0:00:03 > 0:00:06Teams of police are fighting a rise in burglaries across the UK.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10The Timberlands have gone!
0:00:10 > 0:00:13- Oh!- Oh, for God's sake!
0:00:14 > 0:00:16The people that do this are professionals,
0:00:16 > 0:00:20this is what they do for a living.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24Specialist units working with the latest technology
0:00:24 > 0:00:26and the community-minded among us...
0:00:26 > 0:00:29I just wonder if you were around, if you heard anything.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32- ..to track down the thieves... - Hold it right there, stop!
0:00:32 > 0:00:36..and make sure they are held to account.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40It'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 > 0:00:54It's going to take a while to just get used to what's happened and get over it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58- Items that mean the world to us. - I still get very upset over it.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00I do, really.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04But police officers love nothing more than to recover
0:01:04 > 0:01:05these prized possessions...
0:01:05 > 0:01:09I can confirm it is their sat nav, so, result.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13- ..and return them to us. - I 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 > 0:01:23I think the owners might be crying in happy tears.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27The police are amazing. I am forever indebted to them.
0:01:27 > 0:01:33This is Robbed, Raided, Reunited.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36- Thanks very much. - I never thought I'd see this again.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50On today's programme...
0:01:50 > 0:01:54A seemingly straightforward burglary turns into a real mystery...
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Bit weird this one...
0:01:56 > 0:01:58They've cracked the outside pane of glass,
0:01:58 > 0:02:00but the second pane of glass is untouched, isn't it?
0:02:02 > 0:02:05..forensics help crack the case after an 87-year-old woman
0:02:05 > 0:02:08has a precious ring stolen.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13Then they said, "We've discovered blood. Wonderful, we've got DNA!"
0:02:15 > 0:02:16Police! Police!
0:02:16 > 0:02:19And a dramatic double raid leads to a startling discovery
0:02:19 > 0:02:21for Essex Police.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24There's lot of things in here which jump out as being alien
0:02:24 > 0:02:29to the scene. There aren't that many people who sleep with a baseball bat and a hammer next to their bed.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36It's early evening and PC Paul Brown of Southend police
0:02:36 > 0:02:39is responding to a call about a possible break-in.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45The break-in was discovered by house-owner Julie El Sayed Zaki
0:02:45 > 0:02:47when she returned home from work.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52The first thing I noticed was that the dining room unit was open.
0:02:52 > 0:02:53- Right, yeah.- That wouldn't happen,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56so I knew instantly something had gone wrong.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01In 70% of cases, burglars get in through an open or insecure door.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05The remaining 30% of the time, it's through a window.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09But Julie hasn't managed to work out exactly how
0:03:09 > 0:03:11the intruders got into her home.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14So they've only actually cracked the outside pane.
0:03:14 > 0:03:15- Did you open the window?- No.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Very strange.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Looking for a means of entry, PC Brown is also unsure
0:03:21 > 0:03:24why the thieves have smashed one side of a double-glazed window,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26but left the other pane intact.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Until a specialist Scenes Of Crime Officer arrives,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32PC Brown needs to assess the rest of the house.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37The back door was wide open, and then outside there's glass.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39And then when I went upstairs
0:03:39 > 0:03:42you'll see they've just tipped drawers out, really.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44What is obvious is that the thieves
0:03:44 > 0:03:46have ransacked the bedrooms upstairs.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49So what's actually gone at the moment, as far as you know?
0:03:49 > 0:03:51- Laptop definitely.- Yeah. And the rest you might not know
0:03:51 > 0:03:56- until your daughter gets back. - No. And until I start tidying up
0:03:56 > 0:03:59in my room, I'd assume nothing, you know? But I haven't looked,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01I haven't got much jewellery, but I haven't looked
0:04:01 > 0:04:05in the jewellery box or anything yet.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Julie has lived in the house for over 25 years
0:04:08 > 0:04:12and never been broken into before. It's come as a huge shock.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15I always thought this is really safe in here
0:04:15 > 0:04:18cos there, you know, these are my two best...
0:04:18 > 0:04:20- the back of the house is the most secure...- Yeah.- Obviously.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23And I don't know if my neighbours must've been out,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- cos how they wouldn't have heard I don't know.- Do you lock that door?
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Yeah. The last thing I do every morning is touch that door. I know it was locked. Absolutely,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33- it was locked, yeah.- What about the window?- That would've been locked.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38It is a bit strange. They've got in and they've wedged open somehow, haven't they?
0:04:38 > 0:04:40The Scenes of Crime Officer, known as a SOCO arrives.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44For operational reasons, we can't identify her.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46The first thing for her to do is try and crack the mystery
0:04:46 > 0:04:49of how the thieves managed to get through a window
0:04:49 > 0:04:51with one pane of glass still intact.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Bit weird this one.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57They've cracked the outside pane of glass
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and they've taken all the beading out, or three sides of it,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03and left the rest and then wedged the window open.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06If you look underneath, the bolts are still engaged from the lock.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09- I was going to say, is there lever marks?- I can't see any.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12There's some gouges along the top here...
0:05:12 > 0:05:15But that's where they've taken the beading out.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18So they haven't actually got in through this way
0:05:18 > 0:05:20cos the second pane of glass is untouched, isn't it?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Still not sure that the thieves did get in through this window,
0:05:23 > 0:05:28they check the other windows to see if they find the answer to this mystery.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30- Oh, look they've had a go here as well, look.- Yeah.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Oh, hold on. There's loads of damage along here.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38- Have they tried all my windows? - Yeah.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Come and look at this window, I take it this is new damage, yeah?
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- Blimey!- And this one as well, you see the beading on the edge?
0:05:44 > 0:05:47- They've had a go at that one, too. - Oh, God!
0:05:47 > 0:05:51While the SOCO continues to search the windows,
0:05:51 > 0:05:55PC Brown decides to look around the outside of the house for any clues.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Just looking for discarded property, really. Sometimes if they've,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01if they're in a rush or they're disturbed
0:06:01 > 0:06:04they might drop things, or empty out a purse, chuck it on the ground.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Just looking, really, for anything they might have got rid of.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Can't see anything obvious.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Meanwhile, the Scenes Of Crime Officer is convinced
0:06:15 > 0:06:18that the window with the smashed glass panel must hold the answer.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21But the mystery deepens when she finds beading that holds
0:06:21 > 0:06:25the outside pane of glass to the frame, inside the house.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29The other thing is this beading here.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- There's beading inside as well? - How peculiar.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35- So there's no reason to be in the house taking the beading out, is there?- No.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Yeah, now and again you get one where you're thinking, well, it gets you thinking, really.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45It's got to be our point of entry. There's no other point of entry it could be.
0:06:45 > 0:06:51But they seem to have got the window open without having put lever marks around the window.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- So I don't know. - If it was someone from inside
0:06:55 > 0:06:57and was trying to get out, you wouldn't then damage the window
0:06:57 > 0:07:02from the outside, would you? Cos they've had a go at all three windows, haven't they?
0:07:02 > 0:07:05That must be the point of entry there, it's got to be.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08The SOCO is not going to be beaten by this mystery.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11She decides to look for further evidence around the window
0:07:11 > 0:07:15to see if that can shine a light on who did the theft.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18I'll just take a bit of the glass. If we do get a suspect,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21when you smash a window you get a backward fragmentation,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25so, you're always going to find glass on the suspect
0:07:25 > 0:07:27if they're standing close enough.
0:07:27 > 0:07:32Coming up... A crucial mistake by the burglar is discovered.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33Straightaway you can see the glove marks
0:07:33 > 0:07:38where they've been holding the glass so it doesn't all tip out when they're reaching round.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44But first... For nearly all of her life, 87-year-old Joyce Steeds
0:07:44 > 0:07:47has lived in her bungalow in the Surrey town of Cheam.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52When she was younger, Joyce enjoyed a close and loving relationship with her mother.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Mother had a fantastically interesting life.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00We got on like a house on fire. We had a sort of mental telepathy almost.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03And we did lots of things together.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08Sadly her mother died in 1964 and Joyce inherited a very valuable ring.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11It was so valuable I was terrified to wear it.
0:08:11 > 0:08:17So I went out and bought a £25 ring which looked exactly like it.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20And I would wear it, and on high days and holidays
0:08:20 > 0:08:22I'd put the good ring on.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Despite taking precautions, Joyce's world was shattered one day
0:08:27 > 0:08:29when she returned home.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35I came in through here and saw this glass absolutely smashed.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38I thought, "Oh, my God."
0:08:38 > 0:08:43And then this was completely smashed right through.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50The door of my bedroom was open. So I walked straight into my bedroom
0:08:50 > 0:08:56and immediately I realised that the drawers were out.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00I knew immediately my ring had gone.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04For a minute I couldn't think straight,
0:09:04 > 0:09:06and then I thought, "999. I must dial 999."
0:09:08 > 0:09:09To Joyce's horror,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12she discovered the burglar had stolen all her jewellery.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17Some of the costume jewellery he took was obviously not valuable.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20He probably thought a lot of the things were gold,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22which, of course, they weren't.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26But amongst the costume jewellery was Joyce's most treasured piece.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29The ring that once belonged to her mother.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32I could not believe it and...
0:09:32 > 0:09:36You know, it was part of my memories.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39I just felt empty.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44When something happens like that
0:09:44 > 0:09:47I think you go on automatic pilot, in a way.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49And then afterwards you begin to think,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52"My God, there was someone in this house.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54"They could've been here when I got here,"
0:09:54 > 0:09:57cos one hears horrendous stories of burglaries.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Within minutes of her calling 999, the police arrived at Joyce's home.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07There was this young policewoman came and she sat with me the whole time.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11And, erm, detectives walking around there.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14And then the next batch were the fingerprint people.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24It was a man and a woman. They came in, were very, very thorough
0:10:24 > 0:10:28and then they said, "We've discovered blood!
0:10:28 > 0:10:30"Wonderful. We've got DNA."
0:10:31 > 0:10:34The blood was sent away for forensic examination,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38where it was compared against two million records on the National DNA Database.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43After only a few days, Joyce received a phone call
0:10:43 > 0:10:46from a detective, saying that they had found a match.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50We know who it is. That's when he said he's 40 years old,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52he lives in Croydon and he's done it before.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56So, he said, "Is the name familiar to you?" I said, "No, not at all."
0:10:56 > 0:10:59A few days later he rang me to say they'd got him.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Although the man was arrested and taken into custody,
0:11:05 > 0:11:09there was no sign of any of Joyce's stolen jewellery.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12My hopes completely went down.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15I thought, "I'll never see that ring again."
0:11:15 > 0:11:19But I asked where the other things could have gone.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23They said he'd thrown them away.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26To think all those lovely bits of jewellery were thrown away,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28quite incredible.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Three weeks passed by and police still hadn't found
0:11:33 > 0:11:36any of Joyce's stolen jewellery.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Then suddenly, the suspect admitted
0:11:39 > 0:11:41he'd sold her mother's ring to a pawn broker
0:11:41 > 0:11:43and gave them the address.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47Police officers went straight to the pawn shop.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51And finally, Joyce got the call she'd been waiting for.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54He suddenly said, "Joyce, we've got the ring."
0:11:56 > 0:11:58I couldn't believe it, I was excited as he was over the phone.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03That's when he said, "Can we bring it over to you?" and I said, "Oh, yes!"
0:12:03 > 0:12:05I thought I was going to burst into tears for a minute.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07I thought, "Oh, this will be embarrassing.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10But I managed to get myself together again.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15Nearly a month after it was stolen, Joyce was finally reunited with her mother's ring.
0:12:15 > 0:12:21When I finally got it back I couldn't believe it.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24And it feels...
0:12:24 > 0:12:27How can one say? Erm...
0:12:27 > 0:12:30It just feels complete. It's safe now.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32It just feels safe. It's there.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38Joyce was so pleased with the way the police, and especially detective Mark Cooper, had helped her,
0:12:38 > 0:12:42that she felt she had to express her gratitude to him.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Because he was always so helpful and he left a telephone number
0:12:45 > 0:12:49to ring if I had any problems, but when he came, I said,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51"Well, I don't know what I can do to thank you.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56"The only thing I can do is, would you like a painting of your family or something?"
0:12:56 > 0:12:59And he immediately brought from his wallet this picture of his family.
0:12:59 > 0:13:05And it's the one thing that I can do as a thank you.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Today the painting takes pride of place in DC Cooper's home,
0:13:09 > 0:13:14and he describes it as the most unique "thank you" he's ever been given.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20Earlier on Robbed, Raided, Reunited we saw police in Southend
0:13:20 > 0:13:25struggling to work out how burglars got into a resident's home.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Oh, look, they've had a go here as well, look.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Oh, hold on, there's a load of damage along here.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33See all the dirt marks?
0:13:35 > 0:13:37PC Paul Brown has now gone door to door
0:13:37 > 0:13:41looking for witnesses that could help solve the mystery.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43The neighbour a few doors down has been burgled.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Someone's basically managed to force her back window open.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Looks like they've come in the back gate. There's no other way round the side, is there?
0:13:50 > 0:13:54I haven't seen a thing. I mean, I briefly went out about three.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- You haven't seen anyone lurking about?- No.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01With no new information to go on, it's down to the attending SOCO
0:14:01 > 0:14:04or Scenes Of Crime Officer, to gather evidence
0:14:04 > 0:14:09on how the burglar gained entry, which will move the investigation forward.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Somehow, we just don't know how,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16they've managed to get the window open.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19I wonder if they pulled that forward, got the gap,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24opened the window and then just left the glass in it. That might be what they've done, I think.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27See if it will do that.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Putting her theory to the test, she suddenly comes up with something.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36I think maybe, they've just done this.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- Tipped it out and undone it, do you think?- Yeah.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44It would still be difficult to do it. So they'd just pull it out,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46reach through and undo it and they've left the glass in.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50It seems that the thieves have been really clever.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54They've broken one pane, and lifted the other out of the way to get in.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59All the SOCO has to do now is find evidence to back up her theory.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04So anything we find on this side is actually a sterile side...
0:15:04 > 0:15:08First all she finds are glove marks...
0:15:08 > 0:15:13Straightaway you can see the glove marks possibly where they've been holding the glass.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16..but then she finds what she's after.
0:15:16 > 0:15:22There are marks here and they're not glove marks. Can you see those?
0:15:22 > 0:15:23Yeah, here.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26They're definitely fingerprints, aren't they?
0:15:26 > 0:15:28It looks like on this side.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33And they're in such a position, it's that sort of holding position from the outside, so...
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Maybe there's two, one with gloves, one without, we don't know.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Although the thieves had been clever in the way they got in,
0:15:41 > 0:15:46they weren't THAT clever - they've left clear fingerprints.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Having solved the mystery, the Scenes of Crime Officer
0:15:48 > 0:15:52is now on the hunt for any more evidence around the other windows.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55They've had a go at this one as well, haven't they?
0:15:55 > 0:15:58The case now starts to really unfold.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02I just asked the aggrieved if that's her screwdriver and she says no.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06So I'll take that, cos that must be theirs.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10The SOCO is also looking for anything that she can take a mould of.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Like if you go to the dentist and they take a cast of your mouth.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18We can take a cast of tool marks, and preserve the marks it's made,
0:16:18 > 0:16:22so if you were to catch someone that's got a screwdriver on them or something like that,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25then you can compare it to the tool cast.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Homeowner Julie is still unsure how the thieves knew her home was empty.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35A knock on the door is a classic to see if anyone's in.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40Sometimes now they come in prepared with, like, leaflets for, you know...
0:16:40 > 0:16:44- Oh, like a false pretence thing? - For double glazing and things like that, yeah.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46If you do answer they'll have some rubbish excuse, like,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49they'll make up some name and ask if he's in, and you say no
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and they go "Oh, sorry," and walk off.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Having cracked the mystery of the broken window
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and come up with a fingerprint, the Scenes Of Crime Officer
0:16:58 > 0:17:01turns her attention to the ransacked bedroom.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04I'm just looking for suitable surfaces for fingerprints, really.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Clean, shiny, smooth surfaces are the best things.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Other things we can still work with.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12I'm just sorting things out that I'm going to have a look at.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Amazingly, after having taken all the trouble to get in
0:17:15 > 0:17:19through the window, the thieves only took a laptop
0:17:19 > 0:17:21and missed the valuable possessions downstairs.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25- They didn't take the Christmas presents. - SHE LAUGHS
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- They normally unwrap those or have you not got them wrapped? - They're wrapped.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32I usually leave them in my room, but I brought them down at the weekend
0:17:32 > 0:17:37and I would say in all there's about 600 quid.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40- You're lucky.- Yeah, very.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43I'd have died if they'd have taken those.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Finally, all SOCO has to do is compare Julie's fingerprints
0:17:48 > 0:17:51with those she found on the window.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55- Your prints get manually checked against what I found here and then eliminated.- OK.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58They get kept on file until the end of the case,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00- and then they get destroyed. - All right.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05Only now is the trauma of being burgled beginning to sink in for Julie.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09For me it's annoyance and that somebody's been in your house
0:18:09 > 0:18:13and can they do it again? When my daughter comes back from uni
0:18:13 > 0:18:16I know she'll hate being here on her own now.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19But you just have to overcome it. You can't, you know,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21what can you do?
0:18:21 > 0:18:25At least PC Brown and the Scenes Of Crime Officer have solid evidence
0:18:25 > 0:18:29that could catch the thieves and stop them causing any more misery.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Those fingerprints will be sent off to the fingerprint bureau
0:18:32 > 0:18:36once the SOCO lady has got them all scanned up.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39And they'll do a speculative search against any fingerprints
0:18:39 > 0:18:42on the system - cos we don't have an actual suspect at the moment -
0:18:42 > 0:18:44and see if we get an identification from that.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53When burglary suspects are identified, Essex Police
0:18:53 > 0:18:57seek to bring them in for questioning as quickly as possible.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00It's 6.30 am at Southend Police Station.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04The CID target team are preparing for a special early-morning operation.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Officer Chris Martin is briefing the team
0:19:07 > 0:19:10on two men whose homes they will be raiding.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Information's been coming in over the last few weeks
0:19:13 > 0:19:16that they're both involved in dwelling burglaries in the Southeast Essex area.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19These are the chaps, I'll pass the pictures
0:19:19 > 0:19:21round the circle in opposite directions.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26Unusually in this case, the two burglary suspects are neighbours.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Because the addresses are right next to each other,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30covering the back is going to be easier.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35The team has warrants to arrest both men and to search their homes.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39It's suspected they're working together in a joint criminal operation
0:19:39 > 0:19:41We get intelligence in from all sorts of sources.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44In this instance the intelligence is saying
0:19:44 > 0:19:48that these two guys are involved in burgling people's houses, basically.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50One does the burglary, the other buys it off him.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53The street where both men live is five minutes away.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58The Police suspect the man who lives in the upstairs flat
0:19:58 > 0:20:01is not only buying stolen goods from his neighbour,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03but could also be dealing drugs.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Officer Martin is hopeful the two flats may contain items stolen
0:20:09 > 0:20:12during a spree of recent break ins.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15We've had loads of burglaries recently
0:20:15 > 0:20:18with all manner of things being taken, mainly jewellery
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and electrical items, but we'll see what we get.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24And the drugs at one of them, specifically herbal cannabis.
0:20:26 > 0:20:31It's 6.30 am. To make sure both men are caught off guard,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34the team will force entry to their homes simultaneously,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36while officers also cover the back.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Officers quickly gain access to the upstairs flat...
0:20:47 > 0:20:49..and then the downstairs.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Police! Police! Stay where you are!
0:20:54 > 0:20:56- We've got locked doors.- Police!
0:20:57 > 0:21:01- Show us your hands! - Cheers, thank you very much.
0:21:01 > 0:21:07In the upstairs flat, the police find the man wanted for buying stolen goods, still half asleep.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09He's immediately arrested.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16And in the flat next door, the man suspected of selling him
0:21:16 > 0:21:20stolen goods has also been taken into custody and a search begun.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25As a similar search is about to start upstairs,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27the first suspect is now dressed and handcuffed.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35But it looks like he may have tried to dispose of something before the team reached him.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Did you see where it went?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- No, they ran round the block, round the corner.- OK.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48An officer stationed outside the back has made a discovery.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Just been standing there watching the window as the team went in.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Just as door's gone that window's opened and arms come out and drop this bag on the floor.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02It's a remarkable piece of evidence.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06The bag thrown out of the flat window is full of what looks like
0:22:06 > 0:22:07a large quantity of cannabis.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12The suspect is taken straight back to the station for questioning.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25The team's suspicions that the man wanted for handling stolen goods
0:22:25 > 0:22:29has also been selling drugs seem to be confirmed.
0:22:29 > 0:22:35Now with him on his way to custody, the team's priority is to search for stolen property inside the flat.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39There's a lot of things in here which jump out as being alien to the scene,
0:22:39 > 0:22:44which are the widescreen television, that's in the bedroom alone,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46erm...there's several in other bedrooms.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Games consoles, just loads of bits and pieces everywhere
0:22:51 > 0:22:56which jump out as though there's something going on which probably shouldn't be.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59As every room is thoroughly searched, officers also find
0:22:59 > 0:23:03potentially dangerous weapons hidden around the flat.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07These were found in the cupboard. They will obviously be seized.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12There aren't that many people
0:23:12 > 0:23:16who sleep with a baseball bat and a hammer next to their bed.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19The police can't afford to leave any stone unturned
0:23:19 > 0:23:23as they continue to gather evidence. As Sergeant Dovaston explains,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26even Christmas presents have to be checked.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Whilst I don't want to be seen to be a scrooge,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31the reality is these can't be afforded on benefits.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33There has to be some supplement to that.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34Another one there, mate.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39It's vital the team establish where all these expensive items have come from.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42With the man suspected of both drug dealing
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and handling stolen goods, Sergeant Dovaston knows this case
0:23:45 > 0:23:47is far from straightforward.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49There's two folds to this. I mean, you've got goods
0:23:49 > 0:23:52that are stolen and are wrapped up. I have seen it before
0:23:52 > 0:23:54where people have actually taken goods,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57they've actually wrapped straight up and given them to somebody else for Christmas.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02On this occasion there is, we believe, certainly some stolen items within the premises.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07More important than that, as well, we've recovered a number of items which we believe to be drugs.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09It's how they're financing their lifestyle.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13If drugs are supporting their lifestyle then this becomes proceeds of crime,
0:24:13 > 0:24:18and obviously the value of this we're looking to recoup back through the courts at a later date.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20The search in both flats is now complete
0:24:20 > 0:24:24and a number of possible stolen items seized from the upstairs property.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Yeah, all in all it's been a good morning.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Plenty to do now. The day's just started.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32The team will check these against the police database
0:24:32 > 0:24:34to try and establish their true origin.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37If they're confirmed to be stolen,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40the officers can then reunite these items with their rightful owners.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Back at the station, with their suspect in custody,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50the team's investigation continues.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54- Is that everything?- Yeah. - Other than obviously the huge stuff.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57- As you go through and book it in... - Yeah.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01- ..could you do me a separate pile of all the drugs and drug paraphernalia. - Yeah, yeah.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Any large quantity of drugs must be carefully weighed and catalogued
0:25:06 > 0:25:09before being entered into evidence.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12In a minute we'll go into an interview with him,
0:25:12 > 0:25:17and basically give him a chance to account for why he's got so much drugs
0:25:17 > 0:25:23and high-value electrical property within his flat.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27At the moment all the electrical items are being checked out
0:25:27 > 0:25:30by an officer to see if it is stolen.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32And then we'll go through the procedures of deciding
0:25:32 > 0:25:35whether or not we think he's the one stealing it or if he's buying it
0:25:35 > 0:25:39knowing it's stolen, which obviously is the offence of handling stolen goods.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52Following the raids, no items seized were proven to be stolen.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55And no further action was taken against the man in the lower flat.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01However, the man in the upper flat was charged and convicted
0:26:01 > 0:26:03of possession of cannabis with intent to supply.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09The intricate and painstaking work carried out
0:26:09 > 0:26:12by the Scenes Of Crime officer at Julie's home really paid off.
0:26:12 > 0:26:17The fingerprints found on the window led police to the man who broke in.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21With this and over 40 other crimes taken into consideration,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23he was given a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29The man suspected of Joyce Steeds' burglary pleaded guilty
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and was sentenced to 32 weeks in prison.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Joyce remains grateful to the police after getting her mother's ring back.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38I can't believe how I've been treated.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43You felt as if you were a relative. They took so much trouble.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45It was absolutely fantastic.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd