0:00:02 > 0:00:04Burglaries are on the increase.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09It's a real trauma for all of us.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13Usually only certain people move around in their vehicles at night,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16that's taxi drivers, emergency services and, er...villains.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21Thieves are 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 > 0:00:32Why go into someone's house and take away the things
0:00:32 > 0:00:36that are most important for security and 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!
0:00:47 > 0:00:50The police are on our side.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Come out of the door or I'll put it through. Police, open the door!
0:00:53 > 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 prints are at a crime scene, we're going to come round and talk to you and ask why.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07..and the good citizens among us...
0:01:07 > 0:01:11I did say I'd stop and just make sure the whole family was all right.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13..to track down the burglars...
0:01:14 > 0:01:17..and get us back our stolen goods.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19They took so much trouble.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Especially when he suddenly said,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23"Joyce! Got the ring! Coming round with it."
0:01:23 > 0:01:25It was fantastic.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27It was really lucky, so it's nice to get them back.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29SHE LAUGHS
0:01:29 > 0:01:33This is Robbed, Raided, Reunited.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Thank you so much.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36I feel very good, yeah.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38So rewarding, such a happy day.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Coming up, police are determined to find burglars
0:01:53 > 0:01:56who dared to enter a young man's home...
0:01:56 > 0:01:58- I came out, I saw them on the landing...- Right.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00..and they legged it out of the house.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05..and use high tech tracking to quickly hunt down the intruders.
0:02:05 > 0:02:06Stop!
0:02:06 > 0:02:09He's in the house!
0:02:09 > 0:02:12We bring you the heart-warming story of a whole community
0:02:12 > 0:02:16united in their search for a stolen dog.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19I have to resign myself to the fact that Soot's gone.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23And a doggy party trick that might just save the day.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27It was a pretty good bet, if she'd done a high five, it had to be Soot.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Southend in Essex may be renowned as a fun holiday destination,
0:02:35 > 0:02:41but for some residents, it's not all about sea, sand and sunbathing.
0:02:41 > 0:02:47Anti-burglary officers Chris Martin and Patrick Soontorn
0:02:47 > 0:02:49are on their way to a quiet suburban street
0:02:49 > 0:02:53after reports of a frightening encounter for one of the residents.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Someone who lives in Westcliff just confronted somebody in their house,
0:02:57 > 0:02:58on their stairs.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03VOICE ON POLICE RADIO, UNCLEAR
0:03:06 > 0:03:10Nine minutes after the emergency call, they arrive at the house.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12How tall was the white male?
0:03:12 > 0:03:15- Six foot.- Six foot?- Slim build.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17They are met by Faisal,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20who after hearing a noise came out of his bedroom
0:03:20 > 0:03:23to be faced with two burglars on the stairs.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25- They broke into the house.- Yeah.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27And you were upstairs?
0:03:27 > 0:03:28Yeah, they were upstairs,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31- I came out, I saw them on the landing...- Right.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34..and they legged it out of the house.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36And which way did they drive off?
0:03:36 > 0:03:40- They went down that way. - Down towards there?
0:03:40 > 0:03:41OK.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Erm...
0:03:43 > 0:03:46An intrusion like this is a shocking and disturbing experience
0:03:46 > 0:03:48for the homeowner.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52..but you're never going to stop the one that really wants to get in.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Officer Martin must quickly assess how the burglars got in.
0:03:56 > 0:03:57The lock's not broken, no?
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Oh, it's bent up there.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03So they've kicked that in, by looks of it. Is that new damage, up there?
0:04:03 > 0:04:05- Yeah, that's... - Yeah, that's how they got in.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07They've come through here.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10The young man's parents, Mohammed and Bedum,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14have now both returned home, keen to make sure he's all right.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Everyone's OK, no one's injured or anything.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But he's come home and he's found someone on top of the stairs.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23The street has been targeted by burglars before, but it remains a tight-knit community,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27and local resident Yvonne comes round to offer her support.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30He's a bit shaky, but he's all right.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32- Right. Are you all right?- Yeah.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Cos I was all worried about you, so I said I'd come straight away.
0:04:35 > 0:04:36- Thank you.- All right?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38'The fact that I've been through it myself,'
0:04:38 > 0:04:40I know exactly how she feels, and I said,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42although she feels OK at the moment,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45sometimes it's when you settle down and think about it,
0:04:45 > 0:04:47someone's been in your house.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50It can affect you days afterwards.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54I did say I'd stop and make sure the whole family was all right.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57The good news is the burglars didn't take anything,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59but what were they looking for?
0:05:01 > 0:05:04We haven't got nothing inside.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09They cannot take it, but they know that I am...being an Indian,
0:05:09 > 0:05:14they thought that I might have got gold, you know?
0:05:14 > 0:05:17That is why they came, absolutely.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20There was no gold in this property.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23But a serious crime has been committed.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24The officers widen their investigation.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26They need witnesses.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30A couple of guys came down the road there,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32they were obviously trying to get in next door,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35then they went running up the road there.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39- Do you think you'd recognise them if you saw them again? - Yeah, I think I probably would.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43- No, that's fine, thanks for that. - That's all right.- Cheers.- See ya.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47There's been a huge breakthrough in this case.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Another witness has called the station
0:05:49 > 0:05:52with the registration number of the getaway car.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Officers Martin and Soontorn
0:05:55 > 0:05:58rush back to Southend Police control room.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01They are looking for information from a high tech computer system
0:06:01 > 0:06:04called Automatic Number Plate Recognition or ANPR for short.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Using the suspects' registration number,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17it's possible to predict the getaway car's movements
0:06:17 > 0:06:19by tracking which cameras they drive past.
0:06:24 > 0:06:2715 minutes later, officers Martin and Soontorn arrive
0:06:27 > 0:06:31to find ANPR has picked up the suspect's car.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35That is the vehicle,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38about seven or eight minutes after the burglary,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41driving along the A127 towards London.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43But there's a bug in the machine.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45The computer system has crashed.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47The offenders could be getting away.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54Officer Martin does still manage to access details
0:06:54 > 0:06:55of who owns the car.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00We now know the vehicle's registered to an address in Romford.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02We've got no intelligence locally on the vehicle.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05We have something on the address, someone who lives at that address
0:07:05 > 0:07:07was stopped in Loughton.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Why do I recognise that name?
0:07:10 > 0:07:13The car is registered to a repeat offender well known to the police.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19There are clear grounds to stop and search the car,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22but still the system is agonisingly down,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25and all they can do is wait for 90 long minutes.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38Suddenly, the system comes back up, and the suspect car is detected on the move.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Basically, the car has just pinged our cameras again,
0:07:42 > 0:07:47that was on the A130 leaving Chelmsford.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Trying to second guess it, he's heading back to this area.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Once they're confident where the car is heading,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56the aim will be to intercept it and arrest the occupants.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Coming up, their tracking operation turns into a high speed pursuit.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06He's right there, in front, three cars ahead of us.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09And the officers' athletic ability is put to the test.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Stop!
0:08:11 > 0:08:12He's in the house!
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Next on Robbed, Raided, Reunited...
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Having a family car stolen is traumatic enough,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25but when that vehicle contains your pet and best friend,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28then the effect is devastating.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33It happened once before when I lost my fiancee to cancer.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35And I almost went through it again with Soot.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38It was...
0:08:38 > 0:08:39It was horrible.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Peter Ward is a builder and surveyor from Shropshire.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Just over a decade ago, tragedy struck,
0:08:51 > 0:08:55when his fiancee discovered she had an advanced form of cancer,
0:08:55 > 0:08:56and only had weeks to live.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Shortly after she passed away,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03his neighbours came up with a way to raise his spirits.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06The neighbours took pity on me, I think, really.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10They appeared one morning and said, "Please follow us,"
0:09:10 > 0:09:14and I was taken up to a loosebox up on the farm,
0:09:14 > 0:09:21and there was a little collection of puppies in the loosebox,
0:09:21 > 0:09:26seven of them, and one of them tottered across
0:09:26 > 0:09:32and draped itself over my feet, and I think I was...I was chosen.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35For Peter, Border collie Soot was more than a pet.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40She became his companion, as well as having a working role in his life.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44Soot has kept me together in the dark days.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48When I lost my fiancee, she was always there,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51and she keeps me on an even keel.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52And she provides a focus for my life.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58I can't allow myself to go downhill because I've got to look after her,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01I've got to be there for her.
0:10:04 > 0:10:10One evening in February 2011, Peter's worst nightmare came true
0:10:10 > 0:10:14on a petrol station forecourt, while Soot was with him in his car.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19I'd been doing a building survey in Wales,
0:10:19 > 0:10:21and I'd driven all the way back, we were both tired,
0:10:21 > 0:10:26we stopped to fill up with fuel,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30Soot was asleep in the back of the Land Rover,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and I tend to fill up and then pull off the pump
0:10:33 > 0:10:36so that other people can get on the pump,
0:10:36 > 0:10:41and I pulled up, parked right by the doors to the petrol station,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44got out, went straight in, put my card in the machine,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47paid and came out, and the Land Rover just wasn't there.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Of course, it hadn't disappeared into thin air.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58The CCTV footage clearly shows someone leaping into his car
0:10:58 > 0:10:59and speeding off.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Peter's 4x4 had been carjacked.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06But unbeknown to the thieves,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09this stolen car had contained his beloved dog.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12I ran back into the garage,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15and suddenly realised as I was running in
0:11:15 > 0:11:20that it was Soot, she was in the car, she was not with me.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24I wasn't bothered about the Land Rover, it was, "Where's Soot?"
0:11:25 > 0:11:28And I pretty much went to pieces, actually.
0:11:28 > 0:11:35I must admit I didn't realise until then just how close I was to her.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Erm...
0:11:37 > 0:11:38I just fell apart.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46The number of dogs stolen doubled last year from 15 to 30 a day.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50This was an extremely worrying time for Peter.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58I had equipment in the back, I had iron bars,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00I had all sorts of things in the back of the Land Rover,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03and I had visions, to be honest, of someone smacking her on the head
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and throwing her out dead.
0:12:05 > 0:12:06That was my worst fear.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18With Soot gone, Peter contacted the K9 Search charities,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20with Jenny Dhanjal co-ordinating operations.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25We have some very dedicated volunteers
0:12:25 > 0:12:27that will just down tools at the drop of a hat.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30They had to move fast.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34It was vitally important that Soot's details were circulated
0:12:34 > 0:12:37as quickly as possible.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40The fact that she had been stolen within a vehicle
0:12:40 > 0:12:42meant that either the thieves could go with her
0:12:42 > 0:12:45and take her to wherever they were taking the vehicle,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48or they could have easily just opened the boot and let her out.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51The first few hours are key,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55and the internet is the new weapon to help find missing dogs quickly.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01We just grabbed all the details, circulated them across the internet,
0:13:01 > 0:13:06set up a specific group for Soot.
0:13:06 > 0:13:12They shared it out, the members came in, and everybody was Soot crazy,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16and before you know it, Facebook was Sootbook.
0:13:16 > 0:13:17I've got to say,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20I've never met such an amazing bunch of people in my life.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22And what absolutely astonished me
0:13:22 > 0:13:26was the number of people that she called on.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29This organisation just snowballed
0:13:29 > 0:13:34from one or two people walking down roads, putting up the odd poster,
0:13:34 > 0:13:39to...I think at the height, there must have been 50 or 100 people.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Every shop in all the villages over the river was postered.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45The phone never stopped ringing.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49One important contact was dog warden Nicky Bower.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Every collie that we picked up, you know,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54I was hoping that it was Soot.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57I must have picked up about three or four collies in the one week
0:13:57 > 0:14:00thinking, "Please be Soot," and it wasn't.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Even with the search fully mobilised,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07seven days later, there was no concrete news
0:14:07 > 0:14:10on Soot's wellbeing or whereabouts.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Peter was starting to think Soot might be gone forever.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21I think there was a point when...
0:14:21 > 0:14:23I thought...
0:14:23 > 0:14:25"This just is not going to happen."
0:14:25 > 0:14:28"I have to resign myself to the fact that Soot's gone."
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Coming up, there is a sighting, but can it really be Soot?
0:14:38 > 0:14:42This dog had a white spot on the pupil of its eye.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Earlier on Robbed, Raided, Reunited,
0:14:51 > 0:14:55we saw Southend officers, Chris Martin and Patrick Soontorn,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59intent on catching the intruders who shocked a young man in his own home.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- And which way did they drive off? - They went that way.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07The men made off in a getaway car, but a supportive neighbour
0:15:07 > 0:15:11had jotted down the car's registration number.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Using a hi-tech number plate recognition system,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18the police quickly began to track the movements of the suspect's getaway.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20The car has just pinged our cameras again.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Trying to second guess it, it's heading back to this area.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Two hours later, and the system is clearly showing
0:15:29 > 0:15:32the suspect's car heading back to Southend.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Officers Martin and Soontorn have hit the streets
0:15:39 > 0:15:42in an unmarked squad car to try and intercept it.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46The latest information, it's now coming towards us on this road here.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49I think the best thing we can do is find somewhere to pull up
0:15:49 > 0:15:52down at the next roundabout, just in case it comes this way.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01VOICE ON POLICE RADIO, UNCLEAR
0:16:08 > 0:16:10It's not going to be easy to spot the car
0:16:10 > 0:16:12at rush hour on a dark winter's night.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14There's so many little turnoffs
0:16:14 > 0:16:17leading into side streets off the main road.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19All we can cover are the main points.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Just as the suspect's car may have slipped through the net...
0:16:32 > 0:16:34..it drives right past them.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35That was it, there we are.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37That's...
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Right there, in front, three cars ahead of us.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43The pursuit is on.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Victor 27, I'm two cars behind it, Priory Crescent.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51It's a hatchback vehicle, I don't know how many occupants, and I'm in a plain vehicle.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54I thought I was dreaming, it was like, "Wait, no."
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Officer Martin is not a qualified high speed pursuit driver.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Their job is to monitor the car's position.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04What we're doing now is just following behind it
0:17:04 > 0:17:07until we get some of the other highly trained pursuit officers
0:17:07 > 0:17:10on scene, just in case he decides to drive away from us.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Straight over into Eastern Avenue, offside lane.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18The suspect's Ford Focus is right in front of them.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Now Bournemouth Park Road, towards Southend, speed 30.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Although they're driving an unmarked car,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29they need to be careful not to trigger a high speed escape.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30I'm going to spook him in a minute.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34We're going right-right into Wentworth Road.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37They can't afford to lose sight of suspect's car,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39but the driver does seem to be getting suspicious.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Approaching Sutton Road again.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45He's obviously tried to lose me or he wouldn't take this route.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46Stand by for a direction.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52No indication, stand by for a direction.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Straight over, continuing Sutton Road towards Southend.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Not only do they need to stay in touch until backup arrives,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01they need to monitor how many suspects there are inside
0:18:01 > 0:18:03in case it turns into a footrace.
0:18:03 > 0:18:04Right...
0:18:04 > 0:18:07Three, there's someone else in the back.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10There's a male laying down in the back in the car,
0:18:10 > 0:18:11so now three up.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12Looking at us.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16There's a third man in the car. Chris and Patrick are outnumbered.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18They need backup soon.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Left-left into Vale Avenue, heading back towards Sutton Road.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27Finally, after seven minutes of intense following, here it is -
0:18:27 > 0:18:29a marked specialist pursuit car.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35The men quickly realise they're in trouble, and speed off.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Right, they take over the radio control now.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Suddenly, they bail out.
0:18:42 > 0:18:43They're running.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Two of the men run one way, chased by the pursuit officers.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Officers Martin and Soontorn go after the third man.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- Hold it right there, stop!- Go, go.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13The suspect is seen rushing through a garden gate.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17Open the door, open the door right now!
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Officer Soontorn leaps the back wall to try and stop the man
0:19:20 > 0:19:23before he gets into the house, but the door is locked in his face.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Essex Police, open..!
0:19:27 > 0:19:29I'm a police officer!
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Essex Police!
0:19:31 > 0:19:33He's in the house!
0:19:33 > 0:19:35The police dog handlers arrive.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38He's in the house. I can't open the door.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42- It's all right, cover the front, is the front covered?- Where is he, open the door, open the door!
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Officer Martin checks the front door of the house is secured.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Right, he's gone into a house.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51There are occupants to the house.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- Has he gone out the front? - WOMAN:- I don't know!- I don't know where he is, I think he's upstairs.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56Finally, a woman lets them in,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and the fleeing man is quickly tackled upstairs.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Don't...why are you both manhandling him? He can walk!
0:20:04 > 0:20:05Right...
0:20:07 > 0:20:10A man is arrested for attempted burglary.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Upstairs, he apparently went to some lengths to feign innocence.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17He ripped his clothes off and jumped into bed,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20where he was obviously trying to make it look like he hadn't been running from us.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Chris wasn't fooled, and the man is taken to the station.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30All three suspects have been arrested now. Erm...
0:20:30 > 0:20:33We'll have to go back and get on to the witnesses, see what their availability is,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35but we've got a lot of work ahead of us now.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Um...
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Better phone the missus, let her know I'll be late. HE LAUGHS
0:20:42 > 0:20:45With a little help from the missus, officers Martin and Soontorn
0:20:45 > 0:20:47have ensured the residents of Southend
0:20:47 > 0:20:49won't be having any more close encounters with these men
0:20:49 > 0:20:51in the near future.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Earlier on Robbed, Raided, Reunited,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01we saw the dog-loving community of Shropshire
0:21:01 > 0:21:04galvanised by the search for Peter Ward's beloved collie, Soot.
0:21:04 > 0:21:10Soot was stolen along with Peter's car from a petrol station forecourt.
0:21:10 > 0:21:15I think at the height, there must have been probably 50 or 100 people.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Despite the huge campaign, over a week later,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22there was still no news of Soot, and Peter was starting to fear the worst.
0:21:22 > 0:21:23I thought...
0:21:24 > 0:21:26"This just is not going to happen."
0:21:26 > 0:21:29"I have to resign myself to the fact that Soot's gone."
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Out of the blue, search co-ordinator Jenny Dhanjal
0:21:37 > 0:21:39heard of a possible lead.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44We received a call from one of the Dudley dog wardens
0:21:44 > 0:21:47to say they had a dog which resembled Soot.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50But was it definitely Soot?
0:21:50 > 0:21:53The recovered dog had a distinguishing mark
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Jenny hadn't heard about.
0:21:55 > 0:22:01This dog had a white spot on the pupil of its eye.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06So we got hold of the main photos
0:22:06 > 0:22:10that were originally supplied by Peter, and just zoomed in.
0:22:10 > 0:22:16And was able to establish that the white spot was there on Soot's eye.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20The signs were good.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22But dog warden Nicky wanted to be 100% sure.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26So by this time we're having a three way conversation with Peter as well,
0:22:26 > 0:22:28and we're all getting a little bit more excited.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I thought, "Yes, it does look like her," and then,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34you are always doubtful in the back of your mind,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37just in case, and you don't want to get the owner's hopes up.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41So could they confirm once and for all
0:22:41 > 0:22:43that the dog was definitely Soot?
0:22:44 > 0:22:47I said, "Why don't you ask her if she can do a high five?"
0:22:47 > 0:22:51I just heard this muffled, "What?" over the phone,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54and I said, "Yeah, go on, ask her to do a high five."
0:22:54 > 0:22:56She said, "I...hang on a minute..."
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Scruffle, scruffle, the phone goes down...
0:22:59 > 0:23:02He said, "Just tell her, high five."
0:23:02 > 0:23:04"Say "Soot, high five"."
0:23:04 > 0:23:08I bent down, put my hand in front of me, and, "Soot, high five."
0:23:08 > 0:23:10And straight up, the paw came up.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12High five! Good girl.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16And I thought, "Yeah, this has got to be her."
0:23:16 > 0:23:19"Pete, I've got your dog!"
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Peter headed straight to Dudley, where the dog had been found.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29I think emotionally, I still put myself into neutral.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31I didn't want to hope.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34All I knew, it was a pretty good bet.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37If she'd done a high five, it had to be Soot.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41But I still wasn't going to guarantee myself that it was
0:23:41 > 0:23:44until I had her in my arms.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48As soon as he pulled up in the car and he flung that door open,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50and Soot just went and she just jumped on him,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53you know, lots of kisses and...
0:23:53 > 0:23:56Wouldn't leave her dad, you know, she was a different dog.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59She was a different dog as soon as she saw him.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01You know, so rewarding, such a happy day.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03I had tears in my eyes.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Nice to see you! You're looking really well.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10And everybody was just overjoyed.
0:24:10 > 0:24:11You know...
0:24:11 > 0:24:14We was actually crashing the page,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17because everybody was trying to post at the same time.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19But it was just amazing.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Everyone was just so relieved that she was safe.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26Totally emotionally draining, but a huge relief.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Eight days after being stolen,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Soot had been found 20 miles from Peter's home
0:24:31 > 0:24:34by a vigilant and compassionate member of the public
0:24:34 > 0:24:37who contacted the dog warden immediately.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44Soot had apparently been well fed, and even smelt of shampoo.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48It's extraordinary, as I say, it changes your whole take on life,
0:24:48 > 0:24:52and I think this whole thing for me, what I've learned out of it,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55is don't lose hope, because...
0:24:55 > 0:24:58There are some incredible people out there, and the world is full
0:24:58 > 0:25:01of some very, very beautiful, very good people.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12The suspect Southend officers Martin and Soontorn caught earlier
0:25:12 > 0:25:13was released.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15And although one of the other men in the car
0:25:15 > 0:25:19was charged with house burglary, all charges were later dropped.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Southend Police are happy to let the family know
0:25:24 > 0:25:27how to make their home secure.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31With your front door, I would certainly put bigger bolts on it.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Get, like, a five-lever-type Chubb lock
0:25:34 > 0:25:37that actually engages with the other one to hold them together.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39They'll look at your house and think,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42"That's hard work," and go next door.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47The man seen taking Peter's car along with Soot was later caught.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52He pleaded guilty and was given a 20-month custodial sentence.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54The car is still missing.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Peter and Soot are happily reunited.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02But if Peter had wanted to find Soot more quickly,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04he could have used technology as advanced
0:26:04 > 0:26:06as the tracking system police used
0:26:06 > 0:26:09to intercept the suspects' car in Southend.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12If you've got a microchip, it's a small implant
0:26:12 > 0:26:15that goes straight in... Hello!
0:26:15 > 0:26:17..it goes straight through the shoulder blades there
0:26:17 > 0:26:20and sits under the skin, and we can use the scanners,
0:26:20 > 0:26:24and we run it over the dog, and it comers up with a chip number.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27And that chip number is your personal identification
0:26:27 > 0:26:29for your dog.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34In 2010, vets microchipped over 67,000 animals.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37And the RSPCA say having the microchip
0:26:37 > 0:26:41substantially increases your chances of finding your lost or stolen pet.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44About time I went out and got you microchipped, then, Soot, eh?
0:26:44 > 0:26:45SOOT BARKS
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Yes! She agrees!
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd