0:00:02 > 0:00:07We're on the case of a crime that affects over one in 50 homes - burglary. Coming up...
0:00:07 > 0:00:11They've had a good go at it. It hasn't been that easy to get into
0:00:11 > 0:00:14because they've had to go up and down the doorframe.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17We're with the police in their pursuit of justice,
0:00:17 > 0:00:19as they carry out their raids.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Stand still. Stand still. Don't do anything stupid like running off,
0:00:22 > 0:00:25cos he'll chase you down, all right?
0:00:25 > 0:00:27And we'll show you how much it means
0:00:27 > 0:00:31when stolen goods are reunited with their rightful owner.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34I am amazed at the police. I really am.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35I think they've done a great job.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48It's 2.30pm in St Albans.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51PC Jill Brown has just started her shift,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53and already a burglary call has come in.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Andy Greenman is out with Jill today.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21He's a detective with eight years' experience,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23currently assigned to the burglary team.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26We'll speak to the occupant, see how he found it
0:01:26 > 0:01:29and try and keep it as preserved as possible for Scenes Of Crime.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Jill joined Operation Scorpion two years ago
0:01:32 > 0:01:36on a three-month placement. She enjoyed catching burglars so much,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38she's been with the unit ever since.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41At the moment we just know it's untidy, searched,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43looks like the telly's gone, electrical equipment.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46In St Albans at the minute, generally it's been targeting items
0:01:46 > 0:01:48they can put in their pocket, of value.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51We'll have to see. It might be something different.
0:01:51 > 0:01:52Different crew, maybe.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Less than 20 minutes after the 999 call,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Jill and Andy arrive at the home of Stephen Strange.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Hiya.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09- OK. What have you found when you've come home, then?- That, for starters.
0:02:09 > 0:02:10Yes...
0:02:10 > 0:02:13The burglar has turned over the living room,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16stealing a large widescreen television and a games console.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19But in the kitchen, Jill is interested
0:02:19 > 0:02:20with what he's left behind.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24If you don't mind just coming back here for us,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27just because I can see footprints on the floor there.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30- Yeah, they've forced that back door.- OK.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34This messy burglar has left his mark all over the kitchen floor.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36They've come through the back garden,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39obviously traipsing in some mud,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43come through the entry point, and they've left decent prints there
0:02:43 > 0:02:46that might be relative to other burglaries that have happened.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50They'll be compared to the database of people who have been into custody
0:02:50 > 0:02:52and they'll be captured and we can get a make
0:02:52 > 0:02:54and model of shoe that,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56if we did have an idea of an offender,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58it can be compared against shoes they've already got.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02- Where else have they been in the house?- Upstairs as well.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The bedrooms have also been turned over.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12The callous burglars have even stolen Stephen's daughter's piggy bank.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17It feels pretty sickening. Inside, I'm feeling emotional.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20I know that somebody's been upstairs, in my bedroom,
0:03:20 > 0:03:21and gone all through my things,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24so my wife's just phoned me and said,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28do we want to stay there tonight or should we go to her parents'?
0:03:28 > 0:03:30What we'd prefer is if we can get SOCO in first,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33then it allows you to have a proper look.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34Just to preserve...
0:03:34 > 0:03:38There are some good shoe prints downstairs, that's good for us.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Muddy prints in here. MOBILE RINGS
0:03:40 > 0:03:45It looks like here, there might be something on the handle.
0:03:45 > 0:03:46- OK.- OK?
0:03:46 > 0:03:50But prints aren't the only thing that this burglar has left behind.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54They've left an expensive Mac computer, which amazes me.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58They've left jewellery upstairs, they've left hard drives
0:03:58 > 0:04:01which they've obviously found in drawers upstairs.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05One thing that they have taken is a Silver Jubilee coin,
0:04:05 > 0:04:10worthless to the burglar but of great sentimental value to Stephen.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12- That was just sat there?- Yeah. It's not massive.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16It's a £5 coin that's worth about £5.01.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19It's from 1977, it's from my mum but, you know...
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Maybe they're just keen antiques collectors. Who knows?
0:04:24 > 0:04:28A routine theft for a burglar often results in great upset
0:04:28 > 0:04:30to the victim.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35One of Jill's favourite parts of the job is putting together pieces
0:04:35 > 0:04:38of the puzzle to track down burglars.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42You can see on here that they've used a small screwdriver tool
0:04:42 > 0:04:46to jimmy opened this back door. They've had a good go at it.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49It hasn't been that easy to get into, so they have had a go
0:04:49 > 0:04:50up and down the doorframe.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Quite a few times they've tried.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56A general person walking along the street shouldn't have any sort
0:04:56 > 0:05:00of tool or anything on them unless they can justify it.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06You can see here there's easy access up and down to the garden,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08so I would imagine this is where they've come in.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13We've got high fencing here, it would be more difficult to come in across here.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Just looking for anything that they might have taken from the house
0:05:17 > 0:05:20and then, en route out, they might have dumped it,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23lost it or thrown a tool they've used to get into the property.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26So if somebody else has heard them or made a noise,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29they might have dropped it on the way out.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Normal sort of burglary at the moment is going for cash
0:05:33 > 0:05:36and jewellery. Smaller objects that are easy to carry out.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39With this one, it's strange that they've taken big, bulky TVs,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42two of them, plus a Wii console.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45They've taken another 32-inch telly from the kitchen.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48They would've had to take it down the alleyway and back into the street.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51- It's a bit risky. - It just seems bizarre.
0:05:52 > 0:05:5540 minutes after the incident was reported,
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Scenes Of Crime Officer Pete Harper arrives
0:05:57 > 0:05:59to collect forensic evidence.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02I'll show you what we've got first.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06There are some decent prints coming in from the entry point.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- There's quickly a lot of tool marks on the door.- Yeah.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11It looks like a screwdriver.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Pete's trained eye spots mud on some of the tool marks.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20This could be the implement used to force the patio doors open.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24- I'm not going to touch it on the door, but...- See if it matches up.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27It probably isn't, but it's just that...
0:06:29 > 0:06:30It doesn't match, so...
0:06:30 > 0:06:34People don't realise, whatever they've left lying in their garden,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36people generally use to get into their house.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40So we always say, "Lock them up, put them in a shed, keep them secured."
0:06:40 > 0:06:42You don't want your house to get burgled.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Pete starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51It's taping, fibre tapings from the door handle.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It's obvious from the weave that it's a woolly glove or
0:06:54 > 0:06:58industrial glove mark on there, so it's obviously wearing gloves
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and it's a grip mark like that.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03SOCO has just said that they've picked up some fibres
0:07:03 > 0:07:04from the door handle.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09Which is good for us, because if we find some gloves on somebody,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11or find gloves, we can match them up to the fibres at the scene,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14so we can have an idea, potentially, who has done it.
0:07:16 > 0:07:17Back in the house,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Andy goes through the details of the burglary with Stephen.
0:07:21 > 0:07:22When you've a good look round,
0:07:22 > 0:07:27if you notice anything else that's missing, call us on 101 and quote
0:07:27 > 0:07:30the crime number and they'll be able to update the property list.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Right, OK.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34It's a lot for Stephen to take in.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38It beggars belief to me that they've just taken the really large items
0:07:38 > 0:07:41like TVs. how they managed to walk down the street
0:07:41 > 0:07:45with a 42-inch TV and a 32-inch TV, I have no idea.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51Outside, Pete's attention to detail has uncovered a potentially vital
0:07:51 > 0:07:54piece of forensic evidence.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58In there is the tool mark of the tool that was used to prise open
0:07:58 > 0:08:02the door, and it's scratched the surface of the metal.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I'm going to try, if I can, to cast that.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07It's like a fingerprint.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09If we get the tool back, the scientist can match up
0:08:09 > 0:08:12the striation marks from the edge of the tool with the tool mark.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18He takes a detailed cast of the tool mark.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22The more forensic evidence that he can collect,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26the better the chance of finding a suspect and getting a conviction.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30Well, you've got fibres, gloves, tool mark,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32implement, and then you've got shoe prints.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35You've got three items there before we've even got more than
0:08:35 > 0:08:37three feet in the house,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40and we've got already three good bits of evidence.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Jill has been a policewoman for over five years
0:08:44 > 0:08:47and is still angered by every burglary she attends.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50It's one thing that I despise most,
0:08:50 > 0:08:54burglars that go in and disrupt the whole family.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57I would hate to feel... If I got in and I was burgled,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59I would feel really cross,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02devastated that people have been through my personal belongings
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and in my space, because they've been in the man's bedroom,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08they've been in the child's room, they've been throughout the house,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10searching through their property and belongings.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12I think it would just feel unclean.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I would just be absolutely devastated, so that is why
0:09:15 > 0:09:17we're on this unit, cos we want to catch these people.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19We want to catch burglars
0:09:19 > 0:09:21because I would certainly hate to come home and be burgled.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- All right, thanks very much.- No worries.- Call the insurance.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27- Yeah, excellent.- Thank you. - See you.- See you later.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31We'll join Jill and Andy later,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33when there's a breakthrough in that case.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35But now we're off to Essex
0:09:35 > 0:09:38to meet another crime-fighting duo with a difference.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Cesar is a two-year-old German Shepherd
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and is one of 60 dogs currently working for Essex Police.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Cesar's handler is PC Graham Nuth,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53and the pair have been working together for a year.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55I've been a dog handler since 2009.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59I joined the police because I didn't want the routine of going
0:09:59 > 0:10:01to the same office every day, doing the same thing.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Police dogs live at home with their handlers
0:10:04 > 0:10:06to strengthen the bond between them.
0:10:06 > 0:10:11Cesar is a general-purpose police dog, so he does pretty much anything
0:10:11 > 0:10:14across the board of what police dogs are able to do -
0:10:14 > 0:10:16search, track, bite, recover stuff.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20And the way he does that is, we train him on human scent.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22So if you're hiding in the garden,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24the scent from you is what he will home in on.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27I call it magic, basically, the feeling I get
0:10:27 > 0:10:29when all his senses have come together
0:10:29 > 0:10:33and he's found someone - that's why I take him to work. But it's great.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34It's the best feeling in the world.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38But there's another side to being a dog handler.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39Cesar's my second police dog.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43My first police dog, unfortunately, got killed in service.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46He got attacked by another dog at a job.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Eddie had contracted a rare disease from the attack.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54I had three months of heartache of whether he was going to get better or not.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00So that's the side of the business that people don't generally see.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Any dog lover will tell you how much they're attached to their dogs,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07but to have this one with you all the time, 24 hours a day,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09and then obviously when they die it's a big loss
0:11:09 > 0:11:12and it's still painful now. But you have to pick yourself up.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15I'm going to carry on being a police dog handler,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18so I had to get a new dog and start all over again.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21Graham and Cesar have now been working together for a year,
0:11:21 > 0:11:26and he's not just a police dog. He's a loyal and much-loved pet.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29He's a part of my family, he's a part of my life, so...
0:11:29 > 0:11:33I'm just lucky that I get to take him to work with me every day.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37It's 2am. Graham and Cesar are on a night shift.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40A call has just come in, and their help is needed.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46Someone has reported that their vehicle has been broken into
0:11:46 > 0:11:49in their driveway. Laptop, work's laptop, has been stolen.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52There's also been a report of teenagers riding around the area
0:11:52 > 0:11:54on bikes.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57One bike has been abandoned in an alleyway close to the crime scene.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00It's unusual that somebody would dump a bike -
0:12:00 > 0:12:05they may still be within the area. We'll put the dog around the bike and see if we can pick up a track.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10The bike could belong to one of the thieves,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12and Cesar soon picks up a scent.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17He's interested in something, yeah.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19These people are breaking in to cars,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22will go up everyone's driveways trying their car door handles.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27That's why he's quite frantic, in and out of people's driveways.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Cesar is hot on the scent.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34It looks like the suspects have been here recently.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Within minutes, Cesar leads Graham straight into the path
0:12:40 > 0:12:41of two teenagers on bikes.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Stand still! Stand still!
0:12:46 > 0:12:50I've got one suspect making off down Woodgrange.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Stand still, mate. Don't do any sudden movements, all right?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Is it just you two? Come over here, mate.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Come and stand next to your mate.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Don't do anything stupid like running off - he'll chase you down.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04The reason I've stopped you two is, we've had a report about somebody
0:13:04 > 0:13:05breaking into people's cars.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09And it was quite distinctive about people being on bikes.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Seconds later, back up arrives.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14All right. You're both under arrest at the minute.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence...
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26As the other officers deal with the boys, Graham and Cesar
0:13:26 > 0:13:30keep tracking the scent, hoping it will lead them to the third suspect,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32who must have abandoned the bike.
0:13:32 > 0:13:38Ideally, we can recover the laptop or the third person that's outstanding.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Just going to have a quick look at this bike,
0:13:40 > 0:13:41see why they've dumped it.
0:13:43 > 0:13:44Ah, it's got a flattie.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Punctures.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Cesar's still on the scent, and this time it leads him
0:13:54 > 0:13:56to some of the stolen property.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00They've obviously taken it, I think, thinking it's a laptop
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and they've looked at it and seen it's a set of scales.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Not a lot they can do with those. That's why it's been dumped here.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08We'll seize that as evidence.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11It'll go back and get forensically examined
0:14:11 > 0:14:14and he'll get it back probably tomorrow at some point,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17once the Scenes Of Crime people have done what they need to do with it.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Yeah. Would imagine he'd be quite pleased to get that back.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26With two suspects apprehended, and some of the stolen property
0:14:26 > 0:14:30recovered, it's been a successful night for Graham and Cesar.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39Leeds, in Yorkshire, has a high student population.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Statistics show that one in three students in the UK
0:14:43 > 0:14:45will be a victim of crime.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52Bradley Escorcio moved from London to study politics and economics here
0:14:52 > 0:14:54at the prestigious University of Leeds.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59After a successful first year, Bradley moved out of halls
0:14:59 > 0:15:01and into a flat with some friends.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04We managed to find quite a nice place near town,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07so it was just a few minutes' walk from uni.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Christmas, 2011.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Bradley was hard at work preparing for next year's deadlines
0:15:12 > 0:15:15on his top-of-the-range laptop computer.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19He'd saved up for it by working part-time at his local cinema.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22There was about two 3,000-word essays that I had for January,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25so I'd been in the library for two or three weeks solid,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28reading every day, taking some notes. So it was quite a lot of work.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Bradley had planned to make a back-up copy of vital research
0:15:32 > 0:15:35over Christmas, but just before the break,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37he was in for a nasty surprise.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41I got a phone call just saying that my housemate had gone to the flat
0:15:41 > 0:15:45to pick up his stuff and he realised that the door had been kicked in.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02The burglar had entered the block of flats through the front entrance.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05There was no damage to the security door.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09It seems another resident had inadvertently buzzed in
0:16:09 > 0:16:10this opportunistic thief.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15The first thought that went through my head was kind of
0:16:15 > 0:16:18the initial panic of, has my stuff been taken?
0:16:18 > 0:16:20I knew I hadn't backed up my data.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23And I was like, "Oh, please don't have taken my laptop."
0:16:25 > 0:16:29The door to Bradley's flat was a low-security internal door.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33And the intruder made short work of it.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Bradley rushed home, fearing he'd not only lost his possessions,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44but he might have also lost the important research on his laptop.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48As I was running on my way back from town, I came in from that direction there.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50I walked in, then noticed that my light was on.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52That was the first sign that we'd been broken in -
0:16:52 > 0:16:54I definitely turned it off when we left.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57The whole bottom half of the door was kicked through along here
0:16:57 > 0:17:00and there was quite a lot of debris on the floor as well.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06After gaining entry to the flat, the intruder had gone straight
0:17:06 > 0:17:08for Bradley's bedroom.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13I came into my room and the first thing I noticed was that
0:17:13 > 0:17:17my laptop, which was down here the night before, wasn't there any more.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23The burglar had also stolen a digital camera,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26but surprisingly had left the rest of the flat untouched.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33The first officer was there within 20 minutes, which was quite good.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36And then the forensic officer came five or ten minutes after.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Although it was quite dusty over the surfaces,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41they couldn't find anything that was significant.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44With no forensic evidence,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47there seemed little chance of recovering Bradley's possessions.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50But Bradley had an ace up his sleeve.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54He'd installed a piece of tracking software onto his laptop
0:17:54 > 0:17:56that he'd read about on the internet.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59There was a story about a guy in America who had his laptop stolen
0:17:59 > 0:18:01and he used it to track down the burglar.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04I saw the story and was like, "If it's a free programme,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06"it can help you get back stolen goods. I'll add it on."
0:18:06 > 0:18:09This was about 18 months before we got broken into.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12But it's one of those things that you leave in the background
0:18:12 > 0:18:14and don't think about until something happens.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17And then when it does, you're pleased that you put it on.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Tracking software uses GPS to pinpoint the location
0:18:20 > 0:18:24of missing electrical items like laptops and smartphones.
0:18:25 > 0:18:30Once reported missing, the software logs activity on the stolen gadget.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35This software has proven invaluable in the hunt for stolen goods.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40Anything that's got a tracking element to it is of no value
0:18:40 > 0:18:43to the criminal. Whenever you put it, whatever you do to it,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45when it comes back online we will find it.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48It destroys the stolen goods market, really.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Although Bradley and the police hoped for a positive result
0:18:52 > 0:18:56from the tracking software, Bradley had another problem to contend with.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59His three weeks of research were gone,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01and he'd have to do it all over again.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05I was quite depressed at the time, thinking that it would take quite a while.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09I thought about having to stay over Christmas to kind of catch up on the work.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13But the very next day he received a message from his missing laptop.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17It just popped up on my phone saying, "Your laptop has been located."
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Not only had the software found his laptop,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23it stated it was somewhere on the road where he lived.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26I thought it was an old report, saying it was at my house still.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28So I kind of ignored it, initially.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Then, about five minutes later, I got an e-mail which said
0:19:30 > 0:19:32a new report was in.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35So I went onto the website and looked at that and that showed me that,
0:19:35 > 0:19:39although it was still on my road, someone else did have my laptop.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Incredibly, the cocky thief was using Bradley's laptop
0:19:42 > 0:19:46at that very moment - less than 100 yards away!
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Criminals don't travel far to commit crime.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52They're a lazy bean, if you like.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Bradley received three reports from the tracking software
0:19:55 > 0:19:57in quick succession.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00The first report was them trying to delete my account.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05The second one was them changing the account to their name.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10And the third, they were on LoveFilm trying to rent a movie.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15Not only did Bradley know the location of his stolen laptop,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17he also had the names of the people using it.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22And there was one more thing.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27It had even taken a photo of them!
0:20:28 > 0:20:30It would appear they'd been caught red-handed.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Bradley immediately called 101,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36the non-emergency police number.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51POLICEMAN CHUCKLES
0:20:55 > 0:20:59A very happy West Yorkshire Police sprung into action.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01In these cases, time is of the essence.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Property does move around quite quickly,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06so if you have it in a location,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09it's a trigger plan in place for us to get out there,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12getting to that address and get the property as soon as possible.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16The police ran the address through their database and got a hit.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19A recently paroled burglar was living there.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Officers were then dispatched to that address,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25the property was recovered and the occupants were arrested.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Three days after the burglary, the laptop and camera were back
0:21:32 > 0:21:34in Bradley's possession,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38thanks to the tracking software that he had installed over a year ago.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42On this occasion, Bradley's been smarter than them
0:21:42 > 0:21:44and he's put the tracking software on there.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48And it's provided us with the tools to be able to get him it back
0:21:48 > 0:21:50and get the people arrested for it.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54And the icing on the cake for Bradley - he managed to recover
0:21:54 > 0:21:58almost all of his research, and made his coursework deadline.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59The essay was on security studies,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02which was a subject I really enjoyed.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04And it was one of the highest marks that I got for that year,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07it was a 74, so I was quite pleased.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Nice work, Bradley!
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Back in St Albans, it's two weeks since Stephen Strange's home
0:22:20 > 0:22:22was robbed. His feelings are still raw.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28It felt like somebody had invaded my home
0:22:28 > 0:22:32and I have multiple sclerosis.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34I need to get a lot of sleep,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38otherwise I get fatigued really easily. And I just haven't been able
0:22:38 > 0:22:40to do that the last two weeks.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43I like to think that my property is secure and safe.
0:22:43 > 0:22:49I cleaned up as best I could, but it was tough on that first night.
0:22:49 > 0:22:50It's got better since.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57But there has been a breakthrough in the case.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Operation Scorpion officers have seized some stolen goods,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05and Jill and Andy are going through the list of what has been found.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10- The Jubilee coin.- I can't believe you got the Jubilee coin back.- Yeah.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15Black Nintendo Wii and Toshiba TV with acrylic protector.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19They're all items from Stephen's house.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Right, let's find his TVs. I hope they aren't heavy!
0:23:24 > 0:23:28The property was recovered during a search on a known burglar's address.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Yay, we're in!
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Today is a good day because we're getting to give the man
0:23:33 > 0:23:35his tellies and his bits and pieces back.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Coming up to Christmas, he deserves a good present.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42The offender was arrested for another matter.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46And on searching his house, we found an Aladdin's cave of stolen goods.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48We immediately recognised the TV
0:23:48 > 0:23:50because it had a screen protector on it.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52This is a very good TV.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55I know it's good because it's the same as mine!
0:23:55 > 0:23:59You can see, a lot of the goods on here were taken from his house.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02There's a lot of jewellery, the two TVs, all sorts of stuff that
0:24:02 > 0:24:05was stolen and identified to different burglaries in the area.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Often stolen goods are sold on immediately.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10This guy happened to be storing it all in his own house.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12This is the best bit of the job, to be honest.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15It's rare that we get to give people back their stuff,
0:24:15 > 0:24:17so this is what it's all about.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19You want to get the stuff and give it back to people.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21We'll have a bit of fun today.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Hello.- Hello.- How are you? You all right?- Good, thanks.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41We have some things for you.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43- Lovely jubbly. - I'm sure you're very pleased.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47- I'll just get the lads to lift in the telly.- Right.- All right.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55It feels great to get some of my things back.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58I'm amazed at the police, I really am.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00I think they've done a great job.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- Did you keep the box for the coin? - No.- I'm gutted!
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- I didn't think I'd get it back. - No, that's the thing, isn't it?
0:25:07 > 0:25:10I just said, "It's a shame, I bet you've binned the box."
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- Yeah.- Is that the coin?
0:25:12 > 0:25:15- Yeah, that's it.- Lovely. - And the black Wii?
0:25:15 > 0:25:17- That's mine, yeah.- OK.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20I'm thinking about writing to the local paper and just saying,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23"They get a lot of stick but they've actually done really well,"
0:25:23 > 0:25:25so I'm really happy.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- We're pleased to get you some bits back.- Thank you very much.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Let's hope we can get some others back.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33- Get my high scores on my Wii back! - Yeah!
0:25:33 > 0:25:34Took me ages to get them!
0:25:36 > 0:25:39- Right, have a nice Christmas anyway. - Brilliant. Thank you very much.
0:25:39 > 0:25:40Take care.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Amongst all the stolen items recovered,
0:25:44 > 0:25:46there was one irreplaceable treasure.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50This was the Jubilee coin that my mother gave to me
0:25:50 > 0:25:54when I was seven years old. So it means quite a bit.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56It feels really good to have it back.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01It just means the burglars didn't get absolutely everything of mine.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04They took a lot of things that meant a lot to me,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06but at least I get one thing back.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Special.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16I'm absolutely made up for this bloke,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18because he's got his stuff back.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21It's very rare we get to return property to them,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25so being allowed to go to the start of the scene, seeing his house
0:26:25 > 0:26:29and him distraught, to then going and finding the property
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and being able to give it back to the person, is your bread and butter.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34That's how it should be in the police.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37By us catching this burglar, it's put his mind at ease
0:26:37 > 0:26:39and shows that Hertfordshire is a nice place to live
0:26:39 > 0:26:44and the police are out there doing a job that they expect us to do.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47So it's really, really satisfying today.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Now for an update on today's stories.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59In the case of Bradley Escorcio's stolen laptop,
0:26:59 > 0:27:01both suspects were charged.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Courtney Moriarty was given 12 months' conditional discharge
0:27:05 > 0:27:07for handling stolen goods.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Steven Morris sent to prison for 15 months for burglary
0:27:12 > 0:27:14and handling stolen goods.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17I was happy to get it back but also quite happy that someone would
0:27:17 > 0:27:20get convicted for stealing my laptop.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24In Essex, the laptop stolen from the car was never recovered.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27The suspects were released without charge.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32And the recovered scales were returned to their rightful owner.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36In Hertfordshire, the suspect pleaded guilty to burglary
0:27:36 > 0:27:38and is awaiting sentencing.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42Since this chap's been caught, we're very, very pleased to say
0:27:42 > 0:27:44that burglary is way down.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47He's currently in prison and he's currently talking to detectives
0:27:47 > 0:27:50about other jobs that he's done and hopefully we'll be able
0:27:50 > 0:27:54to return property to other people from other crimes as well.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57That's all from us today. We'll see you next time.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd