0:00:02 > 0:00:06'In the UK, there's a war being waged to keep our streets clean.'
0:00:06 > 0:00:11A fly-tip of this size would cost thousands to clear it.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14'From the two million pieces of litter dropped every day,
0:00:14 > 0:00:18'to multi-million pound illegal landfill sites,
0:00:18 > 0:00:22'we are all affected by what's dumped on our doorsteps.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26'Coming up today, a shocking story of lethal chemicals
0:00:26 > 0:00:31'that have been dumped and are leaking onto farmland.'
0:00:31 > 0:00:34It's explosive and highly flammable.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38They've got no regard for anyone's safety.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41'In London, there's a game of cat and mouse going on.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46'Officers are hunting for people illegally putting fly-posters up.'
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Can you tell me where I can get hold of you?
0:00:50 > 0:00:52You're not going to tell us?
0:00:52 > 0:00:57'And in Burnley, one man gets the surprise of his life
0:00:57 > 0:01:02'as he dumps a van load of waste and puts a match to the lot.'
0:01:02 > 0:01:07The sheer hard-facedness of it all. It beggars belief, to be honest.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12'This is the fight against Britain's filthy rotten scoundrels.'
0:01:31 > 0:01:35'Fly-posting is a problem blighting our streets,
0:01:35 > 0:01:40'and no more so than in the London borough of Hillingdon.'
0:01:40 > 0:01:44I can see one, two, three...
0:01:44 > 0:01:48four, five, six...
0:01:48 > 0:01:51At least seven of these fly-posts
0:01:51 > 0:01:53in this area alone.
0:01:53 > 0:01:58Eight. Eight signs, all the same, on that one junction.
0:01:58 > 0:02:04'Enforcement Officer John Davies and his team are determined to catch the rotters responsible.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09'Every week, 170 of these posters are slapped up over the borough.'
0:02:09 > 0:02:15It's an environmental issue, an eyesore, what people don't want to see.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20'It's not just an eyesore and an offence, it's dangerous,
0:02:20 > 0:02:25'something road safety organisations want to see the back of.'
0:02:25 > 0:02:30The first, obvious problem, is the distraction that it creates.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34You're reading the poster rather than looking at the traffic.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39The second problem is you can hide a large vehicle behind a small poster.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43They actually can obscure your vision.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Highway engineers build roads to give a good line of sight.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Sometimes, they build roads so you don't have a good line of sight,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53to slow you down.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57If you've created a set of lines of sight for drivers to use
0:02:57 > 0:03:02and someone puts a poster across the middle, that effort's wasted.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06The driver, motorcyclist, whoever it may be,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09doesn't have the line of site intended.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14The effect is either the traffic is going to be slowed down
0:03:14 > 0:03:20or you've got a road safety danger because people can't see properly.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24'With more than 23,000 traffic collisions reported
0:03:24 > 0:03:30'to the Metropolitan Police in 2009, in the borough of Hillingdon,
0:03:30 > 0:03:36'officers are determined to make their patch safer - and tidy.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38'Some people are repeat offenders
0:03:38 > 0:03:45'and today, the team is after a company that has been told not to put up illegal posters
0:03:45 > 0:03:48'but has blatantly ignored the warning.'
0:03:48 > 0:03:53They are a company who run parties at third-party venues.
0:03:53 > 0:03:59They'll, basically, rent out space at bars, clubs, pubs.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02This company has its own website,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05appears to be very professional.
0:04:05 > 0:04:10They run three or four every Friday, they run speed-dating sites,
0:04:10 > 0:04:15all within a 20, 30 mile radius of where they operate from in Ascot.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20'John and Alan hope to catch up with the person allegedly fly-posting
0:04:20 > 0:04:24'and ask them to come in for a formal interview.'
0:04:24 > 0:04:26That's what we're taking with us.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31They're different locations where they've been put up.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34I doubt very much if he'll even talk to us.
0:04:34 > 0:04:40I've been proved wrong before. Let's see what happens.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45'John's found out that one of the events advertised made around £700.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50'With up to four events a week, that's a pretty healthy turnover.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55'John and Alan's first stop is the company's registered office.'
0:04:55 > 0:05:00I've just been in to try and speak to the director of the company.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05These appear to be some sort of serviced office blocks.
0:05:05 > 0:05:12I spoke to the receptionist. She put me on to the person I wanted to speak to on the phone.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17I wouldn't exactly say she refused to come and speak to me.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21She said she was busy. Could I leave the letter with the receptionist?
0:05:21 > 0:05:28I said to her that it would be in her best interest to phone us on the number given,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31just so we can discuss the relevant issues
0:05:31 > 0:05:33surrounding the case.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37'Could this be the beginning of a game of cat and mouse?
0:05:37 > 0:05:41'An hour later, it looks like John gets a breakthrough.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44'It's the call he's been waiting for.'
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Hello, Brian.
0:05:46 > 0:05:52I've just had a call from my office to say that you called regarding me delivering a letter.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59You're the promotions manager?
0:06:01 > 0:06:05You didn't know it was illegal to do what, fly-posting?
0:06:05 > 0:06:10In October, November, you received a letter from us saying it was illegal
0:06:10 > 0:06:15and not to carry it out again, and you carried on doing it.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18The letter is requesting you
0:06:18 > 0:06:23to come into the Civic Centre at Hillingdon next Friday
0:06:23 > 0:06:25to be formally interviewed.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27You're not prepared to do that.
0:06:27 > 0:06:33Can you send me a letter to say you're not prepared to be interviewed?
0:06:33 > 0:06:38'The following Friday came and went, with no surprises for John.'
0:06:38 > 0:06:42They were true to their word. They didn't come for an interview.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46We've taken advice from our legal department.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52They suggest to issue a fixed penalty notice for each location.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55We've got more than one at each location.
0:06:55 > 0:07:0011 separate locations so they'll get 11 fixed penalty notices.
0:07:00 > 0:07:07'Ouch! It sounds like it could be a lumpy fine. How does that break down into cold hard cash?'
0:07:07 > 0:07:12If they pay within 28 days, it'll be £100 per fixed penalty notice.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14£1,100.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18If they pay within 14 days, that's £60 per fixed penalty notice.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20£660.
0:07:20 > 0:07:26Should they decide to do neither, then it will be court.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32'The stakes of this case are getting higher by the day.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36'With a potential £1,100 fine or even a court case,
0:07:36 > 0:07:41'surely someone will want to deal with this issue, and fast.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44'Find out later how the investigation unfolds
0:07:44 > 0:07:48'when the game of cat and mouse takes another turn.'
0:07:48 > 0:07:52They've upped and moved over the weekend.
0:07:52 > 0:07:57'Could they get the result they need with an early morning stake-out?'
0:07:58 > 0:08:00That's it.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07'In the county of Essex lies Tendring,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11'a district home to Clacton-on-Sea which boasts 36 miles of coastline
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'as well as rolling countryside.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18'For one young man, it's his new home.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23'He's moved out of the big smoke and has brought well-earned skills.'
0:08:23 > 0:08:26I was a police officer in the Metropolitan Police
0:08:26 > 0:08:30as a detective constable on the robbery squad.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35Yeah, I thought I'd come away from London for a little bit
0:08:35 > 0:08:37and live in the country.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39It's a lovely place to live.
0:08:39 > 0:08:44'30-year-old Darren Weaver hasn't come to Tendring for a holiday.
0:08:44 > 0:08:50'For six years, like these officers, he was bringing down criminals
0:08:50 > 0:08:52'to make London a safer place.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57'This talented investigator has been snapped up by Tendring Council
0:08:57 > 0:09:01'to tackle a huge problem that's taking over the countryside -
0:09:01 > 0:09:04'fly-tipping.'
0:09:04 > 0:09:10It really grates that people have no respect for the countryside.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15They feel they can just dump toxic waste, asbestos and dirty nappies.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20Other council tax payers are paying for it to be cleared.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25It's selfish and I suppose it's my job to find out who's done it
0:09:25 > 0:09:28and put them through the courts.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32'Tendring should be beautiful but it's being destroyed by rubbish.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37'Darren gets nearly 40 reports of fly-tipping every week.'
0:09:37 > 0:09:40If we want to find out who's dumped it
0:09:40 > 0:09:42we've got to get our hands dirty.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Nothing surprises me now.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49'Over a couple of years, fly-tipping has escalated beyond control.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52'It's disgusting and expensive to clear.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58'With all this open countryside, the fields are an easy target,
0:09:58 > 0:10:05'something farmer Guy Smith, who lives on Darren's patch, knows only too well.'
0:10:07 > 0:10:12The problem we have is that because this area is low grass,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16it doesn't just attract wildlife, it attracts lowlife
0:10:16 > 0:10:20who like to dump rubbish or trade waste.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Then it's my responsibility to sort it out.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28'Guy also takes preventative measures
0:10:28 > 0:10:31'to try to stop people dumping in the first place.'
0:10:31 > 0:10:37We do make an effort to keep people off the fields by putting gates up.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42I don't like to. I don't think it makes the countryside look pretty.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46If you've got people intent on using your land as a rubbish tip
0:10:46 > 0:10:49you have to take preventative action
0:10:49 > 0:10:54to try and discourage people from doing so.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59Here, we've got three or four bags of just household rubbish.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02That'll block the ditch up.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05I'll have to clear it out and get rid of it.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10And it's a nuisance to any aquatic life you've got in the water.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15It makes the countryside look a horrible mess.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20'This dumped rubbish isn't just spoiling the picturesque view.'
0:11:20 > 0:11:25I've had occasions where we've been combining and suddenly look down
0:11:25 > 0:11:27and we notice there's a pram.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31If it had gone through the combine it would have cost thousands.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Obviously, there's a hazard to livestock.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Plastics and barrels of God knows what.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43I like to think they're not picking on me, but no!
0:11:43 > 0:11:51Any farmer that's close to a suburban area up against a road will have this sort of problem.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57'But with the arrival of Darren, hopefully, farmers like Guy
0:11:57 > 0:12:00'will have fewer fly-tipping problems.'
0:12:00 > 0:12:05People now know that there's a good chance they'll get caught.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08We will trace them.
0:12:08 > 0:12:13I will find out who's done it, if there's one bit of evidence.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17'Darren is the only officer that covers this massive area.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21'It's early morning and he's out on the road, as usual,
0:12:21 > 0:12:27'making sure everything is in order on his patch of 130 square miles.'
0:12:27 > 0:12:32You get used to it. That's why it's a shame seeing this stuff dumped.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34It's such a lovely district.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37People ruin it by dumping rubbish everywhere.
0:12:37 > 0:12:43'Darren's at the beginning of his round and has got his first stop.'
0:12:43 > 0:12:46As you can see, just by chance...
0:12:48 > 0:12:52You never know what you're going to find when you're driving along.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57'It's an all too common sight, but he needs to be careful.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00'He never knows what dangers could be hidden.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04'His priority is to find clues as to who dumped this.'
0:13:04 > 0:13:07This is what we get on a daily basis.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11The first thing I do is take a picture of it in situ.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14If we trace who's done it, it's evidence for court.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19There could be anything in them bags.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23'While Darren can't predict what's lurking in the bags,
0:13:23 > 0:13:28'he's got it sussed when it comes to profiling the offenders.'
0:13:28 > 0:13:33This is someone who wants to empty their van out quickly.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38Instead of going to the commercial dump, they dump it beside the road.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42People don't care. People are money orientated, aren't they?
0:13:42 > 0:13:46They ain't going to pay the fee down the dump.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52It gets on my wick. It's ridiculous. It's laziness.
0:13:52 > 0:13:58Half these people live local. They've got to live in this mess.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02'To say Darren is fed up with it would be a huge understatement.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05'It only gets worse, much worse.'
0:14:10 > 0:14:12See, look...
0:14:12 > 0:14:15That is spilled onto the land.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19It's alcohol.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21"Isopropanol.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23"Highly flammable."
0:14:23 > 0:14:27The stuff that's dumped in our countryside, eh?
0:14:27 > 0:14:31'It's a mystery to Darren what this is used for.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35'It looks like whoever dumped it bought it for a job.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38'One thing's for sure, it's harmful to the environment.'
0:14:41 > 0:14:44This is obviously farmland.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The farmer has now got chemicals all over his land.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52'It's not just a danger to the farmer's land or animals.'
0:14:52 > 0:14:55People walk their dogs along here.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59A lot of people don't put their dogs on an extended lead.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03They'll walk down here, sniffing this,
0:15:03 > 0:15:07sticking their nose in here where there's sharp metal.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09There's a razor blade.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13'This makes our Environment Enforcer determined
0:15:13 > 0:15:17'to fight to protect the countryside.'
0:15:17 > 0:15:20If we want to get results, find out who's dumped it,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24I've got to get my hands dirty, get stuck in
0:15:24 > 0:15:28and find the evidence I need for the prosecutions.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Nine times out of ten I do find stuff.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36People will get prosecuted for it, simple as that.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40That's a chain and a half.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43'Darren needs to find something,
0:15:43 > 0:15:48'anything that will lead him to the person responsible,
0:15:48 > 0:15:50'so justice can be done.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57'And then, he strikes gold.'
0:15:57 > 0:16:01What I've found here...
0:16:01 > 0:16:07It might be nothing but it's a sign within all this building equipment.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Under a bit of tape, there's a telephone number.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13I might be able to trace this.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17'Just as he thought he wasn't going anywhere,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21'he's got something to move his investigation forward with.'
0:16:21 > 0:16:23I'll get someone to collect it.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27I've got my evidence I need. Building Services.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30It might lead to nothing but it's a start.
0:16:30 > 0:16:37'Darren heads back to the office to see if this clue will lead him closer to the fly-tipper.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40'It's not the only thing on his mind.'
0:16:40 > 0:16:45That will cost, for a company coming to clear that one tub, around £350.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49That's without the cost of the other waste.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53You're looking at £500 to clear. It's ridiculous.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56'Tendring Council's cleansing squad arrives.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00'It's a familiar sight for Dave and Keith.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05'Sadly, these guys are never short of work.'
0:17:05 > 0:17:10Today, we've had a list of, what, 12 jobs to do?
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- 12 jobs. - Nothing but fly-tipping.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15All sorts.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Every day, like.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21Well, what can you do?
0:17:22 > 0:17:26This looks like oil to me. We get it all the time.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Drums of this and drums of that.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Cos we don't know what's in the container, we have to leave it.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35A special crew will come out and pick it up.
0:17:35 > 0:17:40There's not even a lid on that. Normally, there's a lid on it.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45'This fly-tip is just one of 40 that Darren has to deal with on his own
0:17:45 > 0:17:47'every week.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50'He never lets his workload slow him down.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55'Find out later just how determined he is.'
0:17:55 > 0:17:58We will go to the Nth degree to find out.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01They've got no regard for anyone's safety.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06'Darren's determination looks like it might pay dividends.'
0:18:06 > 0:18:09The manager's going to ring me back.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14You've got three or four leads to follow from one bit of card.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18I'm like a dog with a bone. PHONE RINGS
0:18:20 > 0:18:24'Next, a brazen act of fly-tipping and arson
0:18:24 > 0:18:29'that, without technology, could have created a major fire disaster.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36'Across the UK, it's estimated there are 50,000 CCTV cameras
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'owned and operated by local authorities.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44'Increasingly, councils are using CCTV to catch people fly-tipping.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53'In Liverpool, it's used in extreme cases.'
0:18:53 > 0:18:55We've had plenty of hits.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00It's a cracking tool to try and stop these people getting rid of rubbish.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04'In Middlesbrough, CCTV cameras speak to people,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07'telling them to pick their litter up.'
0:19:07 > 0:19:12People know the cameras are there. We've had a 100% success rate.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16'In the shadows of the mills of Burnley CCTV was the deciding factor
0:19:16 > 0:19:20'that brought one rotter to justice after he'd brazenly dumped
0:19:20 > 0:19:22'a van load of rubbish.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27'These chimneys used to billow smoke
0:19:27 > 0:19:31'where much of the world's cotton was produced.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32'In May 2008,
0:19:32 > 0:19:37'the smoke pouring into the sky was from a fire started by a scoundrel
0:19:37 > 0:19:41'who dumped his toxic waste and then set fire to it.'
0:19:41 > 0:19:44The sheer hard-facedness of it all.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Just to drive up here, respectable chap,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50unload his waste from a respectable company,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53set fire to it and leave it,
0:19:53 > 0:19:58and not care about the environment that nice people of Burnley live in.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03It just beggars belief, to be honest, the brass neck of it all.
0:20:03 > 0:20:09'The scoundrel with the brass neck didn't stand a chance of getting away with this nonchalant act.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13'An eagle-eyed CCTV operator was on his case.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16'He caught the whole thing on camera.'
0:20:16 > 0:20:20So, as he came up Wiseman Street,
0:20:20 > 0:20:25he reversed into here, parked his van up, as you can clearly see,
0:20:25 > 0:20:30opened the doors and was getting the stuffed out of the rear of the van.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34Shoving it into a pile here.
0:20:34 > 0:20:39There was plastic, cardboard, black bags.
0:20:39 > 0:20:45When he'd got it all out of the van, he went and torched it.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47'Unbelievable!
0:20:47 > 0:20:52'The CCTV clearly shows him setting the waste alight.
0:20:52 > 0:20:58'The fire is raging and the idiot is even admiring his own handiwork.
0:20:58 > 0:21:03'After he'd emptied his van, he thinks he's got away with it,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07'but our trusty CCTV operator has dialled 999.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11'Before he manages to make his escape, he's got company.'
0:21:11 > 0:21:13SIRENS BLARE
0:21:13 > 0:21:15The police came
0:21:15 > 0:21:19and the first thing they did was telephone the fire brigade.
0:21:19 > 0:21:26As you can see, he's very close to a telegraph pole with wires attached.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30It could well have affected those wires.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33'As the fire brigade tackles the blaze,
0:21:33 > 0:21:38'the scoundrel had to explain what he thought he was doing.
0:21:40 > 0:21:45'Photos of the aftermath show how bad the fire damage was.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47'It's now two years later
0:21:47 > 0:21:51'and the damage caused is still evident.'
0:21:51 > 0:21:57The fire damage is extreme. This is good Lancashire stone.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00You see by the way it breaks away
0:22:00 > 0:22:03that the heat caused this to flake off.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06This is big stonework.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09That's all caused by fire damage.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12So you can see the intensity of the blaze.
0:22:12 > 0:22:17This is good old-fashioned cotton town stone.
0:22:17 > 0:22:23'With such good quality CCTV, it was an open-and-shut case.
0:22:23 > 0:22:28'The man was fined £800 and ordered to pay £728 costs.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37'It was a good result for Jonathan Jackson from Burnley Council.'
0:22:37 > 0:22:41I was happy there was a conviction.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44You'll have seen this around the country.
0:22:44 > 0:22:49There are no standard guidelines for environmental offences.
0:22:49 > 0:22:55Magistrates, therefore, go for a miscellaneous guideline,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58which perhaps doesn't reflect
0:22:58 > 0:23:04the distress and the anxiety that fly-tipping causes to people.
0:23:04 > 0:23:11Nor does it reflect the cost to the council, and the council tax payer, to clear up.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16'Law breakers might think they can get away with illegal dumping.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21'With CCTV covering hot spots, it's becoming increasingly difficult.'
0:23:21 > 0:23:23On this occasion,
0:23:23 > 0:23:30the CCTV operator was alive to the situation and was able to zoom in on the scene.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34That was our evidence that we took before the courts.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39Fortunately, we don't get too many fly-tips that are set fire to.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41The occasional one, but not many.
0:23:41 > 0:23:47'This was one of those jobs where everything came together neatly.'
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Like all my Christmases at once. A superb job. Very pleased.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56'It's clear that catching a filthy rotten scoundrel bang to rights
0:23:56 > 0:23:59'makes an enviro-enforcer very happy.
0:23:59 > 0:24:06'So, if you're in Burnley and thinking of fly-tipping, I'd think again if I was you.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13'Officers in Hillingdon are playing cat and mouse
0:24:13 > 0:24:16'with the directors of a company
0:24:16 > 0:24:20'for which fly posters have been put up all around the borough.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25'The hunt is more difficult than they bargained for.'
0:24:25 > 0:24:29This is something we never thought would happen.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31They've moved over the weekend.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34'But first...
0:24:34 > 0:24:39'back in Tendring in rural Essex, enviro officer Darren Weaver
0:24:39 > 0:24:42'is investigating a fly-tip on farmland.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46'He's found builder's waste and toxic chemicals spilling out.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51'His case will rest on vital clues from this outrageous mess.'
0:24:51 > 0:24:54This is obviously farmland.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57The farmer has now got chemicals all over his land.
0:24:57 > 0:25:03'With 40 fly-tips reported to Darren every week, it's a common sight.
0:25:03 > 0:25:09'And one that local residents like Linda McWilliams have had enough of.'
0:25:09 > 0:25:15Being a dog owner and a horse owner, some of the items that are dumped,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18you've probably got sharp items.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23You can see, obviously, the large amounts of fly-tipping.
0:25:23 > 0:25:30It is what is around that area that is the problem. You can't see those until you're on top of it.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35There may be other liquids that you don't want to be involved with.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40The situation could be too late and it could be very concerning.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45I don't want anything to happen to my animals, to my horse.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Why should he go through a lot of misery?
0:25:48 > 0:25:53Why should my dogs go through misery if they pick up something?
0:25:53 > 0:25:56I'd love to catch them.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01When you get mattresses, white goods, everything just dumped
0:26:01 > 0:26:05in a beautiful location like this for whatever reason.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Why do it? Just don't do it!
0:26:07 > 0:26:13'It's clear how angry the locals are towards these villains.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17'Back at his office, it's crucial Darren's one lead,
0:26:17 > 0:26:22'the phone number, points him in the direction of the fly-tipper.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24'Before he calls the number,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27'he wants to find out more about the chemicals.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31'He doesn't think the manufacturer is responsible,
0:26:31 > 0:26:37'but it's shocking news when he finds out how dangerous the chemicals are.'
0:26:37 > 0:26:41It's an acetone, by the looks of it. Highly flammable.
0:26:41 > 0:26:47"Long-term application to the skin can cause...defatting."
0:26:47 > 0:26:50It strips your skin. Nice(!)
0:26:50 > 0:26:55It's, basically, a very dangerous chemical.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Burns the skin. It's explosive.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59It's highly flammable.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03It's poured all over the field. It's got no lid on it.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07The council had to pay a specialist contractor to clear that.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11That costs about £350, £400 just for that one container.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15I'm really interested in catching who's done this,
0:27:15 > 0:27:19because they've got no regard for anyone's safety.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23'The perpetrator made one big mistake,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27'chucking out a sign with a phone number on it.
0:27:27 > 0:27:33'Darren needs to find out where it came from. The net is closing in.'
0:27:35 > 0:27:41I'm going to ring that number just to see if I can get a lead on it.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49It's got through to O2 Building Services.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53There's no option to leave a message.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57'Ex policeman Darren's not giving up that easily.'
0:27:57 > 0:28:02See if I can choose a different option to get through to anyone.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Hello. I wonder if you can help.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10Is there anyone I can speak to about management? ..That's all right.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16It's Darren Weaver. Do you know when they're going to call back?
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Have they got a set time to respond?
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Yeah, it's pretty serious. PUTS PHONE DOWN
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Obviously, they're very concerned.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30The Building Services Manager is going to ring me back.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33'It seems Darren's tenacity has paid off.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37'The sign has come from the O2 arena in Docklands, 70 miles away.
0:28:37 > 0:28:42'Will the manager shed any light on who could have done this?'
0:28:42 > 0:28:45I've e-mailed him the pictures.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49I really hope he can tell me who it is.
0:28:49 > 0:28:54A lot of the stuff that was dumped, I've never seen that stuff before.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58There were ratchets and specific bolts.
0:28:58 > 0:29:03They might be able to tell me a contractor that lives near there.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07Before you know it, you've got three or four leads to follow
0:29:07 > 0:29:10just from one little bit of card you found.
0:29:10 > 0:29:16I'm like a dog with a bone. PHONE RINGS
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Darren Weaver speaking...
0:29:18 > 0:29:22'More like dog AND bone. It's the call Darren's been waiting for.
0:29:22 > 0:29:29'Darren goes through everything he's found to narrow down who might be responsible.'
0:29:29 > 0:29:35The interesting thing is that big massive chain, five metres long.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Escalators.
0:29:37 > 0:29:43Someone doing escalators would use that chemical maybe, to clean it?
0:29:43 > 0:29:48Would you e-mail me their contact details? Would that be OK?
0:29:48 > 0:29:54I'm hoping they'll say, "We've got one that lives in Tendring."
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Thank you, Ian.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Cheers, mate. Bye.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00Right. That's interesting.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06What isn't in the picture... I can't take a picture of everything.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08I'd take photos all day.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12But, within that dumped waste, there was a long chain.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16He reckons it could be a lift or escalator company,
0:30:16 > 0:30:18which makes sense.
0:30:18 > 0:30:23'It sounds like he's making good headway. The plot thickens.'
0:30:23 > 0:30:27He's going to e-mail me across all their contractors.
0:30:27 > 0:30:32What I am going to do, I'm going to find out...
0:30:32 > 0:30:36what exactly you would use that chemical for.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38That's quite interesting.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41'Darren's investigation is hotting up.'
0:30:41 > 0:30:43It's used in printing presses.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Yet another line of enquiry.
0:30:47 > 0:30:52This is someone that probably works in London and lives in Tendring,
0:30:52 > 0:30:54or drives through Tendring.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57It narrows down the people that could do it.
0:30:57 > 0:31:02We're looking for someone that's worked at the O2 arena.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07Either a lift engineer, or works in the printing press industry.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12There's not a million people with that sort of job.
0:31:14 > 0:31:20'Will our intrepid law enforcer track down the Tendring fly-tipper?
0:31:21 > 0:31:26'Could Darren's case be about to hit the buffers?
0:31:26 > 0:31:29'With only a handful of leads left to follow up,
0:31:29 > 0:31:34'will they give Darren a result, or will it be the end of the road?'
0:31:34 > 0:31:39If both these companies say "nothing to do with us"
0:31:39 > 0:31:42there's nothing I can do cos I can't prove it.
0:31:42 > 0:31:48'Find out later if determination is enough to find the fly-tipper.'
0:31:48 > 0:31:52The longer I'm here, the more prosecutions we're getting.
0:31:52 > 0:31:59'Back in Hillingdon, Enforcement Officers John and Alan are still playing cat and mouse,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02'trying to track down the directors of a company
0:32:02 > 0:32:07'for which illegal fly posters have been put up all over their borough.
0:32:07 > 0:32:14'They were asked to come in to explain what's going on, but told John they weren't interested.'
0:32:14 > 0:32:18You're not prepared to come in and be interviewed?
0:32:18 > 0:32:24'The officers are trying to catch up with them and serve fixed penalty notices.
0:32:24 > 0:32:29'The directors could be heading for fines of up to £1,100.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34'A month after they first tried to catch up at their offices,
0:32:34 > 0:32:38'they're hoping to hand over the necessary paperwork.'
0:32:38 > 0:32:44Notices like this it's best to hand deliver. You know they've got them.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48First Class post is classified as good service,
0:32:48 > 0:32:51but they can always say, "I never got them."
0:32:51 > 0:32:55So if you hand deliver, they can't say that.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59A possible outcome is they can tell us to go and have a funny run,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01refuse to see us at all.
0:33:01 > 0:33:06They might come down. You can never tell. You have to play it by ear.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10'The investigation is about to take another turn.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14'They've just got some surprising news.'
0:33:14 > 0:33:21It would appear that they've been at this service block for four to five years, at least.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23And they moved out on Friday.
0:33:24 > 0:33:29Which is a wee bit irritating. All we want to do is serve the notices.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34'You never know what's going to happen until you get there!'
0:33:34 > 0:33:41This is something we never thought would happen, that they've upped and moved over the weekend.
0:33:41 > 0:33:48'The alleged culprits behind the illegal fly-posting are proving difficult to track down.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53'John and Alan decide to check the residential address
0:33:53 > 0:33:57'the director has listed at Companies House.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05'Surprise, surprise(!) There's no-one at home.
0:34:05 > 0:34:11'But John's still got the phone number of the promotions manager.'
0:34:11 > 0:34:16My name is John Davies from Hillingdon. I spoke to you a month ago.
0:34:16 > 0:34:21We've been to the business premises. You don't appear to be there.
0:34:21 > 0:34:29I've got some notices I need to give. Can you tell me where I can come and deliver the notices?
0:34:29 > 0:34:34You're not going to tell us where you are currently? OK, then.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38He's refusing to tell me where the business has relocated.
0:34:38 > 0:34:43He's told me to leave the notices at the premises we were just at,
0:34:43 > 0:34:48which is clearly... Legally, they're not served.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52They'll just say, "We haven't received them," or whatever.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56We will have to do more research. They've been very unhelpful.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59Not really surprised, but there you go.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03'So, this game of hide and seek continues.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07'These two officers are not letting sleeping dogs lie.
0:35:07 > 0:35:13'Will an early morning stake-out give them the result they need?'
0:35:13 > 0:35:15I don't want to get it wrong.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19So we'll just make sure we don't miss anything,
0:35:19 > 0:35:24as we've come to an important stage in the proceedings.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29'Back in the Essex countryside, in the district of Tendring,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33'Darren Weaver is hot on the heels of a fly-tipper
0:35:33 > 0:35:37'that dumped builder's waste and toxic chemicals in a field.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41'He found a sign with a telephone number and started investigating.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45'His enquiries have led him to the O2 arena in London.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50'He thinks it's not the arena itself but a contractor that's responsible.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53'He's determined to find them.'
0:35:53 > 0:35:56I'm like a dog with a bone. PHONE RINGS
0:35:56 > 0:36:00'These investigations are tough to conclude.
0:36:00 > 0:36:05'He's left with two potential leads to follow up.'
0:36:05 > 0:36:07I've got an e-mail come through.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12She's given me the two companies that do shutter doors at the arena.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16One company based in Kent... and Isleworth.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20What I'm going to do is tell them what I'm doing.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Tell them why I'm doing it.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28And even send them the pictures, let them have a look for themselves,
0:36:28 > 0:36:30and see where I go from there.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33'It's the moment of truth.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37'Will either of the contractors help Darren find the law-breakers
0:36:37 > 0:36:41'who dumped the toxic chemicals on his patch?'
0:36:41 > 0:36:44I work at Tendring, Clacton area.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48I investigate fly-tipping and things like that,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50environmental crime.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53The fly-tipping was near Clacton.
0:36:53 > 0:36:58I was wondering if any of your engineers live near or around Essex.
0:36:58 > 0:37:03If I e-mailed you with some pictures of the stuff that was dumped,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06would you or an engineer have a look at them?
0:37:06 > 0:37:11You're experts and if it's not you, you may be able to help me.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Cheers, then. Bye.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17'It's not looking good for Darren.'
0:37:17 > 0:37:21They're from Kent. None of their engineers live in the area.
0:37:21 > 0:37:26They haven't undertaken work this side of the river for a long time.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30She did say I can e-mail her the pictures.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34She'll see if anyone there recognises it.
0:37:34 > 0:37:40If both companies say "nothing to do with us", there's nothing I can do.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44I can't prove it. I've got no evidence that links them strongly.
0:37:44 > 0:37:49I've got a sign that's moveable and a couple of lumps of metal.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53'For the time being, Darren's got nowhere else to turn.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57'Catching the culprit is never guaranteed.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01'However, he's already seeing a massive improvement.'
0:38:01 > 0:38:05I've worked for the council for six months.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08The longer I'm here, the more prosecutions we're getting
0:38:08 > 0:38:12because of the contacts I'm building up.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16It was one in every ten fly-tips I'd solve.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19Now it's one in every five. It's going to be one in two.
0:38:19 > 0:38:24Or every fly-tip, unless they've been very, very careful.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28'Fly-tippers, take note. The more you dump on Darren's patch
0:38:28 > 0:38:32'the more likely he is to catch you red-handed.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37'Back to the officers in Hillingdon.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41'They're still playing cat and mouse with the directors of a company
0:38:41 > 0:38:46'for which fly-posters have been put up all over their borough.'
0:38:46 > 0:38:50It's an environmental issue, an eyesore.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54It's not what people want to see.
0:38:54 > 0:38:59'John and Alan are determined to catch the people responsible.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04'With a potential £1,100 fine, the directors don't want any contact.
0:39:04 > 0:39:09'They've decided to catch them when they leave home in the morning.
0:39:09 > 0:39:16'They simply need to hand over the notices so they have proof they've been received.'
0:39:16 > 0:39:19I don't want to get it wrong.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24So...we'll just make sure that we don't miss anything,
0:39:24 > 0:39:29as we've come to such an important stage in proceedings.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33'It looks a bit more promising than before.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37'There are cars around, but will anybody be in?'
0:39:37 > 0:39:41I'd say that there's a 100% chance that she's in,
0:39:41 > 0:39:44and a 100% chance that she doesn't want to answer the door.
0:39:44 > 0:39:50If she rushes out and rushes off before we can get to her...
0:39:50 > 0:39:54I will just post the notices, then. It's clear she's there.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58Clearly, she doesn't want to speak to us.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01And there'll be no circumstances
0:40:01 > 0:40:08in which she'll not be able to say she's not received the notices.
0:40:08 > 0:40:15'A short while later, there's some activity which doesn't help John and Alan.'
0:40:15 > 0:40:19Have you still got the door? I can see the car.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24'It appears that no-one's left the house.
0:40:24 > 0:40:29'But then, John sees the front door open.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33'Before John and Alan get a chance to get to the woman's house,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37'this silver car has rushed in to pick her up and sped off.
0:40:37 > 0:40:44'She's done a runner before they could hand her the £1,100 of fixed penalty notices.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48'And the driver of the car that collected her
0:40:48 > 0:40:52'narrowly misses hitting oncoming traffic.'
0:40:52 > 0:40:56What just happened is that Gillian, who we've seen leaving,
0:40:56 > 0:41:02her business partner has picked her up, a chap I know as Brian.
0:41:02 > 0:41:08She's called him in because she doesn't want to leave in her own car.
0:41:08 > 0:41:13He came in here quickly, picked her up, gone like a flash.
0:41:13 > 0:41:18That's enough for good service of these notices.
0:41:20 > 0:41:26'It's the end of a two-day game of cat and mouse but their job is done.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31'And there's a twist of irony to this case.'
0:41:31 > 0:41:35No junk mail, then they go round fly-posting.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37You've got to laugh, really.
0:41:37 > 0:41:43They don't want junk, but they don't mind sticking it all over council furniture.
0:41:43 > 0:41:48'A month later, John had to re-serve the fixed penalty notices
0:41:48 > 0:41:52'to the company secretary at the offices he previously visited.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57'They were collected by the company who had 28 days to pay, but didn't.'
0:41:57 > 0:41:59The state of play is
0:41:59 > 0:42:06we need to complete the file of court process and get our legal department to summons them.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10I don't know what the situation is at the moment.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15Only time will tell as to the reasons why they haven't paid.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Perhaps they fancy their chances.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21Hope they'll be acquitted. Who knows?
0:42:21 > 0:42:27'John is waiting for this to be resolved, but there is good news.'
0:42:27 > 0:42:29Functions are still going ahead.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33But since we started proceedings, they've put no more up.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37Just from that side of it, it's been a success!
0:42:37 > 0:42:41We've stopped them from putting more signs up.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46'This case did eventually reach a conclusion.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50'The company came forward and paid the fines, which amounted to £660.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55'John and his colleague's game of cat and mouse paid off.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57'Job done!
0:42:57 > 0:43:02'Join us next time, hot on the heels of more filthy rotten scoundrels.'
0:43:19 > 0:43:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd