Episode 3 Neighbourhood Blues

-Policing in the 21st century has come full circle.

-Evening, all.

The old romantic notion of the bobby on the beat, like Sgt George Dixon 50 years ago,

is very much back in favour.

-It's here.

-A new, caring force has been created that works in collaboration with the community

-called the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

-You're under arrest, OK?

Now the teams are in every local area of the country.

Get him! We've got a runner!

Cracking down on antisocial behaviour.

Stay here! I've had enough.

Busting suspected drug dens.

There's a lot growing in this room.

-And laying down the law to crooks and criminals.

-Do as you're told!

-I wasn't BLEEP driving it!

In this new series of Neighbourhood Blues, we follow the men and women of the Humberside Police Force...

I'm arresting you.

..as they strive to make our streets a safer place.

Coming up: a PCSO brings a shoplifter down to earth.

-Stay here!

-Aaargh!

-I've had enough.

Can anyone catch a motorbike thief being chased through the back streets of Hull?

Get in the car! Go round!

And our cameraman comes within spitting distance of a drunken brawler.

Alcohol-related incidents make up a huge part of the police's workload,

largely dealing with drunken drivers and booze-fuelled fights.

While Friday and Saturday nights are the worst times,

the Neighbourhood Teams know that boozy bust-ups can happen any time, any place, anywhere.

Over £30 billion is spent on alcohol every year.

While the majority of us know how to handle our drink, we've nearly all seen drunken troublemakers.

Where alcohol's related, there's trouble all over.

It's very busy for the police on Saturday night. It's hectic.

It's the socially acceptable drug.

You only need to come into town on Friday or Saturday night to see the problems it causes.

It's a sunny afternoon in Bridlington, 25 miles north of Hull.

Local people and holidaymakers are making the most of the weather.

Unfortunately for PC Kevin Jones and PCSO Rachel Matthews,

they have to get out of the sunshine to deal with an incident in a pub near the seafront.

RADIO: 'Report of a drunk male. He's thrown some bar stools around.'

It seems that while customers have been enjoying a pint, mayhem has broken out.

There's been a report of a drunken male at the Harbour Lights pub.

He's...

..been causing a few problems in the pub, chucking bar stools around.

The man has already left the pub. Kevin and Rachel need to assess the damage

-and find out more about the drunken assailant so they can track him down.

-What's happened?

Apparently, the man's anger at being refused a drink caused him to smash a bar stool into the beer taps.

Thankfully, this was the only damage and no one was injured in the attack.

He broke the badges as well? How has he done that? Throwing a chair?

I think alcohol can sometimes make people quite reckless and they do things they wouldn't do

if they hadn't consumed any alcohol.

This is what we're dealing with on a day-to-day basis.

As well as gathering evidence from the bar staff and drinkers,

the attack's been caught on the pub's CCTV. It will help Kevin ID the man.

I'm going to go upstairs and view the CCTV for an image of the male so we know what we're looking for.

The man was seen leaving the pub with a woman who had very distinctive red hair.

-She's clearly visible.

-Right, so that's the girl. Oh, yeah.

But they need a positive ID of him as well.

Is that him there?

They now know what the man looks like and what he's wearing.

Let's go and try to find him.

Kevin and Rachel's concern now is that a drunk and violent man is loose in the town centre.

This chap will be staggering around, he's got a grey hoodie on

and his girlfriend's got long red hair.

They need to find him before he causes any more damage.

PCs Jamie Campbell and Trevor Needham are out on patrol in an estate in the west of Hull,

on the hunt for a youth who has breached his bail conditions.

He's gone into the estate.

It's a young lad. He's made off from another patrol.

Sounds like it could be one of our outstanding youths who's wanted for breach of curfew.

A quick drive round shows no sign of him, so they stop one of their colleagues, a PCSO,

who is patrolling the estate on a bike.

He's heard that the youth they are looking for has now moved onto another estate.

Working closely with the community, neighbourhood officers often hear nuggets of information like this.

The beauty of having neighbourhood staff on the ground is they've got the local knowledge

to go with having a presence. They know who they're looking for and where they're likely to hang about.

But before they can find the youth they're after, two motorbike riders drive straight at the police car.

One of them immediately speeds off on his bike, but the other, wearing a grey tracksuit,

stalls his.

Got to get him.

He's dumped the bike and taken off on foot.

Go, keep going.

Stop.

The runaway is jumping over fences and into back gardens, so Jamie is going to have to pursue him on foot.

Get in the car! Go round!

There's a multitude of gardens and alleyways.

They can't be sure which way he's going.

Our cameraman loses contact with Jamie,

but turns a corner and spots the runaway.

-For a split second, he's confused the cameraman for a bobby.

-Jamie!

And now it's too late.

Stay there, turn round.

Trevor's not far behind and he's pleased to have caught this two-wheeled tearaway.

We were travelling down here, on Bethune Avenue.

Two motorcycles coming down here, unregistered. He's tried to make off from us. His chain's come off.

A bit unfortunate for him. He's made off on foot.

We've followed him down Mollison Road and he's made off over the gardens.

PC Campbell's managed to catch up with him. He's detained him.

And we've got the recovery of the bike. It's Road Traffic offences.

The motorbike has been reported as being stolen, but the runaway rider claims it belonged to him.

-Right. Whose is the bike?

-The bike was originally mine.

-Originally?

-Yeah. It got pinched, so I got it back.

-OK.

-Right, OK.

-We got it and drove away.

-It's my bike!

-How long ago was this?

-What? It was originally my bike.

-How long ago was this that you've taken it?

-About an hour ago.

About an hour ago? Right.

From what you've just told me, I'm going to arrest you for theft of a motor vehicle.

-It's my bike.

-I appreciate what you're telling me, but we're likely to get a phone call, aren't we?

I've had my bike stolen.

READS HIM HIS RIGHTS

-Understand?

-Yeah.

-All right.

It seems that his storytelling is no better than his bike riding.

His story is it was initially his bike. He says he's had it stolen. He's found somebody riding it.

And he's decided to take the matter into his own hands and recover it.

Clearly, his manner of driving wasn't safe and could have caused an accident

with ourselves or a member of the public. They'll go to extreme lengths to get away from the police.

They know when they get caught they'll get prosecuted. They do pose extreme dangers.

The young man later pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle

and driving without a licence and insurance. He was sentenced to two weeks in prison

and had six points put on his licence.

In Bridlington, PC Kevin Jones and PCSO Rachel Matthews are looking for a drunken man

-who has already caused damage to a pub...

-Is that him there?

-..by throwing a bar stool around.

Just going to have a wander round some of the pubs to make sure this chap's not in the vicinity still.

He's more than likely going to get refused on another occasion

and he'll probably end up behaving like he has done.

-No, he's not been here.

-The first place draws a blank.

-White top and blue jeans.

-Do we have any direction?

-But CCTV operators in the town have seen a man matching the description

-going into another licensed premises nearby.

-Has he got blue denim jeans?

All right, cheers. Thanks, Justine. Can you keep monitoring it?

Think he's gone into the Brunswick.

There's a risk that he's going to cause more damage and hurt other people,

or a risk that he'll hurt people,

and, em, we're not going to tolerate behaviour like that.

It can go one of two ways. He could be quite co-operative or he could be quite anti with us.

The co-operative is always a nice way, but we train for the other, just in case.

-Charlie Yankee Four, just entering the pub now.

-The suspect has already used a bar stool as a weapon,

so Kevin's on his guard. He soon spots the man at the back of the pub.

'Ere, listen...

-End the phone call, fella.

-Listen... One second.

And he seems to know exactly why the police are here.

-Right, you understand why I'm here?

-Yeah.

-Just grab me. I understand.

-You're under arrest.

-Yes.

Under arrest for causing criminal damage and being drunk and disorderly.

Turn around. I'm going to handcuff you.

The man's girlfriend doesn't appear to be too happy that he's being arrested.

-Don't put them too tight, please!

-They're not designed for comfort.

I know that, I know that.

You match the description of someone that's caused criminal damage at the Harbour Lights pub

and used disorderly behaviour. And I can see you're in drink.

-We'll go down to Bridlington nick and we'll get you sorted out.

-BLEEP!

Have you got anything...?

-Fella..

-Spitting isn't just disgusting. It's an offence.

He just spat at you? Right, mate, you're also under arrest for assault.

-Yeah, good, great(!)

-You're still under caution.

-BLEEP!

Pop yourself in there, then.

All right? Watch your head.

-Turn round.

-CCTV is a fantastic tool in Bridlington. They've managed to spot the male.

He's entered the Brunswick Hotel. We've gone in, found him there

and he's been arrested for criminal damage.

-Do you need any help reading or writing?

-Back at the station, the man finally realises

-the error of his ways.

-What an idiot I am!

-Just follow my colleague.

Leave your trainers outside, please.

Drink's a funny thing. Alcohol and drugs.

People behave in completely different ways.

One minute he was shouting and swearing, the next he's apologetic.

The next minute he was going on about his ankle, then his dad.

And, you know, it's erratic behaviour, but...

I suppose the main thing is that he did come with us. No one got hurt.

And he's off the streets now.

The man later pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage and also common assault on the cameraman

and was fined £50 for each offence.

He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation for the damage to the pub.

While high-profile crimes may hit the headlines, it's small-scale villains that police officers spend

most of their time dealing with. Neighbourhood Teams bear the brunt,

not only arresting the petty criminals, but also trying to stop them committing offences at all.

I think crime prevention is really much more important than catching people.

It's much less expensive to prevent crime

than it is to chase down people, process them through the courts.

Whether it's public drunkenness, bike theft or shoplifting,

the police are intent on cracking down on people who continually break the law.

At Osborne Street Police Station in Hull, the Neighbourhood Team are having their morning briefing.

Today, they are targeting some known prolific offenders.

Amongst them are a female shoplifter who's just been released from prison

and a man and a woman who've been banned from the city centre under a Section 27 dispersal order.

Police Community Support Officer Jon Hammerton hasn't been out long when he gets a call

-from security staff in a shopping centre.

-We're attending a call from the centre and Debenhams

that a female earlier on who tried to steal from them at the centre

is back at that location, possibly trying to steal again.

So I'd like to speak to her and try to divert her from committing a crime.

CCTV operators can pinpoint suspected criminals almost anywhere in Hull.

With over 300 cameras, they've got one of the biggest CCTV networks in the country.

In addition to the cameras, most of the shops and shopping centres are linked into a radio system

which allows shops to communicate directly with the CCTV control room and police officers on patrol.

Jon is on his way to a shopping centre where the suspected shoplifter has been refused entry

by security staff.

Do we still have a visual of this female? Or is she leaving?

'She's been refused entry.'

That's an update from St Stephen's shopping centre.

Security there have refused entry to the female, who has attempted to go into the shopping centre.

Hopefully, she'll still be in situ for me to have a word with her.

The woman is one of those on Jon's target list. He can't arrest her as she hasn't stolen anything,

but preventing her from carrying out a crime is just as important as catching her in the act

-and there's a lot less paperwork to fill out.

-What are you trying to do? You've been refused entry.

They know what you're out to do. You're out to commit shop theft.

CCTV has made the city centre virtually a no-go zone for criminals.

Are you going to leave the city centre?

-You're not going to be able to shoplift today.

-Even so, shoplifting is a blight across the country...

Your face is known now. You're not going to get into any of the shops.

..estimated to cost an average family £180 a year in increased prices.

This woman won't be troubling store security today.

Finally, she's heading off and away from the temptation of the shops.

She's now heading out of town. Hopefully, she's adhering to my words of advice and leaving.

But they will monitor for a bit to see if she circles back and comes back in,

which hopefully she doesn't.

Jon's colleague, PCSO Karen Smith, is patrolling not far away in the city centre

when she gets a call from a shop about two people acting suspiciously.

'She's pulled something out of her coat. It looks like some food.'

PCSO Karen to Boots. Do we have the theft of food?

We're on our way to Boots. There's a couple that were acting suspiciously in there.

The female's eaten some food that she's produced from her jacket. I hope to cut them off

and see who they are and if they're known shoplifters.

The couple have left Boots and split up after leaving the shop, but CCTV operators have been tracking

the woman's movements.

She's heading towards Queen's Gardens now.

Apparently, this female is in Queen's Gardens.

Shouldn't be hard to find. It's quite quiet.

As she enters Queen's Gardens, Karen spots the woman she's after.

It's the one on the team's list who was banned from the city centre.

I've got a breach of a 27 dispersal order. Maria Squires from yesterday, in relation to Jonathan Moorcroft.

She's in Queen's Gardens. I'll stop her. Can you get CCTV to monitor?

Hiya, Maria.

-Do you remember us yesterday?

-Yeah.

-What are you eating?

Have a seat for us, darling?

-No, I'm going.

-You're not.

-I've got an appointment!

Because she's breached her S27 order banning her from the city centre,

Maria will be arrested and fined.

Understandably, she doesn't seem too keen to stop for Karen.

-Please, just let me go!

-Maria...

-Please, just let me go!

-No. I'm detaining you.

-Why?!

-You were given a S27 dispersal order.

-I'm going now!

-Listen...

-I need to go!

As a Police Community Support Officer, Karen can't arrest a suspect like a police officer can.

But she has the power to detain a person until police officers arrive.

-Why are you trying to walk away?

-I've got an appointment!

-Maria...

What did you hit me for? What are you hitting me for?

Maria, I will put you on the floor.

Please, don't...! What have I done?

-Well, stay with me! Stay with me!

-Aaaargh!

Stay with me!

-Stay with me.

-I've got an appointment.

-You're not staying with me, are you? You're not.

-I am!

-You're not.

-What are you doing?!

-What did you hit me for?

-Put your food on that wall. Put your food down on that wall!

-Please...

-Put it down!

-A man has turned up and Karen immediately recognises him.

Station, I've got Jonathan Moorcroft here as well.

It's the woman's partner in crime, who is also breaching a S27 dispersal order.

-Stay there.

-Now Karen is outnumbered two to one.

It's a potentially volatile situation, especially for a PCSO.

-Sit there while I talk to you.

-No.

-Sit there.

-Explain to me what she's done.

-Not while she's screaming.

-Karen's calling for back-up.

-Tell me what she's done.

-I've got Jonathan Moorcroft here as well.

But as soon as Karen mentions his name on the radio, the man heads for the exits.

-He's not hanging around to be arrested as well.

-Moorcroft heading towards the BBC building.

- You're going to get arrested! - Why?!

-I've got an appointment!

-Maria, stay here!

-Ow!

-Stay here!

-Aaargh!

-I've had enough!

I've got an appointment!

-Don't! I've got an appointment!

-Stay still!

-I've got an appointment!

-I'm going to caution you.

You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned

something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say will be given in evidence.

-Let go!

-I'm not doing owt wrong!

I'm not doing anything wrong!

-I can't breathe! I've got asthma!

-Papa Victor 218.

Moorcroft's just going down outside the Chinese restaurant.

I've got an appointment. Let me go!

Please let me go!

Karen's colleagues have arrived to make the arrest on the woman.

And hopefully track down the man who left the area moments ago.

He's gone that way. I think CCTV might have him. Just radio up.

The female, Maria Squires, will be taken in for a breach of a S27 dispersal order.

And the outstanding male from the order, he's left the city centre.

CCTV have him on the camera. We're getting a patrol to him.

-As the woman is suspected of shoplifting, they go through her pockets.

-Any drugs on you?

Stand still.

Although there's nothing suspicious there, the woman has an unusual- looking bulge in her trousers.

The call that initially alerted Karen to the couple was about suspicious behaviour in a chemist's.

-It looks like she's hit the jackpot.

-Oh, my God...

The female that I've got stopped has got lots of cosmetics on her.

I'll need identifying at your place. Have you got CCTV footage of her?

Once the woman is safely on her way to the cells, Karen's attention turns to proving

that the items found on her have actually been stolen.

The items need identifying from the shop they were stolen from.

The call was passed to me from Boots, so that's the first port of call. We'll convey her to custody.

-I'll do the arrest package now.

-Spot on.

We have quite an assortment of items here. Some were taken out of her trouser leg.

This one in particular was taken from her sleeve and this was next to her on the wall.

She was claiming at the time that this was her own personal use for her eczema,

but she hasn't bought all of that. She has no receipt from Boots.

Now it's time for a bit of detective work.

Karen draws a blank in the first two shops she visits,

-but thankfully it's third time lucky.

-The gentleman had witnessed the female going into the store.

She had a cigarette in her mouth so he ejected her. She'd already committed the theft by that point.

He detained the male and asked to search him. The male said he didn't have any products on him.

He opened his jacket, showed him.

Once the pair have left the shop, he's done his stock check and confirmed many items missing.

We attended and he was able to show us the stock report.

It's been a busy, but successful day. As she returns to the station,

Karen is greeted with some good news.

Moorcroft was arrested about 30 minutes ago. He was seen by one of my colleagues, a PCSO,

who radioed it through and patrols locked him up for a breach of his S27 dispersal order.

He's obviously in custody as well. So it's a great outcome.

The woman later went to court on an outstanding theft charge

and was given an 18-week suspended sentence along with a six-month rehabilitation order.

The man pleaded guilty to breaching his S27 notice and was fined £35.

Police Community Support Officers have been patrolling our streets for more than a decade now.

As we've already seen, they play a vital part in Neighbourhood Teams,

supporting regular officers and providing a visible uniformed presence in the community.

However, some people see them as "plastic policemen" because they have fewer powers than constables.

As civilians, they're not allowed to make arrests and they're often the target of abuse.

It's early afternoon and PC Al Cowley is racing to the assistance of a PCSO

who has apparently been assaulted just off Queen's Gardens in Hull.

A PCSO has just shouted up that he's struggling with somebody who he's detained.

Just there. I don't know that there's that much going on, but somebody's playing up.

Him! Him there. He's having a go at me!

All right. Just keep your hands there.

Right, that's it.

He's being arrested for assault and a S5 public order offence,

which concerns threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

One minute. I'll double lock your cuffs.

-I'd spoken to him about his general behaviour.

-Yeah.

-He swore at me, obviously in view of the public.

Lots of kids and things in there. I've gone to stop him to obtain his details.

He's throwing his arms out. I've stopped him, he did it again. Basically, struck me to the chest.

Listen. He alleges you've been swearing at him, you've thrown your arms about and hit him in the chest.

-I've hit him in the chest?

-Your arms. That's what he's alleging.

Maybe not intentional, but by recklessness you've come into contact with him.

Sit back and we'll get you dealt with.

There goes your grinder.

The man's dropped what looks like a cannabis grinder, which probably won't help his case.

Thank you.

We're in.

Although the man claimed he wasn't intentionally trying to assault the officer,

-his antisocial actions got him arrested.

-Step back, mate.

-He was given a £100 fine

-and a six-month conditional discharge.

-Is he in?

Although Al has been patient and polite with the offender,

he's not prepared to put up with behaviour like this.

Nobody should be abused in public. Police officers do a job.

Police Support Officers likewise. He was carrying out the lawful execution of his duty

and gets abused and assaulted.

More importantly, members of the public were there. We get used to hearing swearing and shouting.

Members of the public could be very alarmed by it. It's distressing.

Less than an hour after dealing with the man who'd assaulted the PCSO,

Al is heading to another similar call.

November Victor 21 attending.

We got an assistance call from a Police Support worker who's detaining someone.

The CCTV cameras have got him struggling on the floor with him.

Motorbike. Seen it.

Thank you.

As Al arrives at the scene, he recognised the alleged assailant.

Hello, Mr Clark. Just one second until I find out what's going on.

-I tried to seize some alcohol from him.

-Mr Cowley...

-Just one second.

He's resisted. His arms went out like that.

-Right, here you are. Just one minute.

-All right.

You're under arrest for assaulting a police accredited worker. OK?

Listen to me, fella. Clarky, listen to me, not him.

-Right, you're under arrest.

-I didn't even assault him, Mr Cowley!

-The man's often in the city centre, but doesn't normally cause any trouble.

-Clarky, calm it down.

-What's in there, mate?

-Nowt.

-No worries.

-Get your head together, mate.

-All right, in here.

-I can't believe this, Mr Cowley.

-Come on, let's get you sorted.

-Forget him, forget him.

-The man had been drinking alcohol, which isn't allowed in Hull city centre,

and wasn't happy about being asked to stop.

-I'm going to miss my tea for this.

-All right. I'll get you sorted as quick as I can.

The man's claiming he has been wrongfully arrested and that police

-should do more important things than stopping him drinking.

-I get paid whatever I'm doing.

But we'll get to the bottom of it and check it all out. All right?

-MAN REPLIES

-Well, I don't know, unfortunately.

I know you're not generally like that. Don't get too upset.

-Come on, Clarky. Watch you don't slip cos it's wet.

-Cheers.

Don't worry. Let's get you in here and get to the bottom of it. ..Just take a seat in here, fella.

While they're waiting for us.

All right.

We'll get to the bottom of it.

The man seems upset and Al is concerned about him.

And his behaviour suddenly takes a turn for the worse.

Clarky, don't start headbutting walls. Come on. Come here. Sit down and calm down.

You're never any bother, are you? What's upsetting you today?

Eh?

Headbutting the wall's not going to do any good for you whatsoever.

The man is not happy, but Al is making sure he's OK.

Right, I'm going to put them on the front for you. I've got to leave them on.

Don't start being daft cos you're upset.

But even though he has some sympathy for the man, Al knows his and the public's safety

is paramount in cases like this.

'We can be compassionate.

'He's never caused me problems, but you never let your guard down.'

He was later charged with obstructing a PCSO and failing to surrender his alcohol.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £15 victim's surcharge.

Along with PCSOs, special constables make up a vital part of the neighbourhood policing team.

They are essentially volunteers and are not paid, but unlike PCSOs,

they have the same powers as full-time officers.

It's ten in the evening and Special Constables Mike Tinsley and Doug Whitfield are out in Bridlington

when a call comes in about two women who have been spotted on CCTV.

One of them is on the police's list of targets.

Yeah, CCTV here. The two girls you were looking at,

the one in the black is Wendy Snowden. She's wanted for resetting items.

That's received. Go with a description, please.

The woman is well known to Bridlington Police and our Neighbourhood Blues cameras.

Less than a week ago, she was filmed being arrested for failing to appear in court on a shoplifting charge.

Having gone back to court and been bailed to return on a later date, she's now on the streets

and possibly up to no good.

All in black. She's got a big black shoulder bag. She's walking down Jamieson.

She's with another female in a tracksuit top.

We've had a report there from CCTV of two females,

one of whom is known to us.

-Possibly going from door to door...

-Oscar 22?

..selling items. Obviously, those items could be stolen.

We need to establish why she's going door to door selling things.

Based on what we feel when we get there, we may stop and search them to see if they have stolen items,

under S1 of PACE.

Hi, girls. All right?

I had a report you may be going from door to door selling stuff. What are you selling?

-Just some clothes.

-All right, OK. Where are they?

-In my bag.

-Where have you got the clothes from?

-From what I had ages ago.

-OK. Can we have a quick look?

-Yeah.

The woman says the clothes belong to her, but as she's a shoplifter, Mike isn't taking her word for it.

Thank you.

-They've still got price tags on.

-Yeah.

-Are these from Morrisons?

-No!

-There's only a couple of dresses in there.

-Not a couple.

-There is.

-A number of dresses.

-Yeah, a couple.

-Yeah, a couple.

-All brand new. It's all in different sizes.

Why have you got numerous dresses that are exactly the same, but just in different sizes?

You're under arrest on suspicion of theft.

CAUTIONS HER

As well as a suspected shoplifter, the woman she's with is going to be detained as well.

-You're also under arrest on suspicion of theft.

-I've not been out all night!

-You're in the same area with stolen items.

-I live in this area!

-Listen.

-I'm going round home.

-You'll have an opportunity to explain all that.

-No! I've just left my brother's home.

-Calm yourself down.

-I only just bumped into her!

-Calm down.

-I ain't seen her for ages.

-Okey-dokey.

-What do you mean, okey-dokey?!

-At this moment in time, you're under arrest.

-I am on my way home!

-Turn around for me.

-Am I under arrest?!

-Turn around, please.

You better get this BLEEP right! I'm telling you!

-Me?!

-You're under arrest on suspicion of theft.

-For leaving my brother's house?! I live here!

-You'll have an opportunity to explain all that.

-BLEEP!

-This is disgusting.

-Despite her hostile behaviour and foul language,

Mike and Doug are going to check her story with CCTV.

If they can confirm what she's saying, they can let her go,

-but they need to detain her until they find out.

-It doesn't matter. Just take me!

-The sooner I go, the sooner I can get home!

-Calm down a second. Calm yourself down.

-Put me in the car now.

-No...

-Are you getting off on this? Are you getting off on this?

A car's arrived to take the first woman to the police station

while the second will get a seat for the moment to calm her down.

Jesus. I don't mind when I do summat. I really BLEEP mind.

Right, are those cuffs all right before you get in there? You said they were uncomfortable.

Yeah. Argh!

It certainly appears as if the clothes are stolen.

What are you doing?!

What we can see here is a number of clothes, all exactly the same, these dresses,

but in a range of different sizes.

They've got 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5.

All exactly the same dress. Based on that, we believe they're stolen.

So at this moment in time, they've both been arrested.

-Is one girl going in the van?

-But Doug has got some good news for the woman who said she'd just come out.

OK, we've spoken to the CCTV who have confirmed that the other lady was going house to house.

-I was just talking to her.

-So we're going to de-arrest you.

-All right.

Having spent the best part of 15 minutes being hostile

and not wanting to wait to find out her fate from CCTV,

her departure is thankfully a lot quieter.

The second female, she was with this female and we thought in her company,

going door to door, selling.

Upon liaising with CCTV further, we've established she'd only come out to speak to the female

while she was going door to door. So we've de-arrested that female and we'll take this female in

on suspicion of theft.

The woman they've arrested is a prolific offender, well known to the Neighbourhood Team.

In her bag are quite a few articles of children's clothing.

-There's a tag.

-Easy items both to steal and sell on.

Small items in a store. This is something you could bundle together,

wrap up tight and conceal on your person. This all folded together, maybe £60 or £70 of items.

It all fits inside this black bag.

It doesn't appear that these items at £8 each would warrant a security tag

so again being quite easy to leave the store without being detected.

As well as the dresses, it looks like she's stolen some cakes.

Once he's bagged everything up...

-Right, take that.

-..it's time for a trip down the shops

so that Mike can prove that the items were actually stolen.

What we're going to do now is head to Morrisons. Hopefully there will be night staff on

who can identify this, that they own this property and we'll establish it's stolen.

Then our prisoner may be able to be dealt with tonight as opposed to waiting until the morning.

So they've to identify them.

I hope there'll be a bell!

Don't know if that's going to work.

Obviously, they won't be expecting any visitors.

It's nearly midnight and the store looks deserted.

But eventually they find someone.

We've got some possibly stolen items. Is somebody on duty who could identify it as being yours?

-Just to evidence that it's one of your designs.

-I'll see on the shelf.

Girls Section.

-Is that one of them?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-That dress matches up to that one.

-It does.

It's probably just the entire rail that's gone in here. Seven dresses.

-But you can confirm that's your brand?

-The clothing's confirmed, but what about the cakes?

-Are those your pastries?

-They are.

-It seems trivial, but the reduced price sticker put on during the day

will help police pinpoint the exact time the shoplifter was in the store,

which could then be matched up with the CCTV footage.

Great. Thanks very much for your time. Cheers now.

All in all, it's been a successful night's work.

The woman was later charged with shoplifting and sentenced to ten weeks in prison.

In today's programme we've seen just how important the PCSOs and volunteer Specials are

to the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Together they play a pivotal role in reducing crime.

Join us again next time.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd