Episode 6 Oxford Street Revealed

It's the most famous shopping street in the world, in the heart

of Britain's capital city.

A mile and a half long, with 30 million visitors each year.

With some of the world's most famous shops...

-CHEERING ..biggest stars...

-Kate Moss!

..and busiest stations...

Sorry, guys, stand back for me.

..what does it take to keep it running 24 hours a day...

It's the busiest street in the world so it needs constant attention.

-..seven days a week...

-Oi! Clear off!

You're going to be arrested on suspicion of attempted theft.

Are you ready, London?!

A street that never sleeps.

This sort of thing wouldn't happen anywhere else.

Oxford Street.

Coming up, the Oxford Street police team take on skankers...

Got a runner, got a runner! IC3 male!

..fake drug dealers with a reputation for robbery.

You are under arrest for offering to supply drugs.

What does it take to work at Britain's busiest railway station?

Love it. Busiest station. Something different happening every day.

Photographer Andy Barnes is sniffing out celebs at a department store.

Lovely.

The task of keeping Oxford Street safe falls to its police team,

known as ORB.

And tonight, their plainclothes officers have joined Operation Bobcat,

a special team tasked with cracking down on crime

on Oxford Street and in neighbouring Soho.

This area of tightly packed streets and lanes is a key part

of the capital's night-time economy, and a popular party destination.

For Sgt Gary Skinner and his eight-man team,

it promises to be a busy night.

Operation Bobcat has been created primarily to reduce

the amount of robberies.

Tonight, they're looking for telltale signs of robbers

and drug dealers, small groups of men lurking in anyways, trying to

attract the attention of passers-by that have had a few drinks.

Just about to walk down this little alleyway, this known is for robberies.

And it is not long before Sgt Skinner spots two men acting suspiciously.

Any Bobcat officers in Wardour Street, near Bourchier Street, the little alleyway?

The men are having discussions in a nearby courtyard. Having been

noticed, Sgt Skinner decides to move in for a chat.

Hello, mate, how are you doing? Both of you stay here.

Just stay there.

Got a runner, got a runner! IC3 male,

dark blue puffer jacket. Five foot ten tall.

Running up towards Greek Street. Left, left, left into Greek Street.

Other officers to assist.

Yeah, stop him!

Got him detained, one detained.

-Carlisle Street.

-Yeah.

-Why the hell did you run? Hey, why did you run?!

Hey?!

Why did you run?

I am Sgt Skinner.

Sgt Skinner suspects the man might be a drug dealer.

I'm going to search you under section 23, Misuse Of Drugs Act.

Yes, do you understand?

-Before we start getting into it, have you got anything on you?

-No.

-No?

-What's this?

-Paracetamol.

-Paracetamol. What, you got a cold?

-Yeah, for a headache.

-Have you really?

The paracetamol is the only thing the man has on him,

but Sgt Skinner thinks it is still significant.

He thinks the man is a skanker.

What skanking is, is the criminal offers people drugs.

But what he will normally have is crushed up paracetamol or

Lemsip in the guise of drugs.

The victim will pay 40, £50 for this stuff,

think they're getting drugs, go to wherever it is

they're going to take these drugs and find out they have been conned. Skanking is a con.

Skanking is a problem that's on the rise in nightlife

areas across the UK.

The police's main concern is the more serious crimes that come with it.

The harsh reality of it is that 93% of the people we've

arrested, mainly for offering to supply drugs, are known for robbery.

And once they lure the victim in,

once they get into the dark alleyway and

they find that their victim has got an amount of money on them,

the temptation for them to rob them is, a lot of the time, too great.

Skanking is a massive problem.

To offer to supply drugs is an offence. Even if you haven't got any drugs on you.

The man admits to having been stopped by the police

-once before for smoking cannabis.

-What happened then?

-I got a fine and tag.

-You got a tag?!

You've done a bit more than cannabis. We don't get those tags out easy.

You have to earn those tags. Yeah?

A search on the Police National Computer reveals a bit more than that.

The man is wanted by Bedfordshire Police for breaching a curfew,

having tampered with his court-ordered ankle tag.

Gary has now got all the evidence he needs to make an arrest.

Because you made us all go for a run,

I'm arresting you for wilfully obstructing police.

When the police officer grabbed you and you ran away in your slippery coat.

You made us all go for a run as well. That's obstructing police, all right?

The team head back to Charing Cross Police Station to book the man in.

He's going to be dealt with for the offence that I arrested him

for, which was obstructing police.

Then he's going to be picked up by Bedfordshire Police to

appear at Bedfordshire Magistrate's Court tomorrow

morning for breach of a court order.

The man is locked up and separated from his headache pills.

They all seem to have colds. There's a lot of colds flying around amongst these type of people.

-Later, things threaten to get ugly...

-Relax, relax!

..as Sgt Skinner and his team continue their battle with the skankers.

-Take it easy.

-I'm taking it easy. You take it easy!

There are nearly 3,000 railway stations in the UK,

and the busiest of all of them is in the middle of Oxford Street.

Oxford Circus Tube station.

Here, three Tube lines converge, and 100 million passengers a year

use the station.

It gets so busy, people are regularly queueing in their thousands to

get in.

But what does it take to work at a station like this?

It's no surprise staff here are renowned for having

some of the biggest personalities and coolest heads on the network.

People like Greg Cousins.

Love it. Busy station.

Something different happening every day. Yeah, it is a good buzz.

I'm kind of known on the station anyway by a lot of the customers.

You know, the way I look, etc.

You're exactly what I aspire to be.

That was my photo for the interview.

I might not have got the job if I was like this.

While Greg keeps an eye on the ticket hall, down on the platforms,

things are getting busy for Matthew.

It's just where you start to get a feel how busy the platform can get.

At the moment, the team are on high alert.

In about the last ten or 15 minutes, we had quite a close call,

we believe, with one of the customers.

The lady's basically approached one of the guys on the gate line

and asked when the next train was due.

She also asked how fast the trains come in, which is

when obviously you do start questioning what her motives were.

We believe she was going to jump. She came down to the platform,

and we managed to bring her straight back upstairs. We tried to detain her,

but she managed to take off down Regent Street.

It means all staff must look out in case she returns.

-See you in a bit.

-See you in a bit.

We've got a couple of BT people patrolling the Central Line platform.

We all have a description of the girl as well,

so it'll be all hands on deck, really.

On the Central Line, trainee Alex is shadowing Kola Ayanwale for the evening

to learn the ropes.

I have lost my apprentice. He's left me.

Oh, there he is.

He's hoping to qualify for a permanent position,

-and his performance is being closely monitored.

-This is Oxford Circus.

You are on the eastbound Central Line platform.

Oxford Circus is certainly a different kettle of fish, really.

It is a whole other level of busy.

If you can do it better than I can, all good. If not...

When you learn stuff, it is not just about sitting down and saying,

"Right, I've learnt this." You have to put it into practice.

For your own safety, please stand behind the yellow line

and use the full length of the platform, using all available space.

I would like him to come just a little bit forward.

I don't want him to stand too far behind that yellow line

because I might get worried he's going to fall off the platform onto the track, and I don't want that.

-But other than that, no, he is pretty good.

-Yeah, I thought that was all right.

Up at the ticket gates is Matthew Mitchelmore.

He's been working Oxford Circus for over five years,

despite living with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.

Asperger's is a different way that the brain deals...

with information.

In some cases it can lead to the person having a very strong

interest. My...my

Asperger's interest is in transport.

Matthew has used his love of transport to pass a special

training scheme, and is now a fully fledged customer service assistant.

I try to be kind and help people if I can.

He's also obsessed with something else - cleanliness.

That is a potential trip hazard. I'm just going to move that.

Actually...

I'm just going to bin it.

Don't worry, I will wash my hands with antibacterial soap late...

Very shortly.

Mind the doors, please.

Also, another thing...

Nine-five to base, over.

PERSON REPLIES OVER RADIO

Could we have an Interserve operative to the bullring to

deal with a build-up of litter at the bottom of exit one, please?

Down on the platforms,

Matthew is still on the lookout for the woman suspected of trying

to jump on the tracks, when a different call comes through.

But one the team also dread.

-MAN SPEAKS OVER THE RADIO

-Call for man the gates.

Every customer is going to be held, because of how busy it is about to get down here.

Oxford Circus gets so busy, that it regularly has to

introduce temporary closures to stop overcrowding on the platforms.

Known as "manning the gates".

For Matthew Mitchelmore, up by the ticket gates, it's a big deal.

Stop.

This station...

Ladies and gentlemen, this station is temporarily

closed to prevent overcrowding at lower levels.

It's always frustrating when someone pushes past you,

and I would very much urge you not to do this.

I know you need to get your trains,

but we've closed the station for a reason.

Soon after, things reopen.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry for keeping you outside, you can

now come into the station.

It's another difficult situation dealt with by Matthew,

and shows just how far he's come in the five and a half years he's worked here.

Working here at Oxford Circus has massively helped

improve my confidence.

Everyone, whether you've got a disability or not, you've got

fantastic potential. Use it and you'll make yourself proud.

Someone else that's proved themselves tonight is trainee Alex.

He's doing brilliant.

Aside from the fact that we know he's an apprentice,

anybody else who sees him will just think he's a member of staff,

because he copes with it that well.

And there was no further sign of the woman suspected of wanting to

jump on the tracks, which means the staff can go home satisfied

another night has passed safely for the UK's busiest station.

It's London Fashion Week, and at House of Fraser,

a famous British couture label is preparing to bring its latest bespoke

collection to public attention in an Oxford Street first.

Ariella is launching a range of dresses in the department store.

To get as much publicity for the event as possible,

they are staging a red-carpet photo call,

with models and celebrities on the steps of the store.

Achilleas Constantinou is the label's creative director.

We thought, "Why not do something different?

"Let's bring it to the consumer."

It's Alison's job to oversee the event she's been planning for months.

You need leaflets and you need to be out here now telling people

what to do. So you need to walk about...

I need you, first of all, do not disappear again.

You're all disappearing, I've got nobody here. I need you here, we'll find other people.

-Get the leaflets, come out here.

-Right.

The plan today is for a team of models to wear the dresses on

the steps of the store, and two celebrity guests are on their way to join them.

Which is what has grabbed the attention of this man,

celebrity photographer Andy Barnes.

We've got Sam Faiers and we've got Stephanie Pratt today.

The Only Way Is Essex's Sam Faiers,

and Made In Chelsea's Stephanie Pratt are just the ticket for Andy,

who's been promised exclusive access inside the store.

Hello. Nice to see.

He's hoping to be the only photographer outside as well.

It would be really good if not many turn up,

because obviously that will increase my sales.

The one thing that is really up my sleeve is, I know when the

celebs are turning up, and I know where they are turning up as well.

And those shots of them

arriving are just as valuable as these shots out here.

In fact, even more so.

The models have already started strutting their stuff,

but for both the organisers and Andy, the main challenge is knowing

when the celebrities will arrive.

Andy's intel is that there is about to be an arrival at the back.

Is that her down there? That's her at the van.

-Hi, Sam, how are you doing? Are you all right?

-Thank you, yes.

Straight ahead this way.

Can I just get you walking from the car towards me,

if it's OK? Lovely.

-Great. Just one more.

-This is just up Andy's street.

The Only Way Is Essex's Sam Faiers is playing ball,

and he's the only photographer in sight.

At the front of the store, a sizeable crowd is beginning to gather.

Other photographers are now at work here, but with his shots of Sam

arriving already in the bag, Andy is feeling pretty pleased with himself.

Got some really nice pictures of Sam just walking in.

All the mags, they love those informal type pictures,

so that's really good, that is. Very pleased, very pleased.

