0:00:02 > 0:00:04Burglaries are on the increase.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09It's a real trauma for, for all of us.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13Usually only certain people moving around in their vehicles at night. That's taxi drivers,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16emergency service and villains.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21Thieves not just targeting the expensive gadgets in our homes,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24they're taking our cherished heirlooms too.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Your home is your sanctuary and nobody should be in your home.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Items impossible to replace.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Why go into someone's house
0:00:31 > 0:00:34and take away the things that are most important,
0:00:34 > 0:00:36their security and their safety?
0:00:36 > 0:00:38It's hard to take.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40I don't think they've got any scruples.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44But these prized possessions are often recovered.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47Get in there!
0:00:47 > 0:00:50The police are on our side.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54- Come, open the door, we're going to put it through.- Police with a warrant, open the door.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Specialist anti-burglary units across the UK...
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Come out now and make yourself known!
0:00:59 > 0:01:01..working with the latest technology...
0:01:01 > 0:01:05If your print's hot at a crime scene, we're going to talk to you about it and ask why.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07..and the good citizens among us...
0:01:07 > 0:01:08I did say I'd stop
0:01:08 > 0:01:11and just make sure that the whole family was all right.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14..to track down the burglars,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17and get us back our stolen goods.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20They took so much trouble, especially when he suddenly said,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23"Joyce, got the ring, coming round with it!"
0:01:23 > 0:01:25It was fantastic.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29It was really lucky, so it was nice to get him back.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33This is Robbed, Raided, Reunited.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Thank you so much.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36They're very good, yes.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38So rewarding, such a happy day.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51On today's programme...
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Hertfordshire Police go after a dangerous gang
0:01:54 > 0:01:57of teenage thieves who target leisure centres.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02These guys are quite cocky, quite brash and they are career criminals.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04They see getting arrested as an occupational hazard.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07The anger felt by one man,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10when he discovers his home has been broken into.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13- BLEEP- ..my second drawer this morning.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15I knew not to leave it there, I normally hide it.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18And Wiltshire Police are on the case
0:02:18 > 0:02:21of a gang who ransacked a Lord's home...
0:02:21 > 0:02:24At the time, this was the biggest robbery we'd had in Wiltshire.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27..determined to recover a unique family legacy.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28'I love them.'
0:02:28 > 0:02:30I really do.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36It's early morning
0:02:36 > 0:02:39and officers from Hertfordshire are being briefed before a raid
0:02:39 > 0:02:40on a gang of four teenage thieves.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43The operation name for today is Operation Crevice.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46It's targeting an organised crime group,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49who are actively seeking to burgle commercial premises.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52The four-man gang target leisure centres
0:02:52 > 0:02:54for cigarettes, alcohol and slot machines
0:02:54 > 0:02:57and DC Bill Patterson wants his 30 officers
0:02:57 > 0:03:00to concentrate all their efforts on finding these men.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04The intention of this is to execute warrants under section 8
0:03:04 > 0:03:06and to recover evidence related to these offences.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09In particular, items of clothing that are key to the investigation,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12as well as mobile phones and SIM cards.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15All four subjects will be arrested on suspicion
0:03:15 > 0:03:19of conspiracy to commit a commercial burglary
0:03:19 > 0:03:21at the Hollywood Bowl in North Watford.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24The gang's well-known to the police
0:03:24 > 0:03:25and officers like DS Cary Bull
0:03:25 > 0:03:29know they've got to apprehend them as soon as possible.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31These guys are quite cocky, quite brash
0:03:31 > 0:03:32and they are career criminals.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35They see getting arrested as an occupational hazard.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Their lifestyle is crime. They live by the proceeds of crime.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42What happens generally is if we get sufficient evidence
0:03:42 > 0:03:43to charge them with an offence,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46they will spend time on remand, and, or in prison,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and then they'll come back out and that cycle will start again.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54Because these men are habitual criminals,
0:03:54 > 0:03:58they're not going to come easily. They're known to use every trick in the book to evade capture.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01With this group in the past, we've had issues where phone calls
0:04:01 > 0:04:03have gone in from one person to another.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06It's key we secure the phones of everyone in the addresses,
0:04:06 > 0:04:07and don't allow them to make any phone calls.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Please wear all your personal protective equipment.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14We don't know how hostile the people in the addresses might be
0:04:14 > 0:04:16and whether there'll be any resistance.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17Just two weeks earlier,
0:04:17 > 0:04:22the gang was caught on CCTV acting suspiciously in a leisure centre.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25But that was not enough to gain a conviction.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29What I can tell you with this particular group, they are quite clever.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31They're on CCTV wearing identifiable clothing.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36By the time they're stopped by police acting suspiciously, they have done a clothes swap,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39in order to frustrate the detection of their criminality.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42In today's raid,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46the police are going to try and find items of clothing or other evidence
0:04:46 > 0:04:49that will tie the men to the day they were caught on CCTV.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53The plan is for the officers to be split into four teams
0:04:53 > 0:04:56and then simultaneously raid the suspects' homes.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00One team, led by Sergeant Steve Body, is going for the gang leader.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07About, 2, 3 minutes away. When we get there,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11we'll be looking to force entry to the premises,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14predominately so we don't lose evidence.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18We'll get 'em secure and we'll carry out a search of the address from there.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Sergeant Body also wants to find any SIM cards.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26The actual SIM card itself will be key to the investigation, in terms of what they have done
0:05:26 > 0:05:30and the evidence that will come from that, mainly to do with locations.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34But he's aware that the man has an unusual way of disposing of them.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37He swallows them.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39We don't want them secreting those either on his person
0:05:39 > 0:05:41or elsewhere in that particular property.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Which, with something that size is very easy to do.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Hopefully that's it down there on the right.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Within minutes, the police teams are nearing the suspect's address.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58It's vital that all teams arrive simultaneously, so there's no time for the suspects
0:05:58 > 0:06:00to tip each other off.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Yeah, left.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09With all the police teams now at their designated addresses,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11team one swiftly approaches the flat.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16Once at the door,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19they await Sergeant Body's command to go in.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24SHOUTING
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Room after room is cleared as they search for the suspected man.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32The house is empty. We're happy there's no-one in it.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36It's the usual place we come to for these particular individuals.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Minimal property, a bit of a mess to be perfectly honest!
0:06:40 > 0:06:41We'll give it the once over now,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45obviously check and see if there are any phones, SIM cards and the like,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47We've got specifics for clothing as well.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51- So, we'll see what we can uncover. - With the suspect not there,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55the police start a systematic search of the flat
0:06:55 > 0:06:56looking for evidence.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00One of the officers has found some paperwork relating to a vehicle
0:07:00 > 0:07:02that might belong to the suspect.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07- What's that?- We've got something. We've got a vehicle form anyway.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Do you want to go and have a look outside for that?
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Immediately, officers including PC Simon Nelson scour the streets
0:07:15 > 0:07:17- looking for his van.- It's a vehicle
0:07:17 > 0:07:20that he's linked to. We'll look to see if the vehicle's parked outside
0:07:20 > 0:07:25and if it's not, we may consider waiting for the vehicle to come back.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28With no vehicle found,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31the police leave a patrol car in case the suspect comes back.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39Police are not entirely surprised the suspect was not at this address.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43One of the characteristics of criminals is that they never stay long
0:07:43 > 0:07:47at any one address, moving from place to place to avoid capture.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49They swap clothes, they're using stuff like that.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51There were some specific items of clothing,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53but a quick glance around here...
0:07:53 > 0:07:57I think there's a pair of shorts there and that's about it! Which gives the impression,
0:07:57 > 0:08:02he bums around, he sofa surfs... There's next to naff all here, really.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07This man seemed prepared to go to any lengths should he ever be threatened with capture.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10We have a hammer next to the bed.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12And a knife.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17Probably for protection, I imagine, if somebody was to come in. Like we did.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22As well as leaving his weapons lying around, PC Spencer Neill
0:08:22 > 0:08:24also finds vital memory cards.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26It's a memory card for a phone.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30This is apparently an SD card for a mobile phone.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36It's a two gigabyte memory chip for the actual phone itself.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39It could hold information relating to where he's been and what he's doing,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41anything really.
0:08:41 > 0:08:42Beside the SIM cards,
0:08:42 > 0:08:48police have also found some important papers linking the suspect with the other gang members.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51I'm sure he'll turn up, they don't tend to stay at large for too long.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54The paperwork we found here shows they all associate together
0:08:54 > 0:08:57and they've been arrested together in the Met
0:08:57 > 0:08:59and bailed for an offence for that,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02so there's a good chance he may well turn up somewhere with them.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06With all the evidence bagged up,
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Sergeant Body's team heads off back to the station.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14The four-team raid of Operation Crevice has been a huge success.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Another team, including officer Martin Sturgess,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21has arrested two of the gang members.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23We attended the address, he actually answered the door
0:09:23 > 0:09:26on arriving there
0:09:26 > 0:09:27and he was arrested by myself.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Whilst we were searching the address,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32a small quantity of cannabis was found. He was further arrested for that offence
0:09:32 > 0:09:35and obviously brought here to Hatfield custody today.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37- Do you understand what you're in for, mate?- Yeah.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39You will be interviewed about it.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43With two of the gang members arrested,
0:09:43 > 0:09:44Detective Sergeant Kerry Bull
0:09:44 > 0:09:49- immediately starts assessing the evidence the teams have brought in. - These are some of the exhibits
0:09:49 > 0:09:52that were seized from the job this morning. What we've got,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55essentially, is some identifiable clothing back,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57as depicted as worn by the offenders in CCTV.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01We've got a number of mobile phones and SIM cards back.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03We've got a number of items,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07documentation that show that these people are known to each other.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09We'll look through those exhibits. We'll see whether they impact
0:10:09 > 0:10:14on the case immediately that we present to the CPS and essentially, look to enhance
0:10:14 > 0:10:17our evidential case for conspiracy against these guys.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19You need to go to your right a little bit
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Just sit up very slightly for me. Hold it there.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- Yeah. - The two arrested men
0:10:24 > 0:10:27are quickly processed by having their fingerprints
0:10:27 > 0:10:28and photographs taken.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30OK, lift off, mate.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Get both thumbs on there like so.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34To help in gaining further evidence,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37the police have also taken impressions of their trainers.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39He was obviously quite annoyed
0:10:39 > 0:10:41that we were taking impressions of his shoes
0:10:41 > 0:10:43and obviously that could be something
0:10:43 > 0:10:45that could be quite important to the investigation.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47He may have left the impressions of his trainers there,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49that can be identified back to him.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53- OK. Someone will be down shortly. - Yeah, that's all right.- OK.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00It's a good result for the officers of Operation Crevice. Two men are locked up
0:11:00 > 0:11:04and they've got a huge amount of evidence they hope will identify the men on CCTV
0:11:04 > 0:11:07and help them find the other two gang members.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10These guys do lead quite a nomadic lifestyle
0:11:10 > 0:11:15and they do spend a fair bit of time in hotels, which are paid for by proceeds of crime
0:11:15 > 0:11:17and getting two out of the four is a good result
0:11:17 > 0:11:20and the two that we did get are probably our primary players.
0:11:20 > 0:11:25So, I'm very happy with the result so far.
0:11:34 > 0:11:40The Earl of Chichester is a hereditary title passed down for over 350 years.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42The present Earl, Lord John Chichester,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45lives at Little Durnford Manor in Wiltshire.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50Lord Chichester has a fascinating family lineage.
0:11:50 > 0:11:51His ancestors travelled the world,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55collecting rare antiques wherever they went.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57My grandmother was Argentinian
0:11:57 > 0:12:02and her father had emigrated to Argentina from Germany about 1850
0:12:02 > 0:12:05and they were collectors, they collected French furniture,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08most of which had been sold, Renaissance art, paintings...
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Over the years, Lord Chichester's grandparents
0:12:11 > 0:12:15amassed a hugely valuable collection of porcelain and ornaments,
0:12:15 > 0:12:21including a series of 18th-century gold snuff boxes, worth over £20,000 each.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25These became Lord Chichester's favourite pieces in the collection
0:12:25 > 0:12:28when he became their official custodian on behalf of the family.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30I love them.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33I really do.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37And some are very special and are definitely museum pieces.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41The precious heirlooms were kept safely at Durnford Manor for over 40 years.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46But then one summer's evening in 2002, a shocking event took place.
0:12:47 > 0:12:48I had just left for London
0:12:48 > 0:12:52and my wife had taken a friend of hers back to Salisbury
0:12:52 > 0:12:54and this break-in happened.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58With both the Earl and his wife out,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01a powerful 4x4 vehicle reversed through the back gates
0:13:01 > 0:13:04of Durnford Manor and up to the house.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Intruders then smashed their way inside.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10The alarm went off, straight away,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12but they were very, very quick.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Ignoring the alarm,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17the gang left a trail of destruction in their wake,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19ransacking the house
0:13:19 > 0:13:22and targeting the most valuable antiques they could find.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26They got out with over 30 items of porcelain.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Some they left smashed on the ground.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34Most upsettingly, the 300-year-old gold snuff boxes were stolen.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Within a very few minutes with the alarms ringing, they were gone.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41In total, the burglars had stolen
0:13:41 > 0:13:44possessions to the value of £1 million
0:13:44 > 0:13:47and had stripped Lord Chichester of a family legacy
0:13:47 > 0:13:48dating back generations.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51For the Earl, the loss of the antiques
0:13:51 > 0:13:56wasn't his first concern, rather the threat the gang could have posed to his family
0:13:56 > 0:13:58- if they'd been at home. - I kept thinking somebody
0:13:58 > 0:14:01could've been in the house. They could've hurt or injured someone.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03I felt I should have done more,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06maybe we should have closed all the shutters.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08But the alarm was set, the alarm was on.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11As soon as they smashed the window, the alarm went off.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14I don't know really what else one can do.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Wiltshire Police immediately launched a major investigation
0:14:20 > 0:14:21to catch the gang responsible.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26Among the officers at the scene was Detective Sgt Nigel Porter.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30At the time, this was the biggest robbery we'd had in Wiltshire,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32in fact in the region.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34It was taken to be a very serious offence,
0:14:34 > 0:14:38the amount of violence that was used towards property.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41As the investigation got under way,
0:14:41 > 0:14:46it soon became clear this was the work of an organised criminal gang.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48The thieves had been careful
0:14:48 > 0:14:51not to leave any forensic evidence at the scene.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53With forensics drawing a blank,
0:14:53 > 0:14:57the officers had to rely on more old-fashioned police methods.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01The first few hours of investigation into a burglary,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04of any magnitude, is extremely important,
0:15:04 > 0:15:09to gather evidence and at that point, we made a strategic decision
0:15:09 > 0:15:12to do house-to-house enquiries as far as we could.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16We were, in a sense, doing village-to-village enquiries.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18We walked for miles.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21The window of opportunity
0:15:21 > 0:15:25to recover the stolen items was likely to be small.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28But later that afternoon, the police made a remarkable breakthrough
0:15:28 > 0:15:31when they knocked on the door of a local woman.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33We were amazed to find that she had, in fact,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35walked through Lord Chichester's property
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and she'd seen a vehicle with some males
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and that she was unhappy with and she recorded their registration.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44The woman's quick thinking
0:15:44 > 0:15:47had provided an excellent first lead for the team to follow.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51As a result of that, we then, with the use
0:15:51 > 0:15:52of the police national computer,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55were able to identify the owner,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59which led us to identify, physically identify,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02members of this organised crime group from Cheltenham,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04which was well known throughout the country
0:16:04 > 0:16:06to commit this type of offence.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08The car's registration
0:16:08 > 0:16:12had provided a strong clue to the identity of the gang responsible.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16It seems this would be the defining moment of the investigation.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19But despite arresting a suspect linked to the car,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21without hard evidence,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23the police were unable to bring a case
0:16:23 > 0:16:26against any of the suspected gang members.
0:16:26 > 0:16:27For Lord Chichester,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30it seemed all hope of recovering his precious heirlooms was lost.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35However, DS Porter and his team
0:16:35 > 0:16:39remained determined to reunite Lord Chichester with the stolen antiques.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43We then continued with our efforts to recover some of the property
0:16:43 > 0:16:45and then hopefully, get evidence of that property
0:16:45 > 0:16:47being in the possession of another suspect.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50The organised crime group we had identified,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54we know that they're well-practised at this type of offence
0:16:54 > 0:16:56and also, they've got a chain
0:16:56 > 0:17:00which they can distribute the property to once they have taken it.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05Stolen antiques can be transported anywhere in the world.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07The officers knew they would need to act quickly
0:17:07 > 0:17:12to prevent Lord Chichester's heirlooms disappearing without a trace.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Their first step was to add the missing items to the Art Loss Register,
0:17:15 > 0:17:20the world's largest database of lost and stolen antiques.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22This register has helped recover
0:17:22 > 0:17:25over £160 million worth of stolen items,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27since it was set up in 1991.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35With the Earl's collection on the register, the police knew if anyone tried to sell the items on
0:17:35 > 0:17:36through a legitimate dealer,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38they would be able to intercept the sale.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44All they and Lord Chichester could do was wait and hope.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49After several weeks with no news,
0:17:49 > 0:17:50DS Porter got the call he was waiting for.
0:17:50 > 0:17:56We were notified that some snuff boxes were, in fact,
0:17:56 > 0:18:00being put through to be checked by a reputable silver dealer.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03Wasting no time,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07DS Porter drove directly to the dealer's home in High Holborn,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09to identify the four snuff boxes.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Using pictures provided by the Earl,
0:18:13 > 0:18:18he was able to confirm they were indeed his stolen antiques.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20We were very excited when we got the snuff boxes.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22In a career, it's very rare
0:18:22 > 0:18:25that we manage to recover items of that value.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28The dealer was able to pass on to the police
0:18:28 > 0:18:31the name of the man who had sold the snuff boxes to him.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34As officers swooped to arrest this man,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37DS Porter wanted to break the good news to Lord Chichester himself.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42We drove directly to his home and gave them back to him
0:18:42 > 0:18:43and he was elated.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46I am extremely grateful to DS Porter.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48I think he has done an absolutely terrific job.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50I cannot praise their persistence too highly.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54I am extremely grateful and it's wonderful to have these boxes back.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Well done the police.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06On a busy estate in the Essex town of Southend,
0:19:06 > 0:19:10PC Chris Martin is answering a call to a suspected burglary.
0:19:11 > 0:19:12We've had a very brief call
0:19:12 > 0:19:16from some guy who's saying that his wife's just phoned him
0:19:16 > 0:19:19saying that everything's gone from the house.
0:19:20 > 0:19:26In Britain, there are nearly three-quarters of a million burglaries every year.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Most of these happen to homes where thieves gain access
0:19:28 > 0:19:32through ground-floor windows or the back of the premises.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34So, when the police get a call to a sixth floor flat,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36it's considered highly unusual.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Basically, in a high-rise block of flats,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40burglaries are rare in those places
0:19:40 > 0:19:42because it's obviously difficult to get into.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44The front door being the only real access point.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Hello, PC Martin from Southend. Talk to me about what's happened.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- I've only been out a couple of hours. - Yeah.- When I came back,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04the drawers had all been pulled out.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07It was owner Loretta McDonald who made the shocking discovery
0:20:07 > 0:20:08that her home had been broken into.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13- Obviously that's the only way they've come in.- Yeah, but I don't lock it. That's the thing.
0:20:13 > 0:20:14Why don't you lock your front door?
0:20:14 > 0:20:17I didn't think they were that easy to get into.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21While PC Martin waits for the scenes of crime officer to arrive,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Loretta shows him where the items have been stolen from, but she's convinced the thieves
0:20:25 > 0:20:28saw her coming home and ran away.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- What's gone?. Talk me through what's gone.- Just money.- Where was that?
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- All my drawers were all pulled out. - Right.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39- The drawers in there were all pulled out.- How much was in the money box?
0:20:39 > 0:20:44- There was only £30, it was my baby's little money box.- OK, where was that? - It was on here
0:20:44 > 0:20:47and my partner had some money in the drawer and that's gone. Just the cash.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51I think they were going to try and come back and get that as well.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56- They have seen you and scarpered, haven't they?- Yeah. Just as well.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59- So this is your room? And this was out?- The drawers were all out, yeah.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02- I put the other drawers back, but I shouldn't have. - Don't touch too much.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06- Is it your husband that phoned us? - Partner.- Partner, sorry. - He lives with me.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08She hasn't lifted the handle up on the front door to lock it,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11so very easily opened with a screwdriver, albeit no marks.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13The stuff's lined up down there,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16so there's a couple of people looking out the window,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18they've recognised her go out, know where she lives,
0:21:18 > 0:21:23come in quickly, seen her come back and they've got away with half of what they planned to take,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25which is a blessing in disguise, perhaps.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28PHONE RINGS
0:21:28 > 0:21:31I'm most upset about the money box.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34I think that's the lowest of the low, doing things like that.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36As Loretta is about to give her statement,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39her partner Nick Cook arrives back home in a state of high anxiety.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44- Hello, are you all right? - I was the one who called you. - Yeah, yeah.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48- Yeah, I've just started taking the statement. Did you run?- Yeah.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51BLEEP!
0:21:55 > 0:21:57I'm not going to feel safe in here now.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00- I've only been out about- BLEEP - an hour. Ten o'clock.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03I've only been about an hour, haven't I?
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Oh, God. They must have seen you coming back.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- Yeah, I know.- Or else they'd have taken the- BLEEP- stuff.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Nick's anger increases
0:22:10 > 0:22:13when he starts to check where thieves have been.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16I was in too much of a shock,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18now I realise his money box has gone
0:22:18 > 0:22:19and I thought, oh no.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Have you put the drawers back in?
0:22:21 > 0:22:24BLEEP. BLEEP.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28- The jewellery box was in that- BLEEP- drawer. - Apart from the jewellery box,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Nick becomes livid
0:22:30 > 0:22:33when he sees that his money has been stolen from one of the drawers.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35- I left my money in that - BLEEP- second drawer this morning.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37My money was right there,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39- on the corner of that- BLEEP - jewellery box.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42- I knew not to leave it there! I normally hide it.- BLEEP.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- I can't- BLEEP- believe it.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- Were these out?- Yes. - Why have they gone back in?
0:22:50 > 0:22:52They said don't touch 'em.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55I know, but I just don't like it all like that.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57The trauma of having their home broken into
0:22:57 > 0:23:01- suddenly replaces the anger. - It's all right,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03they're only possessions, aren't they?
0:23:03 > 0:23:06They've not hurt anyone. It's all right. It's all right.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08SHE CRIES
0:23:08 > 0:23:13- It's my kid's- BLEEP- room. - That's what's upset me so much! - Scumbags!- BLEEP.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16It looks like before the thieves were interrupted,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19they had stacked more of the couple's possessions in the hallway.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23This only increases Nick's anger and frustration.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27- I'll move that.- No! I didn't want you to touch it! BLEEP.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31I didn't want you to touch it, because if there's any fingerprints...
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- BLEEP.- I don't want people walking by and kicking my table, thanks.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37PC Martin is convinced that the burglars were watching out
0:23:37 > 0:23:40for Loretta to come home from the flat's balcony.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43What's the view like there, because they had a lookout, haven't they?
0:23:43 > 0:23:47- Which way did you come in? - I came up Philpott.- OK.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49They've seen you walking up. Through there.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52It's just that feeling. Someone rooting around in your house.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54- They only took the- BLEEP- money box.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- And your money.- My money.- Anything they could get their hands on.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00What did your son's money box look like?
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- Orange and blue. - How much did it have in it?
0:24:03 > 0:24:0430 quid.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09For Nick, it's stealing from his child that's causing him the most anger and distress.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13- That's dirty.- BLEEP. - That's low, isn't it?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15You blatantly know that's a kid's room.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18You blatantly know that's a kid's money box.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20To make matters worse,
0:24:20 > 0:24:22the £120 stolen from the bedroom,
0:24:22 > 0:24:23was all the money Nick had.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28- BLEEP.- I've just got made redundant, so I'm- BLEEP- broke.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30I normally hide it in my coat pocket or somewhere.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33The scenes of crime officer has arrived
0:24:33 > 0:24:34and after examining the door,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36agrees with PC Martin
0:24:36 > 0:24:38how the thieves broke in.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43They have literally put a screwdriver in and moved it like that until they get this bit.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48You can see with the screwdriver,
0:24:48 > 0:24:49they've just made no damage here whatsoever.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Although no consolation to Nick and Loretta,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55the break-in to a sixth floor flat
0:24:55 > 0:24:58is a first to an experienced officer like PC Martin.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01This is probably the first one I've ever been to
0:25:01 > 0:25:03in a high-rise that's a genuine burglary.
0:25:03 > 0:25:09We get people ringing up, trying to get a crisis loan and all that sort of stuff, yeah.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12I'm not going to feel very safe in here now.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Seeing how scared Loretta is about staying in the flat on her own
0:25:15 > 0:25:17has brought Nick's anger back.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19They could come back now.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- Let them come back. I'll kick the- BLEEP- out of 'em.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25I'm scared in case they try to get in when I'm in.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32PC Martin has done all he can, so leaves to start working
0:25:32 > 0:25:36- on tracking down the thieves and stolen property. - Someone's stolen a money box
0:25:36 > 0:25:39from a five-month-old baby... I mean, how low can you go?
0:25:39 > 0:25:42You have to be some sort of scumbag to do that.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44I can understand his anger,
0:25:44 > 0:25:46but also he's come home and his partner's in floods of tears
0:25:46 > 0:25:50and he's in a hard place at the moment, lost his job recently.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53It's not fair - everything that he's got has just been taken.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04Despite conducting forensic tests on Loretta and Nick's flat,
0:26:04 > 0:26:08no suspects or stolen goods have been found.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11But in the case of Lord Chichester's stolen antiques,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14the man caught selling the gold snuff boxes was convicted
0:26:14 > 0:26:15of handling stolen goods
0:26:15 > 0:26:18and received a two-year suspended sentence.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Lord Chichester has since improved the security at his home.
0:26:25 > 0:26:26DS Porter and his team
0:26:26 > 0:26:28are still working to try and track down
0:26:28 > 0:26:31the missing pieces of his collection.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33A few days after the Hertfordshire Police raids
0:26:33 > 0:26:37on the gang who targeted leisure centres,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40officers found and arrested the two remaining members of the gang.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43All four men were charged with conspiracy to burgle
0:26:43 > 0:26:45and pleaded guilty.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd