Episode 16 Robbed, Raided, Reunited

Burglaries are on the increase.

It's a real trauma for all of us.

Usually only certain people move around in their vehicles at night,

that's taxi drivers, emergency services and, er...villains.

Thieves are not just targeting the expensive gadgets in our homes.

They're taking our cherished heirlooms too.

Your home is your sanctuary, and nobody should be in your home.

Items impossible to replace.

Why go into someone's house and take away the things

that are most important for security and safety?

It's hard to take.

I don't think they've got any scruples.

But these prized possessions are often recovered.

Get in!

The police are on our side.

Come out of the door or I'll put it through. Police, open the door!

Specialist anti-burglary units across the UK...

Come out now and make yourself known!

..working with the latest technology...

If your prints are at a crime scene, we're going to come round and talk to you and ask why.

..and the good citizens among us...

I did say I'd stop and just make sure the whole family was all right.

..to track down the burglars...

..and get us back our stolen goods.

They took so much trouble.

Especially when he suddenly said,

"Joyce! Got the ring! Coming round with it."

It was fantastic.

It was really lucky, so it's nice to get them back.

SHE LAUGHS

This is Robbed, Raided, Reunited.

Thank you so much.

I feel very good, yeah.

So rewarding, such a happy day.

Coming up, police are determined to find burglars

who dared to enter a young man's home...

-I came out, I saw them on the landing...

-Right.

..and they legged it out of the house.

..and use high tech tracking to quickly hunt down the intruders.

Stop!

He's in the house!

We bring you the heart-warming story of a whole community

united in their search for a stolen dog.

I have to resign myself to the fact that Soot's gone.

And a doggy party trick that might just save the day.

It was a pretty good bet, if she'd done a high five, it had to be Soot.

Southend in Essex may be renowned as a fun holiday destination,

but for some residents, it's not all about sea, sand and sunbathing.

Anti-burglary officers Chris Martin and Patrick Soontorn

are on their way to a quiet suburban street

after reports of a frightening encounter for one of the residents.

Someone who lives in Westcliff just confronted somebody in their house,

on their stairs.

VOICE ON POLICE RADIO, UNCLEAR

Nine minutes after the emergency call, they arrive at the house.

How tall was the white male?

-Six foot.

-Six foot?

-Slim build.

They are met by Faisal,

who after hearing a noise came out of his bedroom

to be faced with two burglars on the stairs.

-They broke into the house.

-Yeah.

And you were upstairs?

Yeah, they were upstairs,

-I came out, I saw them on the landing...

-Right.

..and they legged it out of the house.

And which way did they drive off?

-They went down that way.

-Down towards there?

OK.

Erm...

An intrusion like this is a shocking and disturbing experience

for the homeowner.

..but you're never going to stop the one that really wants to get in.

Officer Martin must quickly assess how the burglars got in.

The lock's not broken, no?

Oh, it's bent up there.

So they've kicked that in, by looks of it. Is that new damage, up there?

-Yeah, that's...

-Yeah, that's how they got in.

They've come through here.

The young man's parents, Mohammed and Bedum,

have now both returned home, keen to make sure he's all right.

Everyone's OK, no one's injured or anything.

But he's come home and he's found someone on top of the stairs.

The street has been targeted by burglars before, but it remains a tight-knit community,

and local resident Yvonne comes round to offer her support.

He's a bit shaky, but he's all right.

-Right. Are you all right?

-Yeah.

Cos I was all worried about you, so I said I'd come straight away.

-Thank you.

-All right?

'The fact that I've been through it myself,'

I know exactly how she feels, and I said,

although she feels OK at the moment,

sometimes it's when you settle down and think about it,

someone's been in your house.

It can affect you days afterwards.

I did say I'd stop and make sure the whole family was all right.

The good news is the burglars didn't take anything,

but what were they looking for?

We haven't got nothing inside.

They cannot take it, but they know that I am...being an Indian,

they thought that I might have got gold, you know?

That is why they came, absolutely.

There was no gold in this property.

But a serious crime has been committed.

The officers widen their investigation.

They need witnesses.

A couple of guys came down the road there,

they were obviously trying to get in next door,

then they went running up the road there.

-Do you think you'd recognise them if you saw them again?

-Yeah, I think I probably would.

-No, that's fine, thanks for that.

-That's all right.

-Cheers.

-See ya.

There's been a huge breakthrough in this case.

Another witness has called the station

with the registration number of the getaway car.

Officers Martin and Soontorn

rush back to Southend Police control room.

They are looking for information from a high tech computer system

called Automatic Number Plate Recognition or ANPR for short.

Using the suspects' registration number,

it's possible to predict the getaway car's movements

by tracking which cameras they drive past.

15 minutes later, officers Martin and Soontorn arrive

to find ANPR has picked up the suspect's car.

That is the vehicle,

about seven or eight minutes after the burglary,

driving along the A127 towards London.

But there's a bug in the machine.

The computer system has crashed.

The offenders could be getting away.

Officer Martin does still manage to access details

of who owns the car.

We now know the vehicle's registered to an address in Romford.

We've got no intelligence locally on the vehicle.

We have something on the address, someone who lives at that address

was stopped in Loughton.

Why do I recognise that name?

The car is registered to a repeat offender well known to the police.

There are clear grounds to stop and search the car,

but still the system is agonisingly down,

and all they can do is wait for 90 long minutes.

Suddenly, the system comes back up, and the suspect car is detected on the move.

Basically, the car has just pinged our cameras again,

that was on the A130 leaving Chelmsford.

Trying to second guess it, he's heading back to this area.

Once they're confident where the car is heading,

the aim will be to intercept it and arrest the occupants.

Coming up, their tracking operation turns into a high speed pursuit.

He's right there, in front, three cars ahead of us.

And the officers' athletic ability is put to the test.

Stop!

He's in the house!

Next on Robbed, Raided, Reunited...

Having a family car stolen is traumatic enough,

but when that vehicle contains your pet and best friend,

then the effect is devastating.

It happened once before when I lost my fiancee to cancer.

And I almost went through it again with Soot.

It was...

It was horrible.

Peter Ward is a builder and surveyor from Shropshire.

Just over a decade ago, tragedy struck,

when his fiancee discovered she had an advanced form of cancer,

and only had weeks to live.

Shortly after she passed away,

his neighbours came up with a way to raise his spirits.

The neighbours took pity on me, I think, really.

They appeared one morning and said, "Please follow us,"

and I was taken up to a loosebox up on the farm,

and there was a little collection of puppies in the loosebox,

seven of them, and one of them tottered across

and draped itself over my feet, and I think I was...I was chosen.

For Peter, Border collie Soot was more than a pet.

She became his companion, as well as having a working role in his life.

Soot has kept me together in the dark days.

When I lost my fiancee, she was always there,

and she keeps me on an even keel.

And she provides a focus for my life.

I can't allow myself to go downhill because I've got to look after her,

I've got to be there for her.

One evening in February 2011, Peter's worst nightmare came true

on a petrol station forecourt, while Soot was with him in his car.

I'd been doing a building survey in Wales,

and I'd driven all the way back, we were both tired,

we stopped to fill up with fuel,

Soot was asleep in the back of the Land Rover,

and I tend to fill up and then pull off the pump

so that other people can get on the pump,

and I pulled up, parked right by the doors to the petrol station,

got out, went straight in, put my card in the machine,

paid and came out, and the Land Rover just wasn't there.

Of course, it hadn't disappeared into thin air.

The CCTV footage clearly shows someone leaping into his car

and speeding off.

Peter's 4x4 had been carjacked.

But unbeknown to the thieves,

this stolen car had contained his beloved dog.

I ran back into the garage,

and suddenly realised as I was running in

that it was Soot, she was in the car, she was not with me.

I wasn't bothered about the Land Rover, it was, "Where's Soot?"

And I pretty much went to pieces, actually.

I must admit I didn't realise until then just how close I was to her.

Erm...

I just fell apart.

The number of dogs stolen doubled last year from 15 to 30 a day.

This was an extremely worrying time for Peter.

I had equipment in the back, I had iron bars,

I had all sorts of things in the back of the Land Rover,

and I had visions, to be honest, of someone smacking her on the head

and throwing her out dead.

That was my worst fear.

With Soot gone, Peter contacted the K9 Search charities,

with Jenny Dhanjal co-ordinating operations.

We have some very dedicated volunteers

that will just down tools at the drop of a hat.

They had to move fast.

It was vitally important that Soot's details were circulated

as quickly as possible.

The fact that she had been stolen within a vehicle

meant that either the thieves could go with her

and take her to wherever they were taking the vehicle,

or they could have easily just opened the boot and let her out.

The first few hours are key,

and the internet is the new weapon to help find missing dogs quickly.

We just grabbed all the details, circulated them across the internet,

set up a specific group for Soot.

They shared it out, the members came in, and everybody was Soot crazy,

and before you know it, Facebook was Sootbook.

I've got to say,

I've never met such an amazing bunch of people in my life.

And what absolutely astonished me

was the number of people that she called on.

This organisation just snowballed

from one or two people walking down roads, putting up the odd poster,

to...I think at the height, there must have been 50 or 100 people.

Every shop in all the villages over the river was postered.

The phone never stopped ringing.

One important contact was dog warden Nicky Bower.

Every collie that we picked up, you know,

I was hoping that it was Soot.

I must have picked up about three or four collies in the one week

thinking, "Please be Soot," and it wasn't.

Even with the search fully mobilised,

seven days later, there was no concrete news

on Soot's wellbeing or whereabouts.

Peter was starting to think Soot might be gone forever.

I think there was a point when...

I thought...

"This just is not going to happen."

"I have to resign myself to the fact that Soot's gone."

Coming up, there is a sighting, but can it really be Soot?

This dog had a white spot on the pupil of its eye.

Earlier on Robbed, Raided, Reunited,

we saw Southend officers, Chris Martin and Patrick Soontorn,

intent on catching the intruders who shocked a young man in his own home.

-And which way did they drive off?

-They went that way.

The men made off in a getaway car, but a supportive neighbour

had jotted down the car's registration number.

Using a hi-tech number plate recognition system,

the police quickly began to track the movements of the suspect's getaway.

The car has just pinged our cameras again.

Trying to second guess it, it's heading back to this area.

Two hours later, and the system is clearly showing

the suspect's car heading back to Southend.

Officers Martin and Soontorn have hit the streets

in an unmarked squad car to try and intercept it.

The latest information, it's now coming towards us on this road here.

I think the best thing we can do is find somewhere to pull up

down at the next roundabout, just in case it comes this way.

VOICE ON POLICE RADIO, UNCLEAR

It's not going to be easy to spot the car

at rush hour on a dark winter's night.

There's so many little turnoffs

leading into side streets off the main road.

All we can cover are the main points.

Just as the suspect's car may have slipped through the net...

..it drives right past them.

That was it, there we are.

That's...

Right there, in front, three cars ahead of us.

The pursuit is on.

Victor 27, I'm two cars behind it, Priory Crescent.

It's a hatchback vehicle, I don't know how many occupants, and I'm in a plain vehicle.

I thought I was dreaming, it was like, "Wait, no."

Officer Martin is not a qualified high speed pursuit driver.

Their job is to monitor the car's position.

What we're doing now is just following behind it

until we get some of the other highly trained pursuit officers

on scene, just in case he decides to drive away from us.

Straight over into Eastern Avenue, offside lane.

The suspect's Ford Focus is right in front of them.

Now Bournemouth Park Road, towards Southend, speed 30.

Although they're driving an unmarked car,

they need to be careful not to trigger a high speed escape.

I'm going to spook him in a minute.

We're going right-right into Wentworth Road.

They can't afford to lose sight of suspect's car,

but the driver does seem to be getting suspicious.

Approaching Sutton Road again.

He's obviously tried to lose me or he wouldn't take this route.

Stand by for a direction.

No indication, stand by for a direction.

Straight over, continuing Sutton Road towards Southend.

Not only do they need to stay in touch until backup arrives,

they need to monitor how many suspects there are inside

in case it turns into a footrace.

Right...

Three, there's someone else in the back.

There's a male laying down in the back in the car,

so now three up.

Looking at us.

There's a third man in the car. Chris and Patrick are outnumbered.

They need backup soon.

Left-left into Vale Avenue, heading back towards Sutton Road.

Finally, after seven minutes of intense following, here it is -

a marked specialist pursuit car.

The men quickly realise they're in trouble, and speed off.

Right, they take over the radio control now.

Suddenly, they bail out.

They're running.

Two of the men run one way, chased by the pursuit officers.

Officers Martin and Soontorn go after the third man.

-Hold it right there, stop!

-Go, go.

The suspect is seen rushing through a garden gate.

Open the door, open the door right now!

Officer Soontorn leaps the back wall to try and stop the man

before he gets into the house, but the door is locked in his face.

Essex Police, open..!

I'm a police officer!

Essex Police!

He's in the house!

The police dog handlers arrive.

He's in the house. I can't open the door.

-It's all right, cover the front, is the front covered?

-Where is he, open the door, open the door!

Officer Martin checks the front door of the house is secured.

Right, he's gone into a house.

There are occupants to the house.

-Has he gone out the front?

-WOMAN:

-I don't know!

-I don't know where he is, I think he's upstairs.

Finally, a woman lets them in,

and the fleeing man is quickly tackled upstairs.

Don't...why are you both manhandling him? He can walk!

Right...

A man is arrested for attempted burglary.

Upstairs, he apparently went to some lengths to feign innocence.

He ripped his clothes off and jumped into bed,

where he was obviously trying to make it look like he hadn't been running from us.

Chris wasn't fooled, and the man is taken to the station.

All three suspects have been arrested now. Erm...

We'll have to go back and get on to the witnesses, see what their availability is,

but we've got a lot of work ahead of us now.

Um...

Better phone the missus, let her know I'll be late. HE LAUGHS

With a little help from the missus, officers Martin and Soontorn

have ensured the residents of Southend

won't be having any more close encounters with these men

in the near future.

Earlier on Robbed, Raided, Reunited,

we saw the dog-loving community of Shropshire

galvanised by the search for Peter Ward's beloved collie, Soot.

Soot was stolen along with Peter's car from a petrol station forecourt.

I think at the height, there must have been probably 50 or 100 people.

Despite the huge campaign, over a week later,

there was still no news of Soot, and Peter was starting to fear the worst.

I thought...

"This just is not going to happen."

"I have to resign myself to the fact that Soot's gone."

Out of the blue, search co-ordinator Jenny Dhanjal

heard of a possible lead.

We received a call from one of the Dudley dog wardens

to say they had a dog which resembled Soot.

But was it definitely Soot?

The recovered dog had a distinguishing mark

Jenny hadn't heard about.

This dog had a white spot on the pupil of its eye.

So we got hold of the main photos

that were originally supplied by Peter, and just zoomed in.

And was able to establish that the white spot was there on Soot's eye.

The signs were good.

But dog warden Nicky wanted to be 100% sure.

So by this time we're having a three way conversation with Peter as well,

and we're all getting a little bit more excited.

I thought, "Yes, it does look like her," and then,

you are always doubtful in the back of your mind,

just in case, and you don't want to get the owner's hopes up.

So could they confirm once and for all

that the dog was definitely Soot?

I said, "Why don't you ask her if she can do a high five?"

I just heard this muffled, "What?" over the phone,

and I said, "Yeah, go on, ask her to do a high five."

She said, "I...hang on a minute..."

Scruffle, scruffle, the phone goes down...

He said, "Just tell her, high five."

"Say "Soot, high five"."

I bent down, put my hand in front of me, and, "Soot, high five."

And straight up, the paw came up.

High five! Good girl.

And I thought, "Yeah, this has got to be her."

"Pete, I've got your dog!"

Peter headed straight to Dudley, where the dog had been found.

I think emotionally, I still put myself into neutral.

I didn't want to hope.

All I knew, it was a pretty good bet.

If she'd done a high five, it had to be Soot.

But I still wasn't going to guarantee myself that it was

until I had her in my arms.

As soon as he pulled up in the car and he flung that door open,

and Soot just went and she just jumped on him,

you know, lots of kisses and...

Wouldn't leave her dad, you know, she was a different dog.

She was a different dog as soon as she saw him.

You know, so rewarding, such a happy day.

I had tears in my eyes.

Nice to see you! You're looking really well.

And everybody was just overjoyed.

You know...

We was actually crashing the page,

because everybody was trying to post at the same time.

But it was just amazing.

Everyone was just so relieved that she was safe.

Totally emotionally draining, but a huge relief.

Eight days after being stolen,

Soot had been found 20 miles from Peter's home

by a vigilant and compassionate member of the public

who contacted the dog warden immediately.

Soot had apparently been well fed, and even smelt of shampoo.

It's extraordinary, as I say, it changes your whole take on life,

and I think this whole thing for me, what I've learned out of it,

is don't lose hope, because...

There are some incredible people out there, and the world is full

of some very, very beautiful, very good people.

The suspect Southend officers Martin and Soontorn caught earlier

was released.

And although one of the other men in the car

was charged with house burglary, all charges were later dropped.

Southend Police are happy to let the family know

how to make their home secure.

With your front door, I would certainly put bigger bolts on it.

Get, like, a five-lever-type Chubb lock

that actually engages with the other one to hold them together.

They'll look at your house and think,

"That's hard work," and go next door.

The man seen taking Peter's car along with Soot was later caught.

He pleaded guilty and was given a 20-month custodial sentence.

The car is still missing.

Peter and Soot are happily reunited.

But if Peter had wanted to find Soot more quickly,

he could have used technology as advanced

as the tracking system police used

to intercept the suspects' car in Southend.

If you've got a microchip, it's a small implant

that goes straight in... Hello!

..it goes straight through the shoulder blades there

and sits under the skin, and we can use the scanners,

and we run it over the dog, and it comers up with a chip number.

And that chip number is your personal identification

for your dog.

In 2010, vets microchipped over 67,000 animals.

And the RSPCA say having the microchip

substantially increases your chances of finding your lost or stolen pet.

About time I went out and got you microchipped, then, Soot, eh?

SOOT BARKS

Yes! She agrees!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd