0:00:02 > 0:00:06'Teams of police are fighting a rise in burglaries across the UK.'
0:00:06 > 0:00:07He left his phone.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09My Timberlands have gone!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Oh!
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Oh, for God's sake!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15The people that do this are professionals.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18This is what they do for a living.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22'Specialist units working with the latest technology...
0:00:24 > 0:00:26'..and the community-minded among us...'
0:00:26 > 0:00:28I wondered if you heard anything.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30'..to track down the thieves...'
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Hold it right there! Stop!
0:00:32 > 0:00:36'..and make sure they are held to account.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40'It's not just our expensive gadgets that are being taken from us.'
0:00:40 > 0:00:43They just went in, took what they could and went.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45'It's our cherished heirlooms, too.'
0:00:45 > 0:00:49The thing that upset me most was the loss of my mother's engagement ring.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51It's going to take a while to just...
0:00:51 > 0:00:54get used to what's happened and get over it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57'Items that mean the world to us.'
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Very upset over it, really.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03'But police officers love nothing more
0:01:03 > 0:01:05'than to recover these prized possessions...'
0:01:05 > 0:01:09I can confirm it is their sat-nav, so result!
0:01:09 > 0:01:11'..and return them to us.'
0:01:11 > 0:01:14I didn't expect to see it again.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17To get those items back to people is really fantastic.
0:01:17 > 0:01:22I think the owners might be crying in happy tears.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25The police are amazing.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I am for ever indebted to them.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30This is Robbed...
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Raided...Reunited.
0:01:32 > 0:01:33Thanks very much.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36I never thought I'd see this again.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51'On today's programme,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54'Essex Police are on the case of thieves targeting lorries.'
0:01:54 > 0:01:57I was in the middle of the road, trying to pull you over.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01'The extraordinary story of lorry drivers who have their goods stolen
0:02:01 > 0:02:04'from right under their noses whilst asleep in their cabs.'
0:02:04 > 0:02:08You can't park anywhere without getting anything pinched.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10'And the future looks grim for a marching band
0:02:10 > 0:02:13'after all their instruments are stolen.'
0:02:13 > 0:02:17I was cross that someone could do it to all these children
0:02:17 > 0:02:19that work so hard and come year in, year out
0:02:19 > 0:02:21every week to come and play.
0:02:26 > 0:02:31'The port at Tilbury in Essex is the third largest container port in the UK,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34'handling over four million tonnes of cargo each year.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41'Lorry parks are dotted around the area, where drivers bed down for the night.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44'Vehicles are sitting ducks for thieves, known as Bladers,
0:02:44 > 0:02:47'as they use knives to slash sides of the trailers.'
0:02:49 > 0:02:52I wouldn't be able to sleep at night, thinking,
0:02:52 > 0:02:56is there somebody out there about to attack my load or my diesel?
0:02:56 > 0:02:59'Unbelievably, they also drain fuel
0:02:59 > 0:03:02'whilst the drivers are asleep less than two metres away.'
0:03:02 > 0:03:07You're looking at £500, £600 for a tank load of fuel. Easy money.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09You haven't got anything you shouldn't have?
0:03:09 > 0:03:13'In Operation Blade, Essex Police patrol the lorry parks
0:03:13 > 0:03:16'day at night around Tilbury and Grays.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21'It's 11:30pm and PC Mick Finch is called to an incident.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Usually only certain people move around in their vehicles at night.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30That's taxi drivers, the emergency service and villains.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32SIRENS WAIL
0:03:35 > 0:03:39'Police have had a call from a lorry driver on the main approach road to the docks
0:03:39 > 0:03:41'where dozens of lorries park up each night.'
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- So, what lorry was it that's been done?- It's, um...
0:03:45 > 0:03:47- The one at the front as well? - Third one back in the line
0:03:47 > 0:03:50- is the one that's been done. - Right. OK.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52We'll walk down.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Hello. Is it your lorry that's been...?
0:04:00 > 0:04:01Yeah, this one here.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03I never heard a thing. This lad here saw them
0:04:03 > 0:04:06running up and down the bank with the cans.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09They're obviously quiet. You don't hear a thing.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13- You saw them out of the cab, didn't you?- Yeah.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16I just heard a noise and I actually looked out the window
0:04:16 > 0:04:19and I could actually see them going up and down the bank.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20One person with the can.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24They've managed to get the cap off. It's a locking cap,
0:04:24 > 0:04:28so somehow they've managed to force that off with some implement.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32They've managed to, er...siphon the diesel
0:04:32 > 0:04:36from the tank into plastic containers
0:04:36 > 0:04:39and then take it back to their waiting vehicle.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44They've driven off, so, er...
0:04:44 > 0:04:46I just came to have a look, to see what was about.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50That's where we were. This is a road they've used before.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Um...
0:04:53 > 0:04:55I've just spoken to one of the officers.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59They've got the cans back with quite a bit of fuel, they're going to bring around.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02So at least he'll get some of his fuel back.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04They had a vehicle over there and they've driven off.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Thieves have been using plastic bottles to steal diesel from the lorry
0:05:11 > 0:05:13and take it to their waiting car.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16They got away with £450 worth of fuel.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Diesel theft is a big problem.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23A survey by the Road Hauliers' Association
0:05:23 > 0:05:25showed that more than half the respondents
0:05:25 > 0:05:27had been victims of fuel theft.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32This isn't the first time that this has happened to driver Keith.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36I had this one done about three or four weeks ago at Peterborough.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38The same again, 300 litres.
0:05:38 > 0:05:39I was parked in a lay-by overnight.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43It's getting to the point where you can't park anywhere without getting anything pinched.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49Keith's not only lost his fuel, he's also lost a night's sleep.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52You're not going to go back to sleep now
0:05:52 > 0:05:54cos you're that restless.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58You've just got to find the nearest fuel station and fuel up again
0:05:58 > 0:06:00with extra cost to what you've lost.
0:06:00 > 0:06:01INDISTINCT RADIO
0:06:02 > 0:06:06TruckPol, the police intelligence unit for freight vehicles,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08estimated that over £25 million of goods
0:06:08 > 0:06:13was stolen from trucks in the UK in 2010.
0:06:13 > 0:06:19At midnight, PC Chapman is off to another Operation Blade incident.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21If you spied three blokes in a lay-by
0:06:21 > 0:06:28attempting to break into a lorry to get at the cargo inside,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31units disturb them.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Our controllers try and direct units in as we speak.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- There's one made off...- Yeah, made off from a...
0:06:46 > 0:06:50You know the trigger gun we've got in place, for the theft from motor vehicles.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55As we were driving in, they were coming out in this.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Just as we're all converging at the right time.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01These two have been detained coming in for that. Stay mobile, see what we can do.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02Yeah. All right. No worries.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Four suspects, initially. One detained at scene.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Two made off in this vehicle here, which is a Fiesta.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14It was subsequently stopped by the traffic units.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18Two detained from there and then there's one outstanding. Units have gone mobile,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20and they'll see if they can find him.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- You'll be glad to know we've got three out of...- Brilliant.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24On the ball today.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- You didn't hear them?- Nothing.
0:07:28 > 0:07:34Three youths have been caught trying to break into the back of an HGV, whilst a fourth is still on the run.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37PC Chapman takes a statement from the driver about the incident.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- Hello, mate. Are you all right?- All right.- All right, mate.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45I've just got to take a quick statement off you. Nothing too major.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48- Did they disturb you at all? Didn't hear nothing, no?- No.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50That is a whopping big padlock.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55OK. We'll just take a quick statement off you, detailing what the score was
0:07:55 > 0:07:59and what time you parked up. It won't take too long and we'll go from there.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01- Happy with that? - Yeah.- Lovely. No worries.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04The driver was asleep in his cab.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08It was a passing police patrol that spotted the men breaking into the lorry.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12I was sleeping in the lay-by, waiting to go in the docks.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14I can't move until quarter past six.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17All I hear is the police knock on the door.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19"Just check that these seals are yours.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22"We think they tried to break into yours." And they had.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25I can't get in it.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29You've got to be careful on this job where you park. I thought this was safe here.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Obviously, it isn't.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33You get all sorts knocking on your cab doors.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Luckily, tonight, it was the police.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44This vehicle is carrying bathrooms, kitchens...
0:08:44 > 0:08:48Where we get vehicles that are broken into
0:08:48 > 0:08:52there's Armani suits, IP3 players,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Nintendo games.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Basically, it's the luck of the draw.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00These people that are doing the crimes don't know what's in these vehicles,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04until they're broken into and sometimes it's pot luck what they get.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06A lot of these drivers, it's their own vehicles.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09It's their livelihood, it's their living.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14The curtain-sided containers, they cost thousands to repair
0:09:14 > 0:09:17so if they're the owner of these, it's initial cost to have that repaired.
0:09:17 > 0:09:22Sometimes, they have to reimburse the companies. Could lose contracts. It has an effect on their living.
0:09:26 > 0:09:27- Thanks a lot.- Cheers.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32The thieves chose the wrong vehicle to try and break into
0:09:32 > 0:09:35as it is a steel-sided, well-secured lorry.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41You have security tags that are put on at time of loading
0:09:41 > 0:09:43to ensure the integrity of the load.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47I think what these lads have done is, not being very clever,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51they've probably mistaken those for the actual seals, thinking that this is something else.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54They've cut those off initially, tried to open them
0:09:54 > 0:09:59and realised that it's got a huge padlock bolt across here.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02How they were going to get through that I have no idea,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04with bolt cutters, which is what they were found with.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07You won't be able to bolt cut that. A bit amateur, to be honest.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09They didn't have a clue what was in there.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12The standard MO is to find a curtain-sided lorry,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15cut a hole in the side and look through, see what's in there.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19If you've got boxes, cut a hole in the box, see if there's anything worth taking.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21What they were going to do here I don't really know.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Not the cleverest thing in the entire history of the world but, erm, yeah. Foiled.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Coming up - PC Swain gets a surprise when he finds a man
0:10:31 > 0:10:33hiding in the boot of a car.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Hello. Jump out, please.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44Lorry crime is not restricted to the industrial areas around docks,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48as John Dimmock of the Nexus Drum & Bugle Corps found out.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52About five years ago, we realised that we needed a lorry
0:10:52 > 0:10:54with the type of equipment we were carrying about
0:10:54 > 0:10:56and the distance we were travelling.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00We couldn't fit everything in the coach so we decided to purchase a lorry.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03We had to raise about £4,000.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06To buy the instruments that we needed,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09already this year, we've spent about £20,000.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12With their new instruments, the band was on a high.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16A thank you concert for all the fundraisers was planned for
0:11:16 > 0:11:17Friday 28th October.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20So on the Thursday night, the vehicle was loaded, ready for
0:11:20 > 0:11:22the big event on the Friday.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24At 7am on the Friday morning,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27staff at the warehouse where the van was stored
0:11:27 > 0:11:32rang Elizabeth McLernen, one of the band's organisers, with a question.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34I was on my way to work the next morning
0:11:34 > 0:11:37and I had a phone call from the gentleman that runs our warehouse.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39He asked me where the truck was.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41I went, "In the yard." He went, "No."
0:11:44 > 0:11:46The van, with over £20,000 of instruments,
0:11:46 > 0:11:47had been stolen.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55I was gutted by the news and found it difficult to comprehend what was going on.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58When I was told the truck had been stolen, I was devastated.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00It was our life on that truck, really.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Everything we have worked for for the past ten years,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06all the money that we'd raised to buy new instruments.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09To realise it had all gone was devastating.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14The future of the band was in the balance.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Not only had they lost their lorry, they lost all their instruments in one night.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22When we came in on the next practice,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24we had instruments that were falling apart.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28It wasn't nice to play on because they didn't sound good.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33Many band members feared for the safety of their instruments.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36We didn't know where the instruments had gone
0:12:36 > 0:12:38or what had happened to them,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41if they'd been melted down for something else.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45Immediately, Bedfordshire Police scour the area
0:12:45 > 0:12:47to try to track down the missing lorry.
0:12:47 > 0:12:48SIRENS WAIL
0:12:48 > 0:12:52The band members were so desperate to get their instruments back,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55they decided to help the police by spreading the word about the theft.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59I decided we had to do a few things to support the police, to find out
0:12:59 > 0:13:02where the vehicle had gone and where our equipment was.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06We got in contact with all the local newspapers,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10and we also rung the local TV station to see if they could help.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17After 36 hours, there had been no sightings of the lorry.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20The band feared their instruments could already be out of the country.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25On Monday morning, local TV broadcast the story of the theft
0:13:25 > 0:13:27and appealed for help.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29By that evening, it seemed to have done the trick.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34A gentleman, who drinks in one of the local clubs
0:13:34 > 0:13:39in the next village, saw it parked when he was on his way to work.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42He only knew that because of the TV coverage that we had.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47The lorry was found 17 miles away, abandoned,
0:13:47 > 0:13:52damaged and drained of fuel.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56At first, there was huge relief but then there was a problem.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59The police not only wanted to carry out forensic tests,
0:13:59 > 0:14:05they also wanted the recovery of the lorry to be kept secret to help them catch the thieves.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08For the band, it was an agonising wait.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Although it was an exciting time, it was a little bit
0:14:11 > 0:14:16sort of worrying that the biggest amount of value, really, would have been inside the lorry.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19I was texting everyone, asking them if they knew anything,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22trying to find out what was going on, whether we'd get them back.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24It was just a nightmare for those few days.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28As the days passed, nerves were stretched to breaking point.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Finally they got the go-ahead to check their lorry.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36When I opened the lock, to our surprise and jubilation, really,
0:14:36 > 0:14:37all the equipment was inside.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45When they'd been found, oh, it was just such a relief.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50All that money hadn't been thrown away
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and we did have all our new instruments back and we could still use them.
0:14:53 > 0:14:59MUSIC: "Wind Beneath My Wings"
0:14:59 > 0:15:01I was over the moon when they were back.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03It was brilliant. Relief to know we'd got it back
0:15:03 > 0:15:06and that everything that we'd worked for was back.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16But it was not all good news.
0:15:16 > 0:15:17The lorry was a write-off,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20so the band needs to raise money for a new one.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Undeterred by the shocking theft, the Nexus Drum & Bugle Corps
0:15:24 > 0:15:28is looking forward to making music for many years to come.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Everybody is very, very excited.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35We can move forwards, we can move onwards,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38so we can play the music we want to play and we can enjoy ourselves.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40So it's really, really good.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Earlier, we were out with Essex Police catching Bladers -
0:15:57 > 0:16:00thieves who slash lorries and steal goods,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02or drain fuel from parked lorries.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08They've already made three arrests for attempting to break into a lorry
0:16:08 > 0:16:10crammed with expensive kitchen parts.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13It's the following night and PCs Martin Swain
0:16:13 > 0:16:17and Gemma Britten are setting off to patrol the lorry parks.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21RADIO CRACKLES
0:16:30 > 0:16:34At 12:30am, PC Britten spots some men
0:16:34 > 0:16:36asleep in a car near a lorry park.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39- Hello. Is this your car?- Yes.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44- Are you staying here long? - Er, we're waiting for here.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45We have a meeting in the morning.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49OK, have you got any ID on you, anything with your name on it?
0:16:49 > 0:16:53- Have you got any ID?- Sure, yes.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56- In the back?- My brother. - Your brother?- Yes.- OK.- Yeah?
0:16:56 > 0:16:57Can I see your ID, please?
0:16:57 > 0:17:01As a matter of routine,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03PC Swain goes to check out the men's details.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Suddenly, PC Britten spots a car pulling out of the lorry park
0:17:07 > 0:17:09and heading towards them.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17The driver either hasn't seen PC Swain
0:17:17 > 0:17:19or doesn't want to talk to him.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22- Did you see where they're going? - No.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- RADIO CRACKLES - 'You're probably in the middle of a check.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29'But does the car appear suspicious in the circumstances?'
0:17:29 > 0:17:31No, not at the moment.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34We just had a suss vehicle that failed to stop for us.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40It's a VW Golf.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45Ends in Juliet, Foxtrot, Kilo or something similar.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Could have gone down the 1089 or into Tilbury. Tilbury, I reckon.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00- Didn't go into ASDA, did it? - Don't think so.- Oh!- Try Tilbury.
0:18:04 > 0:18:05I saw him go in.
0:18:05 > 0:18:10- RADIO:- 'Yeah, have you got a vehicle?'- Yeah.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16We were in a lorry park doing a stop check on a vehicle.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And another vehicle's come into the lorry park,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21it's got at least four or five males in the car.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24I've asked the car to stop and it's gone straight past me.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27You get a lot of vehicles with several people in them
0:18:27 > 0:18:29going to lorry parks at night.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31They could be stealing anything from the lorries,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34they could be siphoning fuel from the lorries.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39They've lost the car.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43So PC Swain contacts other patrols to keep an eye out for the vehicle.
0:18:43 > 0:18:49Yeah, received. Could you possibly do some intel around the road,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and can we get that put on the hot list, please?
0:18:52 > 0:18:55He's definitely up to no good. I think there's Bladers out tonight.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57There was a lot of them in it.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02And they just ignored the fact that we wanted them to stop.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04We're still looking for this vehicle.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08We're just checking out all the areas nearby that they might have dumped it and gone out on foot
0:19:08 > 0:19:10because they knew we would spin around and look for them.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13We're just going to widen the search now and look in different areas.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19- It's frustrating, isn't it?- Hmm.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22All they can do is search the empty streets
0:19:22 > 0:19:24in the hope that they spot the car again.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- RADIO:- 'He's parked out on 280.'
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Yeah, received.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35It's either gone down the 1089 at speed,
0:19:35 > 0:19:36or into Tilbury, I think.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41- RADIO:- 'I'll head that way.'
0:19:41 > 0:19:43He's coming in behind us.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46We'll just continue to look for it.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Suddenly PCs Swain and Britten get a call saying the vehicle they are
0:19:51 > 0:19:54searching for has returned home.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58The vehicle that we are looking for, a unit has just seen it parked
0:19:58 > 0:20:01outside of the home address that the car's registered to.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Males have been seen to go into the address
0:20:04 > 0:20:07so we're just going to make our way there now.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Hopefully get to speak to them and find out what they've been up to.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17I think it might be this car here.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21When they arrive at the address, another unit is already there
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and an officer is questioning the owner of the car.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Hello. You all right there?
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I was pretty obviously in the middle of the road trying to pull you over.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37You went past me and you didn't stop. All right? I can arrest you for that.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40I can report you for that. It's all well and good standing here and saying sorry.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43We will place an information report on your car.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- You will get pulled over in it, cos you are out in it late at night. - Fair enough.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49We're going to search your car under Section 1, looking for stolen items
0:20:49 > 0:20:51and things like that.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- Is there anything in the car that shouldn't be in the car?- No.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04They're looking for items which can be used to break into lorries
0:21:04 > 0:21:06or drain fuel from tanks.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Hosepiping, um, containers - that kind of thing,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11if they're siphoning any fuel.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17The car is searched and PC Swain finds a latex glove on the back seat.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Do any of you work as a doctor? It's a latex glove.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29- You don't know who that belongs to, no?- No.- Hmm.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33It's not an offence to carry tools or gloves in your car,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36but when combined with unusual late-night activity,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38the police are suspicious.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44- Are you working in the morning?- Yeah. - What time?- Six o'clock.- Six o'clock?
0:21:44 > 0:21:49- And you're out after midnight? - Yeah, I know.- Just driving about?
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Most people would just be in bed, wouldn't they?
0:21:52 > 0:21:53We'll let you go, all right?
0:21:53 > 0:21:56It's not worth risking your job over, is it?
0:21:56 > 0:21:58No, no, that's it. It's not worth it.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- OK, off you go then. - Thank you very much.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06There is not enough evidence for an arrest.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10But for PC Swain it was still worth tracking down the car.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12It's worth sticking the car on the system
0:22:12 > 0:22:15and we'll keep an eye on it in case it comes out late at night
0:22:15 > 0:22:19and keep stopping it and find out who's driving it.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Later that night at 1:30am,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29PCs Swain and Britten stop a car that is on the list of known vehicles to Operation Blade.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32I think this is a Blade car.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33Yeah, it is.
0:22:35 > 0:22:36We're just going to stop this car.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40We think we know who the occupants are and they're known Op Blade offenders.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Have you got any ID on you? You haven't.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Going west and into Purfleet.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56- Let me fetch it out. - OK, just bear with me.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00You went through a red light, which is why we've stopped you.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Do you know what threw me, there was a car...
0:23:02 > 0:23:05We've got a Blade vehicle stopped. Several people inside it.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08There was a car. He stopped. I don't know why he stopped.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11When he stopped I thought he'd gone through a red light, so I went.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Well, it was red and you did go through
0:23:13 > 0:23:15and that's why I've stopped you.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17- Give me my car keys, mate.- Gem?
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Why do you waste your time asking questions when you can...?
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- I'm asking you.- What's the point?
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Because the driver is getting jumpy,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28PC Swain decides to search the vehicle.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32OK, we're going to give you a search and the vehicle a search.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Have you got anything on you you shouldn't have?
0:23:34 > 0:23:37All I've got on me is a phone, there's a pair of gloves in there.
0:23:37 > 0:23:42If this is a Blader's car, the officers will expect to find tools,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45keys or other items that have been used in criminal activities.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Do you work in the car trade, do you?
0:23:48 > 0:23:50I buy and sell cars, that's why I go to traders.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55As PC Swain opens the boot...
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Like I said, if you want to waste your time...
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Who knows.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Hello!
0:24:03 > 0:24:05..they were not expecting that.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Jump out, please.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11The man in the boot is known to PC Swain as he had been filmed
0:24:11 > 0:24:12nine days earlier.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Why didn't you want to tell us about...
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Can you stop the vehicle?
0:24:15 > 0:24:19- Stop the vehicle.- You should really keep all your tools in your boot.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21I'll put them in the boot now if you want.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24So why didn't you want to tell us about ... being in the car?
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- Didn't see him. - You didn't see him in your car?- No.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29I thought you'd seen him from the front.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33We've searched the car and the males in the car
0:24:33 > 0:24:37and we've found a number of items - a couple of radios, some gloves,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39screwdrivers, a torch.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43Um...they're the items we're looking for for people that are committing these offences.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47The man hidden in the boot confirms PC Swain's suspicions
0:24:47 > 0:24:50and he feels there is enough evidence to warrant an arrest.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54At the moment I'm putting you under arrest on suspicion of...
0:24:54 > 0:24:55BLEEP
0:24:55 > 0:25:00- HE READS HIM HIS RIGHTS - It was a spanner!
0:25:01 > 0:25:04..will be given in evidence. All right?
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Those are meant for...
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- BLEEP- I went to get an orange juice. Go and check the cameras.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14You've been arrested for the stuff found in your car.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16- That's nonsense. - You've got loads in your car.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20- Why were those tools in your car? - I swore, I apologise.- All right.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26We've arrested them for going equipped for theft.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30All three are being taken down to the police station and will be interviewed about the offence.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33PC Swain's suspicions that these men were out to break into lorries
0:25:33 > 0:25:36and steal property has been justified.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41They are taken into custody and their tools have been seized.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45We could have possibly prevented further offences being
0:25:45 > 0:25:47committed tonight.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51So it's a good stop, and it also lets them know that we are out there looking for them.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55It is important that we do continue looking for these vehicles
0:25:55 > 0:25:57and stop them when we see them.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03In the other Operation Blade cases we saw earlier,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05there are no suspects for the diesel theft.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09In the attempted theft from the padlocked lorry,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12one man pleaded guilty to vehicle interference.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14The other three suspects received cautions for their parts
0:26:14 > 0:26:15in the offence.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21The three men arrested for suspected Operation Blade offences
0:26:21 > 0:26:25had the going equipped for theft charge discontinued.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30The driver was fined £130 and given three points for jumping
0:26:30 > 0:26:32a red light.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34No-one has yet been caught for the theft of the lorry
0:26:34 > 0:26:38and instruments belonging to the Nexus Drum & Bugle Corps.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40The instruments were recovered
0:26:40 > 0:26:43and the band has now raised enough money to buy a brand-new lorry.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd