Britain is the shoplifting capital of Europe - the crime has increased by over 12% in the last year. This film heads to the front line of the battle between shops and robbers, revealing the cunning and clever up-to-date tactics employed by both sides. The summer riots highlighted that Brits are prepared to break the law and steal to get what they want. Whilet store detectives are refusing to give up the fight, shoplifters are equally determined to outwit them. It's a surreal world of cat and mouse - detectives scour Facebook while lifters use a range of complex tricks to try to disable those seemingly unmovable tags. The recession is dramatically changing the goods that are being stolen - the theft of clothing is being replaced by a huge rise in meat stealing. With shoplifters becoming smarter and more presentable in appearance, security staff have to become experts in body language to stay one step ahead. These committed detectives are putting their necks on the line, often without handcuffs or stab vests, while they try and detain people who, when caught, can sometimes turn violent.
As the Olympics draws millions to London gangs of pickpockets are on the rise across the capital. This film tells the story of the unseen war on a crime that has 1700 victims a day. Organised crews of pickpockets have descended on London in search of easy pickings. This film tells the story of the unseen war on the 'dippers' and the specialist teams created to take them on. Up 17% in the last two years, pickpocketing is a crime that is rarely witnessed by the public. This film follows the game of cat and mouse played out between the cops and robbers beneath the gaze of tourists and regular Londoners, catching the action as it unfolds and some of the astonishing tricks of the pickpocket trade, from the 'block and shield' to the 'two-fingered lift'.
Over 13 million Britons will head to Spain for their holidays this year. What many don't realise is that they're flying into the arms of some of the most determined pickpockets the world has ever known. These pickpocket gangs often hail from Eastern Europe and, with working restrictions easing for certain Eastern Europeans in January, the concern is that some of these gangs may be heading for England in future. From those who practise 'the reptile' - stealing bags from distracted couples on the beach - to the carjackers of the coastal highways, the criminal gangs of Spain have developed ever more sophisticated techniques for targeting unwary British tourists. With access to the police agencies of Barcelona and Benidorm and a cast of frustrated local expats, this programme gets a close-up view of the action as the Brits arrive for their holidays.
