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Taking Down the Shoplifting Gangs S01E02 (Mar 2 2026)
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00:01When shoplifters strike...
00:03Police emergency.
00:05Our security guard's just been stabbed in the way.
00:07Oh!
00:08He smashed up a load of things.
00:10Grabbed our manager and then gone.
00:12The offending behaviour is getting out of control.
00:14When he was arrested, he was in possession of a lock knife.
00:18Can they be caught?
00:20OK, I believe that you've been shoplifting this morning.
00:22Will you stand up for me?
00:25It's really shocking how I'm frozen did gotten...
00:28...from the lone wolves...
00:31...to organised crime gangs.
00:33They still almost order high-value items
00:36to get the biggest bang for their buck.
00:38Anyone up here? Aha! Bingo!
00:41Cigarettes.
00:44These guys had extensive criminal histories across Europe.
00:48This series follows the police forces...
00:51Let's go and get some results.
00:52...on the hunt.
00:53Stop. Plain clothes, please. Plain clothes, please. Stop. Stop.
00:56You're under arrest for that.
00:56Do you know why we have stopped you?
00:59...attempting to protect the victims...
01:01Yes! Yes!
01:02You all right, mate?
01:03What's M-wise given ETA-wise?
01:04Eat more time, innit?
01:05I thought that's unacceptable.
01:07This is life-threatening.
01:08...and bring down the criminals.
01:10Shoplifting is a crime.
01:11We want to bring offenders to justice, and that is not easy.
01:14Do it.
01:15Do it.
01:15Do it.
01:16Do it.
01:17Do it.
01:46The movieyosabes...
01:47A bajajist.
01:54You're under arresting your bloody arsehole.
01:57Right, should you have to say anything?
01:59No harm your questions, don't mention any questions.
02:01I'm not sure there are any court that you do,
02:02it may be given evidence.
02:03OK?
02:06In possession of a knife, is also what?
02:09What is what?
02:10A couple of warrants and a breach call bell, I think.
02:12You're also under arrest.
02:14Yep.
02:14In possession of a knife, OK?
02:17Yeah.
02:18Is that mine?
02:21It's nice, dude.
02:22Yeah.
02:24Oh, is that nice?
02:25You got it.
02:26Give me a second, right.
02:27Are you going to sit up?
02:28Do sit up.
02:32There's a couple of warrants for you, mate, I think.
02:34Just kind of confirm what it is.
02:35Right.
02:36This is the blade as well.
02:39Go on.
02:46Kenny is a serial shop thief with a history of violence.
02:57He's been held in custody overnight.
03:00Officers have nine hours left to either charge or set him free.
03:05Ah, there we go.
03:10So he's in custody just through those doors.
03:13He's just awaiting an interview.
03:15We're awaiting a solicitor.
03:16And then we can do a briefing with that solicitor and get him interviewed.
03:22So he was arrested by one of my colleagues because he was wanted for the theft from shops.
03:31He's ran from officers.
03:33Officers have chased him.
03:35They've had to parve him upon arrest because he was resisting arrest.
03:38We have parve spray that we're all trained to use.
03:41Spray it in the eyes.
03:43And then when he was arrested, he was in possession of a lock knife,
03:48which was seized from him.
03:51So there, just in that officer's hand.
03:55That's the blade that he had on him upon arrest.
04:03He just appears to be grabbing anything and throwing it in.
04:07Quite a lot of high-volume meats, it looks like.
04:12It could be for a drug habit or an alcohol habit.
04:15We're not too sure.
04:17He's gone to the same meat counter here.
04:23There's even some alcohol there.
04:25Quite clearly see his face.
04:27And then he leaves.
04:28That's the entrance.
04:30So the total value of everything he's stolen over those four offences is £2,000.
04:40As well as the recent shop thefts,
04:43Kenny is also suspected of other antisocial and aggressive behaviour.
04:47It's just because I came out, that smashed, I came out and I saw him running.
04:54I just didn't get cleaning this up.
04:56Look, there's no brick.
04:57He smashed the windows with the machete.
04:59I swear to God it's not me.
05:00Someone else has gone up here before...
05:02He's just run off down there.
05:04Not sure if he's done that with the machete or by any other means,
05:07but he smashed the window of this property and then he's left.
05:13Police have gathered CCTV evidence showing a confrontation between the suspected shop thief
05:19and a man at the address the window was smashed.
05:22So this is the other suspect that's been interviewed.
05:24He has a bat.
05:25And then our suspect in custody was the one with the machete.
05:31And then he's come back with the machete in his pants, brandished it to the other male.
05:39So we'll interview him for the affray at first.
05:43He had a machete on him in that offence.
05:47We'll show him all the evidence we've got for that.
05:51And then we'll go on to the theft from shops.
05:54And then the arrest and the fact that he was arrested with an offensive weapon.
05:58And we'll ask him about that and see what he says really.
06:03An organized crime gang steal more than £160,000 of goods from UK supermarkets.
06:10These are real criminal organizations.
06:13These are people who are doing this to fund a criminal lifestyle.
06:51We've got a day of action planned in the city centre today.
06:53So we've got a number of plainclothes officers and uniformed officers going round and about.
06:58Stop searching all of our known nominals and hope that we're going to be able to do this.
07:00Hopefully getting a few positive results for shoplifting.
07:03We'll brief the team just before we tip out.
07:06I'll pair everyone up and then they'll have specific areas they'll go to.
07:10We usually do our days of action a couple of times each month when we get the chance to.
07:15But we don't want to make them structured.
07:16We want to surprise the individuals when we're out in town.
07:21Jamie, you stuck through the net a little bit.
07:24And Josh, we have to keep you up.
07:28Is that basically...
07:29Who is it that we're waiting for?
07:30Kieran and Carpets.
07:31They're just getting a taser, aren't they?
07:33Thank you all for coming today.
07:34I thought I'd do a bit of an official bit of a briefing
07:37to go through what we're going to do today in the town centre.
07:39So it's going to be another day of action around shoplifting, stop searches,
07:45just being seen and disrupting anyone that we need to go for.
07:47Right, Jack and Hamza, the plainclothes officers out, if you two can stick together.
07:51It'll be me and Josh, Kieran and Carpets, Jake and Jamie and Seth and Roman.
07:58Your main shops, if you can go into them and just tell the workers in the shop
08:02or anyone that you see what we're doing today.
08:04So go into Boots, TK Maxx, all your shops that were there,
08:07spread the message with what we're doing, see if they can tell us anything.
08:11A lot of you will already know your nominals in city centre anyway.
08:13I'm just having a quick look here on Centurion to see if there's any notes
08:16about anyone else being wanted.
08:20The team are targeting the most serious repeat offenders.
08:24Maurice, he's out and about.
08:27Jane, not shoplifting related, but she might be in town.
08:30Quite a nasty assault that she's wanted for.
08:32George, there's a few jobs for him.
08:34If he's in town, he's breaching his CBO.
08:37But yeah, have fun, cause chaos.
08:41Go, go, go.
08:41Just let it hit him.
08:42All right, please, sir.
08:43No, no, he's not...
08:44He's not...
08:44He's not...
08:45He's not...
08:45He's not...
08:45He's not...
08:51He's not...
08:52One of the first jobs I did when I was a Sergeant on Preston
08:55with the city centre was...
08:57We had probably about three or four jobs for George,
09:00and we locked them up, me and Jack.
09:04That's him entering the store, that.
09:09It looks like he's just getting the items,
09:12and then he's clearly put that other wine bottle
09:13or whatever bottle alcohol it was on the other part,
09:17and then he's going to go pick up a couple more.
09:18So the report says he's picked...
09:20He's taking three bottles of alcohol, which adds up.
09:22Then he's obviously going to go round the...
09:25He looks like he's...
09:28discarding them here.
09:36Oh, he's getting...
09:37A bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey.
09:42Oh, he's getting them all.
09:48It's not guaranteed he'll be in town,
09:51because he could be offending anywhere else,
09:53but it'd be brilliant to get him in.
09:54There's quite a few jobs out for him, obviously,
09:56and he's a prolific offender.
09:57He's well known to us.
09:59Happy days.
10:00Past all points of payment.
10:03Er...
10:03Out.
10:26For Kenny, the shop thief arrested with a knife,
10:30police now have only six hours to bring charges
10:33before his custody clock runs out.
10:36Officers prepare to brief the solicitor,
10:38who's been provided for the suspect.
10:43He's been spotted in the street yesterday...
10:45Yep.
10:46..by officers.
10:47They've seen that he's wanted for breach of court order.
10:51Erm, however, when they've searched him,
10:53they've found a bladed article on him.
10:56It's like a samurai, I can't show you that.
10:59So he's been arrested for that as well.
11:02It's like that your client has smashed a window at the property.
11:09OK, this is the one.
11:12No.
11:14No.
11:14No.
11:15No.
11:16No.
11:17But there's no brick when he smashed the windows with the machete.
11:20I swear to God, it's not me.
11:22Someone else has gone looking for...
11:24It's just run off down there.
11:25That way!
11:26That way down there!
11:28It's not me!
11:29The other male was in possession of a bat.
11:33You can see the shiny thing at the top.
11:37His PNC prints are 30-some pages long.
11:40He's got quite a lot of offences.
11:42Yeah.
11:42Yeah.
11:43Anything for afraid and bladed articles.
11:46So he has got an offence for either an offensive weapon
11:50or a weapon of some sort.
11:52So he has got previous for that.
11:55Fair enough.
11:58Just back to the afraid.
11:59Yeah.
12:00Have we recovered this machete?
12:03No, we haven't.
12:04We haven't got the machete in half a session.
12:05I can't do that, no.
12:07That'll do me.
12:08Are you ready for him?
12:10Yeah.
12:13Hi, mate. My name's Ryan. I'm a police officer.
12:15Yeah.
12:16Right. Are you OK to go for interview?
12:18No, no, no.
12:19Right.
12:20So what would you need?
12:23What?
12:24What is it you need?
12:25To feel better.
12:26Tablets.
12:27Tablets?
12:28What tablets?
12:30No.
12:31OK.
12:32Have you spoken to the nurse about it since you've been here?
12:35No.
12:35I'll be all right in a few hours.
12:37You'll be all right in a few hours?
12:39Well, what we're doing is we're looking to interview you
12:40so we can get this over and done with, can't we?
12:43Yeah.
12:44You need a few hours.
12:44We'll have a chat with the custody sergeant, all right?
12:46And we'll see where we go.
12:48He is not keen on coming out to interview.
12:52So what I'm going to do is I'm just going to update the custody sergeant
12:56and the, erm, erm, erm, the suspect's solicitor
13:01and see where we go from there.
13:06Oh, no, no.
13:32In 2020, Cheshire police were made aware of a prolific gang
13:36targeting ASDA stores.
13:39You can see, can't you, just how brazen they are?
13:41This individual we're following here,
13:43he looked at the camera several times,
13:46notices that people are watching him, but he just continues.
13:52This is some CCTV that was obtained as part of Operation Socrates.
13:57This footage is from ASDA.
14:01It was a very distinct method that was used by the group in order to steal.
14:08This CCTV effectively shows their modus operandi.
14:11It shows them stealing bulk items.
14:14He's choosing large bulks of toiletries.
14:16He'll go on to choose ink cartridges.
14:19As you can see there, the shopping bag's pretty full.
14:21It's a bag for life, which we saw throughout the conspiracy.
14:24When he's happy and he's satisfied,
14:26he's filled that bag now full of toiletries.
14:29He tries to disguise it as groceries.
14:31On this occasion, he's filling it with, looks like, spinach.
14:36The individuals, after concealing the items,
14:38would then contact another member who was in the store,
14:42almost to give the okay,
14:44to now provide the distraction to enable them to leave.
14:49The gang was first identified by an intelligence team working for retailers called the NBCS.
14:56Within Cheshire, we're working closely with the National Business Crime Solution
15:00to gather intelligence and gather packages of evidence in cases like this
15:05and others to target offenders operating across the country.
15:09They were using a really sophisticated MO.
15:13So what this was is what we call a distraction MO.
15:15So they would both come in separately.
15:17One of them would go and select an item that had a tag on it, a security tag.
15:22He would purposely purchase that on a self-scan till, so that the tag wasn't removed.
15:29They would then time each other's movements so that the vendor who had bought the item with the tag would
15:34go,
15:35set the alarms off.
15:36He would stand inside the alarm barrier.
15:39He would pretend that he didn't speak English or understand English when approached by security.
15:43The alarm would still be going off.
15:45And in the meantime, his friend, with a trolley full of ink cartridges, would walk out behind him.
15:50They wouldn't know the difference of those items setting the alarm off.
15:54He would walk off.
15:55This guy would then produce his receipt.
15:57He'd be allowed to go on his way.
15:58And they just walked out completely undetected.
16:03Two suspects, with suspected links to a Romanian organised crime group, were identified by police.
16:09What was different about this investigation was the training.
16:13So, you know, you're watching them train live on CCTV.
16:17You're watching one crime group member be shown how the offences are committed.
16:22They would stand there and watch while the other committed the offence.
16:25And then they would go on and commit their own offending
16:28and then bring another crime group member in.
16:33Over the 81 shop thefts, it was approximately £160,000 worth of high value goods,
16:40which included ink cartridges, nappies, perfumes, razors.
16:48The intelligence stated that the reason why ink cartridges were being targeted by this gang
16:53is because those cartridges were being used to transport out of the country to make fake currency.
16:58So that ink really, in essence, wasn't an ink cartridge that was worth £30, making them £10 on the black
17:06market.
17:06It was something that was worth £30 that was using to make three grand's worth of money for them
17:13for another criminal enterprise.
17:15And that's what told us this was really organised.
17:18I don't know, guys.
17:19I don't know, guys.
17:51We'll do...
17:52We'll do...
17:52If Mark's not going back to me, we'll see if he's outside Boots.
17:55If not, we'll do a quick leap in the car seat.
17:57Who's about.
17:58Who's about, and then we'll park up and up.
18:10I hope we get some of it today.
18:12Yeah.
18:14Yeah, there's loads of new faces.
18:21The hunt for the main suspects identifies others known to the Operation Vulture team.
18:27Jack has just spotted a male who is known for shoplifting.
18:31He's gone into a shop and then quickly come out without anything.
18:37We're not arresting you.
18:38You're time for a search at the minute.
18:40I'm PC Moose, 517 attached to Preston Police.
18:44Basically, the grounds are that you're an own shoplifter and you walk into the shop.
18:48I've just got a bike from...
18:49Right, right, right.
18:50Listen, listen.
18:50Because I'm going there to see if they're sick on my clothes.
18:53Right, listen.
18:54So, we...
18:55I suspect that you might have some stolen property in your bag.
18:58There's another lad in there.
19:01Erm...
19:02Potentially, he's friends with him, so he might be on the graft as well.
19:04So, we'll just wait to see.
19:06I don't get in trouble.
19:08I don't get in trouble.
19:09I don't get in trouble.
19:09I don't get in trouble.
19:10I don't get in trouble.
19:11Let's have a seat there for us.
19:12Is that one in the white bag?
19:14Is that what you want, Nick?
19:15Because you've got gloves on, because...
19:17Erm...
19:17They've got a bit of sick on.
19:19It's not my seat.
19:20Somebody else's.
19:22So, this bag's got a sick in it?
19:23We're in that one, yes.
19:27Sergeant Retty spots two more familiar suspects.
19:30At the minute, you're both going to be detained, all right,
19:33for the purpose of a search on the Section 1 of PACE.
19:36Reason being, you've been pointed out to be potential shotlifters in M&S.
19:41Just bear with me.
19:42Let me get this out to you, and then we'll search you,
19:44and you can be on your way, all right?
19:45Just turn round for me.
19:55At last, a call comes in that one of the main targets, George, has been seen.
20:03Blue one?
20:04Blue.
20:06Orchard Street, walking towards St George's.
20:12Police in Cheshire close in on the organised crime gang.
20:17We established their identities through the Romanian attaché,
20:21established who they were and where they were from.
20:22We then located the potential addresses,
20:26and we have to scoot warrants at addresses in Oldham
20:28and the Birmingham area.
20:49Come on.
20:56It's fine.
20:57It's fine.
20:57Dodge him, isn't it?
20:58You still stay where you are, that bit.
21:00Absolutely fine.
21:01Jack, is he being all right?
21:04Stop.
21:04Plain clothes, please.
21:06Stop, stop.
21:06You're under arrest.
21:07It's all right.
21:08Take his bag off.
21:10You do have to stay here, mate.
21:11I'll be defensive.
21:11You do have to mention one question.
21:12Get that on.
21:13Anything you do say may be given evidence.
21:15Stop it in the boat.
21:17Just got him locked off Orchard Street.
21:19Get that van coming, please, mate.
21:20Where's the van?
21:21Where in the van?
21:21He's coming now.
21:22He's coming.
21:23Why aren't he so tired then?
21:25Because you've made off from it and passed away.
21:26He's doing it again.
21:29Orchard Street.
21:31They've got him at all.
21:32They've got him.
21:33They've got him.
21:34They've got him.
21:34The lads.
21:36You got anything in that bag?
21:41It's your property.
21:45If I've been here and then you say, nah, I want it.
21:47Don't want it.
21:49Don't want it.
21:49Just going to give me a quick pat down before we stick you in the van.
21:52Come on.
21:57There's a bit of a bag.
21:58I bet you're good.
22:00Wednesday.
22:01I know you're all right.
22:03I've been that bag before.
22:05I've got the bag.
22:06I've got my bag.
22:07It's not my bag to build.
22:08It's not my bag to build.
22:08You've been taking it out of you.
22:10Oh, he's already got it.
22:11Oh, he's got it.
22:12Oh, I've got it.
22:14Too slow.
22:15He's one of them that was on briefing.
22:17We were just right place, right time though, weren't we?
22:21Eyes of an eagle.
22:22Oh, yeah.
22:22Oh, I'm so sorry.
22:22Oh, he's got it.
22:22You answer it. Eyes of an eagle.
22:25You're not right on me. Spots everything.
22:28Let's do it. He's already on P&C Wanted, so...
22:32Oh, right.
22:33Under-rest for that. Yeah.
22:35And then I'll go back to Nick and just have a long one.
22:38Good work. Tear of medals.
22:59OK, I'm just letting you know I'm authorising your detention
23:07to come preserve evidence, obtain evidence by question.
23:10Basically, you've got to interview you, OK?
23:12There's other fences we might have to put to you as well.
23:24He ran off from me last time, so... Oh, right.
23:27..I've let Hamza know, and we've just gone and just got hold of him
23:31and arrested him, and he was outstanding wanted on P&C for theft as well,
23:34and then there's a couple more, I think, for him as well
23:36on our systems locally.
23:39OK.
23:41Do you need anything?
23:42That's that buzzer. That's what you're tired. That's what you're saying.
23:45I'll give you a blank, Nick.
23:53I'll give you a break.
23:53I'll give you a break.
23:53I'll give you a break, Nick.
24:04I'll give you a break.
24:08I'll give you a break.
24:10I'll give you a break.
24:13Well, mate.
24:15Right.
24:15Apparently, you refused to come out yourself to go and see the nurse.
24:19I organised that for you.
24:21if you sort of try and get you sorted right if you don't want to come out for interview
24:25you'll get interviewed in here the interview's gonna happen either way buddy so you've got the
24:30option you can come into the interview room and get out yourself for a bit when your solicitor gets
24:34back or you get interviewed in there all right so have a think about what you want to do whilst
24:39your solicitor's making his way back okay it's coming up to five to three now and so we're
24:50looking at about three and a half hours left on the 24 hour um what what we get in terms
24:56of holding
24:56people initially in custody i reckon he's playing the game because he knows that he's going to be
25:01held on the court warrant anyway so he's just playing the game to try and frustrate the investigation
25:12the solicitor's here now mate have you had a thought about what you're going to do
25:19kenny finally agrees to be questioned by officers in the interview room
25:30he's changed his mind from having an interview with a cell i'm not sure why he's changed his
25:33mind he might want to give an account or he might want to tell us something about the offense but
25:39he should let us know soon
25:40so
25:41so
25:43so
25:56so
25:59so
26:00so
26:03so
26:14in june 2020 police suspected a foreign criminal gang was targeting asda stores throughout the uk
26:22the pressure built to find and arrest the suspects before they fled the country
26:28the united kingdom has many many police forces that operate individually so the difficulty can
26:35sometimes arise where these offenders operate across borders across counties across policing areas
26:41they travel you know and on the 8th of may they're in derby and the following day on the 9th
26:46of june they're in south wales down to newport
26:49cardiff bay and barry and this was a vast this was a vast amount of travel for
26:55the criminality that they were committing
26:59and the gang and the gang and the gang made one crucial error they used their own cars
27:05what we were able to do is support dc match it from a point of view of ampr because we've
27:11got a lot
27:11of access to private ampr which covers retail parks so we can see where vehicles were going and we could
27:17help support
27:18that and track vehicles this group um specifically used three separate vehicles as effectively their getaway vehicles
27:27by utilizing automatic number plates recognition we were able to link these vehicles back to the individuals involved
27:36which allowed dc match it to do the most important thing was we're actually finding where these individuals live
27:43police identify three more members of the group by september 2020
27:51this is imagery from the warrant we executed on the 10th of september uh an address in oldham
27:57they were shocked when we when we arrived at the address they believed that they were you know
28:03disguising their identity sufficiently so that they would not be caught
28:07there was numerous toiletries recovered within the address as well as other items
28:12all gillette all premium toiletries all of expense but used daily so sought after we found the credit
28:21cards that are being used in those transactions again linking those individuals but the biggest poignant
28:28evidence that we found was receipts so we found handwritten receipts that showed a sale of items
28:36printer ink cartridges that had clearly been sold to a handler the price that had been sold to a handler
28:43and the quantity and amount that had been sold this assisted greatly in the investigation this showed
28:49the crime prosecution service that you know this this is a bulk shoplifting it's not just one or two items
28:56when the decision was made by myself to authorize charge of all six suspects in relation to conspiracy to steal
29:05what we then have to consider is for trial how are we going to present this case once the suspects
29:12had been arrested that for me is when the real work starts
29:17the real work is in the real work that's the real work that continues to do
29:41that will help you get your little help
29:55So I just need to look at all the cases, link them to the case, make sure everything's
30:02updated on the case, just prepare mine to the questions and then go from there.
30:19So this interview will be orderly recorded, I'm PC2290, are we impressed in custody, are
30:26you guilty theft from Curry's on the 12th of May?
30:30Explain to me what happened on that day?
30:33Why did you enter the store at 1.48pm?
30:51So you've been further arrested for theft and common assault, which occurred on the range,
30:57where you allegedly stole an air fryer amounting to £129.99 and you assaulted a staff member.
31:04So are you guilty of theft from the range on the 5th of April, 2025?
31:08Are you guilty of common assault on the 5th of April, 2025?
31:12Were you challenged when you left the store?
31:15What happened when you were challenged?
31:18Are you guilty of theft from Morrison's on the 25th of June?
31:23Explain to me what happened on that day.
31:26What items did you steal?
31:28Did you take three bottles of alcohol?
31:31Did you take three bottles of alcohol?
31:35No.
31:38Just leave your shoes and...
31:41Officers will need to prove the thefts to secure charges with the Crown Prosecution Service.
31:56Yes.
31:57So that's him.
32:01OK, I got the still.
32:02You're probably not going to get the footage, that's fine, but we got the CCTV still.
32:06All right, that's fine.
32:08As long as you've got the statement, that's what you need more, isn't it?
32:11Yeah, I need a statement.
32:15Ready?
32:15Yeah, we're ready to go.
32:16All right, let's go.
32:18I sent out PCSO Mohamed and PCSO Aaron to get statements from some of these shops, as well as CCTV
32:25footage.
32:39Hiya, you're all right?
32:41I'm PCSO Mohamed.
32:42We're just here regarding a year shoplifting.
32:45It was quite a while ago.
32:47It was April.
32:48OK.
32:48But there's a suspect that we're just pretty much trying to get a lot of evidence on at the moment.
32:52OK.
32:53He shoplifted here during April time.
32:55OK.
32:57How far back is the CCTV?
32:5828 days.
32:5928 days.
33:00So there won't be...
33:00No.
33:01No CCTV at all.
33:03Was it Saturday?
33:04Yeah.
33:04Was it an air fryer?
33:05Air fryer, yes.
33:06I think it got salted.
33:08I know exactly which incident it was.
33:10Were you in that day?
33:11Yeah, of course.
33:12But, like, we've had loads of issues with him off the past.
33:15Yeah, yeah.
33:15We've all been reported as well.
33:16Yeah.
33:17I mean, it's not just yourself.
33:18I'm British.
33:19I think there's multiple stores around here that are getting problems with him now, so...
33:22Yeah.
33:23We're just looking into him off further right now.
33:24He's quite...
33:24He's quite public about it.
33:25He's not really.
33:26Yeah, he just...
33:27He's not really public.
33:28He's not discreet.
33:29It's the same here.
33:30He just kind of picks up whatever and just leaves.
33:31Yeah, yeah.
33:32He's just walking right now and just picks something in the front.
33:34What did you take from here, do you know?
33:35Air fryer's all the time.
33:36Just air fryer's?
33:37Always air fryer's.
33:38Always air fryer's.
33:39All right.
33:40All right, see you.
33:41Bye-bye.
33:41Take care.
33:44There are some cases, you know, there's been multiple shoplifts that happen and sometimes
33:49we just can't get the CCTV or we struggle to get the CCTV and just sometimes the suspectors
33:54end up walking away.
33:56But this is really important to why we do get statements because as much as we won't have
34:00the footage, for example, statements help match up the evidence.
34:06The last remaining chance of a witness statement to bolster the case is from a Morrison's employee.
34:13That's really a big old one.
34:15Yeah, really old.
34:27Quick one, have you got the two statements and footage for the jobs?
34:33Yeah, I have the Morrison's one, the range one, the guys on holiday and the footage is
34:39no longer there but they've got us still apparently.
34:42Right, OK, so we haven't got any evidence and potential for the range one but we've got
34:46everything for the Morrison's CCTV on statement.
35:02Yeah, no worries mate, that's fine. Did he say when he's back?
35:09Yeah, no worries mate, that's fine.
35:12I'm going to charge George three of them out of the four because we haven't got evidence
35:16for one of them yet. So, and the guy is on holiday for two weeks, he's not seen it.
35:20So, charge remanding for that and an RUI for the fourth but we'll get that in postal
35:23record.
35:25Right, perfect.
35:26So, keep that job anyway.
35:27Brilliant.
35:27How are we going?
35:28Great work.
35:29Good day.
35:30I think for me, and I'd definitely say for the team, we prefer doing days like today
35:35when we get the chance because you're not reacting to jobs, you're proactively looking
35:39to stop people and getting involved, old-fashioned policing isn't it?
35:43On the ground, everyone out and about, grabbing older people, locking them up,
35:47being seen.
35:48So, yeah, I think we definitely love doing this kind of stuff.
35:50Should be doing it more.
35:56George pleaded guilty to three shop thefts and breach of a suspended sentence
36:01and went to prison for three months.
36:08Can interviewing the shop thief caught with the knife lead to a breakthrough?
36:13That image is very clear.
36:15It clearly shows you taking items and walking away from the shop.
36:19And you're telling us that's not you?
36:21No, no, no, no, no.
36:50You're not wrong with any of them.
36:51In September 2020, four members of the gang gave mostly no-comment interviews.
36:58This made it harder to prove a conspiracy-to-steel charge,
37:02an offence that brings much more serious punishment.
37:06We went through in detail the investigation, what a conspiracy was,
37:10what their role within that conspiracy was, and what evidence we had to prove that.
37:15And each was interviewed over that point.
37:18Then one of the original gang members was arrested,
37:21and Cheshire Police had one last opportunity.
37:25This is me, Indigenousy Recorder. I'm Detective Constable Paul Matchett,
37:28and I'm based at Norfolk Police Station.
37:30You've been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal with other males.
37:34Are you responsible for that offence?
37:37No. He's not guilty.
37:40This is taken from Asda and Great Bridge in April.
37:43Is that you? Yes.
37:45Yeah, that's you. Yeah.
37:48Who's that next to you on the CCT?
37:52You don't know that person?
37:54No.
37:54No? That's not Nikolai Healy?
37:57No.
37:57He doesn't know that.
38:00So proving a conspiracy is all about proving association
38:04and proving knowledge of what was going on or what they planned to do.
38:08And then from the 18th of June...
38:14CCTV shows Mr. Ealy committing offences with Mr. Moroz.
38:23So the circle's complete for the offending.
38:26You don't know your name, or something?
38:27I don't know this, guys.
38:30When you have that really strong evidential picture
38:34and when you're able to interview these offenders
38:37with that evidence in front of them,
38:40they're left with no option but typically to admit to what they've done.
38:44Why, then, are you on CCTV?
38:47All different locations stealing with these people.
38:51Is there anything you want to say?
39:01It's not just one mistake, though, is it?
39:03Multiple thefts.
39:06So £180,000.
39:09And these lists show that this is organised, not a mistake.
39:17Until the pretrial hearing,
39:19all six continued to deny conspiracy to steal.
39:24I felt extremely confident
39:26that we had built an effective and strong prosecution case.
39:30I believe that this was evidenced by the fact
39:32that all six defendants thereafter pleaded guilty
39:35at the first opportunity.
39:38Each of the six gang members
39:40received the same 42-month prison sentence.
39:44A charge of conspiracy meant that no matter
39:47whether they were involved from the outset or joined quite late,
39:51they were all held accountable for their offending.
39:55It was a sentence that I was happy reflected the criminality
39:58that they were committing.
39:59It was a sentence I was satisfied with.
40:01It was a sentence that I thought, you know,
40:03was a good result for the work
40:05and the effort that went into this investigation.
40:09These guys had extensive criminal histories across Europe,
40:12so it is clearly they were travelling
40:14and this was a way of life for them.
40:17The UK was just the next country on their list to target.
40:20That's the scary thing when you look at this.
40:42The UK was just the same.
40:55So, you've been interviewed under suspicion of a fray
40:59and four times theft from shops
41:01and then possession of an offensive weapon, OK?
41:05What did you take?
41:06What do you mean?
41:08What did you take from the shop?
41:10What shop?
41:11Chorley. Tesco Express, Chorley Road.
41:13Where's that?
41:15In Chorley.
41:16I don't know where Chorley Road is.
41:19OK.
41:20All right, so, this one is on the 20th.
41:23Yeah.
41:23There's a casino, just someone up there,
41:26admiring the meat selection.
41:28Yeah.
41:28With a bag of the knife.
41:32That image is very clear.
41:33It clearly shows you taking items and walking away from the shop.
41:38And you're telling us that's not you?
41:41Yeah.
41:42OK.
41:45So, I'm just showing you some CCTV.
41:48At 14.20 on the 29th of June, 2025.
41:57There we are.
42:01You then turn back around.
42:06Something's shining in your hand.
42:07What is that?
42:11Never seen that in my life.
42:13OK.
42:15I'm more looking at the pink item there, the pink mental item.
42:20Can you see that in your hat?
42:22But why did you put something in my hat?
42:25Right.
42:26What is that?
42:27I don't know.
42:28But it's placed something in my hat, obviously.
42:30There's nothing found on my person.
42:32Nothing found on my person in the search.
42:34Because all they had on, yeah, was a pair of shorts, right?
42:37There's nothing found on my person by any police officer.
42:40Right.
42:41The police officer picked a knife up, right?
42:43Yeah?
42:44Not on my person.
42:45Whoever they picked his knife up, I don't know where he's got it from.
42:49And placed it in my hat and took a picture of it.
42:52Yeah?
42:52That is not right for them to do.
42:54To pick a knife up or place a knife wherever they acquired that knife from.
42:58That is not right.
42:59OK.
43:00That is not right.
43:01And you know what?
43:02That comes as borderline as a legal trying.
43:04I think that looks like the alchemy placing a knife in my hat.
43:13So he stated that the theft from shops are not him.
43:16We've shown him clear CCTV of his face.
43:18However, he states it's not him.
43:20We've warned him that obviously we've got CCTV.
43:23Adamant it's not him.
43:25We've also asked him about the affray.
43:27He said that's not him.
43:30So he's basically denied all offences.
43:32He's also said that a police officer has put a knife in his hat when he got arrested yesterday.
43:38It's quite an implausible thing considering two police officers had their own more videos on.
43:44But that's the story stuck to.
43:45That's the story stuck to an intimate.
43:47He did get questioned on it, get tested on it, but he didn't want to give any further explanation.
43:54With only an hour left on his 24-hour custody clock,
43:58Kenny was charged with offences including three shop thefts and possession of a knife.
44:03He was given a 14-month prison sentence.
44:22He did get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested
44:23on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested
44:24on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested
44:24on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested
44:24on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested
44:24on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested
44:25on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested
44:26on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested
44:28on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it, get tested on it