0:00:02 > 0:00:05Our lives are blighted by antisocial behaviour,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07whether it's nuisance neighbours...
0:00:07 > 0:00:08Will you let us in, please?
0:00:08 > 0:00:12..graffiti on the streets, or too much booze.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15You need to make your way away from here right now.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17This is the story of the police officers...
0:00:17 > 0:00:19This is the police. Are you in here?
0:00:19 > 0:00:21You've been drinking a bit today, haven't you?
0:00:21 > 0:00:22..council wardens...
0:00:22 > 0:00:27This is antisocial behaviour because it affects everybody.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31..and local volunteers whose job it is to keep it off our streets.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32Let's go do some good.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Welcome to Street Patrol UK.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Today, we're behind the wheel with South Wales Police as they chase
0:00:41 > 0:00:45down illegal off-roaders terrorising the countryside...
0:00:45 > 0:00:48The horses have reared up. I've come off several times.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50It is becoming a big problem
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and I'm just afraid somebody could get really badly hurt.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58..play detective to return the stolen World War I brass memorials
0:00:58 > 0:01:00desecrated by metal thieves...
0:01:01 > 0:01:05They became a place that family and friends could go to
0:01:05 > 0:01:08to remember and to mourn those who had died.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12..and we find out police in Darlington are going "POP",
0:01:12 > 0:01:15with new initiative called Problem-Oriented Policing.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18It's a different aspect of policing.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20It makes you a more rounded police officer,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23cos you're problem-solving people's problems as well. It's fantastic.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42We're all in favour of people engaging in healthy sport,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44but that should never be at a cost to others.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47And in South Wales there's one recreation that causing
0:01:47 > 0:01:49a nightmare for residents.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53It's noisy, it's dangerous, and it's destroying the environment.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59The beautiful forests of South Wales -
0:01:59 > 0:02:03a peaceful and quiet area for walking or riding horses,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07only, something has been threatening that peace...
0:02:11 > 0:02:14..noisy and dangerous off-road bikers
0:02:14 > 0:02:16who use the hills as a racetrack.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27For local riders, like Michelle Lloyd,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31the bikers are turning a lifelong pursuit into a torment.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33The motorbikes are increasing in numbers.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36They frighten the horses and it's just not very peaceful any more.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Motorbikes have come up the bank, shot in front of us,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42the horses have reared up, I've come off several times,
0:02:42 > 0:02:44and a couple of my friends have had accidents.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45It's been really off-putting
0:02:45 > 0:02:48especially if you've got children out riding with you,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50and sometimes I'm afraid to go out riding,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52because you don't know if they're going to be up there.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54It is becoming a big problem
0:02:54 > 0:02:57and I'm just afraid that somebody could get really badly hurt.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02And it's not just humans and animals who are at risk -
0:03:02 > 0:03:04woodland manager Michael Cresswell has to deal
0:03:04 > 0:03:06with damage to the environment too.
0:03:08 > 0:03:09See the ruts there?
0:03:09 > 0:03:10This is a classic example
0:03:10 > 0:03:13where the motorbike's been up and down, creating really deep ruts.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15You can see where the water's pooling.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17If that's going to cross a forest drain or minor watercourse
0:03:17 > 0:03:20that can then re-route the water to where we don't want it,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23like a mine tip, or even go onto the roads and cause flooding there.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25This is also an example where they're actually going
0:03:25 > 0:03:26real close to the trees.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Obviously, under the trees are the roots
0:03:28 > 0:03:31and that is what hold the tree up - if they start causing deep ruts
0:03:31 > 0:03:32there, they will damage the roots,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35causing instability which will then force them over.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Concerned by the increase of complaints from the public,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Port Talbot Police are cracking down.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45A hit squad team of enforcement agencies are gearing up
0:03:45 > 0:03:50to target motorcyclists for trespass and breaking the law.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52The reason for today is the last 12 months
0:03:52 > 0:03:57has seen a spike in antisocial use of motorbikes or 4x4s in our area.
0:03:57 > 0:04:03To combat this, they're going to use Section 59 of the Police Reform Act,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06which specifically deals with antisocial driving.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09From the police point of view, we've got the section 59 warnings -
0:04:09 > 0:04:12we obviously have the vehicle seizures that we can use as well.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Those section 59 warnings last 12 months
0:04:14 > 0:04:18so if they've already had a warning previously within the last 12 months,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20then we can seize the vehicle.
0:04:23 > 0:04:24You're with Gemma today.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29The team are off.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33PC John Uzzell is keen to act before anyone gets more seriously hurt.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37We've had reports from horse riders that they've been up in the forestry
0:04:37 > 0:04:40and that bikes have been driving around them,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43cos the revs and everything have spooked the horses.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47We've got young girl who broke her arm because the horse bolted
0:04:47 > 0:04:48and she fell off.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54The patrol teams spread out and it's not long before word comes through
0:04:54 > 0:04:55that two bikers have been spotted.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01We have had a report that they have parked up in the lay-by
0:05:01 > 0:05:04further down the lane and have just been stopped
0:05:04 > 0:05:08by the off-road bike team, just as they were entering the forestry now.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14- He did a left.- What did he say? - He said to the left.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Drop off to the right, yeah? Righto.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23- What's that?- BLEEP!
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Is it a Suzuki or what?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31'They've got no permission to be in here
0:05:31 > 0:05:34'and they've been stopped by the off-road bike team'
0:05:34 > 0:05:37and are being dealt with and they're going to receive
0:05:37 > 0:05:39'a section 59 warning notice.'
0:05:39 > 0:05:43I must warn you that if you continue to drive or ride this motorcycle
0:05:43 > 0:05:46in the same way or if you drive or ride the motorcycle in the same way
0:05:46 > 0:05:48on any other occasion,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52this bike can be seized under section 59 of the Police Reform Act.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- Yeah? Do you understand that, do you?- Yeah, yeah.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- All right? Enjoy your day. - Thank you, mate.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Just an hour in, and the first success of the day.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07As woodland manager Michael checks the gate locks,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10which prevent vehicles' access to the forest,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13he's alerted to another illegal biker flying past.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16There, he just stopped for a second, as the bike came round the corner,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19so we're just following behind him at a safe distance
0:06:19 > 0:06:20to see where he goes.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25The boys have actually seen the bike going down this track here,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and the track goes down to a country lane.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31We were up where we were meeting and there was all of us parked there.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33He came round the corner, saw us and then just darted off then, so...
0:06:35 > 0:06:37It seems that the biker has got away,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39but the team isn't giving up yet.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45PC Uzzell soon gets word over the radio of another group of bikers.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48The off-road motorbike team are quickly on their trail.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53There's one rider has been issued with another Section 59
0:06:53 > 0:06:55and he's been escorted out of the forestry.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Later, the biker who rides straight into the arms of the law...
0:07:02 > 0:07:06What you're looking at is possibly a section 59 warning, right?
0:07:06 > 0:07:09..and the motorcycle that's a mechanical menace.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13The front brake is being held on with Sellotape.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16I've seen few bikes in such poor condition.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24War memorials are a place to reflect and honour our heroes
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and they're particularly poignant at the moment
0:07:27 > 0:07:30because we've just marked the centenary of World War I.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33And that just makes it all the more shocking that metal thieves
0:07:33 > 0:07:37can cash in on our precious past, vandalising our memorials,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40and disrespecting those who gave their lives for our country.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47It's a familiar image - the return of the fallen from conflict
0:07:47 > 0:07:48in foreign lands.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52For families bringing their loved ones home, it allows them
0:07:52 > 0:07:54to mourn and honour their memory. But
0:07:54 > 0:07:57this wasn't always an option for families of soldiers
0:07:57 > 0:08:02who died in world wars, which lead to the creation of war memorials.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07During both world wars, there was a policy of non-repatriation
0:08:07 > 0:08:11and this meant that soldiers were buried near to the battlefield
0:08:11 > 0:08:12where they died.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16And therefore there are not many graves in the UK
0:08:16 > 0:08:17to those individuals.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20When the memorials were set up, they essentially became
0:08:20 > 0:08:24a substitute for these graves, and became a place that family
0:08:24 > 0:08:28and friends could go to to remember and to mourn those who had died.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33There are 100,000 war memorials in the UK.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38Many contain metal - brass, bronze or copper - often in the form
0:08:38 > 0:08:42of inscriptions dedicated to those who lost their lives at war.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46But when thieves are out to make a few quid,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48there's nothing sacred about this metal.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54For church warden Judy Dunk, the stone obelisk memorial in Radford,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57near Coventry, is a vital link to the past.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01This is the Radford World War I memorial.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04It was erected in 1919.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07It was one of the first memorials to be erected.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13But as a memorial, it's missing its key features.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Each of the marks on this memorial show where the plaque has been.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21Those bronze plaques have all the names of the men
0:09:21 > 0:09:25and boys from Radford who went to serve in the Great War -
0:09:25 > 0:09:28both those who died and those who returned.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Soldiers from World War I were honoured on the memorial...
0:09:33 > 0:09:35..but in an act of vandalism,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38two of the four bronze plaques on it disappeared.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41The two plaques from the back side
0:09:41 > 0:09:45and this side of the memorial were removed.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47We assumed that metal thieves had taken them
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and we think that someone jemmied them off.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52For the parishioners of St Nicholas Church,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54the theft was a terrible shock.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59It's such an emotive issue, stealing things from war memorials.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02If they've got any conscience, right/wrong,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04then they wouldn't do it, would they?
0:10:04 > 0:10:05I lost my uncle in the war
0:10:05 > 0:10:08and my mum and dad were in the war.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13What makes people desecrate war memorials?
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Everybody was really upset. We had people in our congregation,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20whose parents' names were on that memorial.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24All these young men and boys who went off to serve,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28their memory had been desecrated for the price of some scrap metal.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30I was absolutely horrified.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33And if that wasn't bad enough, the parishioners quickly
0:10:33 > 0:10:37realised that the two remaining plaques were vulnerable.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Just over 12 months ago, a neighbour walking along here
0:10:43 > 0:10:48to go across to the shops actually noticed that somebody was trying
0:10:48 > 0:10:50to lever off the other two plaques.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53They decided to take the unusual step
0:10:53 > 0:10:56of removing the remaining plaques for safekeeping...
0:10:57 > 0:11:00..then Judy received some extraordinary news.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04One night, a policeman knocked on my door and said,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06"I think this belongs to you,"
0:11:06 > 0:11:10and he had one of the missing, stolen plaques, bent in half,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13and gave it us back, so we have three.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17One plaque was returned to the church.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Though there's no trace of the other missing one,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23the remaining three are being restored.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26These two that are reasonably straight
0:11:26 > 0:11:29are the ones we removed after
0:11:29 > 0:11:33the neighbour had seen that they were trying to be jemmied off.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36This one is one of the original thefts that the police
0:11:36 > 0:11:40returned to us and when we got it back - you can see that bend -
0:11:40 > 0:11:44it actually came back bent in half, bent double.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46You can see where we tried to straighten it
0:11:46 > 0:11:49and you can still see that bend.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53But it will have to be straightened properly
0:11:53 > 0:11:55and they will all be cleaned,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59so that all this wear and weather markings
0:11:59 > 0:12:02will be gone so the names will be clear again.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05These are real names of real people
0:12:05 > 0:12:08who still have family members living in the area.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Luckily, thefts as callous as this are relatively rare
0:12:13 > 0:12:16but every incident risks wiping out
0:12:16 > 0:12:18the record of some soldiers' names for ever.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23In some cases, there may not be a record of the details
0:12:23 > 0:12:26of the memorial and this can mean that
0:12:26 > 0:12:30if the inscriptions are stolen that those names are lost for ever.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35There is no official register of war memorials or where they are
0:12:35 > 0:12:37and that's why War Memorials Trust,
0:12:37 > 0:12:42supported by English Heritage, set up the War Memorials Online website.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47The website allows comprehensive records of memorials to be uploaded,
0:12:47 > 0:12:49meaning that information can be preserved
0:12:49 > 0:12:52in the event of vandalism or theft.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57This allows anyone to register as a user and upload information,
0:12:57 > 0:13:01photographs and details about the condition of memorials.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11But as well as restoring monuments, there's a need to try
0:13:11 > 0:13:14and stay a step ahead of the thieves.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18While there is still a trade in stolen scrap metal, councils
0:13:18 > 0:13:22are now introducing initiatives to protect their precious monuments.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31This memorial in Watford was created in 1928.
0:13:31 > 0:13:36It's listed and treasured for its artistic and sculptural value
0:13:36 > 0:13:40and has been the focal point for remembrance events every year.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42It's also become
0:13:42 > 0:13:45a sort of focal point for memorials more generally.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Recently, a new memorial was created to soldiers
0:13:48 > 0:13:51that had died in conflicts since the Second World War.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55Tragically, two soldiers from the Watford area were
0:13:55 > 0:13:57killed out in Afghanistan in 2009/2010 -
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Tom Sawyer and Christopher Harrison.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Because of that, the council worked on creating a new memorial for them
0:14:04 > 0:14:07and also there's two memorial benches there.
0:14:07 > 0:14:12Watford Council are part of In Memoriam 2014,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16launched by the War Memorials Trust and a British company, Smart Water.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21With the latest technology, the programme aims to reduce theft,
0:14:21 > 0:14:25by employing an invisible solution containing a forensic fingerprint.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Every single bottle of smart water carries its own unique chemical code
0:14:29 > 0:14:31and that chemical code will be registered
0:14:31 > 0:14:33to a particular war memorial,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36so once the solution has been used on a war memorial,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39it means it can be traced back, no matter what happens.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42By marking this, we're making it far more difficult for a thief
0:14:42 > 0:14:45to successfully sell something like this on.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Smart water is only visible by UV light,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52and is now being offered free to all memorial custodians.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54If a war memorial is stolen
0:14:54 > 0:14:56and subsequently recovered in a scrap yard,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59or found in the possession of someone, then we can prove
0:14:59 > 0:15:02beyond doubt where that memorial has come from and that can then be used
0:15:02 > 0:15:04as evidence to help prosecute the person
0:15:04 > 0:15:07that was responsible for the theft.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13The parishioners of Radford don't know who was responsible
0:15:13 > 0:15:17for stealing their plaques but they're planning to defy the thieves
0:15:17 > 0:15:21by both restoring and fortifying this vital part of their community.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27We are very busily trying to raise the funds required
0:15:27 > 0:15:33to have these replaced, bonded in as well as screwed in,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36so that they cannot be removed again.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40The one that is completely missing will be remade
0:15:40 > 0:15:42so that it's the same as these.
0:15:42 > 0:15:48This then will be back to the way it should have always been,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52and, hopefully, the fact that we've done all this means the community
0:15:52 > 0:15:56will keep a watch as well as us and people won't feel
0:15:56 > 0:15:58the need to come and attempt to steal them again.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Later, the treasure hunters who are using the cover of night
0:16:10 > 0:16:14to dig up and destroy our archaeological past.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17You think, "They've been here again. They've been next to my house.
0:16:17 > 0:16:18"They've been on my property.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20"What have they stolen? What's gone this time?"
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Let's get back to what bothers you in Britain today.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Tell me some of the things that you've witnessed here
0:16:31 > 0:16:32that have really annoyed you.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37- Muggings...- Yep.- ..for no apparent reason, for minor things.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Gangs beating up people on their own.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44They can't do it when they're on their own,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47they have to be in gangs because they ain't got the bottle.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53I mean, there's drugs freely sold on the streets.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57I mean, what are we supposed to do, grin and bear it?
0:16:57 > 0:16:58It sounds like it, doesn't it?
0:16:58 > 0:17:00It does sound like it.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Isabelle, lovely to meet you.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05What do you witness that annoys you about antisocial behaviour?
0:17:05 > 0:17:11It's definitely about the rubbish on the floor, in the front garden,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15everywhere, or they have a picnic, they leave it,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18and maybe 50 metres is a bin they can, yeah...
0:17:18 > 0:17:21So people leaving their litter lying around really annoys you?
0:17:21 > 0:17:22Yeah, and it's a shame.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25What else have you seen that you don't like, Isabelle?
0:17:25 > 0:17:28Um, the bus, eating in a bus, smelly food.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32- OK.- That's really...- When someone gets on, they've got
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- some stinking food and you have to open a window?- Exactly!
0:17:35 > 0:17:39- You can't.- OK.- You can't, you're just sitting there, yeah,
0:17:39 > 0:17:40being polite, say nothing.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Police officers who have to deal with antisocial behaviour
0:17:47 > 0:17:50are always keen to find new ways of keeping trouble at bay.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53But it seems the answer's actually quite simple -
0:17:53 > 0:17:56and it all boils down to the good, old-fashioned bobby
0:17:56 > 0:17:58being accessible and understanding.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05A lot of day-to-day police work isn't about knocking down doors,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08busting drug dens and solving major crimes.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15It's often the smaller things that can bother local communities
0:18:15 > 0:18:19and it really helps when police can engage with their concerns.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24In Darlington, PC Jeff Summerhill prides himself
0:18:24 > 0:18:27on being at the heart of his neighbourhood.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33The things that we deal with range from everything, really -
0:18:33 > 0:18:35we are at the heart of our neighbourhood there
0:18:35 > 0:18:38with our house, as it were, where we are.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40It can range from a simple theft
0:18:40 > 0:18:42all the way through to neighbourly dispute
0:18:42 > 0:18:46all the way through to basically just helping people, really.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48We are in the heart of the community
0:18:48 > 0:18:51so we're there to be used, really, as a community team.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55PC Summerhill and his community team have a big patch to cover -
0:18:55 > 0:18:59six different wards consisting of housing estates and villages -
0:18:59 > 0:19:01so keeping an ear to the ground,
0:19:01 > 0:19:05for possible incidents of antisocial behaviour is vital.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09- There's somebody up the railway tracks there, shouting- BLEEP!
0:19:10 > 0:19:13I think there's somebody there, you know what I mean?
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- Whereabouts?- Just up them banks.- Up the banks, in the woods itself?- Yeah.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18All right, I'll have a look, sir. All right.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27Sometimes, all it takes is a few words to diffuse a situation.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- Have you been effing and jeffing up there?- Yeah.- Have you?
0:19:32 > 0:19:36- Why?- Huh?- Why have you been swearing?
0:19:36 > 0:19:37MUFFLED CONVERSATION
0:19:40 > 0:19:44For PC Summerhill, making time to catch up with residents' concerns
0:19:44 > 0:19:46is key to the job.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51I've worked this area for near on 20 years now
0:19:51 > 0:19:53and so I do know a lot of people
0:19:53 > 0:19:57and I do have a lot of neighbourly contacts
0:19:57 > 0:19:59that I've built up over the years.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01They're very friendly.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02SIREN BLARES
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Thank God I've never needed them - everybody gets on with each other.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09We get no trouble with anybody, not like some estates,
0:20:09 > 0:20:10do you know what I mean?
0:20:10 > 0:20:13It's cos you've got a good police team, that's what it is.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15It's a good neighbourhood police team
0:20:15 > 0:20:17and you don't realise you have got any problems.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20If you had a bad neighbourhood police team, it would be full of problems.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22- Yeah.- All right?- Bye!
0:20:22 > 0:20:25One of the attributes you need, you need to be able to spend time
0:20:25 > 0:20:29listening to people's problems, empathy.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30Hello, I'm PC Summerhill
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- from the neighbour police team around the corner.- Yeah.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Is it possible to have a chat in regards to the antisocial behaviour
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- you've been experiencing? - It certainly is. Come in.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39You have to be with them on their level,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42make sure that you understand that their problem is the biggest
0:20:42 > 0:20:46problem in their world at that time and that you're there to help them.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- The kids, have they been playing football in there...- Yeah.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50..and using that as the goal, have they?
0:20:50 > 0:20:54- And hit the garage doors. - Large thud, isn't it?
0:20:54 > 0:20:58I think when I was a kid I used to use the neighbour's wall
0:20:58 > 0:21:00and play wally against it but it probably did have the same
0:21:00 > 0:21:06- sort of effect, but once I was told I went in and I didn't go back out. - That's right.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08We were all young once ourselves.
0:21:08 > 0:21:14Children playing, yes, it can be annoying when it is taking place
0:21:14 > 0:21:17outside your house, but is it just a one-off or is it a long-term
0:21:17 > 0:21:21issue we can solve as a neighbourhood police team?
0:21:21 > 0:21:23- Have you got any children? - Yeah, three.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Have they been playing football on the garages out the back?
0:21:26 > 0:21:29The last couple of nights, they have been playing football round the back.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32- They haven't been doing anything wrong.- Are they stealing anything?
0:21:32 > 0:21:35No, but they have been playing football, which is causing
0:21:35 > 0:21:37a bit of antisocial behaviour to the people in the area.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40So when they come in from school if you could tell them to keep
0:21:40 > 0:21:43- playing football somewhere else, if that's all right?- Okie-dokie.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45For the old-age pensioners it is causing them a bit of a disturbance.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48All right, thank you, take care.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51This personal approach to what Darlington police are calling
0:21:51 > 0:21:55POP - or Problem Orientated Policing - has helped to cut
0:21:55 > 0:21:59crime in County Durham and it's one that's working for PC Summerhill.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04The job on the neighbourhood came up
0:22:04 > 0:22:07and it was on this area of town where I have been predominantly
0:22:07 > 0:22:10based, so I thought, "Well, excellent, I will try that."
0:22:10 > 0:22:13It's a different aspect of policing, makes you a more rounded police officer,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17cause you are problem-solving people problems - it's fantastic.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Anything that might drag the community down is on his radar.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23This, here, is new.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26We will see if we can get this cleaned up.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31We've taken massive steps over the years recently, trying to keep
0:22:31 > 0:22:34the crime levels low and to keep antisocial behaviour low,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38and to have stuff like this on the side, doesn't particularly make it look any good.
0:22:38 > 0:22:39It is that old ethos,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42if it is looking bad then people will treat it badly.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45If it is looking nice and everything is looking good, then
0:22:45 > 0:22:48people have a bit more respect for the area that they are living in.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52But some acts of vandalism are more serious. As well as graffiti
0:22:52 > 0:22:57there have been reports of vandals throwing bricks off this bridge.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Such wilful acts can risk lives.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Train coming, brick.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07One stands on that side, says, "Now" then they drop a brick off.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12The carnage it could cause if a train driver crashes that train
0:23:12 > 0:23:15after seeing that brick is unbelievable, really.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17It is a little bit more than vandalism.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19You could actually kill somebody by doing that.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22It's kids finding out the repercussions of their actions.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26We will have a discussion about that at the meeting on Wednesday.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Getting safety messages through to children is critical - PC Summerhill
0:23:36 > 0:23:40regularly visits schools to help with educational campaigns.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47I've come here today to carry out what's called a speedwatch with the kids.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Look what it says on the back. Community Speedwatch.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53It might drown you, mind. Look you try that one on.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57'We have a PACT meeting which we hold in our communities every month,'
0:23:57 > 0:24:00which is police and communities together, and we highlight
0:24:00 > 0:24:04issues which are causing us problems in our area, and the kids at the
0:24:04 > 0:24:08school have set up their own and it is called the Junior PACT meeting.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12They have identified that speeding is causing problems outside the school.
0:24:12 > 0:24:17Today the children are doing some police work of their own,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20by setting a live speed trap to catch out dangerous drivers
0:24:20 > 0:24:22who are going too fast past their school.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Since we have been working with the police I think it has
0:24:29 > 0:24:34highlighted to us and the children the issues that are just
0:24:34 > 0:24:37outside our school but in the village as well.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43Right, kids, what we will do is wait for a car, really.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47The speed is a massive problem for everyone at every PACT meeting we go to.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51It is highlighted as one of the major issues that cause people concerns.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55The one behind, the one behind is flying! Anybody got it?
0:24:55 > 0:24:5630.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Children are highlighting the cars that are speeding
0:25:00 > 0:25:03and writing their registrations down so we may possibly send them
0:25:03 > 0:25:06letters and advise them to slow down when going past the schools.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09It was more for education than enforcement at this stage.
0:25:09 > 0:25:1435, write it down. And what time was that?
0:25:14 > 0:25:19Anyone got a watch on? 11.15am. Yep, 35mph.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21So just write 32?
0:25:21 > 0:25:2535. If he was doing 35, why did you write 32?
0:25:25 > 0:25:26I don't know.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30People tend to forget what the speed limit is but you can see for quite a distance,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33you can see what is in front of you but they tend to speed up
0:25:33 > 0:25:36and it is then coming into a village where the school starts.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39It can cause quite a few problems.
0:25:39 > 0:25:4522mph, so how many miles an hour under the speed limit?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47- Eight!- Eight, well done.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51He looked like he was going faster than that, didn't he?
0:25:51 > 0:25:54For the kids, it's a valuable lesson
0:25:54 > 0:25:58and they have their own ideas why adults sometimes drive too fast.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00They might be in a rush because they're late.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Or they think they are smart while speeding
0:26:05 > 0:26:09and they think they are all cool, but they are not.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Over 30, there!
0:26:13 > 0:26:18It is a really bad spot because it is one of the straightest
0:26:18 > 0:26:23roads in Middleton St George, so, yeah, the speeding is really bad.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26People don't walk children down to school,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28they put them in a car and if they are late,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31even with children actually in the car, they're actually speeding.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35When they've seen us stood here and they've slowed down,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38do you think it has worked?
0:26:38 > 0:26:40I do, don't you?
0:26:40 > 0:26:42They did slow down, so yeah.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49It is initiatives like this that put a friendly face on the police,
0:26:49 > 0:26:53helping embed them into the community.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55And PC Summerhill is hopeful that teaching kids early will
0:26:55 > 0:26:59help their own future behaviour.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03It's an education programme with the kids, isn't it? To let them
0:27:03 > 0:27:06know that speeding is a problem, and when they become adults
0:27:06 > 0:27:11themselves and maybe something in their mind will trigger and they
0:27:11 > 0:27:15will think, "We did speedwatch at school and we shouldn't be speeding."
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Hopefully in the long term it has a reduction on speeding
0:27:18 > 0:27:21and accidents for road traffic, really.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31Antisocial behaviour - be it intimidation, excessive noise,
0:27:31 > 0:27:32vandalism, flytipping,
0:27:32 > 0:27:37graffiti - is just not what you or I should have to put up with.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41But there are people all over the UK whose lives are ruined by it,
0:27:41 > 0:27:45so it's just as well there are people we can turn to.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48We're on the front line with the highly skilled
0:27:48 > 0:27:49teams of council workers...
0:27:49 > 0:27:51It is my job to get the evidence.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54We will find her and she will pay.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56...police officers...
0:27:56 > 0:27:58I saw you urinate on the pavement.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03...and volunteers who are committed to keeping our streets safe and
0:28:03 > 0:28:07clean and taking on our antisocial battles, on a daily basis, to make
0:28:07 > 0:28:12sure that our lives are not blighted by other people's bad behaviour.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15This is Street Patrol UK.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Let's get back to what bothers you in Britain today.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27- Chris, that is a beautiful dog. What is it?- An Akita.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Are you a sensible dog owner?
0:28:30 > 0:28:31Yes.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- Do you pick up dog poo? - Every time.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Prove it! Have you got any bags on you?
0:28:38 > 0:28:43All right, I will give you your due there! You have a whole roll of them, not just one!
0:28:43 > 0:28:46OK, you must see people out there who don't?
0:28:46 > 0:28:48You can tell them a mile off.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52They don't notice their dogs, as if they're not there.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57Often, my friends and I have told people, you know, "Your dog has
0:28:57 > 0:28:59"made a mess," and sometimes they say OK and that.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02They haven't got a bag and they come and get one,
0:29:02 > 0:29:04but some do just walk on.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08- Have you ever had any abuse when you mentioned it to somebody?- A few times.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10Oh, really? What sort of things have happened?
0:29:10 > 0:29:13I was walking through a local park one time and somebody had a dog
0:29:13 > 0:29:16in there, which dogs aren't allowed, and I said to the young girl,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19"Your dog's just made a mess and your dog isn't supposed to be in here."
0:29:19 > 0:29:22She said, "If you're so worried about it, you come pick it up."
0:29:22 > 0:29:24Did that annoy you?
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Yes. I mean, there is a lot of good dog owners out there
0:29:28 > 0:29:32but the very few that don't do it give us all a bad name.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Earlier, we were out with the police teams in South Wales
0:29:39 > 0:29:42on the trail of antisocial dirt bikers who are tearing up
0:29:42 > 0:29:45the landscape and terrifying locals.
0:29:45 > 0:29:50Woodland manager Michael Cresswell is on high alert for the bikers
0:29:50 > 0:29:52as he works to secure barriers and gates to try and keep them out.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55By putting a combination of block stones,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58metal fabricated fences and the infrastructure we have...
0:29:58 > 0:29:59I hear motorbikes.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01Hang on... We have got some motorbikes.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09But while they can hear the culprits all too clearly,
0:30:09 > 0:30:11the bikers can't be seen.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Meanwhile, PC John Uzzell has had word that some other bikers
0:30:16 > 0:30:19have been apprehended by his colleagues.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23They have stopped two bikes entering or exiting the forestry.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27They are off-road bikes and obviously uninsured.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29THEY ARGUE
0:30:33 > 0:30:38As well as not having insurance, the bikes are dangerous, and one has broken down.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42Mechanically, it is shot to pieces. The front brake is being
0:30:42 > 0:30:45held on with Sellotape to the fork, so there is no front brake
0:30:45 > 0:30:48at all and that is the most important brake on a motorcycle.
0:30:48 > 0:30:53On the rear wheel, the bearings are shot, so the wheel could collapse.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57It is not just gone a little bit. It is really on the verge of collapsing
0:30:57 > 0:31:00and then on top of that, the chain, there is no chain guard, so the if
0:31:00 > 0:31:04they were not wearing boots it would be very easy for them to catch their
0:31:04 > 0:31:08leg in the chain and that could result in quite serious injury.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12I have seen few bikes in such poor condition.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16These really are the sort of bikes we target.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20The two bikers are both issued with a Section 59.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22If they get another of these
0:31:22 > 0:31:25within 12 months their bikes could be seized.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32Meanwhile, Michael is checking on more of the fences that the forestry
0:31:32 > 0:31:36team has installed to make it harder for bikers to get into the forest.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39But even these wooden barriers reinforced with wire haven't
0:31:39 > 0:31:41entirely deterred them.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Unfortunately, the determination of the illegal motorbikers is that
0:31:44 > 0:31:47they've ripped them out of the ground and thrown them to
0:31:47 > 0:31:50the side there, so we're going to have to come back here
0:31:50 > 0:31:52and put something in its place to stop them trespassing.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56This rider might be happy to bypass the barriers,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59but he changes his mind at the sight of the team.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07And there are still more bikers lurking while Michael checks out
0:32:07 > 0:32:11a gate designed to allow horses rather than dirt bikes.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14The horses can step over that and get into the forest,
0:32:14 > 0:32:16but because of the gaps, cos of the height in it,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19it makes it more difficult for motorbikes to get over.
0:32:19 > 0:32:20I'm not saying it stops them completely,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22but it makes it a lot more difficult for them.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29You can see quite clearly on the ground
0:32:29 > 0:32:32there's massive treads there from the motorbikers going through.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35It's definitely illegal motorbikers, and just while we've been stood here
0:32:35 > 0:32:38already two motorbikes have come up here, seen us and turned around.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43But they don't all manage to get away.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Across the forest, an illegal biker
0:32:45 > 0:32:48is caught riding straight into police hands.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51We've had a report that one of the PCOS have stopped
0:32:51 > 0:32:54another rider within the forestry.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58What you are looking at is possibly a Section 59 warning, right?
0:33:04 > 0:33:07It goes with the driver and the vehicle, right?
0:33:08 > 0:33:11It is a different vehicle, but a Section 59 goes against the person,
0:33:11 > 0:33:14as well as the vehicle itself. When did you get the section 59?
0:33:14 > 0:33:15- Six months ago.- Six months ago.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Having done the relevant checks, it was apparent
0:33:19 > 0:33:23that the gentleman did have a Section 59 warning already,
0:33:23 > 0:33:25so we've now arranged for seizure of the bike.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27But this rider isn't happy.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30He only got his £1,000 bike today.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Can't you take the van instead of this?
0:33:33 > 0:33:37No, it's whatever you're driving or riding at the time, see?
0:33:37 > 0:33:40He will have to pay... I believe it's a fee of £150
0:33:40 > 0:33:44to get the vehicle back from the recovery agency.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48It's also charged £20 a day, as well, for every day it's kept there.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53So it can rack up, so hopefully that will be a deterrent for people
0:33:53 > 0:33:56to think twice before they come back into the forest and ride.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59It's been a good day for the forest operation.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Today's been a very successful day.
0:34:01 > 0:34:07I think it was six motorcyclists we've spoken to and have warned,
0:34:07 > 0:34:09and there was one bike seizure.
0:34:09 > 0:34:14As well as using our powers under section 59, the enforcement,
0:34:14 > 0:34:19we've also educated them of the dangers of riding within the forestry
0:34:19 > 0:34:23and we've also provided reassurance to the community.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32When you think of heritage, you probably think of buildings,
0:34:32 > 0:34:35but some of our heritage is still underground
0:34:35 > 0:34:39waiting for historians or archaeologists to discover them.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Trouble is, though, sometimes thieves get there first,
0:34:42 > 0:34:46and when that happens, what they're stealing is part of our history.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54Lincolnshire, the second largest county in the country.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58Much of this rural land is agricultural,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00and beneath it lies traces of our ancestors
0:35:00 > 0:35:03stretching as far back as the Stone Age.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09The Collection Museum in Lincoln houses a large number
0:35:09 > 0:35:13of ancient artefacts that have been found on land in the county -
0:35:13 > 0:35:15many by people using metal detectors.
0:35:16 > 0:35:21We've got a very nice collection of objects here recently found.
0:35:21 > 0:35:27We've got a medieval silver penny. A late Saxon mount.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29So how were these found, then?
0:35:29 > 0:35:32All of these have been found by metal detectorists,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34just out searching a field.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36In Lincolnshire we've got an awful lot
0:35:36 > 0:35:39of arable land, a lot of ploughed fields
0:35:39 > 0:35:40and they're perfect for people
0:35:40 > 0:35:42to go out and find objects on,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45as long as they've got the landowner's permission.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48And what they do is go out, they find these things
0:35:48 > 0:35:50and they bring them in to me and I'll record them.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52In just over ten years
0:35:52 > 0:35:56we've recorded just over 52,000 finds for Lincolnshire alone.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Metal detectorists, as they're called,
0:36:01 > 0:36:04frequently pass on their finds to the museum.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07A very nice gentleman called Keith Kellway,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09who has a whole array of his finds here in the museum
0:36:09 > 0:36:11that have been donated to us over the years.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13But this is the thing -
0:36:13 > 0:36:15metal detecting can be very positive for archaeology.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Keith is a perfect example of how metal detectorists
0:36:18 > 0:36:20can work with archaeologists and museums,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22and together we can help to improve our knowledge
0:36:22 > 0:36:24and our understanding of the past.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26While collaborations with detectorists
0:36:26 > 0:36:28have contributed to the museum,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31there is a darker side to the practice of metal detecting
0:36:31 > 0:36:34that destroys the historical value of artefacts.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36It's known as nighthawking.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42Nighthawking is the name that we give to illegal metal detecting.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44It doesn't have to be done at night - it can be done in the daytime,
0:36:44 > 0:36:47but it is the illegal act of going onto somebody's land
0:36:47 > 0:36:50and taking objects, particularly without the landowner's permission,
0:36:50 > 0:36:51which is the legal side of it,
0:36:51 > 0:36:53but archaeologically, ethically speaking,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56we'd also say without recording and reporting those finds
0:36:56 > 0:36:58and adding them to the wider knowledge that we have.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Without knowing where the artefacts have been found,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04it's hard for museums to prove their authenticity.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08Because it's only when it's been recorded
0:37:08 > 0:37:10that it truly becomes discovered.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13It's the find spot that tells us where people lived.
0:37:13 > 0:37:14It gives us context.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Antony believes that when items are nighthawked
0:37:18 > 0:37:21without proper archaeological checks and provenance,
0:37:21 > 0:37:24their true historical value is diminished.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28If you look at online searches of internet auction sites, for example,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30there's a whole host of archaeological material,
0:37:30 > 0:37:33British and foreign, that is circulating without provenance,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36and each one of those is a sad story of an object that has been
0:37:36 > 0:37:38ripped out of its context, its information lost,
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and now being circulated more as an ornament
0:37:40 > 0:37:43than a valuable piece of our archaeological heritage.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49Nighthawking isn't a victimless crime.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Farmer Antony Strawson has suffered repeated trespassers on his land
0:37:53 > 0:37:56searching for historical items to steal.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59First noticed the damage about 15 years ago,
0:37:59 > 0:38:01and since then it's been pretty consistent.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04When the crops are taken off and it's easy to dig
0:38:04 > 0:38:06and easy to walk over land, that's when we find the damage.
0:38:06 > 0:38:12When you see these holes and you see the mess that they've made,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15you immediately get the blood-boiling scenario,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18when you think, "They've been here again, next to my house,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21"they've been on my property - what have they stolen?
0:38:21 > 0:38:22"What's gone this time?"
0:38:23 > 0:38:25As well as the damage,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28knowing that nighthawkers have been on his land also takes its toll.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Although we don't generally see the nighthawkers,
0:38:33 > 0:38:36we know there's been probably more than three,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39maybe even four of them, at least, so we do know they come in groups,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42and that alone is slightly worrying
0:38:42 > 0:38:46because, if you tackle them, that's when it becomes more fearful.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50And in a remote part of the country, like Lincolnshire,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53how soon the police could get there
0:38:53 > 0:38:57and how effective they would be on their own, who knows?
0:38:59 > 0:39:01In response to such concerns,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04local police launched Operation Totem -
0:39:04 > 0:39:07its aim, to tackle nighthawking across the county.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10It was such a problem that it was reported to us,
0:39:10 > 0:39:11that we felt we had to launch an operation,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14and essentially that's why we did the operation,
0:39:14 > 0:39:16to try and combat the problem.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18The investigation team had to do some homework
0:39:18 > 0:39:21into nighthawking and illegal metal detecting
0:39:21 > 0:39:23to find out what it entailed,
0:39:23 > 0:39:27how it was carried out and to try and stop it from happening.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32And they've had some success, catching and prosecuting
0:39:32 > 0:39:35one nighthawker who regularly travelled from Yorkshire
0:39:35 > 0:39:37to rifle the fields of Lincolnshire.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43The suspect in the case was a male from the South Yorkshire area.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45So they were driving into Lincolnshire
0:39:45 > 0:39:47at different times of the day and night
0:39:47 > 0:39:51to come and take part in illegal metal detecting.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54We did the search warrant on his premises
0:39:54 > 0:39:57and it was there that we found a number of artefacts
0:39:57 > 0:40:00that came from different time periods,
0:40:00 > 0:40:04from Roman to medieval periods, and they were subsequently seized
0:40:04 > 0:40:08and analysed by experts from the museum.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13The nighthawker was fined and had his metal detecting equipment
0:40:13 > 0:40:15confiscated, along with his hoard.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19But, because he refused to divulge where the items were found,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22very few of them could be properly identified
0:40:22 > 0:40:25or included in the museum's collection.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29We have four objects only that were confiscated and given to us.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31These are the only ones have a secure enough provenance
0:40:31 > 0:40:33for them to enter into the museum.
0:40:33 > 0:40:38The first one is this rather beautiful gilded Roman disc brooch.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42A lovely example, actually, of a type we don't have in the museum.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46Two incredibly tiny coins, one medieval petit denier,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49this one with a particularly gorgeous example of the coin
0:40:49 > 0:40:51with a little knight inscribed on it.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55So this is a tiny, early Anglo-Saxon coin known as a skeet,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57and these are quite important finds to record,
0:40:57 > 0:40:59cos these are some of the earliest coinage
0:40:59 > 0:41:00after the Romans left Britain
0:41:00 > 0:41:03that we have starting to be made in this country.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06They're tiny coins, these don't give a very big signal at all
0:41:06 > 0:41:09with a metal detector so, ironically, it takes quite a skilled user
0:41:09 > 0:41:11of a metal detector to find coins like this.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16Even these few small items make a difference
0:41:16 > 0:41:18to our knowledge of the past.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28If Operation Totem hadn't come to the conclusion it did,
0:41:28 > 0:41:32if the objects hadn't been confiscated and subsequently recorded,
0:41:32 > 0:41:35the people of Lincolnshire would have been denied this particular
0:41:35 > 0:41:39artefact and the information that it gives us about their heritage.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42And for visitors to Lincoln Museum this rampant disregard
0:41:42 > 0:41:47for the proper rules and methods of archaeology is an antisocial act,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49robbing us all of our heritage.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54People are just looking out to get themselves some money.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57They're not actually looking for things, erm,
0:41:57 > 0:42:01for the history or what the items might be.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04It's our inheritance, our heritage, isn't it?
0:42:04 > 0:42:08All these things, it's what leads up to what we are now.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11Pieces of history can be lost, the stories of history,
0:42:11 > 0:42:13the narratives in history can be lost.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15If you look at Pompeii,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19if everybody had gone and taken a little bit then we wouldn't have
0:42:19 > 0:42:22whole streets telling stories of how they lived and their culture.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25So you need things to be contained.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30Nighthawkers is a cool term that they've coined themselves
0:42:30 > 0:42:33to make what they're doing a little bit dangerous-sounding,
0:42:33 > 0:42:34but what they are is heritage thieves -
0:42:34 > 0:42:37they're there to steal your stuff.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41Nighthawking is often thought of as a victimless crime
0:42:41 > 0:42:45but, actually, it affects every single person in the country
0:42:45 > 0:42:47because it's our own heritage
0:42:47 > 0:42:50which is being eroded and destroyed by these people.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Well, that's your lot for today. Thanks for watching.