0:00:02 > 0:00:03We're on the case of a crime
0:00:03 > 0:00:05that affects over one in 50 homes - burglary.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Coming up...
0:00:07 > 0:00:10There's something just on the side of the door there.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Looks like it might be a tool mark, maybe a screwdriver.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15We're out on patrol with the police
0:00:15 > 0:00:18as they hunt down suspected burglars.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21- I'm running!- Why are you running? Stay there, stay there!
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Jill, get in the car! Jill, get in the car!
0:00:23 > 0:00:26And we'll show you how much it means
0:00:26 > 0:00:30when stolen goods are reunited with their rightful owner.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32We never thought we'd get them back.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34From devastation to just sheer delight.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46In Hertfordshire, crime rates are at a five-year low,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49and that's thanks in part to the Hertfordshire Police initiative,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Operation Scorpion.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Scorpion is the anti-burglary unit of Hertfordshire Police.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Police, come to the door, please.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04They use patrols and coordinated raids to target burglars,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06robbers and vehicle thieves.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Since it began in April 2011,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14there has been a dramatic reduction in burglaries
0:01:14 > 0:01:20and Operation Scorpion has charged over 450 people for over 700 crimes.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22This is about making a difference,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25working hard, and locking up bad people.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29But before Operation Scorpion Officers Jill Brown and Pippa Mason
0:01:29 > 0:01:34can go burglar-hunting, they have a more menial task at hand.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37This could be the best job of the evening, you never know!
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Filthy.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42This is our...
0:01:42 > 0:01:45quality machine. It's undercover.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48We've kept it so dirty to keep it undercover.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51We do need to clean it. It's an embarrassment.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53I love it. It's quite satisfying.
0:01:53 > 0:01:58- JILL LAUGHS - Clean car, clean mind!
0:01:58 > 0:02:00How is it? Is it all right?
0:02:00 > 0:02:04With their unmarked police car in a more presentable state,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Jill and Pippa can start their night patrol.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10We're going to patrol the areas
0:02:10 > 0:02:13that have been hit by burglaries during the day,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17see if there's anyone scoping up houses to hit maybe tomorrow.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19We'll see who's hanging around.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Anybody who looks like they shouldn't be in the area,
0:02:22 > 0:02:23we'll stop them and chat to them.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Jill and Pippa have been friends for five years,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29and for the past six months, they've had the chance to work together
0:02:29 > 0:02:32as part of the Operation Scorpion team.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35I love nights. There's naughty people out at night.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Normal people are inside watching EastEnders or have their feet up.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42We like it at night. It's more fun.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45As they patrol the local neighbourhoods,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48their automatic numberplate recognition computer
0:02:48 > 0:02:51alerts them to a car not registered locally.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Just give us the thumbs up, Pip.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58This tiny detail could mean someone
0:02:58 > 0:03:01has come into the area to commit crime,
0:03:01 > 0:03:02so they decide to check it out.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06It's a false alarm.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09The driver has just bought the car and is sent on his way.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14What starts as a quiet night for Jill and Pippa soon changes
0:03:14 > 0:03:17when an emergency call comes in to police control.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35RADIO BEEPS
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Go ahead.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46No worries. We're going to head there now.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47Just let control know that we'll go.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51The burglary has occurred in an affluent area of Harpenden
0:03:51 > 0:03:54that has suffered a spate of burglaries in the last few months.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58We're going to get there sharpish, because they've just rung it in,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02just to prevent loss of any evidence and preserve the scene.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11I've been to one there, I'd say about six months ago.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14And then about a year ago,
0:04:14 > 0:04:18there were a couple done down here on the left, unfortunately.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21I'm fairly sure it's right down the end, on the right.
0:04:24 > 0:04:2915 minutes after the call was made, Jill and Pippa arrive on the scene.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30Can you get some gloves?
0:04:30 > 0:04:32- Hello, are you Gareth?- Yes.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Hi there, I'm PC Mason, from St Albans.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- Are we all right to come in? - Yeah, sure.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43Gareth returned home from work at 9.25 to find he'd been robbed.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52The burglars have got in by smashing the window of the back door
0:04:52 > 0:04:56and turning the key, which had been left in the lock.
0:04:56 > 0:04:57The police advise people
0:04:57 > 0:05:00not to leave a key in the back door for this very reason.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Whereabouts have they been, from what you can see?
0:05:03 > 0:05:05- All over the place. - They've done everywhere. Yeah.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07- The laptop was on there.- Yeah.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11There was an ice-cream tub full of coins on the bottom shelf, there,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14- cos that was where the power supply was plugged in.- OK.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16They'd gone in there to pull the power supply out.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19There's a tablet computer from my daughter's room gone.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22There's a watch gone from my room
0:05:22 > 0:05:24and there was another ice-cream tub of cash in here, as well.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27The heartless burglars have turned over both bedrooms
0:05:27 > 0:05:31and have even stolen his daughter's money box.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Luckily for Gareth, his daughter isn't staying with him tonight
0:05:37 > 0:05:40and won't have to see the house in such a state.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Pippa heads round the back to look for
0:05:42 > 0:05:45any evidence the burglar might have left behind.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48There is something just on the side of the door.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51It looks like it might be a tool mark. Maybe a screwdriver.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55So they've attempted to try and jemmy the door open before thinking,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58"I'll just throw something at it."
0:05:58 > 0:06:02- And you've just turned up at home this evening?- Yeah, literally.- What?
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- 9.30?- 9.25
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Jill's just taken the gentleman through to the other room.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09He hasn't been burgled before.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12He's a bit shaken up by what's happened - understandably.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15So she's just taken him through to take all the details from him
0:06:15 > 0:06:17whilst he's sat down.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Does there seem to be much moved in this room?
0:06:19 > 0:06:23- They haven't touched anything. - No. This has just been left. OK.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28Which is probably wide open because it's on the front of the house.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30They tend to go to rooms that
0:06:30 > 0:06:32if somebody walked past they wouldn't see them.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35What we're going to do is we're going to knock on your neighbours
0:06:35 > 0:06:37just to see if anybody's heard or seen anything.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Establishing a time frame for the burglary
0:06:41 > 0:06:44will help Jill and Pippa with their investigation.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50Every time we go to a burglary, we've got to do house to house.
0:06:50 > 0:06:51It's called cocooning.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53We're cocooning the house that was burgled.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56So we're gaining as much evidence as we can
0:06:56 > 0:06:57from surrounding neighbours.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Hello, sorry to trouble you so late.
0:07:00 > 0:07:01Police officer from St Albans.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05And it's not long before Pippa gets some useful information.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09The lad next door was in this afternoon and he's heard a bang.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11He didn't think anything of it at the time,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14but it sounds like that was probably them going in the back.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18He heard that between mid-day and one o'clock this afternoon.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21So it might narrow down times so that we can look at vehicles
0:07:21 > 0:07:23coming in to Harpenden.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28The police can check CCTV and numberplate recognition cameras
0:07:28 > 0:07:32to see if there were any suspicious vehicles in the area at that time.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Meanwhile, Jill uncovers something else of interest
0:07:36 > 0:07:38at the neighbours' opposite.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40We've noticed marks on the edge of the door.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43I suspect somebody's had a go at getting in
0:07:43 > 0:07:45and may well have been disturbed.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50I think then that you've come back and then they've done the offski.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53I swear blind I didn't actually see anybody.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Yeah, to be fair, you're not going to be looking, are you?
0:07:56 > 0:07:58What SOCO can do is they can take an imprint of this tool
0:07:58 > 0:08:01that's been used and that can help us to match up to other ones.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Jill knows it's quite common to find a street of homes,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07all with marks on a door or a window.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12Burglars have gone along looking for that one opportunity to break in.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16This homeowner was lucky. But he also witnessed an incident
0:08:16 > 0:08:21around the time of the burglary that could prove to be vital information.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24He glanced across and it was a silver, old-style Mercedes
0:08:24 > 0:08:27parked across the drive. You can see it's a drop kerb here.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30It's almost been blocking his drive.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34He's gone to get in his house and the car has sped off down the hill,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36screeching its tyres. He didn't think much of it
0:08:36 > 0:08:39because he thought it might have been a rainy, wet surface.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42But now he's thought about it, he said it might have been linked.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45So he's passed that information, we can do some other inquiries.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51With information gathered from both scenes,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53plus a sample of the smashed glass,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57Jill and Pippa have plenty to go on whilst they wait for forensics.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59There's two on the same street
0:08:59 > 0:09:01and we've had one previously here this week.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06So there's obviously somebody casing out this street up and down.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10We're sorry to have met you in the circumstances but, hopefully,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13we'll find some of your equipment.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16- OK? Take care.- OK. Thank you.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Jill has witnessed first-hand
0:09:18 > 0:09:21the impact a burglary can have on many victims,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23so in this particular case,
0:09:23 > 0:09:24she's grateful for small mercies.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Thankfully his daughter wasn't in,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28so that's a kind of godsend, isn't it?
0:09:28 > 0:09:30His daughter wasn't there to witness the scene
0:09:30 > 0:09:32and be worried that there was going to be
0:09:32 > 0:09:34a burglar coming in in the night.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36He seems all right. We've got a focus.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39We've got something to get our teeth in.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42We know what time they're coming here. We know they're coming here
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and we can come here and catch them at it.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47For Jill and Pippa, the hunt for the burglars continues.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52And later, a routine stop ends in a hot pursuit.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55And... Oh, running! Why are you running? Stay there!
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Stay there!
0:10:01 > 0:10:02During a burglary,
0:10:02 > 0:10:07thieves often target small, valuable property such jewellery
0:10:07 > 0:10:10or electrical items that are easy to carry and sell on.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17This is what happened when Geoff and Pat Jebb were burgled in 2011.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21They live in the picturesque town of Ottery St Mary in Devon.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Geoff's grandfather was a celebrated war hero.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31He was awarded the prestigious Campaign Medal during
0:10:31 > 0:10:35the Boer War, and went on to receive three more medals during his life.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38He even received a medal for his work
0:10:38 > 0:10:41at a munitions factory during the Second World War.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45I mean, during the Blitz - you cannot imagine it - the factory
0:10:45 > 0:10:48had 325 alerts in total
0:10:48 > 0:10:52and he kept the factory running. This man was a hero.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57And he was awarded the British Empire medal by King George VI.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Actually it was supposed to have been awarded by King George VI
0:11:01 > 0:11:04but King George was very poorly at the time,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06and so the medal came by post.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09And as touching little message written by my mum,
0:11:09 > 0:11:11all those years ago, saying...
0:11:11 > 0:11:14"The king was very ill, mother and I were so disappointed
0:11:14 > 0:11:17"because we were so looking forward to being with him."
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Grandfather lived round the corner and he was always popping around
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and I have very fond memories of him
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Following the death of Geoff's grandfather,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29the medals were passed to Geoff for safekeeping by his mother.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32They remained in his possession for over half a century.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Over the passage of time,
0:11:34 > 0:11:36photographs which one keeps of loved ones,
0:11:36 > 0:11:41they tend to fade away but if you have something tangible,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44like medals, it brings it all flooding straight back
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and you're in direct contact with that person.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55In 2011, Geoff and his wife Pat decided to use a friend's
0:11:55 > 0:11:58lock-up garage to store some of their belongings.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Inadvertently, I sent away one of the boxes which contained
0:12:07 > 0:12:12my grandfather's medals and other very personal possessions.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16A few days later, Geoff decided to check the lock-up
0:12:16 > 0:12:19and make sure that there were no mice nesting in his storage boxes.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Unfortunately, he was in for a shock.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28No, we hadn't had mice. We'd had rats - two-legged rats.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33Someone had been in the garage and rifled through Geoff's belongings.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35And at the back of my mind I'm thinking,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38"Oh, please, please, don't let it be grandfather's medals.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43And, sure enough, the medal presentation box, it had gone.
0:12:43 > 0:12:48All that remained was a note that my mother had given to me
0:12:48 > 0:12:53saying "These medals were awarded to your grandfather.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56"Please take care of them."
0:13:00 > 0:13:02I felt totally devastated.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07The medals which I'd treasured, the family had treasured, had gone.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12When he first came home on that day, he walked through the gate
0:13:12 > 0:13:15and he just looked as white as a sheet.
0:13:15 > 0:13:16I said, "What on earth is the matter?"
0:13:16 > 0:13:19And he said, "Somebody's stolen my grandfather's medals."
0:13:19 > 0:13:22He said, "I've let down my mum.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25"I've let down the family." And he was just so upset.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27He was absolutely inconsolable
0:13:27 > 0:13:30because he felt that he had just let everybody down
0:13:30 > 0:13:32and I couldn't convince him that it wasn't his fault -
0:13:32 > 0:13:35that in all good faith he'd just put these things away
0:13:35 > 0:13:39and we thought they'd be safe. He was just absolutely devastated.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44I felt ill. I felt...terrible.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49The Jebbs called Devon and Cornwall Police
0:13:49 > 0:13:52and reported the senseless crime.
0:13:52 > 0:13:57DC Blain Bishop was the investigating officer on the case.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59One of our scenes of crime officers went out to
0:13:59 > 0:14:01the break-in at the garage and, sadly,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03there was no forensic value
0:14:03 > 0:14:07that we were able to gain from examining that scene.
0:14:07 > 0:14:12There were no witnesses, no CCTV, so the options of tracing those goods
0:14:12 > 0:14:14and finding who committed the offence
0:14:14 > 0:14:16were rather limited at that point in time.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21With no active lines of inquiry, Blain continued to investigate
0:14:21 > 0:14:25the case, and the Jebbs decided to conduct some research of their own.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30We try to do our bit by placing adverts in newspapers
0:14:30 > 0:14:33and through the Internet.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36We were trying to track down medals for sale.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39We couldn't believe how many medals were stolen.
0:14:39 > 0:14:40But there's so many missing,
0:14:40 > 0:14:44and so many people in the same boat that we were. It's so sad.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Their value is immeasurable.
0:14:47 > 0:14:53It's 100 years of history, and it's a tangible link between me
0:14:53 > 0:14:54and my grandfather.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58And it had a devastating effect. He was really heartbroken
0:14:58 > 0:15:03It seemed that Geoff's medals had disappeared without a trace.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05There were no real active lines of inquiry to identify
0:15:05 > 0:15:07who had committed the offence.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11They had force of entry but we had no idea who that might be.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14We just drew a complete blank.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Back on patrol in Hertfordshire, PCs Jill Brown
0:15:22 > 0:15:26and Pippa Mason have already spotted something suspicious.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30We've just seen a couple of young looking lads go past us
0:15:30 > 0:15:32that we're trying to catch up with now
0:15:32 > 0:15:34so that we can stop them and have a chat to them.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37They were driving quite a souped-up Audi which is sometimes used
0:15:37 > 0:15:40to commit burglaries. It's quite powerful.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42So we're going to see if we can catch up with it now,
0:15:42 > 0:15:46pull it over and have a chat to the two lads inside.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52Pippa directs the car safely off the main road and into a pub car park.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56- Hello. I bet you know why you've been stopped, don't you?- Why is that?
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Have you've been stopped before?
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- It's a powerful car, isn't it?- I've never been stopped.- Haven't you?
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Can I see that? Can I see your licence?
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Have you been stopped? Police trouble before?
0:16:05 > 0:16:09- Never been in trouble?- No.- Never arrested?- Never. No, never arrested.
0:16:09 > 0:16:10OK. Cool.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13The reason we wanted to have a chat, we've had a few burglaries
0:16:13 > 0:16:16in Harpenden which is obviously where you've just come through.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19They're generally committed in quite powerful cars, you know.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23So anyone, at the moment, that we're coming across, young lads driving
0:16:23 > 0:16:25powerful cars, we're going to be stopping and having a chat.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Some I'm going to run all your details through.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Are you known to police at all? No?
0:16:30 > 0:16:34The two young men seem above board and are happy to co-operate.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36But Jill has a nose for trouble.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40- It smells... - You've been stopping everybody?
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Jill has found a cannabis cigarette in the car.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48But she believes the two occupants might have more drugs hidden away.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Now is the time to fess up and just give it to me, all right?
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Because I don't want to have to get somebody out to search.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Given this opportunity, I'd give it to you now. Honestly.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58I'm fair with people that's fair,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01but I don't believe that that is what I can smell.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Whilst Pippa searches the car,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Jill calls for a male officer to search the suspects.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15PC Paul Saunders and Special Constable Simon Tomaney
0:17:15 > 0:17:17soon arrive on the scene.
0:17:17 > 0:17:18Have you got anything on you, buddy?
0:17:18 > 0:17:20- No.- Nothing?- No.- Nothing at all?
0:17:23 > 0:17:26We pulled this car over just because it's a high-powered car,
0:17:26 > 0:17:27a couple of young lads
0:17:27 > 0:17:31with potential to be burglars or something else, you know.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33It turns out they've got a little bit of cannabis on them,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36which we can deal with at the roadside, but we want to
0:17:36 > 0:17:39just check they haven't got anything else on them, or ulterior motive.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- And... - SHE GASPS
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Why is he running? Stay there! Stay there!
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Incredibly, mid-search, the driver has bolted.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59Paul chases on foot whilst Jill and Pippa follow in the car.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10Thanks to Paul's quick reactions,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13the suspect is caught a mere 70 seconds later.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- Get in the car. What are you running for?- I was scared! I was scared.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20You don't run when you get scared!
0:18:20 > 0:18:21You could end up getting yourself
0:18:21 > 0:18:23and my officer run over on the main road!
0:18:23 > 0:18:25- Now get in the car! - Head down, sit in the car.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27What are you hiding? What are you hiding?
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Nothing, I had a small, tiny bit of cannabis on me.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32You don't run for a bit of cannabis, mate. What have you got?
0:18:32 > 0:18:34That was it! I'm being honest with you, that was it.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37- Whereabouts did you throw it? - I threw into the bush,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39I just threw it, I literally... By the road.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- As I turned that corner, I threw it. - Right, mate, listen.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44You're going to be brought back to the police station
0:18:44 > 0:18:45for a thorough search.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I believe you got something else in your shoe.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Jill and Pippa need to check out the suspect's story and check
0:18:51 > 0:18:53that it was cannabis that he threw away.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56They start searching the area.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00It's really tough trying to catch them.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04He said he's dumped whatever he had in his hand as he ran.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06All it needs is a quick flick of the wrist,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08and that's it, it's game over.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Yeah, he ran off on this main road, which is
0:19:12 > 0:19:16so dangerous because it's a fast road, a main road.
0:19:16 > 0:19:21I was more worried for my colleague running after him in black uniform.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24He could have got himself killed. I just think he's hiding something.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31It's like looking for a needle in a haystack.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32Oh, it's annoying!
0:19:32 > 0:19:34So it's time to call in the dog unit.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37BARKING
0:19:41 > 0:19:45This is exactly how it goes with us, we follow nice cars,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48thinking, a couple of young lads, nice car,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50then we get tied up with the arrest.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52We've got to deal with whatever we come across.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55We weren't expecting this, but you never know what to expect.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59We were hoping it was going to be our burglars, but sadly they aren't.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01Next time. Next car.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06The dog team have found nothing.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11Now we've got to go to the police station to do strip searches.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Not only is this frustrating, it also means that Jill
0:20:14 > 0:20:16and Pippa's valuable time is being wasted,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20when they should be out hunting for Gareth's burglar.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32The two suspects are processed and searched,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35but nothing of interest is found.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Jill, Pippa and the team have spent over three hours
0:20:38 > 0:20:40dealing with these time wasters.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Let's hope that Harpenden aren't getting burgled
0:20:43 > 0:20:46while we're here dealing with something else unrelated.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52Yeah, I want to get back there, catch some burglars.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Unfortunately, after finishing processing the two men,
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Jill and Pippa's worst fears are confirmed.
0:20:58 > 0:20:59It's really annoying.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02We've just seen that whilst we've been in here,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05two burglaries have actually been committed,
0:21:05 > 0:21:07one attempted burglary, one successful burglary
0:21:07 > 0:21:10back in the area where we should have been patrolling.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13So had he not run away from us, there would have been a chance
0:21:13 > 0:21:16that we could have caught those guys, whoever has done that.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18But as it is, we've been in custody for that time.
0:21:22 > 0:21:23Back on patrol,
0:21:23 > 0:21:27Jill and Pippa are determined to catch the Harpenden burglar.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31It's not long before they spot someone they want to talk to.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Oh, hang on, let's have a chat to him.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40- Hello. How are you?- I'm all right. - I haven't seen you for a long time.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Oh, my god! You've just realised who it is.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48It turns out the man is a reformed offender well-known to Jill.
0:21:48 > 0:21:53- I haven't seen you for a long time. - Been out of trouble, innit?
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- Yeah, that's good. - Since I've come to St Albans, yeah.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00- Yeah.- I've got two little ones, now. - Two!- Two more.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- Two more! How many have you got now, then?- Four.- Aw! Bless.
0:22:03 > 0:22:09The driver, I know her from Hatfield when I was a bad boy.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11But, yeah - I ain't got a bad word to say about her.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15I forgot her name. I've known her for years. Quite helpful, you know.
0:22:15 > 0:22:22It's people like her that are the reason I'm doing volunteer work.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23It's all good.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Going to prison got me out of trouble. Once is enough.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- Right, well, nice to see you, anyway.- And you.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31- Take it easy.- Take care.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33- See you.- See you soon.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38In our job we do get to know the roads around here.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41So, I haven't seen him for a long time, so it's nice to bump into him.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Yeah, we do tend to get to know them and they get to know us,
0:22:44 > 0:22:47so we get a bit of a relationship with them, which is good.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Jill and Pippa's night comes to an end,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53but the search for the burglar in Harpenden continues.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Geoff and Pat Jebb had all but given up hope of finding
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Geoff's grandfather's precious war medals that were
0:23:03 > 0:23:06stolen from a storage locker in Devon.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08We just drew a complete bank.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12However, just a couple of weeks after the break-in,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15there was an interesting turn of events for DC Blain Bishop.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Here at Exmouth, we had a recent spike in vehicle thefts
0:23:19 > 0:23:23and we did targeted patrols with uniform officers going out at night.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28One of the uniformed officers found a man hiding behind cars
0:23:28 > 0:23:30and he was dressed in dark clothes,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33he had a head torch on him and he was wearing gloves.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36He had items we would associate with committing crime,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39namely he had a screwdriver on him.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44So that man was arrested for what we would call going equipped to steal.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46So he was brought into police custody
0:23:46 > 0:23:48and I interviewed him later that day.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Whilst he was being interviewed,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54we conducted a search of an address he was using here in Exmouth.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56When we did the search, there was an item
0:23:56 > 0:24:01left on the shelf in the corner of a room and it was a first aid box,
0:24:01 > 0:24:05and, when the officers opened it up, it contained a series of medals.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09This was a remarkable breakthrough for Blain and the team.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13And research later overnight revealed that those medals
0:24:13 > 0:24:17contained in that bag actually belonged to Mr and Mrs Jebb,
0:24:17 > 0:24:19and we were able to identify that
0:24:19 > 0:24:22they came from the break-in to the garage.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24And this was the moment he had been hoping for ever since
0:24:24 > 0:24:28he heard about Geoff and Pat's burglary.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Phone rang and I went running downstairs
0:24:31 > 0:24:34and halfway downstairs I heard the answer machine kick in
0:24:34 > 0:24:38and this voice said, "I think I've found Geoff's medals."
0:24:38 > 0:24:43Finally, Blain got to do what every police officer loves to do -
0:24:43 > 0:24:45return stolen goods to their rightful owner.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47I popped over to his address.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- Within half an hour... - He was on the doorstep.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53- ..DC Blain on the doorstep.- Yep.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56His wife invited me in and it was clearly very early
0:24:56 > 0:25:00in the morning, he'd just got up, he was having his breakfast and...
0:25:00 > 0:25:02It's an unusual visitor to the door,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05a police officer at that time in the morning.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07- It was a wonderful moment, it really was.- It was great.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- It was absolutely great.- We were so pleased to see him on the doorstep.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13"Mr Jebb, your medals." "Oh! Blain, come on in!"
0:25:13 > 0:25:15We never thought we'd get them back.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19No, we didn't. No, we thought they'd gone. We really did.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23He was overwhelmed to see the medals again,
0:25:23 > 0:25:25something which he'd written off ever seeing.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27It really meant a hell of a lot to him.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32He was overwhelmed. Tears of joy, bless him. So it was really nice.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35From devastation to just sheer delight.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37What a result. Good old Blain.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41You sometimes get those few moments which are really rewarding
0:25:41 > 0:25:43and they sort of give you a warm feeling
0:25:43 > 0:25:45that you've done something good,
0:25:45 > 0:25:50and that's ultimately what I signed up for, to make a difference.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52To change people's habits and stop them offending,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and to do some good, really, out there.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00To have these medals returned to me feels absolutely marvellous.
0:26:00 > 0:26:06This is the Boer War campaign medal. This was struck in 1902.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08A beautiful thing to have.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13Another very important medal, the BEM - British Empire Medal.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17And this was awarded by King George VI to Grandad.
0:26:17 > 0:26:23And two further medals, this one known as the King Edward VII medal.
0:26:23 > 0:26:24That's a lovely thing to have.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28And this one, it's an unusual one,
0:26:28 > 0:26:33and it's Queen Victoria's Jubilee medal for Berwick-upon-Tweed.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36I'm honoured to have been put in the position
0:26:36 > 0:26:40of being custodian of the medals over the years,
0:26:40 > 0:26:44and it is such a relief now to have them safely returned.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Now for an update on today's stories.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57The burglary in Hertfordshire remains unsolved, however,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59the spate of burglaries in Harpenden has stopped,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02and the team continue patrols in the area.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06The suspect who ran away from police received
0:27:06 > 0:27:08a caution for possession of cannabis.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11The other suspect was released without charge.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17In the case of Geoff Jebb's stolen war medals,
0:27:17 > 0:27:20John Farer was found in possession of the medals
0:27:20 > 0:27:24and was sentenced to eight months for handling stolen goods plus
0:27:24 > 0:27:27another nine-month sentence for a separate burglary offence.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Geoff and Pat decided to go to the court hearing,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34and were in for a pleasant surprise.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38We were delighted that one of the statements that Blain
0:27:38 > 0:27:44had taken from us was read by the judge and it was good that he was
0:27:44 > 0:27:48going to take our feelings into consideration,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and that was reflected in the sentence that he passed down.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56That's all from us today, we'll see you next time.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd