0:00:02 > 0:00:05Every single minute, there's a burglary in the UK.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09My jewellery! Oh, no!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11It's an invasion of personal space.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Somebody has been in your house, going through your stuff.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18It's not just your expensive gadgets that are under threat,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21it's your priceless, irreplaceable heirlooms too.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24What's that football expression? You feel gutted.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Items of huge sentimental value.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Dad was very proud of his entire career in the fire service,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33so to have the medals stolen, I know he was devastated.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36It can be a difficult time.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39What's that saying? "An Englishman's home is his castle."
0:00:41 > 0:00:43But dedicated teams of police are on the case...
0:00:43 > 0:00:44Police!
0:00:44 > 0:00:46- Police!- Police!
0:00:46 > 0:00:51..with specialist burglary units across the country chasing down the villains...
0:00:51 > 0:00:53- Calm down, OK? - Let us do our checks.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57..using every hi-tech tool at their disposal,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59working with the Good Samaritans among us...
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Do you think you'd recognise him if you saw him again?
0:01:02 > 0:01:06- Yeah, I think I probably would. - ..to make sure justice is done.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Their ultimate aim? To recover your prized possessions...
0:01:12 > 0:01:14We're dancing!
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Just found a bag of sat navs.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19..and return them to you.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- It's amazing really, what they've done. - We've got all our stuff back.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25I'm very pleased with the police, and they've been so good and kind.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29I have nothing but gratitude for the efforts they've made.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33This is Robbed, Raided, Reunited.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Thank you so much.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36Thank you so much.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38Thank you ever so, ever so much.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Coming up, the touching story of a family
0:01:53 > 0:01:56who are reunited with some long-lost medals.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59We never thought we'd see the medals again,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02and they're just a huge part of our whole family.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04In Essex, police are on the case
0:02:04 > 0:02:07to track down a family's precious stolen jewellery.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10My husband's rings were there, actually,
0:02:10 > 0:02:15and he died three years ago. It was going to be for my grandson.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19And in Hertfordshire, police retaliate against a gang of suspected burglars.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24During this search, a number of items were seized,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26believed to be involved in burglaries in Hertfordshire.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31But first, the heart-warming reunion
0:02:31 > 0:02:35of one remarkable family's unique medal collection.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41Sir Kenneth Holland was one of the greatest firemen this country has ever seen.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45He won the Defence Medal in World War II,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48had a sparkling career throughout the '50s and '60s
0:02:48 > 0:02:55and ended up as the government's Chief Inspector of Fire Services from 1972 to 1980.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Well, Dad lived and breathed the fire service
0:02:57 > 0:03:01and progressed right through as high as anybody could go in the UK
0:03:01 > 0:03:05and was instrumental in making many changes in the fire service
0:03:05 > 0:03:06during the '60s and '70s,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10when he was a chief officer and the government's adviser.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14He was such a role model, his son Peter and his grandson Paul
0:03:14 > 0:03:17have also entered the fire service.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21We care passionately about what we do because it's a great job.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It's about caring for people and keeping people safe.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29Sir Kenneth received 28 medals during his astonishing career,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32including the Queen's Fire Service Medal,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34the Fire Service Long Service Medal
0:03:34 > 0:03:36and medals to commemorate his CBE,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39his MBE and, finally, his knighthood.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Dad was incredibly proud, particularly of the knighthood.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46There are very few people in the fire service who ever get knighted.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51Sir Kenneth eventually retired to Poole in Dorset with his wife Pauline.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Here, he loved to show visitors his medal collection,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59which he proudly kept in a special glass display case in his front room.
0:04:02 > 0:04:08But in 1995, his peaceful retirement was disrupted by unscrupulous thieves.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12So, what happened, the burglars climbed over the gate here,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16and came down to the windows, down here on the left-hand side,
0:04:16 > 0:04:21and ripped this grille off the wall, no mean feat,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24took the glass out and climbed in through the window here and came through.
0:04:24 > 0:04:30This was the study. Through the hallway, along, through to the lounge.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34The medals were located here on a glass display table.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38You can actually still see the marks on the floor where the glass display cabinet was,
0:04:38 > 0:04:43but very easy, unfortunately, for the burglars to find the medals and steal them.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48The medals disappeared without trace, leaving Sir Kenneth distraught.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Dad was very proud of his entire career in the fire service,
0:04:50 > 0:04:55so the medals were perhaps the most tangible memory of all that service,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58so to have them stolen, I know he was absolutely devastated.
0:04:58 > 0:05:05Dad didn't show his emotions that much, but on this occasion I know he was incredibly upset.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08The loss of something that was so dear to somebody's heart,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11I mean, they're on the left breast, they're right next to your heart.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14They're really there for a reason, because it means a lot.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19When Sir Kenneth died in 2005, his medals were still missing.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30For 16 long years, nothing.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Then, a remarkable breakthrough.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37In March 2011, I received a phone call in my office from a colleague,
0:05:37 > 0:05:42to say that my father's medals were on an auction website
0:05:42 > 0:05:46and was I aware of it, so I quickly got onto that website and checked it out,
0:05:46 > 0:05:51and sure enough, they were my father's medals, with all the provenance related to those medals.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Some of the medals had ended up on a legitimate collectors' website.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00Though priceless to the family, they were selling here for just £25 each.
0:06:02 > 0:06:08PC Amy Garner of Dorset police took on the task of reuniting them with Sir Kenneth's family.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12I made contact with the man who had the items on sale
0:06:12 > 0:06:15on the auction website, and asked him to take those items
0:06:15 > 0:06:19off the website, which he did do when he realised they were stolen.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23But not all of the stolen medals were there, just the smaller ones.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27The second page of the auction website led us to the fact
0:06:27 > 0:06:31that the metals had been split, the collection was now in two.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33The miniature medals were being sold,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36and the larger medals had been sold in a lot.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41The remaining medals were now on the other side of the world, in New Zealand,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44and the collector who had them was reluctant to give them back.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48The problem we had was in relation to the fact that
0:06:48 > 0:06:50there is a legal statute which means that,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53if items have been bought in good faith,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57then they have the right to those items after six years.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00As the buyer had not known they were stolen,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03the medals had been in private hands for over six years,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05and the original owner had died.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09There was a question mark over who actually had the legal right to them.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Amy had to use all her powers of persuasion.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17When I explained to them the fact that they'd been stolen many years ago,
0:07:17 > 0:07:22that they are of huge sentimental value to that family
0:07:22 > 0:07:26and that nothing could replace them,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29I think it hit a nerve, a bit of human reaction,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33and the buyers eventually, from New Zealand, kindly sent them back to the UK
0:07:33 > 0:07:36so they could be returned to their rightful owners.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41In October 2011, all the stolen medals were finally returned
0:07:41 > 0:07:44to Sir Kenneth's delighted children, Peter, Jackie and Keith.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47It's just tremendous.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50We never thought we'd see the medals again
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and given the fire service history,
0:07:52 > 0:07:57they are just a huge part of our whole family.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00This medal here is the Knight Bachelor medal,
0:08:00 > 0:08:06that's the CBE, that's the office of Brother of the Order of St John,
0:08:06 > 0:08:08that's the Queen's Fire Service Medal,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11that's the Defence Medal from the Second World War,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14and that's the Fire Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
0:08:14 > 0:08:18for 20 years' service, and that's the order of importance.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20The Knight Bachelor, obviously, being the most important.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23I've had a huge sense of satisfaction
0:08:23 > 0:08:25in getting the medals back to the family.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28It's not very often that we get jobs like this.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31It's not very often that we're able to get the full set
0:08:31 > 0:08:34of something that's been stolen back to the family as well.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36We're tremendously grateful to Dorset police
0:08:36 > 0:08:40for getting these medals back, and particularly to PC Amy Garner.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43My mother and the Holland family can enjoy these medals
0:08:43 > 0:08:46as a result of their fantastic efforts.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51The medals had changed hands so many times at auction, online, at fairs,
0:08:51 > 0:08:56that the police believe they will never catch those responsible for the theft.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00But at least Peter and the rest of the family now have them back,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03to remember Sir Kenneth and his remarkable achievements.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05We're going to have these medals on display
0:09:05 > 0:09:09at the Fire Service College, where Dad's ashes are,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11for other people to enjoy,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15and for our family to go and visit and see my father, you know.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23- Coming up...- Police with a warrant, open the door!
0:09:23 > 0:09:27..Hertfordshire police launch a series of coordinated raids on known burglars
0:09:27 > 0:09:29in the hunt for precious stolen property.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38It's 11pm, near Basildon, in Essex.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Officer Mark Anderson and his partner are in high-speed response
0:09:43 > 0:09:45to a burglary call ten minutes earlier.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51A female's contacted her son having come home
0:09:51 > 0:09:55and found that a window's been jimmied open on her flat
0:09:55 > 0:09:57and it looks like jewellery is missing at the moment.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- Hello, mate.- Hello, there.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06They're let in by Darren Rickenberg...
0:10:06 > 0:10:08- Scenes Of Crime officer here with me. - All right, OK.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10..son of homeowner Jean.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Do you know what's been stolen yet?
0:10:12 > 0:10:13Just all my jewellery.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Is it a tidy or a messy search?
0:10:15 > 0:10:16Oh, no. Go and have a look.
0:10:16 > 0:10:17OK.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22And the other, second bedroom had my computer.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24They went into the bathroom as well.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26I just left it as it is, as they've opened the cupboards.
0:10:26 > 0:10:27OK.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28That's the bedroom.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- Have Scenes Of Crime been through here yet?- Pardon?
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- Have Scenes Of Crime been through here?- No, not yet.- No, OK.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Jean's home has been ransacked.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47A forensics officer is already on the scene,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50gathering any evidence that may lead to a suspect.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55And whereabouts do you keep your jewellery?
0:10:55 > 0:10:59It was all in these cases, it was all in that top cupboard up there.
0:10:59 > 0:11:00OK, all right.
0:11:00 > 0:11:05So, it looks like the point of entry is through that window there.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07The back door was wide open when I came in.
0:11:07 > 0:11:08- Was it?- Yeah.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Officer Anderson must confirm the sequence of events that has taken place.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Yeah, so you can see they've actually jimmied the window and scooted in that way.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26You can see some small jimmy marks on the frame, there.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30A burglar can get through any space that is larger than a human head.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Prising a window open has proven enough, in this case.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Son Darren has noticed some other damage.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41It looked like they've stuck one under the door as well,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44because it's dead-bolted, so they've tried to lift the door
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and then push it backwards, but obviously they've been unsuccessful
0:11:47 > 0:11:49and they've gone round and done the window.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53So, as you can see, it's a typical messy search.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55They'll come in through a window,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and just open up all the drawers as quickly as they can
0:11:58 > 0:12:01and try and be in and out in literally a couple of minutes,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05just fill their pockets or a little bag, whatever they can do,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08and just out through one of the side doors or the main door, and away they go.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Even the tiniest detail of what Jean found on her return home
0:12:11 > 0:12:14could prove crucial to the investigation.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16And what did you notice first when you got back?
0:12:16 > 0:12:18I walked through. No lights were on.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Seeing my back door wide open, I thought,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23"Oh, my God, I haven't left my back door open, surely!"
0:12:23 > 0:12:26And then walked into here, and then see the cupboard open,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30and then see the door wide open, and then I thought, "Oh, my God."
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Instead of taking a lengthy description of the house,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36if I can give you a blank bit of paper and you draw a big square,
0:12:36 > 0:12:37and draw the rooms on it for me.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Can you do that, Paul?
0:12:39 > 0:12:40- Do you need a pen? - No, it's all right.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42As big as you can.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Fill the paper, and then it's just the layout of the house,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48where the windows and doors are, that kind of thing.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Jean's home was also burgled five years ago.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Her husband was woken in the middle of the night
0:12:56 > 0:12:57and caught the burglars red-handed.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Afterwards, they made several security alterations
0:13:01 > 0:13:02on police advice.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06And the police said, "You know, You've got to secure your gate,"
0:13:06 > 0:13:08because it was an easy way out for them,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11so we did all that and we put all the lights up and everything.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14- There's nothing you can do to make it impenetrable.- No, no.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17You've just got to make it as difficult as you can, so it puts people off.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Sadly, Jean's husband has since died, and this time,
0:13:21 > 0:13:25being targeted by burglars has proven much more traumatic.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31There was a few personal things.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34There was a ring and a St Christopher that were my dad's,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37that were going to be given to my nephew when he was 18
0:13:37 > 0:13:38and obviously they've gone,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40so he's not going to get those now,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42and I think it's that kind of thing
0:13:42 > 0:13:44that bothers her more than the jewellery that was hers.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Yes, I'd love to get the ring back, actually. I would like to, but...
0:13:50 > 0:13:53It was my husband's rings there, actually.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58And he died three years ago.
0:13:59 > 0:14:04It was going to be for my grandson, but that's gone now.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Sorry.
0:14:09 > 0:14:10All right.
0:14:10 > 0:14:11- You all right?- Mmm.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18- You all right?- Yes.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20- Sure?- Yes.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Come on and get your bag, and you can come and stay mine.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24We'll tidy all this up in the morning.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26It's going to be a struggle now,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29I would have thought, for her to want to come back to the house.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34The first thing she said when we walked through the door was, "That's it, I'm selling it."
0:14:34 > 0:14:36I know it can all be put back,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40but it does make you feel very vulnerable, doesn't it?
0:14:40 > 0:14:44I'd locked everything up, I hadn't left anything open for anyone.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Why me, really.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52I don't suppose I'll ever see any of it again. You never do.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Very, very rarely, anyway.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58The officers are taking this crime very seriously,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01and report details back to the station as soon as possible.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Yeah, it looks like a messy search of the main bedroom,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08and a couple of drawers open in the dining room.
0:15:08 > 0:15:14Point of access is a forced-open, metal-framed UPVC side window
0:15:14 > 0:15:19which leads into the lounge, and point of exit is the back door.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23The key was in the inside of it, so they've just opened that and gone out that way.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Although Jean's house was actually quite well secured,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Officer Anderson advises her on one security device
0:15:30 > 0:15:33that could have made a real difference.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36My one recommendation today is a burglar alarm.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Right, OK.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Up in the apex on your outside wall,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42it would be a nice, big, flashy blue box,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45with a nice, big light that's flashing to say that it's on and it's active.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47That's going to deter most of them.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50I'll definitely get the burglar alarm, I think.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54The insurance company's going to absolutely love me!
0:15:54 > 0:15:57But I've never, ever claimed before, ever, never.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00So, all these years I've paid it,
0:16:00 > 0:16:05so I hope they'll be a bit thoughtful, but...
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Having an alarm not only makes it less likely you'll be burgled,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14if these do get in, they spend much less time inside.
0:16:15 > 0:16:21Officer Anderson tells Jean not to lose hope for the safe return of her missing jewellery.
0:16:22 > 0:16:23Your property could turn up.
0:16:23 > 0:16:28I've personally done a couple of operations where we've recovered large amounts of stolen property,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31and if it does happen, we'll give you a call.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Are you in the building? Police with a police dog! Show yourself!
0:16:39 > 0:16:43All over the UK, police are working hard to get your stolen items back.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Police!
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Operation Scorpion was set up by Hertfordshire police to fight back against burglary.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56Since it began in April 2011, there has been a drastic reduction in burglaries,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00and police have arrested over 700 suspected burglars.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Today, they hope to add to that figure.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08It's 7am at Stevenage police station.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12Detective Sergeant Kerry Bull has his team in place,
0:17:12 > 0:17:17ready for a final briefing, before a series of carefully coordinated raids.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22Intelligence suggests that named offenders are actively burgling in Hertfordshire.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25These will be people you've known, you've dealt with in the past.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26These are our most prolific criminals.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31You're going to be divided into two teams, as we know.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34One team, which is going to be Mike's team, are going to focus on the Stevenage area,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37and Mr Smith's team are going across to Welwyn Garden City.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41The police believe that the individuals targeted in today's raid
0:17:41 > 0:17:44are part of a suspected gang of burglars.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46By synchronising the raids,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49they can make sure the suspects don't have a chance to warn each other.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Team, thanks very much.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55This is about making a difference today, working hard and locking up bad people.
0:17:55 > 0:18:01Sergeant Mike Keane is in charge of a specialist tactical team heading to Stevenage.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05The police often raid houses at dawn
0:18:05 > 0:18:08because they are more likely to find the suspects at home.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10In fact, they're often in bed.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14It takes them ten minutes to get to the first suspect's home.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18This is the street.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32The police are armed with specialist equipment that can break through a door in seconds.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Police with a warrant, open the door!
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Just go from there.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- He's coming, he's coming. - Stand by. Cancel, cancel.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41MUFFLED: Oh, my God!
0:18:41 > 0:18:45On this occasion, the police enter the flat the traditional way.
0:18:49 > 0:18:50Wait here and I'll come out in a bit,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53just to make sure what's going on, then I'll come and have a chat.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02They're inside. The chap who's of interest to us is inside.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05He's been arrested, and we've got officers in there now, searching.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08There's a Tiffany bracelet, there.
0:19:08 > 0:19:09Got two mobile phones.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11There's also a receipt from Cash Converters there,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14which I think's got "nine-carat gold" written on it.
0:19:14 > 0:19:15Cool, I think we're done.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19The police have arrested a man,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22and bagged up some evidence to take back to the station.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Back at Hatfield, the team from the second raid are bringing in another suspect.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33A woman who is arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle.
0:19:36 > 0:19:42It's now 8:30am, and Sergeant Mike Keane is briefing his team on Operation Scorpion's next raid.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47They're going to another address which the police believe
0:19:47 > 0:19:50the arrested man uses to hide stolen goods.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Everything in place. All right?
0:19:57 > 0:20:01They need to get there fast, in case word gets out of the arrest and any evidence is removed.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08The team quickly gains entry to the home.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10It's clear.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12I think that's his room there.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15With the property secure, a thorough search begins.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19We'll just make sure that we've exhausted all possible avenues,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22in terms of where things could be secreted.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26The chap who's been arrested has got links to this address.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28We've got a warrant that covers the car as well.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30So I'm just going to have a quick look through,
0:20:30 > 0:20:33to make sure there's nothing to suggest that he hasn't
0:20:33 > 0:20:36secreted anything in there that might be linked to a burglary.
0:20:39 > 0:20:45Creative. We have a piping, so try and catch them at their game.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Nothing of interest was found in the car.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50We're nearly finished with the house now.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Several items were seized from the home,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56including jewellery and mobile phones.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Police hope these items will link the gang of suspects to burglaries across Hertfordshire.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Another morning of raids for Operation Scorpion done,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09and now it's time to process all the information.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13Just so you know, the addresses in Welwyn Garden City, a female has been arrested,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16and her car has been searched. There's some jewellery recovered.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19There's also a high-value watch that's been secreted in a wardrobe
0:21:19 > 0:21:23that's been recovered, and electrical items. There's a camera we believe is stolen.
0:21:23 > 0:21:30She's been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle, and she's come into Stevenage police station.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32During the search, a number of items were seized,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35believed to be involved in burglaries in Hertfordshire.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37You've been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40The officer's outlined the reasons why.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Some property's been found at an address this morning
0:21:42 > 0:21:47where you were at, where a warrant was executed, and therefore,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50you've been arrested on suspicion of being involved in those burglaries.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55After she's booked in, she's taken to a cell to await questioning.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02The evidence found at the woman's house is being checked by PC Rob King.
0:22:02 > 0:22:08Erm, we've managed to get quite a few cameras, sat navs and obviously it's up to her now
0:22:08 > 0:22:13to prove where they've come from, and if they belong to her.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Every item that's seized is meticulously logged and put onto a special computer system.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23It's then checked against reported stolen goods to see if there's a match.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27The teams also seize cash from both raids,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30and its PC Paul Wadsworth's job to try to find out where it came from.
0:22:31 > 0:22:37Our intelligence is that these parties have been disposing of counterfeit currency,
0:22:37 > 0:22:38so we're going to check to see
0:22:38 > 0:22:42if this currency is legal tender or is counterfeit.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45I've just got a very simple test, and it's only provisional test,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47but it's just the torch with the UV bulb.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51These flecks here on this top note that are reacting to the UV light
0:22:51 > 0:22:54would indicate that that's a genuine £20 note.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58The note directly underneath doesn't appear to have any of those flecks
0:22:58 > 0:23:01that react with the UV light and the torch, but we would need to
0:23:01 > 0:23:06send that note off to the Bank of England to verify whether it is a fake, counterfeit note
0:23:06 > 0:23:08or whether it is a genuine one,
0:23:08 > 0:23:14but there's certainly at least one fake £20 note in that pile that was seized from the chap at the flat,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16the first address we went to this morning.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19If this is counterfeit money,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21it could link the man to a wider criminal network.
0:23:21 > 0:23:26Organised criminals are known to move counterfeit money around the UK,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30breaking down large batches to distribute on the streets.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Then, a breakthrough.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40One of the items found at the woman's address provides them with a clue to its real owner.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43We've looked through the photos on the camera
0:23:43 > 0:23:46and it doesn't tie in with any of the people that we've got in custody at this moment.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49We believe that this image is, hopefully,
0:23:49 > 0:23:50the owner of the camera,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53and obviously this will have an impact on our investigation,
0:23:53 > 0:23:58because we will be able to interview the person in custody as to how they came about having that camera,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01and why they've got it in their room where they were arrested.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07For Detective Sergeant Kerry Bull and his team, today's multiple raids have been a success.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12The two that were in custody, one of those people, we believe,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14is acting as a driver for our burglars.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17The gentleman that in custody, we believe to be an active burglar.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21He's got previous convictions for that type of offence.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24We're currently looking for another two burglary suspects
0:24:24 > 0:24:28that have conspired with these two people to burgle houses in Hertfordshire.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31The gentleman who's been interviewed, he's been asked
0:24:31 > 0:24:34to account for the property that's been recovered,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37he's been asked to account for his association with other suspected conspirators.
0:24:37 > 0:24:43The lady who was arrested this morning is waiting for her solicitor to attend so she can be interviewed.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Following the raids in Hertfordshire,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52the camera found at the suspect's address turned out to be stolen
0:24:52 > 0:24:55and was reunited with its rightful owner.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00The woman arrested in connection with the stolen camera claimed it was left at her house after a party.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06The Crown Prosecution Service decided that there was not enough evidence to charge her
0:25:06 > 0:25:10or the other suspects arrested in connection with these raids.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Operation Scorpion continues, though.
0:25:14 > 0:25:19The team has charged over 450 people for nearly 700 crimes,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23and the burglary rate continues to fall across Hertfordshire.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Back in Essex, no-one has been charged with Jean's burglary,
0:25:28 > 0:25:34but she remains optimistic that one day she will be reunited with her jewellery.
0:25:34 > 0:25:40In January 2012, the recovered medals of Sir Kenneth Holland were presented by his family
0:25:40 > 0:25:46to the Fire Museum in Somerset, also home to Sir Kenneth's ashes.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51As children growing up, we heard about Moreton and the college,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54so to know that it's here, where he is as well, is lovely, yes.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01When we got the medals back, really, there was only one place they could possibly come to,
0:26:01 > 0:26:05and that is at the Fire Service College, and we had a family meeting,
0:26:05 > 0:26:09and we decided that this was absolutely the right place to bring them to.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11And we're really pleased to get the medals back, aren't we, Mum?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Yes, we are. Exceedingly pleased.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19Welcome to this ceremony to hand over Dad, Granddad, Great-Granddad's medals
0:26:19 > 0:26:21to the Fire Service College.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25The family feel that these medals, really, rightly belong here,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28because the Fire Service College was very much in Dad's heart.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Would you please accept these on behalf of the family.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Thank you very much. We are absolutely delighted. Thank you very much indeed.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Looking at the medals today,
0:26:38 > 0:26:43I actually had no idea he had that many, so it's nice to look at it,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47and it's nice to know they're here, for everyone else to appreciate as well.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50I'm very proud of him, so I expect other people to be proud.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53And they are, Mum. They absolutely are.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd