden."
0:26:44 > 0:26:47I didn't know whether we could go out there and nick him
0:26:47 > 0:26:50or what to do really, cos it was quite frightening.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55But with the police on their way, and the thief making a run for it,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Paul and his mate head outside to find him.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01It's not long before they come across the man
0:27:01 > 0:27:03they've just seen on their cctv.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05So we just went up to him and said,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08"What you doing out here at this time of night?"
0:27:08 > 0:27:11He goes, "Oh, I couldn't sleep, and I felt a bit rough."
0:27:11 > 0:27:13"By the way, you're under arrest."
0:27:13 > 0:27:15So we just waited for the old bill to do their job.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17They turned up and they arrested him.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20And then stripped searched him on the corner of the road,
0:27:20 > 0:27:22and found all the underwear down his pants.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24I believe, when they searched his bedroom,
0:27:24 > 0:27:26they found about 80 items of our clothing.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28The knicker thief pleaded guilty
0:27:28 > 0:27:31and was ordered to pay £250 in compensation
0:27:31 > 0:27:34and do 100 hours in community payback.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Amazing what you can discover in your own back yard.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43But remember you can only film on your own property.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45And I don't think you need to worry about anybody
0:27:45 > 0:27:48stealing your pants from the washing line, lovely.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50- And on that note, good night! - Good night.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58Next week, armed robbers are foiled not once, but twice....by OAPS!
0:27:58 > 0:28:00If you're right in the centre of it,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03you don't think, you just get on with it, I think.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07Things go horribly wrong for two have-a-go-heroes.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10And at that point I said, "You're bleeding quite badly."
0:28:10 > 0:28:12He looked at me and said, "Not as bad as you."
0:28:12 > 0:28:16And a vicar stages a midnight stakeout to catch metal thieves.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18I felt enough was enough.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Subtitles By Red Bee Media Ltd