Sam joins the models.

Guys, just all looking straight this way. Oh, oh.

Just moving along a little bit for me. That's it. That's cool.

Sam, straight ahead, darling. Big smiles. Brilliant.

Look at the crowds that we've got. It is fantastic.

They are really good for the brand. So we are really, really happy.

Things might be going well,

but there's still no sign of Stephanie Pratt.

Ironically, traffic caused by a Chelsea football match is

delaying the Made In Chelsea star.

-What about Stephanie, is she coming?

-She's getting held by the match, she'll be here shortly.

We are just trying to work out whether we keep taking photos with Sam,

or whether we try and dive off and go and

cover Stephanie Pratt coming along.

Later, the chase is on for Andy and his pictures.

-Are you Sam Faiers' car?

-No.

I might need some assistance, just so you're aware of where I am.

Sergeant Gary Skinner and the rest of the Operation Bobcat team

are in Soho.

They've already arrested one man they suspect of being a skanker,

someone trying to sell over-the-counter medicines

as illegal drugs,

and more often than not, robbing their victim in the process.

This suspect tried to flee, but picked the wrong man to outrun.

I'm not a good runner, I sort of plod through,

um, but I've done the last 16 New York marathons.

The skankers have a reputation for aggression

and Sergeant Skinner knows his men must be on their guard.

And while on patrol, Gary spots one man acting suspiciously,

approaching another man outside a restaurant.

He suspects he's offered him drugs.

All right, don't be alarmed, don't be alarmed. Sergeant Skinner.

-Sure. How are you doing?

-Not too bad. How's yourself, you all right?

-Yeah, good.

-A fella just came up to you. What did he offer you?

Yeah, well...

I don't know. A bit of everything, really.

-Did he offer you, what, drugs?

-Yeah.

Are you willing to give a statement regarding that, a quick statement? Cos we can nick him, then.

-Yeah.

-You are? You're a gentleman, sir. Thanks.

It's all the evidence Gary needs

and he radios in for his team to make a stop.

But in the meantime, much to his frustration,

the suspect has disappeared.

OK, mate. Give it another five minutes, five, ten minutes

and if you can't find him, we'll have to just knock it on the head.

They're still busy looking for the suspect when HE comes to THEM.

He's with me now. Come here.

-Why?

-INDISTINCT

-Really?

-Yeah.

Well, you're under arrest.

-I'm a police officer...

-No, relax, relax, relax...

-No, you relax. Put your hands out. Put your hands out.

-For what?

I'm arresting you on suspicion of offering to supply controlled drugs.

You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence If you do not mention

-when questioned, something...

-I'm not forcing you nothing...

Anything you do say you may be given in evidence. Understand that?

-Gentleman...

-Relax.

-..plain clothes officer, all right?

Put your arm out! Put your arm out. Good.

Relax! Relax!

-I'm not moving, why the...

-BLEEP

-Relax!

-Why are you acting like a movie?

Relax. Relax, and take it easy.

I'm taking it easy, you take it easy!

Yeah, gents, Bobcat officers, I've got this male detained,

I've also got a, er, witness who's willing to give a statement.

-You're under arrest, all right?

-I'm not against that, I'm saying you're pulling my arm off.

-What?

-What's wrong?

-You're pulling my arm...

-BLEEP

-..my arm's hurting.

No, look. Your arms are fine.

How are you telling me how my body feels?

You've got to take it easy, take it on the chin. Be a man about it, you've been nicked.

-Relax...

-You're shaking, I can feel your character.

No, no, no. I'm not shaking.

You're the one that's getting all tense. Don't do the eyes again.

Look into the eyes, around the eyes, is that what you're going to try and to do to me?

Just relax. Stop eyeballing me.

Gary searches the man and soon finds something very suspicious indeed...

paper wraps containing white powder.

Marked up as 0.6.

Marked up as 0.6?

-All three as 0.6.

-What's in these?

-What's in these?

-Paracetamols.

-Sorry? Paracetamol?

We'll get it tested back at the nick.

Paracetamol.

Why have you got paracetamol?

Why have you got paracetamol?

I'm going to further arrest you, yeah? Listen to me...

-You're wasting...

-..at 12:44, listen to me,

on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.

-BLEEPING

-Just take it easy,

don't start adding threatening behaviour to it as well. Just relax, relax. Take it easy.

The man is insistent the powder is just paracetamol

but even if it is, it's not enough to get him off the hook.

Even if you didn't have anything on you,

-if you offer to supply drugs, that's the offence.

-What do you mean?

I'm explaining it to you, listen to me carefully...

-Lovely, come over here, we'll talk about it down the nick.

-No, no, no.

You are coming.

Sergeant Skinner and his team take the man back to the station.

On being searched, he's got three wraps containing white powder.

The white powder gives the appearance of being cocaine.

Gentleman informs me it's paracetamol.

I can't do this all night.

This ain't Come Dancing, come on.

For Gary, it's a very satisfying result.

DOOR SLAMS

Later...

OK, then. We're going to cuff you.

..Gary has his hands full

as the problem with skankers persists.

I never sell for no-one.

Offering to supply, let's go. If anything's in that van...

Man! What are you doing?

Andy Barnes is at House Of Fraser,

covering a London Fashion Week photo shoot for a couture brand.

He's managed to catch TOWIE's Sam Faiers,

but he's still waiting for Made In Chelsea star, Stephanie Pratt,

who's caught up in football traffic.

We need to get Stephanie getting out as well,

-cos she's just as important.

-Fine.

All right, I think she's, like, literally a minute away.

But before the 60 seconds is up,

word comes through that Sam Faiers is leaving round the back.

-It's a keen shot for Andy.

-There's a car, over here.

Hi, guys.

Are you Sam Faiers' car?

INDISTINCT

-Are you Sam Faiers' car?

-No.

He might have the wrong car,

but Andy's definitely in the right place at the right time

for a celebrity exit.

Oh.

-No-one was there.

-Next one.

-Next one.

FAINT LAUGHTER

Just looking straight ahead for me, Sam.

-Take care, darling.

-For Andy, this is gold dust.

He's still the only photographer getting these photos.

But if he's to sell big numbers,

he needs to get the same again with Stephanie Pratt,

who's still stuck in football-related traffic.

I'll have a bet with you that this is it.

It is. It is.

It's the star of The Hills and Made In Chelsea, Stephanie Pratt.

Thanks, Stephanie.

Are you OK?

-Fine, how are you?

-Lovely, good.

Hello. That traffic is insane.

INDISTINCT

Mwah.

There. Oh.

Cool, thank you.

Andy heads inside for a shoot so exclusive

even we're not invited.

Finally, the crowd out front get what they were waiting for.

Guys, just all looking this way for me.

CAMERA CLICKS

Brilliant, and then can we all turn...

Have you finished that? That's brilliant. OK, here you go.

Brilliant, big smile. Great. That's lovely.

For couture label Ariella, it's just the buzz they wanted.

We've got the public involved with London Fashion Week,

we've brought glamorous fashion, catwalk fashion,

to Oxford Street, and I think that's where fashion is going.

But Andy's day's work is just beginning.

-Lovely to see you, can't wait for the pictures.

-Oh, yeah.

What worries me a bit is that all the, er,

all...the two celebrities that I photographed,

they're going to be doing the circuit and going to other events,

so I really need to get these pictures out as quickly as possible

so we make sure we, we hit all the magazines.

At a secret location,

Andy hooks up to the net to get his pictures online as soon as possible.

We've got some really strong pictures there.

I'm looking for the likes of OK! Hello!

those sort of type of magazines,

I think they could really pick up on this, big-time.

Hopefully tomorrow morning when I look at the papers

and in a couple of weeks' time as well, looking at all the magazines,

I should be able to see how I got on.

And after we filmed,

a number of publications did pick up on Andy's pictures,

including Reveal and Now magazines

and the crucial Mail Online.

Sgt Gary Skinner and his team are continuing their patrols

of Soho on the lookout for skankers.

Their main focus is on preventing robberies

and their work is having an effect.

They've only been operational for eight weeks, but already robberies in

the area are down 38%.

They've not been back on patrol long when two of Gary's team

radio in to say they've spotted more men acting suspiciously.

I just separated what looks like a dealer from a potential victim.

But this'll be a hell of a result if we get this one.

Gary moves in to talk to the victim.

All right, sir? How are you?

Oh, bit the worse for wear, eh?

The man, who has been drinking in the area,

says he was offered drugs by a suspect the police have stopped.

The search has revealed he had paracetamol on him.

The victim's witness testimony is crucial.

Without it, there will be no evidence the skankers had been offering drugs.

I tell you what, I never done nothing wrong!

Two friends of the stopped suspect are also taking an interest

and Gary wants to ask one of them some questions.

What are you doing here tonight?

Dave, have we got this fella's details?

No, no, no. Just wait a minute.

The man attempts to walk off, so Gary takes action.

In a minute I'm going to cuff you, because I've got a pair in my case.

OK, we're going to cuff you. All right.

You said you were going to walk off and we can't allow you to do that.

-The grounds for me stopping you is that you are in an area known for drugs.

-I didn't even...

Listen to me!

The object is to see if you've got drugs on you, all right?

I am Sgt Skinner, attached to Charing Cross.

I'm sure you're an upstanding citizen...

The search doesn't turn up anything suspicious.

Everything now rests on the witness' testimony.

-He's pointed out to me just now, this chap in the white...

-Yeah?

..and he said the words, "I can sell you coke at £50 a gram."

There's no drugs, but a clear attempt to extract money by offering them.

Blatant skanking.

The testimony clearly implicates the talkative man

Gary's just put in handcuffs.

-Because you're going to get nicked.

-For what?

I'll explain in a minute. I'll give you the good news in a second.

Suddenly, some more friends of the men in handcuffs turn up,

unhappy at what's happening.

Fellas, you need to go away!

On a cold, wet night, it's a fraught situation.

If you can get the van on the hurry up...

Realised I've got a few others that are starting to scurry around

and we'd appreciate if we can get these two out of the area fairly quickly.

You're under arrest for offering to supply drugs.

-I never spoke to no-one!

-Offering to supply, let's go.

-..anything you do say...

-Get in the van. Get up. Sit down.

-If anything...

-My hat! My hat! What the... What're you doing?

-In you get.

-How do you prove it...

Superb job, gents. Superb. See you back at the ranch.

All right, see you. Cheers, gents.

For Gary, it's been a busy night,

but when it comes to policing the West End, things are rarely quiet.

What happens now, we go to custody,

they'll both be booked in for offering to supply controlled drugs.

Oi, oi, oi! Calm it down. Police officer. Put it down.

GLASS SMASHES

-You prat.

-THEY LAUGH

Yeah, keep walking, fellas, keep walking.

-Fella, you with them?

-Yeah, I'm with them.

-Calm them down.

There's loads of us about and they're going to get nicked.

-Yeah, no, He's been...

-Good man, yep.

Back at the station, the two suspects are booked in and charged.

And it looks like the team's hunches about the men have been spot on.

Have they got any previous for offering?

-Yes, offering to supply... Two drug offences...

-Oh, fantastic.

So basically, two thieves, two robbers, yeah? Happy days.

They was professing their innocence, that they wasn't doing anything,

and they wouldn't do such a thing,

and yet the records show a different story.

All in all, it's been a good night.

We got a total of six arrests tonight.

I've got no doubt if they were left out there, would go on to commit further offences.

Since we filmed, the man who ran away from police was given

a suspended seven-week sentence for breaching his court order.

No further action was taken against the man with the wraps of powder.

The man suspected of offering to supply class A drugs was charged

and has been bailed to appear in court.