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Shoplifters strike 200 times every hour in Britain, stealing £2.2 billion. With the police crippled by budget cuts, retailers are fighting back. A look on the frontline with those who are putting their lives on the line to catch criminals.
2022
Shoplifters strike 200 times every hour in Britain, stealing £2.2 billion. With the police crippled by budget cuts, retailers are fighting back. A look on the frontline with those who are putting their lives on the line to catch criminals.
Ed and Steve are on London's Oxford Street when a call comes in for a pair of suspected shoplifters working together and spotted inaction and are now fleeing the scene. Lee Thompson is a master pickpocket, but uses his skills on stage to entertain.
Today they're hot on the heels of a criminal duo who have a tried and tested routine - as one enters the store to clear the shelves, the other waits outside ready to receive the stolen goods.
2020
Security guard Paul takes a call about a group of women who have been seen on CCTV taking items from a high street store. When they are approached the guards spot suspicious bulges under their full-length skirts.
A look on the frontline with those who are putting their lives on the line to catch shoplifters.
At West Orchard's shopping centre in Coventry, the specialist security team are helping to combat a nationwide epidemic of shoplifting. The team get a tip off from Birmingham that an organised criminal gang is heading their way.
At West Orchards, the team uncover a suspect with a large quantity of high value fragrances that he has not paid for. Add to this the fact the man is over 200 miles from home and the guards suspect he is part of a larger organised crime operation.
All available guards are urgently deployed when a Code 21 emergency call comes into the control room. A shoplifter has done a runner-literally. He has left the shop wearing a brand-new pair of trainers and has become aggressive when stopped.
Senior Officer Lewis turns detective when a stall holder reports a theft an hour after it happened. At Weston Favell in Northampton, the security team have eyes on a shoplifter who is aware of all the CCTV cameras in a supermarket.
2023
The fight against the rise of shoplifting. In London's West End undercover officers pursue a known 'dipper', and in Birmingham a stolen bank card scam becomes threatening.
In Coventry, a prolific shoplifter is caught, and claims he steals out of necessity. At a QD store someone thinks they can get away with not paying for their Christmas shopping.
Undercover detective Steve tails two suspects who have evaded capture before, and later deals with a woman suspected of stealing thousands of pounds' worth of perfume from an upmarket store.
In Ealing, TM Eye's undercover detectives Steve and Adam overhear two people discussing what they have just shoplifted. The team head off in pursuit, but the suspected stolen goods are nowhere to be seen.
TM Eye's teams are making an impact in Ealing - if stolen goods are valued at over two hundred pounds, the team will push for a prosecution. And in Newton Abbott a toy store is targeted.
In fashionable Chelsea, a female shoplifter is compliant at first, but then she tries to do a runner. And meet the former shoplifter who now works with shopkeepers to prevent their losses.
In Newton Abbot, undercover detective Nush spots a suspicious character in the crowds. She tails the suspect into a card shop but there's a problem - the suspect has disappeared.
At West Orchards in Coventry, Paige and Cory chase a suspected thief from a new toy shop in the centre. In East London, a masked man bursts into a newsagents armed with a rounders bat.
A man is behaving suspiciously and may have a weapon. Guards Mark and Keith's number-one priority is to keep the public safe, so they put their lives on the line to corner the suspect.
A heated argument between two shoppers takes a dangerous turn, and the possibility of a weapon escalates the incident. Plus, chainsaw-wielding thieves target a convenience store.
In Newton Abbot, a pensioner is shopping when a woman reaches into her bag to steal an envelope of money. In Coventry, Mal spots a suspected drug user who already has a lifetime ban.
At West Orchards, Paige receives an SOS from a new store that a dastardly duo are back. And Farrah is on the case of a pair who work together to hit a small convenience store.
At one of London's most exclusive stores a suspected theft could come in at over the £200 threshold for police involvement. Plus, how AI is changing the theft prevention game.
Nush receives intel about two men who are acting suspiciously. Guards Kasey and Vaz are despatched to keep eyes on. As the duo leave the shop, they set off the alarm - the chase is on!
In West Orchards, Coventry, there's a stand-off between guards and a gang in one of the centre's premium stores. In London's West End, CCTV is needed when a woman is suspected of being on the pinch.
In a sports store, a woman protests that she's paid for all her items, but her receipts tell a different story. Plus undercover detective Steve monitors pick pocketing in China Town.
In London, undercover detective Steve spots a suspect stealing from a leading clothes store. In Newton Abbott, on CCTV chief security guard Tom watches a man removing putty from a window.
A woman uses the old I was just making a call excuse to avoid paying for goods, and a London team dealing with both shoplifting and anti-social behaviour handle a disruptive gang.
Private detectives Steve and Adam are on the case of a prolific thief. Tom and Vasim get an SOS: a suspected offender has entered the premises, and is known to be quick on his feet.
In Newton Abbot, one of the most prolific shoplifters in town is spotted huddled in a doorway, and in Liverpool, security officers foil an attempt at a dodgy supermarket sweep.
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