0:00:02 > 0:00:06Every single minute, there's a burglary in the UK.
0:00:06 > 0:00:07Oh, my jewellery! Oh, no!
0:00:07 > 0:00:11It's an invasion of your personal space.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Somebody has been in your house going through your stuff.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18It's not just your expensive gadgets that are under threat,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21it's your priceless, irreplaceable heirlooms, too...
0:00:21 > 0:00:24What's that football expression? You feel gutted.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..items of huge sentimental value.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Dad was very proud of his entire career in the Fire Service,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33so to have the medals stolen, I know he was devastated.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36It can be a difficult time...
0:00:36 > 0:00:40What's that saying? An Englishman's home is his castle.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43..but dedicated teams of police are on the case...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46- Police!- Police!
0:00:46 > 0:00:49..with specialist burglary units across the country
0:00:49 > 0:00:51chasing down the villains...
0:00:51 > 0:00:53- Just calm it down. - Let us do our checks.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58..using every high-tech tool at their disposal,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01working with the good Samaritans among us...
0:01:01 > 0:01:03- Would you recognise him if you saw him?- I probably would.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06..to make sure justice is done.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10Their ultimate aim,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12to recover your prized possessions...
0:01:12 > 0:01:14We're dancing.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17I just found a bag of sat navs.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19..and return them to you.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21It's amazing, the work they've done.
0:01:21 > 0:01:22And we got all our stuff back!
0:01:22 > 0:01:25I'm very pleased with the police and they've been so good and kind.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29I have nothing but gratitude for the efforts they've made.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33This is Robbed, Raided, Reunited.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Thank you so much.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36Thank you so much.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38Thank you ever so, ever so much.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51Coming up,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55police track down a British athlete's precious competition bike
0:01:55 > 0:01:57after it's stolen...
0:01:57 > 0:01:59You just feel quite helpless.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03I've lost something more than a bike.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05- Oh, this is how they've left it?- Yeah.
0:02:05 > 0:02:06Oh, my God!
0:02:06 > 0:02:09..officers go to help when burglars target
0:02:09 > 0:02:12a family's jewellery passed down through generations...
0:02:12 > 0:02:15There was a diamond engagement ring up there.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19That was going to be Libby's as and when she could wear it.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21..and the hunt for masked raiders
0:02:21 > 0:02:25caught on CCTV carrying out an audacious robbery.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28I got a phone call to say my car had been stolen.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29It's a total shock.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32First time I've ever had anything stolen from me.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Louise Reynolds is one of Britain's top triathletes.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Triathlons consist of a one and a half kilometre swim,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43a ten kilometre run
0:02:43 > 0:02:45and a 40 kilometre cycle.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48It's not an event for the faint-hearted.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50It's a huge dedication in terms of hours,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52because you're doing around nine hours' training a week,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55sometimes twice a day.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Training for the triathlon comes at a price,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02not just in the vast amount of commitment from the athlete,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04but also in the specialised, expensive equipment they require.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08The only way I could afford it was, for me, very unfortunate
0:03:08 > 0:03:09in that my mum died...
0:03:09 > 0:03:14and, obviously, as a result of the estate,
0:03:14 > 0:03:19I was able to buy and invest in the absolute bike of my dreams.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Those dreams were shattered when, on New Year's Eve,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Louise's partner broke some terrible news.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32That morning, I just saw him come round the corner
0:03:32 > 0:03:35absolutely ashen faced, just...
0:03:35 > 0:03:37And I thought, "Oh, God, what's happened?"
0:03:37 > 0:03:39And he just came and said, "The bikes are gone."
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Louise's bikes had been stored in a garage
0:03:42 > 0:03:46around the back of her property.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49We've got two garages.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50And...
0:03:50 > 0:03:52We just see...
0:03:52 > 0:03:54I mean, I've got the locks in my hand
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and the locks were just... everything was taken off.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00All the metalwork was gone.
0:04:00 > 0:04:01And it was just...
0:04:01 > 0:04:03That was when I found....
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and I just came in here and sat down on the treadmill,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09cos everything of value was gone.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Although Louise had good, secure locks
0:04:12 > 0:04:14and motion sensors around her garage,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17the thief had overcome all these.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20They'd taken two of Louise's competition bikes
0:04:20 > 0:04:22and one that belonged to her partner.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Their value was over £7,000.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27It was just...
0:04:27 > 0:04:30just terrible. Just... I just...
0:04:30 > 0:04:34I can remember, I didn't cry. You're just too shocked to cry.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37But it's just this terrible, empty feeling.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40For Louise, it was not just the loss of her bikes that upset her,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43it was also the emotional tie they had to her mother.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46It's just so awful, you know,
0:04:46 > 0:04:47this is Mum's money...
0:04:47 > 0:04:50and you just feel quite helpless, really.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54But there's absolutely nothing that you can do
0:04:54 > 0:04:56and you're faced with this half-empty garage.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00With over 100,000 cycle thefts a year,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04the chances of ever seeing her bikes again looked faint.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07The first day when I reported it, they came out
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and took the details and were aware of the value of the bikes.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14They said, "Well, they're very portable items, they move very fast,"
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and so they held little hope out for finding anything,
0:05:17 > 0:05:18which I'd kind of...
0:05:18 > 0:05:22If you set yourself up for the worst, you're not going to be disappointed.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29To reunite Louise with her bike,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33investigating robbery squad officer Richard Jones
0:05:33 > 0:05:35knew something special had to happen.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38We attend a lot of burglaries where property has been taken.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Unfortunately, it's very difficult to try and trace that property.
0:05:42 > 0:05:43Because it is a stolen bike,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45we wanted to act on it as soon as we could
0:05:45 > 0:05:48because we don't know where that bike may go on to.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Police obtained photographs of the bikes from Louise
0:05:51 > 0:05:53and launched their investigation.
0:05:53 > 0:05:54But being a competitive athlete,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Louise wasn't going to just sit around
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and wait to see what happened.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02I rang a local radio station and they kindly interviewed me
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and put that repeatedly on their news segments.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07The local paper were interested in that
0:06:07 > 0:06:10and they put it on their front page.
0:06:10 > 0:06:11I also put it on my Facebook page.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14So there were not many people who didn't know about it.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16So it made it quite hot property.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19It's very distinctive, there's only one like it,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22so if you turned up at a race and, let's face it,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24it's the type of bike that you don't go to the shop on,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26people would know.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29After ten days and despite all of Louise's efforts,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33there still was no news about her stolen bikes.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36I just realised that, you know, something like that,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38if I hadn't heard within a week, I wasn't going to get it back.
0:06:40 > 0:06:41So, I was thinking,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44"I'm just going to miss this season because I don't want to train."
0:06:44 > 0:06:45You just feel so low.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Amazingly, after an agonizing two-week wait,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Louise's perseverance finally paid off
0:06:52 > 0:06:54when the police received a phone call.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59The information given to us was from anonymous sources,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01the people didn't wish to be named.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03However, they did give us the name of the person
0:07:03 > 0:07:06they believed was in possession of the bike
0:07:06 > 0:07:09and the address where they believed the bike was being kept.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12The anonymous information pointed the police
0:07:12 > 0:07:16to a house 30 miles away from where Louise lived.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Sergeant Wooley of the West Mercia force
0:07:18 > 0:07:20immediately put a specialist raid team together.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23My role was briefing the team about how we would to enter the place,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25recovering the property, securing it
0:07:25 > 0:07:28and preserving it for any forensic examination.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32In this particular case, we did have two or three people
0:07:32 > 0:07:35confirming what information we had been given.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Our next step is then to get a warrant for the address
0:07:37 > 0:07:39to be able to enter the property.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41First thing Friday,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43a warrant was obtained from the Magistrates' Court.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49We weren't aware whether the person would be in that property
0:07:49 > 0:07:52or how many people there would be inside it.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56Once we'd gathered the officers together, a team of eight and two dog handlers,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59we attended the property on the Friday afternoon.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02There was no-one there, but with the power of the warrant,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04we forced the main door to the premises.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06- Police!- Police!
0:08:07 > 0:08:10There were two dogs inside, which were secured by our dog handlers
0:08:10 > 0:08:13and then a systematic search took place of the address.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17In case the thieves had already stripped Louise's bike down,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21police hunted everywhere for any parts.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Throughout the search, Louise was kept updated on the progress made.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30You're kind of compelled to think it's there, but also thinking,
0:08:30 > 0:08:31"Actually, be careful,"
0:08:31 > 0:08:34because you don't want to set yourself up for disappointment.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36So it's quell the emotions, really.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Room by room, the search team went through the house.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Upstairs, two doors were also locked,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46so they, again, had to be forced.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Last room that we actually got into, where the bike was situated.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Finally, Louise received the call
0:08:55 > 0:08:57she thought she would never get.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00He said, "Is that the owner of a Cervelo bike?"
0:09:00 > 0:09:02And he said it in a different way, and I said,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06"You've got it, haven't you? You've really got it!"
0:09:06 > 0:09:08And he said, "Yeah, we've got it."
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Just one of those moments in life when you go from down there
0:09:11 > 0:09:14to way up there, because you've got something back
0:09:14 > 0:09:16and you can race and do everything you wanted.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Great, yeah.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21After forensic testing Louise's bike for evidence,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25it's been brought to her local police station.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Today, she's come to be reunited with it.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29'I'm a bit anxious, actually.'
0:09:29 > 0:09:32I'm just wondering if it's going to be a purple bike
0:09:32 > 0:09:34with pink ribbons on!
0:09:34 > 0:09:35That feeling.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38So, I'm hoping it's the right bike cos I haven't seen it yet.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44SHE LAUGHS
0:09:44 > 0:09:46That's my bike! Yeah, brilliant.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50God, it's all in one piece. Look at that.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53I never thought I'd see this again.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55This is absolutely fantastic.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59Brilliant. Back with me again. I'll just have to start training now.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03It feels like, you know, obviously, the legacy of my mum...
0:10:03 > 0:10:05So, I've got that back
0:10:05 > 0:10:07and it's part of her back. It's great.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Yeah, nice to have it all back.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Thank you ever so, ever so much for that.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Brilliant. I can race again.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16I won't be thanking you half-way through the race!
0:10:18 > 0:10:20As with Louise's stolen bikes,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24burglars will often come looking for specific types of goods.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27These are usually items which are easy to move on
0:10:27 > 0:10:29and with a high re-sale value.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34It's 6.00pm in Southend.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Working the evening shift is officer Paul Brown.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41He's on his way to investigate a burglary at a family home.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44The house was empty most of the day while the occupants were at work.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48They've come back, found their patio doors smashed.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54PC Brown from Southend.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Graham Winkless has returned from work
0:10:57 > 0:11:00to find intruders have broken into his home.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03It might hit me a bit later that someone's been in here
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and, you know, walked round the house and done what they've done.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Yes, that might. It hasn't hit me at the moment,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10because you have to get on with things,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12phone the police, phone the insurance company,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14but it may hit me later that, you know, someone has been here.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17And also, the thought that they might come back.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21It's really the master bedroom that's been searched.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Forensic officer Paul Clarke
0:11:23 > 0:11:26arrived 20 minutes after the alarm was raised.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32The officers must quickly establish exactly what's missing.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Unfortunately, the gentleman's wife died about a year ago.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Beginning of this year, yeah. So he's not sure what was here, really.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42I've got a feeling there was a watch in that tin.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Do you know what sort of watch that was?
0:11:44 > 0:11:48No. If you look on that lid, that will tell you. That silver lid.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51- Jeep.- Jeep, that's it. It would have been a Jeep watch.- Right.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53The curtains were drawn cos I always leave them open.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56I've got my cufflinks in there and they've all been turfed out,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59but there's not really anything wonderfully expensive there.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Ignoring everything else in the house,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05the burglars have targeted the family's jewellery.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Because Graham's wife passed away last year,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11he isn't sure exactly what jewellery was still kept
0:12:11 > 0:12:12in the bedroom they shared.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- Really? Nothing at all? - This is why I'm phoning my daughters.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Because they would know more about that than me, because it was there.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22But I don't know if there was anything of value.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- I hope there wasn't anything of value.- Yeah.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Because my wife died at the beginning of the year,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31my daughters, I know, have been through the jewellery.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Because I said, "Help yourselves to what you want."
0:12:34 > 0:12:36I think what was up there was just costume jewellery.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Forensic expert Paul Clarke briefs Officer Brown
0:12:41 > 0:12:44on what he's discovered so far.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47This would appear to be the point of entry.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50There's no obvious tools that they've used.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52- I'm guessing the key was in the lock, was it?- No.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- It wasn't? Oh, right.- No, the key was hidden right round the corner.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59- So they haven't used the key to get in.- No.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02They've obviously come... Well, dropped through onto here.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04The thief, or thieves,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06have smashed through a glass panel in the back door
0:13:06 > 0:13:08and squeezed through the gap.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11This appears to be their route in and out of the house.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14They're in, they're in.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17But there's a sense of relief that they haven't done too much damage
0:13:17 > 0:13:19and, obviously, they were purely looking for jewellery.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25The point of entry is the first place to look for forensic evidence.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31For Officer Clarke, this is a familiar scene.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34They've either kicked it in that sort of position...
0:13:34 > 0:13:36but, again, not overly easy,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39cos you've got the risk of cutting your leg.
0:13:39 > 0:13:45Have a look to see if there's any fibres along this edge.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I'll also be looking for blood.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50This glass is quite sharp.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Just in case the person's cut themselves.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Yep, so they've actually come down the side.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59There are some finger marks here, along this gate.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Someone has put their hands on here to climb over, possibly.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04I'll have a look at those in a moment.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10Back inside, Graham's had an awful realisation.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13The engagement ring he gave his late wife is missing.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Graham's daughter Emily arrives with Libby, his granddaughter.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23- You know that ring?- Yeah.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26That hasn't been there for ages.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27Did you take it?
0:14:28 > 0:14:31No. This is how they've left it?
0:14:31 > 0:14:32- Yes.- Oh, my God!- Yeah.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35It was on there, wasn't it? On there?
0:14:35 > 0:14:37The ring was always on there.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39- And I think we moved it into there. - It's gone, then.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Unless you can see it on there anywhere.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Don't touch anything, just in case.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48- Definite that ring is gone? - It's definitely gone.- Right.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- And it was a diamond ring.- 100%.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54I'll just let the police know that.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57There was a diamond engagement ring up there.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00That was going to be Libby's, as and when, you know, she could wear it.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Yes. When she got older, but I'm pretty sure...
0:15:03 > 0:15:04I couldn't see it when I just had a quick glance.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07I'm pretty sure that's gone.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Why have they got to do it to us?
0:15:09 > 0:15:12We've had enough bad things happen this year,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14and it just, you know, just tops it off.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17The burglars have almost certainly
0:15:17 > 0:15:19deprived Graham of a family heirloom
0:15:19 > 0:15:23he planned to pass down through generations.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25The last hope is that his second daughter,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Lucy, might know where it is.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29She's on her way back to the house.
0:15:33 > 0:15:34The time to recover stolen jewellery
0:15:34 > 0:15:38before it's sold on can be short.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40The investigation is now in full swing.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43If the burglars are already known to the police,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45a single piece of forensic evidence
0:15:45 > 0:15:47could lead them straight to a named suspect.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54I'm just going through the items now that have been disturbed
0:15:54 > 0:15:55and taken out of this drawer.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57We're looking for fingerprints, which, of course,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00could be the person that lives here.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05But we would take their fingerprints for elimination purposes.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07The first thing we would do if we did find any fingerprints,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10we'll always try and discount the people that actually live here,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12who would have left them lawfully.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15With forensic tests on the house complete,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Officer Clarke takes the samples
0:16:17 > 0:16:20straight back to the police lab for analysis.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Graham's other daughter, Lucy, has arrived.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Lucy? Where are you?
0:16:28 > 0:16:31She's gone straight upstairs to look for the ring.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33- Do you know where it was? - Er, if anywhere...
0:16:33 > 0:16:35No, it wasn't. It hadn't been there for a long time.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- Hadn't been there?- That's why I thought they hadn't taken it.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39Because then we put it in there.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Lucy confirms the ring has been stolen.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44It's a blow, but the family is realising
0:16:44 > 0:16:47it could have been even worse.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- It's just so lucky that we tidied out, then.- That's what I said.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52When we done everything.
0:16:52 > 0:16:57Fortunately, most of the jewellery of sentimental value
0:16:57 > 0:16:59had already been removed from the bedroom.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03The family will work together on an exact list of stolen items
0:17:03 > 0:17:05for the police to track down.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07I'll give you a call over the next few days.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Make a list whenever you get a chance,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11and we'll see what is gone.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Hopefully, not a lot. But you never know.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17As I say, things pop up days, weeks, down the line,
0:17:17 > 0:17:18and you don't even know it's gone,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21you know, until you're looking for it.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23- OK. See you later.- Thank you.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Burglars, obviously,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28they're not interested in what the person's going through.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31At the end of the day, they just want a bit of money out of it,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34and they break in to this poor fella's house, who's obviously
0:17:34 > 0:17:36had a difficult time over the last year.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38And, you know, if only they could realise
0:17:38 > 0:17:40what it is they're doing to some of these families.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42But, you know, a lot of them don't,
0:17:42 > 0:17:44and don't care, even if they do.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Forensic tests from the house
0:17:46 > 0:17:48could provide police with a named suspect.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51PC Brown will continue with his enquiries,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53while he waits for these results to come back.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03Not all the break-ins the police investigate are at private homes.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Burglars will also target commercial businesses,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10where the value of items to steal can be much higher.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14This gang is raiding a car dealership compound,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17intent on stealing as many expensive vehicles as they can.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23It looked like a highly organised operation,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25but they're about to make an unbelievable mistake.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Arnold Clark Motors in Aberdeen
0:18:31 > 0:18:34is part of Europe's largest family-run car dealership.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40One morning in 2010, garage manager, Gary Copland
0:18:40 > 0:18:43was woken by some disturbing news.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45I got a phone call about five in the morning
0:18:45 > 0:18:48saying that there'd been a break-in at the garage
0:18:48 > 0:18:50and we'd had a couple of cars stolen.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57This garage's CCTV was not continuously monitored.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59The robbery was already in progress
0:18:59 > 0:19:02when the security team checking the screens
0:19:02 > 0:19:03noticed what was happening.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05After raising the alarm,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08they quickly scrolled back through the footage
0:19:08 > 0:19:10and realised how serious the situation was.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15It transpired that we'd had more than two cars stolen.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18It was found that we'd actually seven cars stolen.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22With seven vehicles confirmed missing,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24this was a major case for Grampian Police.
0:19:24 > 0:19:29The investigation was led by robbery specialist, Sergeant Dave Ferguson.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31When we came on duty at seven o'clock in the morning,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33we were told about this crime. We automatically thought,
0:19:33 > 0:19:35when it was such a high value of crime,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38it must be an organised crime group from, possibly, Liverpool,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40who have stolen these cars to order.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44It was up to Sergeant Ferguson to find the three masked men
0:19:44 > 0:19:48who'd brazenly committed robbery on camera.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50There was a team set together, led by myself,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52to investigate it.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55The first step was to use the CCTV evidence
0:19:55 > 0:19:57to work out how the robbers got in.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00They're all wearing gloves, so, you know,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02they've made efforts to conceal their identity.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06After forcing the front gates,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09the robbers managed to break through a fire door into the main complex.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15At this point, the garage's alarm should have gone off.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Sergeant Ferguson quickly discovered
0:20:18 > 0:20:21why this security device failed.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24The garage didn't haven't any alarm set within the premises.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27They did previously have pigeons in their roof which were coming through
0:20:27 > 0:20:29and were setting off their alarm. So they'd disarmed their alarm.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32If somebody did get in to the premises,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34they've got free range to do what they like.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Once inside, the robbers went straight
0:20:37 > 0:20:39to where all the vehicle keys were kept.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41They then go round the car showroom,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45trying to identify the various motors with the key,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48to see which one is going to flash when it opens.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50In ten minutes, the gang had gained access
0:20:50 > 0:20:52to three high-powered vehicles.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55After cutting through a padlock on the rear door,
0:20:55 > 0:20:56they were ready to make their escape.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01More or less, they're lining them up,
0:21:01 > 0:21:02so they all leave in convoy as well.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05That's the first three. They're away to drive out the gate.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Having left the scene
0:21:07 > 0:21:10with tens of thousands of pounds worth of cars,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13most criminals would have seen this
0:21:13 > 0:21:15as a good time to call it a night.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17These robbers had a more ambitious plan.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19They must've thought they'd struck gold,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21when they've seen how easy it was.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23They've gone in there, they've not been disturbed,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25you know, there's no police cars going about.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28There's nobody disturbing them there at all.
0:21:28 > 0:21:2915 minutes later,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33the three men returned in one of the stolen vehicles.
0:21:33 > 0:21:34They then steal another two cars.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Go away, come back in the X5 a short time later,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39and steal a final two cars.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42There's nobody disturbed them there at all,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44and they've driven away with, well, seven vehicles.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46So they must have thought it was fantastic.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53By sunrise, the gang had driven off
0:21:53 > 0:21:58with over £120,000 worth of cars.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02To have seven cars stolen at one time is a fairly major event.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05I was quite embarrassed by it, apart from anything else,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08to have seven cars stolen from my garage.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11What made the situation more difficult
0:22:11 > 0:22:16was that one of the stolen cars didn't belong to the dealership.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18It's not just our stock. You're actually...
0:22:18 > 0:22:20you've got other people's belongings,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24and, erm, it's a bit galling to have to go and tell them
0:22:24 > 0:22:27that they've had their car stolen from our premises. It's not good.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31John Dyker had dropped his car off at the garage
0:22:31 > 0:22:33a few days before the robbery.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37It was one of the last vehicles the gang found the keys to.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39I got a phone call to say my car had been stolen.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43It was a brand new car anyway, due its first service.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44It was a total shock,
0:22:44 > 0:22:45cos it's the first time that
0:22:45 > 0:22:47I've ever had anything stolen from me.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49It's basically been my pride and joy.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56The police knew time was running out to recover the stolen cars.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58How the gang had disposed of seven vehicles
0:22:58 > 0:23:02within two hours remained a mystery.
0:23:02 > 0:23:03Then later that afternoon,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06a discovery changed the course of the investigation.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10A man who'd himself bought a car from the garage,
0:23:10 > 0:23:12noticed a vehicle on his street
0:23:12 > 0:23:16that looked to have come straight from their showroom.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18A customer who actually drove one of our Focuses,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21had seen the white Focus ST
0:23:21 > 0:23:24being parked outside his domestic premises,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27and thought it was suspicious that somebody was parking a car there
0:23:27 > 0:23:28without any plates on it,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and decided to contact the police.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34They were obviously reasonably organised,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37but I think their abilities to steal were better
0:23:37 > 0:23:40than their abilities to dispose of the vehicles.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43It seemed these might not be quite
0:23:43 > 0:23:47the highly organised thieves the police had first suspected.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49One of the individuals,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52he had parked the car almost directly outside his home address,
0:23:52 > 0:23:56and I think there was also a price tag or something on the windows.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59So, it was a bit too close to home for him.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03A top of the range Ford Focus stolen in the raid
0:24:03 > 0:24:06had been left parked on a residential street
0:24:06 > 0:24:07only three miles from the garage,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11outside the home of a man well known to police,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14with several previous car crime convictions.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17We do what we call a Phase B.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19We'll send patrol cars round every single street,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21and up every single alley,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24to see if any of these cars are parked nearby,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27so we can get them recovered.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31One by one, the police began to find the stolen vehicles
0:24:31 > 0:24:33parked in open view on nearby streets.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36I think it was probably by ten o'clock at night,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38we had the full seven cars recovered.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Within the first 24 hours,
0:24:41 > 0:24:42we had positive lines of enquiry
0:24:42 > 0:24:45in relation to the individuals responsible for this break-in.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48With the stolen cars located,
0:24:48 > 0:24:52the police soon arrested three men in connection with the robbery.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55As the cars started coming back, and information came in,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57it certainly sped up,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and we were quite pleased to clear that in, well, within 72 hours.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02It was decent for us.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05The hapless car thieves' failure
0:25:05 > 0:25:07to dispose of their stolen vehicles
0:25:07 > 0:25:11meant all seven could be returned undamaged,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14both to the garage and a very relieved John Dyker.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16When I got it, I was very happy I got it back.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Because it was my first brand-new car.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20I was just glad to get my own car back.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22It was a great result for the police
0:25:22 > 0:25:26and a fortunate outcome for the garage.
0:25:26 > 0:25:27We were fairly unlucky.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30They were opportunists, to a certain extent,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33but they'd done a bit of homework on the premises.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35They should have had an alarm on their premises.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38They shouldn't have had... Where their keys were stored,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40that should have been in a safe box that somebody can't break in.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44We've brought security slightly more up-to-date.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47We've now got three places where we keep keys,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50in lock-fast key cabinets behind locked doors.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Cars are now tagged with numbers.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58We're looking to upgrade the CCTV in due course.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00I like to think that whatever we've done
0:26:00 > 0:26:02has now tightened up the security of the garage,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and we think we're making it more difficult
0:26:05 > 0:26:07for criminals to go down that route.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Car crime remains a scourge that police are determined to stamp out.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Although two of Louise's stolen bikes were never found,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21with her most precious bike returned,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Louise was able to continue her training.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26The police did a fantastic effort.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28I think it was the speed of the reaction.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30So I really can't thank them enough.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36The investigation into Graham's burglary is ongoing.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39DNA and fingerprint evidence found at the house proved inconclusive.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44In the case of the car showroom raid,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47three men arrested in the days following the robbery
0:26:47 > 0:26:49were charged with theft.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51All charges were later dropped,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53due to a legal technicality.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd