0:00:02 > 0:00:06Every day, a war is being waged across Britain to clean up our towns and countryside.
0:00:06 > 0:00:11It's where I walk and where I live, and I don't want it to look a mess.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15The people who's doing this should definitely be heavily fined.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19From the tons of cigarettes butts, dogs' mess and household rubbish
0:00:19 > 0:00:22to mountains of tyres and skip-loads of builders' waste...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24To clear this area would be a big job.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27When I see people fly-tipping or even just littering,
0:00:27 > 0:00:32throwing a crisp packet on the floor, it makes me angry that people have so little respect.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35..we're on the front line of the clear-up and the fight-back,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38with the dedicated teams tracking down the rogues
0:00:38 > 0:00:41and putting the Great back into Britain.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44It may harm your defence if you don't mention, when questioned,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47something which you later rely on in court.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50On today's programme, a story that will take your breath away -
0:00:50 > 0:00:54a fly-tip in a Welsh beauty spot that contained a killer weed
0:00:54 > 0:00:58which is so powerful it can even cut through cement.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03It spreads like wildfire, and it can cause real, real problems.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06And from the baddies to the goodies - the youth of today,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty
0:01:10 > 0:01:12to clean up their local community.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15We've found an old fridge, an old freezer,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17- some tyres...- A computer.
0:01:17 > 0:01:22- HE CHUCKLES - A computer, an old vacuum cleaner.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Welcome to the dirty world of Filthy Rotten Scoundrels.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Brent in North London - an area plagued by graffiti.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55Luckily the council has its very own graffiti-buster,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Simon Finney. And he's a man on a mission.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00In our last series, we followed him
0:02:00 > 0:02:02trying to catch some persistent railway taggers.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05That's graffiti vandals, to you and me.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Some of the tags that have gone up there,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12I've seen those tags around for years and years and years now,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16and these guys have put a lot of graffiti vandalism up
0:02:16 > 0:02:19in and around Brent.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Using some sophisticated kit, Simon went all 007 on us
0:02:23 > 0:02:27and hid cameras and surveillance equipment in buildings nearby.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29If all goes well,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32the taggers, the graffiti vandals,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35will actually be walking up and down in amongst these cameras,
0:02:35 > 0:02:37and not be able to see them.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40To make sure he caught the crims in the act,
0:02:40 > 0:02:45he even had a special sign made up, but this was no ordinary sign.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48It housed a secret camera.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51We are hoping this is going to look like...
0:02:51 > 0:02:54just a regular signpost that we've had to put in
0:02:54 > 0:02:58as railway workers, and not anything fishy or suspicious.
0:02:58 > 0:03:03But even Simon was aware it could all go - well, horribly wrong.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06This whole thing could fall flat on its face,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10or it could be a perfect success, but you give it a shot,
0:03:10 > 0:03:11see what comes out of it.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16But brilliant news. The undercover mission worked like clockwork,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and Simon's team caught this tagger red-handed.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23The writing was literally on the wall for this cheeky vandal.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Darryl Khazanchi was convicted of repeated graffiti offences,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31and held responsible for £1,800 worth of damage.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34He's now prohibited from being in possession of any paint,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37dye or permanent ink in a public place.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42He's also been banned from any railway property that's not open to the public,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46and has been issued with a three-year ASBO. What a result!
0:03:51 > 0:03:54This time around, our ex-policeman and graffiti expert
0:03:54 > 0:03:57is taking things one step further.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59He's bringing in the heavy artillery
0:03:59 > 0:04:02and taking on the whole tagging army.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10OK - no, he's not. But he is about to begin a military-style operation
0:04:10 > 0:04:15to track down one local vandal who calls himself Tank.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20He's a repeat offender who's plastered his name all over the borough for years.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25Tank has been around, we estimate, for about ten years now,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29and he's from a local estate. That's what we suspect.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33We need to confirm that. We need to be able to get some evidence on him,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35and from that hopefully we can identify him,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39and start a prosecution process which will eventually result
0:04:39 > 0:04:42in Tank, and hopefully his crew,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46being eliminated from the most prolific tagging crews in Brent.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49And for those of you who aren't quite convinced
0:04:49 > 0:04:51about the need to wipe out tagging,
0:04:51 > 0:04:55here's how much this one guy alone is costing us taxpayers.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Historically, over the past ten years?
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Um, let's say, for example,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03he contributes to about - what, 30, 40 percent
0:05:03 > 0:05:07- of the tagging you've seen today. - OK.- Maybe ten grand a year,
0:05:07 > 0:05:13times ten years. He's probably got a track record of about £100,000,
0:05:13 > 0:05:17and that's probably an extremely conservative estimate.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20100 grand! There's only one word for that -
0:05:20 > 0:05:21obscene.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26And that's just one rotten vandal.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Brent has one of the most severe graffiti problems in London,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31and a survey by Keep Britain Tidy
0:05:31 > 0:05:33showed an average of 15 to 20 percent
0:05:33 > 0:05:37of all areas in the borough were unacceptably covered in graffiti.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39It is a huge problem.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Well, graffiti is intimidating. It angers people,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and it just runs down the area.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48It leads to vandalism, petty crime,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51antisocial behaviour.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56All that is linked. I say zero tolerance.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59It can be very depressing to walk through an area
0:05:59 > 0:06:01with graffiti all around,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05and it almost becomes contagious.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07This particular wall,
0:06:07 > 0:06:12each tagger that wants to get as much coverage as possible in Brent
0:06:12 > 0:06:16has pretty much come along here and put his tag up.
0:06:16 > 0:06:17Something needs to be done,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20otherwise it's going to ruin the area.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22You're spot-on.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27We'll be back on the front line with Simon later,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30as he steps up his mission to track down the elusive tagger
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and his wall-writing friends.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Final, push "record" button and lock up shop,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38and we wait for customers, really.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Now, just take a look at this - beautiful countryside
0:06:48 > 0:06:51and rolling hills. But lurking in the woodlands
0:06:51 > 0:06:54are some of Britain's filthiest scoundrels,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56who are prepared to ruin it for us all,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59dumping their rubbish and putting the environment in danger.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06This serious case of fly-tipping occurred
0:07:06 > 0:07:11in this beautiful area of woodland in forest in Carmarthenshire.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Just look at it!
0:07:16 > 0:07:19In just a few weeks, so much rubbish was dumped here,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22this beautiful place started to look like landfill.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28Environmental crime officer Lyn Richards led the investigation
0:07:28 > 0:07:31to catch the crook behind the scam, and he's not happy -
0:07:31 > 0:07:33not happy at all.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36It's not acceptable. It's criminality,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39and it's antisocial, and working together,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42we hope to try and stop this from occurring,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45stop these individuals blighting our countryside.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52It all came about when a passerby saw strange goings-on in the area,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54and alarm bells rang.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57A member of the public saw a vehicle loaded with waste
0:07:57 > 0:08:00come off the highway, come down into this area of land,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03and come back empty.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07This is a primary site. It's just off the main road.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09It's very secluded.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13It's... Well, it's a fly-tipping haven, to be honest.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18Now, Lyn is an experienced environmental-crime officer,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21but even he was shocked by what he saw.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24This fly-tipper meant business - dirty business.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27But while it might have been good business for him,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30it was bad news for innocent Steve Parker
0:08:30 > 0:08:33who owns the bit of private land where all this was dumped.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35He's devastated.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38It's going to be a big inconvenience for me,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41cos I've got to spend, obviously, a few days down here.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43The whole family will be here cleaning it up.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47I'll have to get somebody down here with a machine, loading skips,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49and it's just going to be a nightmare.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52And I'm left with the cost of that.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56But Lyn was determined to crack the case.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59He took extreme measures - undercover surveillance.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04I got one of the officers to scope the area out,
0:09:04 > 0:09:09and we identified that, yes, a lot of material was being fly-tipped.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13It was a prime location for us to deploy covert cameras.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16The game was on.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Lyn and his team set up hidden cameras around the site,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22including a motion-sensor surveillance camera
0:09:22 > 0:09:25inside one of the piles of rubbish.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Now all they had to do was wait.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37And they didn't have to wait long. The vans just kept coming.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39But what was even more amazing,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43they were always driven by just one man - David Castanho.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Over a period of three weeks,
0:09:45 > 0:09:50we caught Mr Castanho coming in on seven separate occasions,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52basically fly-tipping.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57It was a veritable conveyor belt of household items -
0:09:57 > 0:10:00a large blue fishpond,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02perfect to show off your collection of goldfish,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05a sturdy black dustbin, the practical accompaniment
0:10:05 > 0:10:07for any household,
0:10:07 > 0:10:13and a deluxe green strimmer, ideal for keeping your edges trim.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16All that's missing is the cuddly toy.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19But this wasn't a family game show.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21It was a disgrace.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28Lyn discovered that David Castanho had been running a garden-waste disposal business.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31His customers were paying him in good faith
0:10:31 > 0:10:33to take away their rubbish and dispose of it properly.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38But - you guessed it - Castanho was just pocketing the cash
0:10:38 > 0:10:41and dumping the rubbish. Outrageous!
0:10:42 > 0:10:45And, as we'll find out later,
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Lyn was about to make a startling and sinister discovery.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00Now, how do you make a good-news story from a pile of old rubbish?
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Well, an imaginative environmental project
0:11:05 > 0:11:09in North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, has cracked it.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Hill Holt Wood stretches for 34 acres,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15and it's where schemes are run to train young people
0:11:15 > 0:11:17who are struggling to find work or college places.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22We do a lot of woodland management, carry out a lot of eco-building.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24We have our own design team,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27and we have the whole process of felling trees
0:11:27 > 0:11:30right through to building buildings such as the ones you see around here.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Now, I know what you're thinking - this all sounds lovely, Dom,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37but what's it got to do with Filthy Rotten Scoundrels?
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Well, one of the schemes they run at Hill Holt Wood
0:11:40 > 0:11:44is Watch NK, which recruits 16 to 18 year olds
0:11:44 > 0:11:49to train as woodland rangers. The youngsters get a qualification
0:11:49 > 0:11:51and a chance to improve their employment prospects,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54and here's the really good bit - as part of the course,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57they work with the council to pick up litter
0:11:57 > 0:12:00and deal with fly tips. Everyone's a winner.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03The learners are here to gain themselves more qualifications
0:12:03 > 0:12:06and life skills, so the litter picking,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09it's part of the BTEC qualification,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12and that certainly helps to get them out and about there
0:12:12 > 0:12:14looking after our countryside.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Today, Watch NK senior ranger Ben Wilton
0:12:19 > 0:12:23is taking 18 year olds Matt and Kirsten out on his rubbish round.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25So, with Matt and Kirsten's help,
0:12:25 > 0:12:30we go out, we hunt around for all these fly tips and stuff,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32and really just put in a day's work.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Right. We're going to go out around the North Kesteven district,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40checking a few of the roads and some of the lay-bys we have
0:12:40 > 0:12:43on the main roads in the area.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Wouldn't we all love a team like this in our local area -
0:12:46 > 0:12:49enthusiastic young people keeping our communities tidy
0:12:49 > 0:12:52and getting something out of it themselves?
0:12:52 > 0:12:54I dropped out of college cos I didn't like it,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57cos it was horrible and not very fun either.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01So I just thought I'd come here, cos it's, like, better experience,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04and you get out and about and see the world a bit more,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07just get new experiences and qualifications
0:13:07 > 0:13:09that you wouldn't really get anywhere else.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Normally I'd just sit at home just bored out of my brains.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Just, like, there's nowt to do. When I got going to Hill Holt,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19I love coming now. I come every day and that.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22I really like going, cos there's something new every day.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26These guys are learning about the environment,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29learning about the environment's importance,
0:13:29 > 0:13:31and learning how to respect the environment,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34and the way the planet's going at the minute,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38you know, I mean, that can only be a very positive thing,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and we need to start looking after our planet,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44because when it's gone, unfortunately so are all of we.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Well said, Ben. I don't know about you,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49but I'm quite attached to this big old planet of ours,
0:13:49 > 0:13:53and in North Kesteven, a district of 356 square miles,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57a whopping 94 percent of the land is classified as green space,
0:13:57 > 0:14:02so it's really obvious here that the countryside needs looking after.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06So thank the garbage gods that Watch NK are doing it for us.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Guys, if you want to grab your gloves,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11if I get in, I'll start pulling everything out.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- Just watch what you're picking up. That's the big thing.- Yeah.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17There could be anything in here.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23It's quite pointless, to be honest.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27What compels people to do this?
0:14:27 > 0:14:30I mean, all right, it costs a bit of money to get rid of it,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32but it seems pretty pointless.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36The guys pile up the junk on the track,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38then they call in the council's crack team,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41who go through it for clues to try and track down who dumped it
0:14:41 > 0:14:45before taking it away. So, what on Earth have we got here?
0:14:45 > 0:14:48We've found an old fridge, an old freezer,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50- some tyres...- A computer.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54- HE CHUCKLES - A computer, an old vacuum cleaner.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58- A trampoline.- Just household waste, like an old trampoline.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Can I remind you, dear viewer, that all this has been dumped
0:15:02 > 0:15:05in a beautiful wood in the Lincolnshire countryside?
0:15:05 > 0:15:07It's shocking, isn't it?
0:15:07 > 0:15:10I know you have a bit of a problem getting rid of fridges
0:15:10 > 0:15:13because of the gas that's contained in the cylinders at the back,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16so you often find a lot of people dumping fridges,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18which is a shame,
0:15:18 > 0:15:23cos I'm pretty sure, like, the local scrap-recycling merchants
0:15:23 > 0:15:26will take it, and that sort of thing.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30So we're going to get some red-and-white tape
0:15:30 > 0:15:35and just mark it so that people can see that someone knows about it
0:15:35 > 0:15:39and knows that it's here, and when I get back to the office
0:15:39 > 0:15:41later on today, I'll report it to the district council,
0:15:41 > 0:15:45and then they'll come and grab it straight away,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48so it's not here too long. Kirsten, do you want to grab the sticker?
0:15:48 > 0:15:50That's it.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Lets people know that we've been here, we know it's there,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56and that it's going to get cleared up.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Find out later what else our fearless fly-tip heroes
0:15:59 > 0:16:03have to contend with in their North Kesteven woodland adventure.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04Sorted!
0:16:10 > 0:16:12From the rural to the city...
0:16:14 > 0:16:17the inner city, where this is taking over.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22In the London borough of Brent,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Simon Finney is on a mission to wipe out graffiti.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33And he's after one prolific pen artist in particular.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40He's rounded up his troops, and part one of the operation has begun.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46They're cleaning up some disused toilets in Butlers Green in Sudbury.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49They're giving the place a fresh lick of paint,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53to see if the now-blank canvas will attract the local vandal and his crew.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58They tend to target sort of play areas, parks,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01open walls, council- or government-owned buildings.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04We still have an obligation to clean up regardless,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07so there's no more money that's being spent on this
0:17:07 > 0:17:11than we would normally spend on removing graffiti anyway.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15It's just that the graffiti will reoccur
0:17:15 > 0:17:18on these types of surfaces, so one could ask the question,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21"Why are you removing the graffiti?"
0:17:21 > 0:17:24And the answer to that is because it's an eyesore,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28and eventually, hopefully, our perseverance will win the day,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32where we'll keep on going until graffiti stops returning,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36and taggers will hopefully end up facing a judge or prosecution
0:17:36 > 0:17:40or a police officer, or move on with their lives
0:17:40 > 0:17:42and find something better to do.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47While some of the team are hard at work jet-washing graffiti off,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51the others begin to set their traps to catch the taggers at work.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54It's all about the positioning of the secret cameras.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58If you've got your camera sitting at an angle like that,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01to get your wire through there's going to be a problem.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04I'm sure we can get it up and through and out that hole.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08But if you put that where that hole is sitting like that...
0:18:08 > 0:18:11- That's all right. - You can bring it down if you want to get it into the brick.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Where we're going to put our night-vision cameras
0:18:15 > 0:18:18is in these roof sections here.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21We're hoping to be able to secure it to some of these beams,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23but if not, we've brought on some timber
0:18:23 > 0:18:28so we can make a rough little frame to screw it to.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33The next part of the operation is for Simon to plan
0:18:33 > 0:18:36some extra surveillance outside the toilet block.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39He's found a white van to use as a red herring,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41if that makes any sense.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46I've got a better idea of the kind of operation I want to put together,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49the kind of covert equipment I want to put together,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53and I've got an idea of how to actually catch these taggers,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55particularly in relation to the toilet site,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59and the aim of this will be to use this vehicle
0:18:59 > 0:19:02and to transmit signals to the vehicle,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05and also to have cameras in the vehicle,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09also recording conditions on site.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16To make the van look legit,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Simon's come up with a false company name to stick on it,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22so he can park up outside the newly cleaned-up toilets
0:19:22 > 0:19:28and not draw attention. Hopefully our tagger might be caught short.
0:19:28 > 0:19:33It's almost like watching a new family member being born here!
0:19:33 > 0:19:36It's all coming out in one piece, as well.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Brilliant!
0:19:39 > 0:19:41- G Rafferty at your service.- Yes!
0:19:43 > 0:19:48Brent Council removes almost 3,000 square metres of graffiti per year,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51at a cost of £250,000.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56These thoughtless taggers are just spraying our taxes up the wall,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58quite literally.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Knowing that the council is seeing 30 percent cuts
0:20:00 > 0:20:05over the next three years, it's money that could be better spent elsewhere.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08That money can be used for children in the borough
0:20:08 > 0:20:11or for the elderly or for the sick -
0:20:11 > 0:20:14something a better cause than just removing graffiti
0:20:14 > 0:20:18which has been put up by some silly boy or girl.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21It is very important to catch these individuals
0:20:21 > 0:20:25and get them off the streets, because it is extremely expensive.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Hear, hear!
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Simon knows the people of Brent are relying on him,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35and he's taking his mission seriously.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38He and his colleague Tony meet in the dead of night
0:20:38 > 0:20:40to plan their attack with military precision.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43We've got the two sites, indicated by...
0:20:43 > 0:20:45This, shall we call the north-building one?
0:20:45 > 0:20:50The position of cameras, cables and recording devices are all crucial.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52This is the largest camera we'll be using.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Um, slightly more difficult to conceal,
0:20:55 > 0:21:01so for this one, we'll be mounting this in the loft space of the block.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07Now, slightly more easy to conceal is our small bullet cams,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10which give a really nice sharp picture.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12On this operation we'll be concealing those
0:21:12 > 0:21:16in fake light fittings attached to the outside of the block.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21That should provide us with a much closer shot
0:21:21 > 0:21:24of anyone who puts any graffiti up on the walls there.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27And finally we have our smallest camera,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31nice and easy to conceal. When this is in place,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33it just looks like the head of a screw.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37No-one's going to notice this even if it's right out in the open.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41And you can see that it gives us a very nice sharp colour image.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44This one actually works at night-time, as well,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47gives a good night-vision picture in black and white,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50all from a tiny little camera like that.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Good luck, lads.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05It's 2:00 AM, and the guys have arrived at the old toilet block
0:22:05 > 0:22:08in Butlers Green, Sudbury. They know the tagger and his friends
0:22:08 > 0:22:11live nearby, so they think it's only a matter of time
0:22:11 > 0:22:14before the freshly painted walls get defaced again.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16What we did the last time here was,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19when we came through we sort of drilled holes,
0:22:19 > 0:22:23and we made sure there was access points for the various bits of cable
0:22:23 > 0:22:27that we now need to feed through from our cameras to our recorders.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30We got a hole there going through to that light fitting.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33We got a hole down there which leads to the drainpipe outside
0:22:33 > 0:22:37where another camera's going to go, and Tony will be fitting a camera
0:22:37 > 0:22:38on the other side, on the roof.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Having planned their covert operation so carefully,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46it's vital that Simon's cameras are positioned
0:22:46 > 0:22:49in exactly the right spots.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52How have you actually settled it?
0:22:52 > 0:22:54I'm facing you at the toilet block now.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58OK, that's fine. We've got to it fairly easy.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Let's have a look at this picture.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Ah, yeah. That's pretty good.
0:23:07 > 0:23:13Do me a favour. Just take a stroll around by the actual doors there.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18I can get a sense of the actual focus of someone in shot.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Excellent!
0:23:24 > 0:23:28- We can almost identify from that shot alone.- Oh, that's good.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31What we've managed to achieve so far is,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33we've got one roof camera up,
0:23:33 > 0:23:37we're on a second roof camera, we've put an external camera outside here
0:23:37 > 0:23:39and down the one flank wall.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43I'm busy putting the second external camera down the other flank wall.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47I feel that the site is fairly well installed
0:23:47 > 0:23:51in terms of the sort of individuals that we're hoping to catch here,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54and anyone else, for that matter, not being able to make out
0:23:54 > 0:23:57that we've actually got any cameras in here.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59But before they can all head home,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Simon needs to move his secret weapon,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05his surveillance van, into the correct position.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11It's been a hard night's graft, but Simon's happy,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14and his tagger trap is finally ready.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16The machines are already recording now,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19and we're satisfied with all the views and the angles we've got,
0:24:19 > 0:24:24so it's pretty much set. Um, just tweak that one last camera,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28and then, final, push "record" button and lock up shop,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and we wait for customers, really.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35It's edge-of-the-seat time, folks.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Will the cameras catch the terrible taggers in the act?
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Well, we'll be back to find out later in the programme.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49In Carmarthenshire, environmental- crime officer Lyn Richards
0:24:49 > 0:24:51is investigating a serial fly-tipper
0:24:51 > 0:24:55who's littered the beautiful Welsh countryside with this.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02Garden waste, household goods, mattresses, concrete and chemicals -
0:25:02 > 0:25:04the list is endless.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09But worst of all, Lyn's found something
0:25:09 > 0:25:12that's threatening the entire local area.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16Castanho was responsible for tipping a lot of different types of material
0:25:16 > 0:25:19at this location, but more worryingly,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Castanho brought in a lot of soil
0:25:22 > 0:25:25contaminated with Japanese knotweed.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Japanese knotweed is very difficult to get rid of.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It spreads like wildfire,
0:25:32 > 0:25:36and it can cause real, real problems,
0:25:36 > 0:25:41and as you can see here, now the Japanese knotweed is springing up.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Give it another couple of months,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48this'll be a lot worse than what it is at the moment.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Japanese knotweed is the nearest thing to Godzilla
0:25:52 > 0:25:55in the plant world, and can grow more than a metre
0:25:55 > 0:25:58in just one month.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Under the Environmental Protection Act,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03it's classified as controlled waste,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07and must be properly disposed of at licensed landfill sites.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13These shocking images demonstrate just how aggressive it is.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19It can penetrate through almost anything, including concrete.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Roots can grow three metres deep,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24and it can lie dormant for years.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28It's even known to invade people's homes,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30costing a fortune to get rid of.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35And it's so bad that people have been refused mortgages
0:26:35 > 0:26:38simply because the dreaded weed is growing in the garden.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44It's become a countrywide problem.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Initially brought to the UK by the Victorians
0:26:47 > 0:26:50as an ornamental plant, it quickly turned into a menace,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54ruining everything and anything in its path,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57as this community garden in West Horsley in Surrey knows
0:26:57 > 0:27:01only too well. Before the members took it over,
0:27:01 > 0:27:03the area had regularly been used for fly-tipping,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06and Japanese knotweed had taken hold.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12We first discovered we had Japanese knotweed
0:27:12 > 0:27:14when a friend of mine came into the garden
0:27:14 > 0:27:17and spotted it, and told me what it was.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21It meant nothing to me, and then gradually over the weeks and months
0:27:21 > 0:27:24I realised what a problem it was going to be.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26We can't use it, grow in it or plant in it.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30We have to cordon it off. There's also the problem it could cause -
0:27:30 > 0:27:33we have all sorts of different members coming in and out,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37and to run the risk that one of them could get some of it on their foot,
0:27:37 > 0:27:41take it home and it start to spread through their own garden and house
0:27:41 > 0:27:43is a real worry.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48Su's called upon knotweed exterminator Nic Seal.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52He's the man who can and is about to take on the deadly knotweed.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57This is a pile of concrete demolition rubble
0:27:57 > 0:28:01that's unfortunately infested with Japanese knotweed.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03I suspect this has been illegally dumped here,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07probably by an unscrupulous operator
0:28:07 > 0:28:10who's probably got one to two lorry loads of infested soil,
0:28:10 > 0:28:15and rather than doing the right thing and taking it to a registered landfill site,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18he's dumped it here, because it will have cost him a couple of grand
0:28:18 > 0:28:21to dump this legally.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25The problem with the weed is that just a tiny piece
0:28:25 > 0:28:28can infiltrate a huge area, killing other plants
0:28:28 > 0:28:30and destroying the land.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Something like that in the original fly tip
0:28:33 > 0:28:37would have been enough to get this infestation started,
0:28:37 > 0:28:41so obviously it takes a few years for it to start to spread,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44but this particular fly tip, everything's been here
0:28:44 > 0:28:46for quite a few years.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49We can tell that by the age of this root material.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53But, yeah, something as big as that
0:28:53 > 0:28:57or even literally a piece like that will actually grow,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01so if left for long enough, we'll end up with a big infestation,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04ultimately as large as this.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10The cost of clearing a site is huge.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Su's estimated that removing the knotweed
0:29:13 > 0:29:16will cost £1,000 a lorry load.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19And get this - it'll take not one lorry,
0:29:19 > 0:29:24not even ten lorries, but - wait for it - 60 lorries to get rid of it!
0:29:24 > 0:29:26That is a whopping £60,000.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28Ouch!
0:29:29 > 0:29:33But Nic's something of a knight in shining armour.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36His specialist machine cleverly extracts the weed from the soil.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40It all means the soil can go back into the garden,
0:29:40 > 0:29:44and Su will only have to pay to get the actual knotweed taken away.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46And how many lorry loads will that be?
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Just one.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52What we have is the excavator loading the infested soil
0:29:52 > 0:29:56being dug out from here into the hopper of the extract machine.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00The extract machine is then separating those soils
0:30:00 > 0:30:04into two fractions of the topsoil that's coming off
0:30:04 > 0:30:07on the far conveyor there, so that topsoil is free of knotweed
0:30:07 > 0:30:12and is ready for use on any patch you want to use this afternoon,
0:30:12 > 0:30:14if you really want to.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18It's the start of a four-day process to fully clear the land.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20It's not going to be easy,
0:30:20 > 0:30:22but finally there's light at the end of the tunnel.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25The knotweed in that corner of the garden
0:30:25 > 0:30:27has felt like a set of brakes,
0:30:27 > 0:30:30that in that area we've not been able to do anything. Now that it's gone,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34we're off scot-free, and we'll be able to get going,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37doing in there what we've done everywhere else. It'll be brilliant.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Back in Wales, after four weeks of surveillance,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45the environmental-crime team were confident
0:30:45 > 0:30:48that they had enough footage to bring David Castanho down.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52We interviewed Mr Castanho,
0:30:52 > 0:30:56and on seeing the evidence, Mr Castanho pleaded guilty
0:30:56 > 0:30:59to knowingly depositing controlled waste,
0:30:59 > 0:31:05and subsequently the court imposed a 28-day prison sentence on Mr Castanho.
0:31:05 > 0:31:0928 days behind bars! But that wasn't all.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Lyn Richards had another cunning plan up his sleeve,
0:31:12 > 0:31:17guaranteed to teach Castanho that crime really doesn't pay.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21We did request the court
0:31:21 > 0:31:23if they could confiscate the vehicle,
0:31:23 > 0:31:27because we had evidence that it was used in the commission of a crime,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30so we subsequently had the vehicle crushed.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36Look at that! And, just for all the filthy fly-tippers out there,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39let's savour that one more time.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50Incredible!
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Back at the scene of the crime, Lyn Richards' next priority
0:31:59 > 0:32:03was to speak to landowner Steve about security,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06so he'd never have to pay for someone else's dirty work again.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09And Steve doesn't mince his words.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13I think it's disgusting, to be honest, the people would tip
0:32:13 > 0:32:18in their local area, which... Now we're going to have to think of
0:32:18 > 0:32:22some security measures or whatever, get some new gates up
0:32:22 > 0:32:26on the entrance, and I'm going to have to try and visit the land
0:32:26 > 0:32:29at least every other day, every day if I can, to keep an eye
0:32:29 > 0:32:32and make sure nobody's fly-tipping down here.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Poor old Steve!
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Castanho had committed a serious crime,
0:32:37 > 0:32:40and got a strong punishment for it.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47So anyone out there thinking of dumping their rubbish, beware.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51But it's not just the fly-tippers who can face prosecution.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54One thing that members of the public need to do
0:32:54 > 0:32:58is to find out who is actually going to take their waste away,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00who are they going to give their money to.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04One check they need to do, they've got to be a registered waste carrier.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07That's very important. If we find out
0:33:07 > 0:33:11that you have not taken the necessary actions
0:33:11 > 0:33:14to find out that you were going to dispose of it properly,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17ultimately you could be taken to court.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20So, a lesson for us all.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23Poor old Steve still hasn't got round to clearing the rubbish,
0:33:23 > 0:33:26but the great news is that, thanks to Lyn's hard work,
0:33:26 > 0:33:31the real crook here got what he deserved - time behind bars.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43From the horrors of Japanese knotweed
0:33:43 > 0:33:47to the youngsters working hard to keep our land a green and pleasant one.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Environmental scheme Watch NK
0:33:50 > 0:33:53is training 18 year olds Matt and Kirsten to do a great job -
0:33:53 > 0:33:56tidying up the mess some rotten scoundrels have left
0:33:56 > 0:33:59in the middle of the North Kesteven countryside.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02But what do they really think of the fly-tippers?
0:34:02 > 0:34:05If I had some rubbish like that, I'd want to get rid of it,
0:34:05 > 0:34:09but I wouldn't waste fuel going out to woods in the middle of nowhere
0:34:09 > 0:34:12just to drop it, and all the effort of that.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Obviously people don't think like that.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17They just think of the fastest way to get rid of it.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20They even come to your door and ask if they can buy stuff off you
0:34:20 > 0:34:22- so they can make more off it. - Yeah, I know.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26You sell it to them cos they get rid of it properly.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Clearly this lot have the right attitude.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32But sadly, coming across fly-tipping is an everyday part
0:34:32 > 0:34:35of the Watch NK operation. Ever the planet-saver,
0:34:35 > 0:34:39Ben has to be vigilant at the sight of every bag that's been dumped.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43Anything that could lead to a rubbish rogue being caught
0:34:43 > 0:34:46is a vital piece of evidence for a future prosecution.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49So, we're just coming along here, and...
0:34:49 > 0:34:54and I've just noticed, just up here on the right,
0:34:54 > 0:34:56just as it starts to rain, which is lovely,
0:34:56 > 0:35:00there's just a few bags of rubbish which have been dumped.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02How disgusting!
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Someone has just dumped three bin-bags at the side of the road.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09The council like us to mark them up and leave them.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14- You got the tape?- Yeah. If you just put them together, Matt.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18'Sometimes black bin-bags might contain rubbish
0:35:18 > 0:35:21'like letters and stuff like that,
0:35:21 > 0:35:24'so we might be able to find some information
0:35:24 > 0:35:27'on the people that maybe dumped it,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31'and if we can find that sort of information, or the council can,
0:35:31 > 0:35:36'then, they can maybe work at prosecuting some people,
0:35:36 > 0:35:39'and we have had some successes in the past.'
0:35:39 > 0:35:41But what do the young helpers think
0:35:41 > 0:35:43of clearing up other people's rotten rubbish?
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Could they do it full-time?
0:35:46 > 0:35:48Since I've been going to Hill Holt Wood,
0:35:48 > 0:35:50it's actually opened my eyes on stuff
0:35:50 > 0:35:53that you would normally turn your nose at,
0:35:53 > 0:35:57but actually it's not that bad, and it really is quite interesting,
0:35:57 > 0:36:00some of the stuff that you do. Now, if someone said to me...
0:36:00 > 0:36:06If someone asked me and said, "Do you want to do this litter-picking job or this fly-tipping job,
0:36:06 > 0:36:09just go out and clean it up and that?"
0:36:09 > 0:36:12I'd say yeah. I wouldn't mind doing it,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15because it's a job, and they're really hard to come by
0:36:15 > 0:36:17when you're about 18, 19.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19Good on you, Matt.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22But there's no time for him to sit and ponder his future.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26It's straight on to the next site for the trusty team of three.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28If we sweep up as a team, then, guys,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31work our way along, just picking up any litter we see.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36This doesn't look like fly-tipping, so the council doesn't need to be informed,
0:36:36 > 0:36:39and the guys are OK to pick up the litter and get rid of it.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41I can't see why people have to do this.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43They come to the woods to look at the trees,
0:36:43 > 0:36:46have a walk or walk the dog,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48but they feel compelled to drop fag packets.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52It's taught me that people should probably take more care,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56cos, like...if they leave rubbish, then, it'll just get rotten,
0:36:56 > 0:36:58and then someone else will have to pick it up.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Since I've been coming to Hill Holt, I just don't drop litter.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05Keep walking up with me, guys. Keep heading this way.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08This guys are good kids. They work hard,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11and by doing this, it shows them that it's not always a good thing
0:37:11 > 0:37:15to drop litter. And by coming out and helping us,
0:37:15 > 0:37:19they're helping the environment. You see we're in a real situation,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and the amount we've picked up - we've filled three bags
0:37:22 > 0:37:25on one little road out in the middle of nowhere,
0:37:25 > 0:37:29so by doing this, it's helping the environment,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32and it's helping these guys to gain some vital life skills
0:37:32 > 0:37:35that they might use in later life.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41It's the end of a very fruitful day for the team,
0:37:41 > 0:37:43and young helper Matt has arrived back at base
0:37:43 > 0:37:45with ranger Ben.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48I think today was a big success with the guys,
0:37:48 > 0:37:50and they seemed to get something out of today,
0:37:50 > 0:37:54and they managed to see some of the damage that can be done
0:37:54 > 0:37:56from fly-tipping and littering,
0:37:56 > 0:38:01and obviously we were working together as part of a team, as well,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04so I think that was definitely, like, a bonus for them.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08It gets them ready, really, for life outside of Hill Holt,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11because they can't be here forever, unfortunately,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14so they have got to get themselves ready to go out,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17and if they can leave here slightly better people
0:38:17 > 0:38:21because of days like today, then, that can only be a positive thing.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24- Just from my part, Matt, well done for today.- Cheers.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27You helped me out a lot.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30I think Hill Holt Wood will have a positive effect on my life,
0:38:30 > 0:38:32for the simple reason, basically,
0:38:32 > 0:38:36it's given me a better outlook on life and that.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40It's given me... It's shown me that there's more out there
0:38:40 > 0:38:43than just sitting in a room,
0:38:43 > 0:38:46drinking, smoking and playing Xbox.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49That's the spirit! And Ben's clearly pleased with the day's work.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53You've done really well. I'm really impressed with the way you've worked,
0:38:53 > 0:38:57so, er, keep up the good work, and I'll see you tomorrow.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00- Nice one. Cheers, mate.- Cheers.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03I'm going to take this opportunity, cos it's make-or-break, really.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06I really need to do this, so I'm just going to...
0:39:06 > 0:39:09put all my effort into Hill Holt at the minute
0:39:09 > 0:39:12and hopefully go on to bigger and better things in the future.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14We're sure you will, Matt,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17but saving the environment is a pretty good job for now.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20The people of Planet Earth salute you.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29Simon Finney is on a one-man mission
0:39:29 > 0:39:32to wipe graffiti off the face of Brent in London.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36He's after one prolific tagger
0:39:36 > 0:39:40who's been blighting the borough with his name for the last decade.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45All these "Tank"s along here, which have been put along the top,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47they all look fairly fresh,
0:39:47 > 0:39:50in addition to this very blurry, patchy silver stuff
0:39:50 > 0:39:53along that bottom. I can't recall that being here last time we were.
0:39:53 > 0:39:58And this big white piece over here, that also looks fairly new to me.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02So he's definitely been along this bridge in the last week or so,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05and put some fresh graffiti on it.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07It's an encouraging sign.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10Simon thinks he's close to nabbing his man.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13What we've got over here is what looks like another fresh one.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18Same silver can. He's been through here quite recently.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21I can't remember this being here the last time either.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Simon's team rigged secret cameras in a disused toilet block
0:40:27 > 0:40:29that was a magnet for the graffiti crowd,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32and set their trap to catch the cheeky vandal.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34But did it work?
0:40:34 > 0:40:38Well, actually, something rather extraordinary happened.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42Their covert operation stopped the graffiti altogether.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46This wall in particular, and these doors,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49had quite a lot of graffiti on it.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51You can see by the bleached look of the bricks
0:40:51 > 0:40:53where we've repeatedly removed the graffiti.
0:40:53 > 0:40:58So we removed the graffiti, and on our regular visits we've come back.
0:40:58 > 0:41:03The tag that we were looking for, trying to catch that offender, Tank,
0:41:03 > 0:41:08it hasn't come back, and the graffiti by and large hasn't come back,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11which in itself is a success story, as well.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16People are taking us seriously. The taggers are scared of us,
0:41:16 > 0:41:18and the graffiti hasn't come back, as you can see.
0:41:18 > 0:41:23It's encouraging to hear that such a covert operation
0:41:23 > 0:41:26is giving some sort of positive impact.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29I think cameras are a good way of stopping graffiti.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32It's a good deterrent, and the images of the offenders can be used,
0:41:32 > 0:41:36and shown to the community so they can be identified.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39If it's the only way to catch them, if that is the last resort,
0:41:39 > 0:41:43I'm all in favour of it. We're very grateful for Simon and his team
0:41:43 > 0:41:47for doing the very best that they can for the local people.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53So, this operation might not have turned out exactly as expected,
0:41:53 > 0:41:55but what Simon and his team have done
0:41:55 > 0:41:57is stop the taggers completely,
0:41:57 > 0:42:00in what used to be a graffiti hot spot.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17Ah, all sparkly and clean. Nice work, lads!
0:42:19 > 0:42:21From builders' rubble and household waste
0:42:21 > 0:42:25and everything in between, there's a great British army
0:42:25 > 0:42:28of enforcers out there, working to keep our country tidy.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Join us next time,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33when we'll be chasing down more filthy rotten scoundrels.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:42:37 > 0:42:41E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
0:42:41 > 0:42:41.