0:00:02 > 0:00:05We're on the case of a crime that's committed once every 44 seconds.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Burglary, coming up.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10It was very, very scary.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14To have seen somebody in your house was really scary.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18We're with police as they hunt down the criminals.
0:00:18 > 0:00:23Go, go, go, go, go!
0:00:23 > 0:00:26And we see how powerful it is
0:00:26 > 0:00:30when stolen goods get returned to their rightful owners.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32We all went into the hall and jumped up and down
0:00:32 > 0:00:37- and screamed and shouted. It was fantastic.- Thank you!
0:00:45 > 0:00:48First to a crime which happens once every single minute
0:00:48 > 0:00:50throughout Britain.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54But only one in four people bother reporting it to the police.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58It involves a prized possession that thieves love to target,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01but they usually wait until we take it out of the house.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Bike theft.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09Over 500,000 bikes are stolen in the UK every single year
0:01:09 > 0:01:12and 95% of the victims never get them back.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18The Met Police decided enough is enough and set up their
0:01:18 > 0:01:23Cycle Task Force, an undercover team to tackle this crime head on.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27They also all happen to be dedicated cyclists, so getting these
0:01:27 > 0:01:31thieves off the streets is particularly close to their hearts.
0:01:31 > 0:01:32We all love our bikes.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35I wouldn't say it's one of the job requirements,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38but most of the people are really into the cycling
0:01:38 > 0:01:42and have everything from mountain bikers to dedicated road cyclists.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45In my case, I like doing mad, nocturnal cycles.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I have a group which we leave Hyde Park Corner at midnight
0:01:50 > 0:01:52on the Friday closest to the full moon and cycle
0:01:52 > 0:01:57to the seaside for a greasy spoon breakfast before heading home again.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00We all love our bikes, so we understand the harm
0:02:00 > 0:02:02and hurt when people have when their bikes stolen
0:02:02 > 0:02:07so if we can reunite someone with their bike, then we're happy people.
0:02:07 > 0:02:1127 million of us own a bike in the UK and, in London, cycle use
0:02:11 > 0:02:15has risen by 150% in the last decade.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20Cycling is a growing way of commuting and lifestyle.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Sadly, the amount of secure parking within buildings isn't keeping up
0:02:24 > 0:02:27with this demand and so people have to leave their bikes on the streets.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28It means our treasured bikes
0:02:28 > 0:02:33are there for the taking, especially if we don't secure them properly.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Would you leave your £600 laptop tied up with a thin bit of wire to a tree?
0:02:37 > 0:02:40The answer is, no, so why do you leave your bike like that?
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Today, Titus and his undercover team are preparing to catch
0:02:43 > 0:02:46a thief in the act by parking a fairly expensive bike
0:02:46 > 0:02:49on the street using a basic lock.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55If you can move it a bit closer to the rear of that other bike. Lovely.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Here around Covent Garden, it's a hotspot for bike thefts
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and there's been many thefts in the streets around Covent Garden
0:03:01 > 0:03:02in the last four weeks.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06We're going to have one site today where we're going to deploy a cycle.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10We're going to wait and observe until our offender attempts
0:03:10 > 0:03:12to steal a cycle and detain and arrest offenders.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15The offence is complete when they take the lock and take the bicycle.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Obviously, if they don't get through the lock by the time we get to them,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21we've still got an attempted theft.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25All units, bicycle deployed.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29This is the lock we're using today.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33We go for cable locks because they're what cycle thieves aim to take.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37They tend to find that the D locks are too difficult to get through,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39they take too much time.
0:03:39 > 0:03:40So we're going to give them
0:03:40 > 0:03:44the opportunity today to go through a cable lock.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55There are two officers carrying out covert surveillance from a building
0:03:55 > 0:03:56overlooking the bike they've set up.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58They're in radio contact with a number of other
0:03:58 > 0:04:02officers down at street level and in other buildings nearby.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Because the Cycle Task Force are out on the streets, undercover,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15everyday, we have to hide their identities.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18We get a lot of people who live just around the corner
0:04:18 > 0:04:21and they'll steal bikes from very close to where they live.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24And others, who are really prolific, will travel,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and they'll travel until they find the bike they want.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32And catching the bike snatchers is an important way for the team
0:04:32 > 0:04:36to find the bigger criminal gangs controlling the thefts.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40There is a myth that the average cycle thief
0:04:40 > 0:04:45is the juvenile male youth who's starting their life on criminality.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49We're actually looking at organised gangs who work together,
0:04:49 > 0:04:53steal bikes and make sure they realise as much money as possible.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Often, one gang member will spot the best bikes to be stolen
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and another person will do the stealing.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02And it can be lucrative.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05If someone steals one or two bikes a day, they can make between two and
0:05:05 > 0:05:09£3,000 a week selling them on.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11It is a serious crime when you think about the value of bikes.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15It's a large investment that most people make and it is a huge
0:05:15 > 0:05:19problem in terms of the amount of money that thieves can generate.
0:05:24 > 0:05:25It's nearly two hours into
0:05:25 > 0:05:28the team's stakeout and the bike is getting quite a bit of interest.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46It's the job of the undercover officers to work out who is
0:05:46 > 0:05:50an innocent passer-by and who might be one of the gang,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53sizing up which bikes look like they might be easy to steal.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19He's back.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24All units, for your information, we've got a IC1 male,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27brown hair with long sideburns, white trainers,
0:06:27 > 0:06:33dark blue or black tracksuit with red stripes down the side.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Go, go, go, go, go!
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Go, go, go!
0:07:08 > 0:07:10That is the adrenaline rush now.
0:07:10 > 0:07:17- Even though I'm not out there, it is brilliant.- Fantastic.- Nice result.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26As you can see, clean cut, straight through.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30With the red-handled cutters, it takes seconds.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Cos we do this day in, day out,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40we sort of have a sixth sense about who might be committing offences.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42There was the go, go, go.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45The officers came from their hiding places,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49he bent down, cut the lock and detained him on the street.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50It's a good result.
0:07:50 > 0:07:51Police!
0:07:54 > 0:07:57It's an excellent result for Titus and his team.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01Since they began their covert operations in 2010,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05they've seen a 7% reduction in bike thefts.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Punishments for stealing bikes have also got more severe.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Instead of the former £80 fine,
0:08:10 > 0:08:15a thief might now get a custodial sentence, a penalty charge
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and also be forced to pay back any illicit profits made.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21And by taking out the thieves on the ground,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25they also stop the criminal gang leaders.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Most people spend a fairly reasonable amount of money on their bikes
0:08:28 > 0:08:32and it's heart-wrenching to come back to find your bike's not there.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35I've had personal experience with a bike being stolen myself.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37And any offender being caught
0:08:37 > 0:08:39and being detained is a good result for us.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43That means there's one less offender on the streets of London stealing bikes.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45We also have intelligence about who does it,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48we can now look into his background, follow who he's linked to
0:08:48 > 0:08:50and process it from that point of view.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52He will be interviewed in due course.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55At the same time, officers from the team will go
0:08:55 > 0:08:57and do a search at his home address.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Not only looking for other bikes,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03but we're also looking for evidence of where the process goes.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13The average insurance claim for a burglary is around £1,400
0:09:13 > 0:09:15but, as anyone who's been burgled will know,
0:09:15 > 0:09:20it's the sentimental value of the lost treasures that hurts the most.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Some things just can't be replaced.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27And that's what upset the whole community near Halesworth,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30in the heart of the sleepy Suffolk countryside.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Something was stolen which was worth next to nothing financially,
0:09:33 > 0:09:39but it meant a lot to the children of Holton St Peter Primary School.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Most crimes are selfish.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44But this was particularly careless and uncaring,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47because of the fact that it was a primary school
0:09:47 > 0:09:49with very young children affected.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55The school is a home from home for all 90 pupils
0:09:55 > 0:09:58between the ages of four and 11
0:09:58 > 0:10:00and Head Teacher Jean Righton has gone the extra mile
0:10:00 > 0:10:02to create a cosy atmosphere.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06We have a great family ethos.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08All of our children have buddies across the school
0:10:08 > 0:10:10that look out for each other.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12All of my staff know all of the children,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15all of my staff know all of the parents.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17We just love watching the children learn.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20When the school expanded in 2011,
0:10:20 > 0:10:21they decided to mark the occasion
0:10:21 > 0:10:25by commissioning a wood carving from a local sculptor.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27He made it from the remains of a tree that had grown
0:10:27 > 0:10:29in the original grounds.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31It's been an important feature for them
0:10:31 > 0:10:33and it was also a symbol of our new school.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36So it was very significant and it was something of beauty
0:10:36 > 0:10:38and I think it's important for young people
0:10:38 > 0:10:42to physically be able to go and touch things of beauty.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44The owl was an immediate hit.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Usually, other schools wouldn't get sculptures and things.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51But we were lucky and we did.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55But the pupils' playtime was about to come to an abrupt end.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59On May 2nd 2012, a particularly bleak night,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01the caretaker locked up as usual,
0:11:01 > 0:11:03not realising that someone had their eyes
0:11:03 > 0:11:06on the school's treasured prize.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10On the Wednesday night, my caretaker would have done his normal duties -
0:11:10 > 0:11:12cleaning the classroom, locking up,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15checking the site both inside and out.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18But sometime later that night, the thieves broke in
0:11:18 > 0:11:21and stole the school's owl from its perch.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25The night they chose to do it
0:11:25 > 0:11:28was actually a very windy and stormy evening.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33And none of the local people around actually heard or saw anything,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36which made me think that maybe they'd been planning it for a while,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38but actually chose that particular evening.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43The following morning,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45when Mrs Righton arrived at school at 7 o'clock,
0:11:45 > 0:11:49one of her team was looking particularly anxious.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52My cleaner in charge came to tell me that the owl was stolen,
0:11:52 > 0:11:56so I went outside straight away and I was greeted by a stump.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59I was devastated and quite emotional,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02because it'd been something really important for our children
0:12:02 > 0:12:06and I couldn't understand how anyone could steal from our children.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08I think the hardest thing I had to do
0:12:08 > 0:12:11was actually stand in front of the children
0:12:11 > 0:12:13and tell then what had happened.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19But Mrs Righton had to find a way to break the devastating news.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22I gathered everybody into the hall.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26They sat there and some of them did cry.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Some of them said, "Why? Why have they taken our owl?"
0:12:30 > 0:12:32And, of course, I didn't know what to say,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34cos I didn't understand why they'd taken it.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37A lot of them felt it was unfair and, as one pupil said,
0:12:37 > 0:12:41it was almost like part of our family had been taken away from us.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43So they were devastated. It was really hard for me
0:12:43 > 0:12:46to stand up there and tell them that information.
0:12:46 > 0:12:53It was like an empty space, having a pupil in your class, like, missing.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56It was sort of a member of our school
0:12:56 > 0:13:00and well, we didn't really like it
0:13:00 > 0:13:03because it was our property, nobody's else
0:13:03 > 0:13:05and it was on our ground.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10We used to play on it and now it wasn't there.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14And we were all very sad when we heard that it had been stolen.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19It did feel really devastating
0:13:19 > 0:13:22and you felt quite sick at the thought of it,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25especially as it was so important to our children.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28So it was a very difficult time and you couldn't believe
0:13:28 > 0:13:32that somebody locally would actually do that.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Mrs Righton called the police.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Local bobby PC Simon Green knew the sculpture well.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41The owl hadn't been there very long.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43It looked like it had been sawn straight through.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46We didn't have any forensic evidence, didn't have any witnesses.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49And the normal procedure, under those circumstances,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52would be to do house-to-house enquiries,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55which we did and to do a press release.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58PC Green vowed to track down the stolen owl
0:13:58 > 0:14:01and return it to its rightful perch.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03There'll be more on that later.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20It's bad enough to find out you've been burgled,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22but image how it must feel
0:14:22 > 0:14:25if you come home to find the burglar still in your house.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27In Basildon, Essex,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30PC Simon Matthews and Special Constable James Hollingshead
0:14:30 > 0:14:33are on their way to investigate.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36- Have you just called us? - Yes.- What's happened?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39- I just came back from swimming with my daughters.- Right.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42As I opened, there was a man running down.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46- Did you see two people or just one? - I saw one but heard other footsteps.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Police! Anyone here?
0:14:51 > 0:14:54The thieves might still be inside,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57so the officers have to tread carefully.
0:15:00 > 0:15:0457% of burglaries happen when someone is at home,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08but it's quite rare to come face to face with the intruders.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09In this case, though,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12there's a real chance that the culprits are still here.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17But it turns out the burglars have just escaped
0:15:17 > 0:15:19through the back door of the house.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Simon immediately calls for backup to search the streets nearby.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24There's alleyways in every single direction.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27There's no sign of anybody out here though.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30It looks like they've gone out through the back door, the back gate's open.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32If you've got any spare units,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35get them to go to the end of those particular roads
0:15:35 > 0:15:37and then, send a dog unit to my location.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41She opened the front door
0:15:41 > 0:15:44and there was a guy running down the stairs who clearly didn't live there.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45She's run back out, called us,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49but unfortunately, it's taken too long to get the call to come through,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53so we got here, cleared the house, made sure there was no-one in there,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56checked the back, but there was far to many alleyways or directions they could have gone.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59If they did have a car, they'd have gone in seconds.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02The road behind here leads onto three other roads,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04which then lead onto the main road.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08So without having ten cars around the area
0:16:08 > 0:16:10at that exact time stopping everything,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14there was no chance of knowing which way they went.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Simon's been an officer for seven years
0:16:17 > 0:16:21and knows how upset and violated Radica will be feeling.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25It was very, very scary to have seen somebody in your house.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30Plus my daughters were with me and they started shivering and crying.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35It's...the most awful feeling.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42Radica's normally tidy house has been completely ransacked.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44It is an intrusion, isn't it?
0:16:44 > 0:16:46It's a bit different to having your car broken into or damaged,
0:16:46 > 0:16:48someone being in your house.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51I imagine it makes most people feel quite vulnerable.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Radica's husband Devanand has just arrived home to a shocking scene.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01There's some damage to the back door and a window is just open there,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03so that's how they've come in and out.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Simon has dealt with enough burglaries to know
0:17:06 > 0:17:09that he needs to give Devanand a while to take everything in.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- I'd like to check upstairs... - Yeah, yeah, that's no problem.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Just try not to touch door handles, smooth surfaces, anything like that.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Although the temptation is to start clearing up straight away,
0:17:20 > 0:17:24nothing must be disturbed before any forensic evidence is gathered.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30- So this is your...you and your wife's bedroom.- This is our master bedroom.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32And this is your two daughters' bedroom, yeah?
0:17:32 > 0:17:36Whilst Simon and his colleague James try to piece together what's missing,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39the other experts arrive -
0:17:39 > 0:17:41police dogs.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46They're highly-trained animals and can hunt down a burglar
0:17:46 > 0:17:48by picking up their scent at the scene of the crime.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54To be honest, he's not giving me anything obvious at all.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56So we're going just to see if we can cast him further afield.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00- We've done all that. The only other interest was over there.- Yeah.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02It's a busy residential area.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05There could have been half a dozen people walk through
0:18:05 > 0:18:07before the dog arrived.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09It's just ruined the track, the dog gets confused,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11there's too many going in too many directions.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16And it could be that they were sitting waiting with a car.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18It's 15 feet and you're in a car
0:18:18 > 0:18:20and then, there's not going to be a track for the dog to check,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23so we just don't know.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27As you can see, you've got a lady going there, you've got a bloke walk past there, you've got others there.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29That's three sites straight away,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32where you've got some disturbances, so...
0:18:32 > 0:18:35It's a blow that the dogs can't find anything.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38But Simon's other hope for clues is forensic evidence
0:18:38 > 0:18:40left inside the house.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44Scene of Crime officer Vince Atkinson has just arrived.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46It's up to him to try to find traces
0:18:46 > 0:18:48of where the burglars have been in the house.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Once they got in, what have they done? What's happened?
0:18:50 > 0:18:55I had a brown bag on one of these chairs
0:18:55 > 0:18:59and the things that are on the floor there - my wallet and cards
0:18:59 > 0:19:02and the gloves were in that bag.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06- Is there anything else in here that's been touched at all? - It doesn't look like that.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10As terrible a shock as it was,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13it was just as well that Radica came home when she did.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16It seems that she's disturbed the burglars
0:19:16 > 0:19:18before they had time to take much.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22- They've emptied all the clothes out? - Yeah.- Any jewellery boxes? Where was the jewellery box?
0:19:22 > 0:19:24It was on top here.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- ..still here anyway.- Yeah.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30The other jewellery are actually in those boxes.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33I don't know if they've been touched, but they would have thrown it...
0:19:33 > 0:19:35I wouldn't have thought they've put them back tidily, no.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40It's now up to Vince to see if he can find any forensic evidence
0:19:40 > 0:19:43to lead Simon and the team to the burglars.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53He dusts for fingerprints paying particular attention
0:19:53 > 0:19:55to the where the thieves came in.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59I should have imagined they tried the door before they tried this anyway.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05There's lots of jemmy marks on the back door outside,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07they've tried to get in there.
0:20:07 > 0:20:13Um... So whether they've been...come through the window...
0:20:13 > 0:20:14Whichever way they got in,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18entering somebody's else's home is just a job for the burglars.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21But to this family, the break in will cost them dearly.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24If not in replacing valuable goods,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27then, in making their house feel like a home again -
0:20:27 > 0:20:30a safe haven for their children once more.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32I'm just worried for the girls coming back here,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36cos I know it will have a big effect on them, cos my older daughter,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39she was the one who said, "Mummy, there's somebody in the house."
0:20:39 > 0:20:42The neighbour was saying she can't stop shivering.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45And she just celebrated her tenth birthday.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47As adults, it's difficult,
0:20:47 > 0:20:51so I can't imagine what it'll be for the children.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57And to add insult to injury,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00it appears that the main possessions the burglars have taken
0:21:00 > 0:21:04are some items of jewellery given to the couple's daughters.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07What sort of value would you put on the jewellery,
0:21:07 > 0:21:08just off the top of your head?
0:21:08 > 0:21:13- Perhaps £600...- For everything? - Yeah.- Right.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18I mean, I wouldn't really, really know until I...
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Yeah, of course, yeah, yeah.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Simon's waited until Radica has got over her initial shock
0:21:26 > 0:21:28before taking a witness statement.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31From experience, he knows it takes a while
0:21:31 > 0:21:33before people can think clearly enough
0:21:33 > 0:21:37to really describe what happened and what they saw.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39As you came in, did you hear them?
0:21:39 > 0:21:42I could hear running and then, one past me like seconds.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44- Did he say anything? Did you say anything?- No.- No.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48- Any idea of an age?- Yeah, he must have been in his 20s.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52- Early 20s, late 20s, mid? - Mid, tall...
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Simon's pleased that Radica's able to give a description.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00With it, there's a much greater chance of the suspects being caught
0:22:00 > 0:22:03and the stolen jewellery being returned.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07But for this family, the emotional impact of the break in
0:22:07 > 0:22:10is far greater than any financial loss.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14You always sort of think it won't happen to you.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17And, you know, we are quite good at locking up
0:22:17 > 0:22:19and can't imagine what more you can do.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24It looks like there's some jewellery gone, which is a usual thing these days,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27no-one takes the 15-inch telly any more.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30I'm sure the shock will set in once they've got to clear up,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33it's a bit of a messy search upstairs, with all the clothing thrown around.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35But no, she's doing quite well.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Scenes of crime have been here,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40but we'll just have to wait and see if anybody comes up.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Although the couple are left with a lot of mess,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47at least Radica's swift action has stopped the burglars in their tracks
0:22:47 > 0:22:50before they had a chance to take more.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13In Halesworth, in Suffolk,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17the children were upset that their precious owl carving was still missing.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22We were all devastated, we used to play on it and now it wasn't there.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28Local policeman PC Simon Green had been doing everything he could
0:23:28 > 0:23:30to track down the culprits.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Not only did we have a press release,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36we had a lot of interest from the community as well
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and a lot of people actually put their own appeals on Facebook
0:23:39 > 0:23:42and social networking sites.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45And Mrs Righton's pupils decided to turn detective too,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48hunting for vital evidence.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53We were all going to find things they left here.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58I just looked on the field to see if I can see any bits of the bark.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00I only found a bit.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03They were brilliant afterwards trying to be detectives.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07I said it was Holton St Peter Police School at one point.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12And every child detective had their own theory on who the thieves were
0:24:12 > 0:24:15and what had motivated them.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Probably they came from London
0:24:17 > 0:24:20and probably they arrived in a taxi
0:24:20 > 0:24:23and then, they saw this owl and they...
0:24:23 > 0:24:27probably that's how they...they thought it was really nice
0:24:27 > 0:24:28and they took it.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31With the police and the school doing all they could,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35the children were somehow positive that they would get their owl back.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Everyone kept on saying, "When it comes back,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41"when it comes back, we'll do so and so..."
0:24:41 > 0:24:44So that gave everyone spirit.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48But the teachers weren't so convinced that the owl would be returned.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Personally, I wasn't sure it would be.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55I'm not a negative person, but I didn't think it would come back.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59But, six days after the owl had been stolen,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02just as Mrs Righton was about to give up hope completely,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06something miraculous happened overnight.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08On the Wednesday morning,
0:25:08 > 0:25:09I came into school at seven o'clock
0:25:09 > 0:25:13and my caretaker greeted me with the news the owl was back,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15which I couldn't believe!
0:25:18 > 0:25:20So we went running out to touch it
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and somebody had just literally positioned it back where it was.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26So I got all of the children and parents in
0:25:26 > 0:25:27first thing in the morning.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30We all went into the hall and jumped up and down and screamed
0:25:30 > 0:25:32and shouted and it was fantastic.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38So we all celebrated the owl's return.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44I was very happy because...
0:25:44 > 0:25:47now we could play on it again.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Once we knew that it was back, it really brightened up our day.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53And PC Green's day was a good one too.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56His local knowledge has given him a hunch
0:25:56 > 0:25:58about why the owl was returned so mysteriously.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01My believe, personally, was that the owl had been taken
0:26:01 > 0:26:05by somebody who probably wanted it for their own garden.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09They probably soon realised that, actually, they weren't going to be able to display it in the garden
0:26:09 > 0:26:12because they'd never be able to invite anyone around again.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15I think without the police, it would not have been returned.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19And making people realise that maybe they had made the wrong choice
0:26:19 > 0:26:21and it was the right thing to return it.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23So we're really grateful to PC Green and all of his team
0:26:23 > 0:26:25for their excellent work.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27For property, stolen property,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30to be returned in this way, it's very unusual.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33In fact, I can think, in my 14-year career,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35it's the first time I've ever heard of it.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40The Owl was back, feathers unruffled, in his rightful place,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43overlooking the school's grounds.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44CHILDREN CHEER
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Hello! Hello.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Thank you for helping us get our owl back.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54- I'm really touched. What have you got there?- Art!
0:26:54 > 0:26:59What I'll do, I'll look at them and I'll put them all on the office wall.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Thank you.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04I was very proud of the children
0:27:04 > 0:27:08that they believed it would be returned, so they were right.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10And it was fantastic to see it.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14THEY SHOUT: Thank you!
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Now, for an update on today's stories.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23The family in Basildon, in Essex, whose life was left in disarray
0:27:23 > 0:27:26after coming face to face with a burglar in their home,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28are still hoping that the culprits
0:27:28 > 0:27:30and their missing jewellery will be found.
0:27:30 > 0:27:31Since the break-in,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34they've taken even more measures to protect their home.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37The man the Met police arrested in London, Sydney Yates,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40has pleaded guilty to bike theft.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44And for Titus and his bike-loving team, it's another great result.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46But they want the public to know
0:27:46 > 0:27:48that the battle against bike theft is ongoing.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Record your frame number, register it online but, more importantly,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53if you leave it in a public place,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56make sure you use two decent locks, cables
0:27:56 > 0:27:59and don't make your bike a target for thieves.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02That's all from us today. We'll see you next time.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd