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Crimewatch Roadshow - Season 23 - Episode 09: An Audacious Burglary
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00:01Today, the gang who smashed through the wall of an upmarket boutique to steal hundreds of thousands of pounds worth
00:07of handbags.
00:09You never expect something like this to happen to you.
00:12This is a heist. This is an actual heist.
00:17This was meticulously planned, but who's behind it?
00:21Plus, officers in Manchester need your help to find out who set this car on fire, leaving a young family
00:28terrified.
00:30Stay watching. This is Crimewatch Live.
00:33He's been jamming the switchboard both here and at the instant room.
00:38To remind you, this was the abduction and reno drop campaign and the hammer gun debate.
00:45Hello and welcome to Crimewatch 12. People rang and giving the same, those fantastic results.
00:59Good morning. Thanks for joining us today and thank you for all your calls this week.
01:04I should say lots of information has come in about our appeals and we've also had a fantastic response to
01:09Tuesday's item.
01:10When we spoke about refuge for pets who foster animals for those fleeing domestic abuse households until they can be
01:17reunited.
01:18So thank you for all of those.
01:19Thank you very much. We have another packed show for you today with exclusive stories from across the UK,
01:24including how a tip off led the National Crime Agency to uncover a haul of military grade weapons being supplied
01:32to criminals across the north of England.
01:36He was driven by greed. He didn't care who he hit and he had to be stopped.
01:43And we're joined by Claire Waxman, the victim's commissioner, to hear about her plans to ensure the justice system works
01:49for those who need it most.
01:51Our phone lines are open in our headquarters in Cardiff. To get in touch, scan the QR code on your
01:57screen and follow the link.
02:00You can call us as well on 08000 468 999. Text us on 63399. Start your message with the word
02:08crime, leave a space and then write your text.
02:11Also email cwl at bbc.co.uk. The details will be on your screen throughout the programme, just down by
02:19the clock.
02:21But first today on an audacious raid on a shop in Cheshire, where a gang literally burrowed through a wall
02:27to steal a quarter of a million pounds worth of designer handbags.
02:38You never expect something like this to happen to you.
02:45This is a heist. This is an actual heist. And it sent a ripple through the whole village.
03:00On the 8th of June 2025, in the affluent area of Pressbury, Cheshire, what should have been a peaceful Sunday
03:09evening was turned upside down as burglars targeted a boutique designer shop selling expensive handbags.
03:26We'd probably been asleep a couple of hours and then all of a sudden the phones were ringing.
03:35And we heard the monitoring company say to us, your building is in alarm.
03:47My heart just sank.
03:51I jumped onto the CCTV and I could see the men all masked up, balaclavas, all dressed in black.
04:02This is my second burglary in 15 months.
04:06I said to my husband, how have they got in?
04:09Because I know the security I've got here.
04:11I know what we've got on the perimeter fences.
04:13I know the shutters and bars.
04:15And I was terrified.
04:20By the time we arrived, of course, they'd gone.
04:26We arrived here at the same time as the police.
04:29We opened the door.
04:31And I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.
04:36There was a huge hole in the wall.
04:41And could see straight through into the next door's building.
04:46I just could not believe my eyes.
04:49And I said, they have actually drilled through the building.
04:57I remembered that I had trackers in all of the bags.
05:01And I went onto my tracking app.
05:05You could see this bundle of trackers moving along.
05:09The bags were still in the outskirts of Presbury Village.
05:13And I said to the police that the bags are here.
05:18Officers were sent out to try and intercept the suspects
05:21and recover the bags at the last known location.
05:26On arrival, the suspects were nowhere to be found.
05:29The air tags were found in Withenshaw,
05:32an area of Manchester just over the border from Cheshire,
05:34in a field next to a residential area.
05:37We believe that the offenders have gone to this location
05:40and discarded the air tags
05:41and made good escape with the handbags.
05:45Unable to track the bags further
05:47and with no DNA recovered at the scene,
05:51detectives analysed the CCTV footage.
05:55With Christine being a previous victim of burglary,
05:57she has very good CCTV inside the shop.
06:03After 11.38 hours,
06:05the offenders have tunnelled through
06:06an unoccupied address next door into the shop.
06:11There's nothing to do here.
06:27We are too young.
06:34We've got to do him and film.
06:36We're too young.
06:37We've got to do each other.
06:37There's nothing to do.
06:37He's got to do each other.
06:38He's got to do each other.
06:39A private car.
06:39We're...
06:39entering the premises.
06:42Male one immediately goes upstairs.
06:48The two other males remain downstairs.
06:55And quickly, each room within the shop is searched.
07:01It's well-planned and prepared.
07:03They know exactly what they were doing and where they were going
07:06and what they wanted to steal.
07:13Literally, the offender's inside the shop for two minutes
07:19and leaving by the same means that they entered.
07:28And they've stolen £260,000 worth of handbags.
07:36CCTV at the back of the shop showed the burglars arriving.
07:43And escaping this well-planned heist in a getaway car parked nearby.
07:50We actually later found out that they'd been drilling a hole
07:53for about five nights before that.
07:57We only knew that because we went back through the CCTV
07:59and you could hear the sounds of a pneumatic drill.
08:04It was absolutely deafening on the CCTV.
08:09Despite extensive CCTV footage,
08:12police still need the public's help
08:14in identifying those responsible.
08:19I say the three people were males.
08:22Not that we can see the faces,
08:23but we're going off the builds of each person.
08:27Clearly, they or someone associated with them
08:30had been in the shop probably fairly recently
08:33to scope out the premises.
08:36It's unlikely the offenders have stolen these handbags
08:39to sell in this country for a reduced price.
08:42One of the handbags was worth £45,000.
08:45I can't see why you would go to the lengths of stealing it
08:49to only sell it for low value
08:50when potentially you can take it abroad
08:52and get high value for it.
08:55If you are buying a designer handbag for a reduced price,
08:59the likelihood is it will be stolen.
09:01The handbags are very unique.
09:04Christine is an expert in the area of handbags.
09:06And if these handbags were sold in this country,
09:09I'm pretty sure Christine would know about it.
09:16This has been a very well-planned, targeted attack.
09:20And that's terrifying.
09:26They knew I had the bags here, which I don't anymore.
09:30I can't.
09:31I can't risk a third burglary,
09:35so what they want isn't here anymore,
09:37which is devastating for our customers
09:42because we're a beautiful boutique,
09:44we sell luxury handbags,
09:45and there aren't actually any luxury handbags here to see now.
09:48It's appointment only.
09:49But it's the way I've had to change strategically
09:52to protect myself.
09:57This is my shop.
10:00This is my business.
10:01I've started this business from scratch.
10:07And three men think they can just walk in
10:10and help themselves to everything that I've created.
10:14My shop was closed in both occasions
10:17for a long time afterwards
10:19because you've got a hole in the wall,
10:21you've got smashed cabinets,
10:23you've got devastation.
10:25Life just doesn't just carry on.
10:27It stops.
10:30And I'll never get over it.
10:37Goodness, you can see how much this has hit, Christine.
10:40Not just the value of the bags,
10:41but just the trauma of going through it.
10:42We've got a DI, Dave Jarvis, from Trashire Police back.
10:45I last spoke to you in October about this.
10:47We obviously saw you pop up in the film as well.
10:49What came of the last chat we had on this?
10:52So following the appeal in October,
10:54we were provided with the name of a possible suspect.
10:57That individual was fully investigated
10:58and they've now been taken out of the investigation.
11:01Right, OK, so we're back on it again now.
11:03We need to find who did this.
11:05We saw from that footage, and Christine said it herself,
11:07this was so well-planned, wasn't it?
11:09It was.
11:10It was a pre-planned and well-executed burglary.
11:12As we've seen from the CCTV,
11:14the offenders were only in a shop for a matter of minutes
11:16and they've stolen 45 handbags
11:17to the value of £260,000.
11:19Yeah, and the area as well.
11:21Just remind us where it is.
11:22So this is Pressbury, isn't it?
11:23Yeah, Pressbury and Cheshire,
11:24which is a very affluent area.
11:27Yeah, so Pressbury there,
11:28you can see where exactly the dress shop is too.
11:31Let's have a look at the CCTV then.
11:33I mean, it's quite incredible, this footage we've got,
11:36but they've got their faces covered, haven't they?
11:37They have, yeah.
11:38So all three males are wearing dark clothing,
11:40they're wearing face coverings and they're wearing gloves.
11:42The first male that enters the shop
11:44is wearing a head torch
11:45and he brings in a duvet cover,
11:48which he places handbags in to remove them.
11:52And the footwear is important as well?
11:54It is, yeah.
11:55So Cheshire Police have a specialist footwear unit
11:57and we've identified the footwear
11:58worn by the offenders as being
12:00Nike and New Balance trainers.
12:03Yeah, and also with this,
12:05as you can see, that hole that they're going through now,
12:08this was dug from the restaurant next door
12:11and we've got some footage of the car
12:13which they went off in.
12:14Can you tell us about what we saw?
12:15Yeah, so all we know about the car
12:16is a dark coloured vehicle.
12:17To date, we've not been able to identify
12:19the make or model of the vehicle.
12:20We do believe it's the same vehicle
12:22that the offenders have used on previous dates
12:24when they've come to the location.
12:26Right, to check it out basically.
12:28And let's talk about what they did take then.
12:30You know, we've mentioned the value of this haul
12:32and the hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of handbags.
12:35So let's just have a look at them.
12:37Just remind us about them.
12:38Yeah, so a number of handbags were stolen
12:39including Dior, Chanel.
12:41The most expensive handbag was
12:42a Hermes Birkin Black Crocodile handbag
12:45which was valued at £45,000.
12:47Wow, so mega money there.
12:49They're a lot for a small business to take a hit on
12:51as well as all the damage that Christine had.
12:53So what is it you want to get from this appeal now?
12:56Ultimately, we want to bring the offenders to justice
12:58and to do that we need the public's help.
13:01We're keen for any information
13:02that could identify the males involved,
13:05identify the vehicle that they've used
13:07on the day of the burglary
13:08and leading up to the burglary.
13:10And if anyone has any information
13:11about the handbags themselves,
13:13the current location,
13:14if they've been offered to buy one
13:16or anything that can assist the inquiry,
13:18we're really keen to hear.
13:19Yes, because that's a really important point.
13:21You might have been offered one of these bags
13:23on a really good deal.
13:24Yeah.
13:25So just keep your eyes out for that
13:26and let the police know if that's happened to.
13:28And if you recognise those men,
13:30they do get in touch.
13:31Dave, thanks.
13:31Lovely to see you again.
13:32That's it from us.
13:34Thanks, Steph.
13:35I'm now with DC Melanie Jeffrey
13:37from Greater Manchester Police
13:38who needs your help with an arson attack
13:41that she is investigating
13:42and it could easily have had fatal consequences.
13:46This is a nasty one.
13:47Melanie, tell us the details
13:49of what you're investigating.
13:50So we're currently investigating an arson attack
13:53which occurred in Littlebury in Rochdale
13:55on the 6th of September, 2025.
13:58It occurred on Clegswood Avenue.
14:01A mum had put her young child to bed,
14:04gone to bed, no issues,
14:05and was woken up by the car alarm sounding on her drive.
14:09She had a quick look at her video doorbell.
14:11Could see there were people on the drive,
14:12looked outside and her car was ablaze.
14:14Okay.
14:15Well, we can actually see some footage now
14:17that you've provided us.
14:18This is first responders turning up at the scene.
14:21That blaze that we can see there,
14:23this is her car that's on fire
14:25and that's just minutes after
14:26it was set ablaze deliberately, isn't it?
14:29Yeah.
14:29Thankfully, the fire service
14:31and the police arrived quite quickly to the address
14:34and in that time,
14:36she'd managed to get her and a young child
14:38and the dogs out of the house,
14:40thankfully without any injury,
14:42but obviously it was a really frightening
14:44and traumatising experience for them both.
14:46Well, we can see here now,
14:48this is the vehicle that was set ablaze.
14:51I mean, it's absolutely destroyed,
14:52but you want to draw our attention to the window above the car
14:56because that's where this young nine-year-old boy was asleep.
15:00Yeah, the window above the vehicle that was set on fire
15:04is where the young child was sleeping at the time
15:07and as I say, fast asleep,
15:10mum's had to go in,
15:11wake him up and get him
15:12and the family pets out of the address,
15:15walking past the blaze as it was going up
15:17and then they basically stood and watched.
15:19Absolutely terrifying.
15:21Well, we can also see some doorbell footage
15:23that you've provided us now
15:24of the car actually being broken into
15:27and set ablaze.
15:29Talk us through this.
15:30So we have a vehicle which we believe is a Peugeot 3008
15:34from the 2008-2016 model.
15:39It has quite distinctive wing mirrors
15:41with lights down the side.
15:43We've managed to see the vehicle quite clearly
15:46from CCTV footage which is on the screen now.
15:49The vehicle pulls up, two people get out.
15:52We know that the driver still remains in
15:54as the vehicle continues to move.
15:56So we're after the public's help
15:58in order to try and identify the three people
16:00on that footage.
16:01So this was taken from CCTV,
16:02this image of that Peugeot.
16:04What do you know about where it went after that?
16:07We know that the vehicle left the incident location,
16:11went past Hollingworth Lake
16:13and up Hollingworth Road to the top
16:15where Canal Street is.
16:17We're then a bit stuck on as to whether or not
16:20it went up Todmorden Road or Halifax Road.
16:22We know that it didn't travel through
16:24the Little Borough town centre.
16:26So it's either travelled in the direction
16:28of Lancashire or West Yorkshire.
16:31It's worth saying that there were a lot of people
16:33that came out after hearing what happened.
16:37A lot of people we saw in that first clip there.
16:40There's people that may have had some dashcam footage
16:44of a vehicle driving erratically on this date,
16:46perhaps at that time.
16:47There's people out and about
16:49that might have some information about this.
16:51Yeah, this occurred in like the early hours
16:53of Saturday morning.
16:54So there are obviously people still travelling around
16:55in taxis, going about the day-to-day business.
16:59They might have seen something suspicious,
17:00seeing the car being prepped perhaps
17:02to come to the scene.
17:04Or they might have heard something about it afterwards
17:06as well, overheard a conversation,
17:08people talking about something that took place.
17:11Anybody that might have taken a particular interest
17:13in this case that's a bit beyond
17:15what normally would be expected.
17:16And we're after any information
17:18that the public can give us
17:20to help us find the people
17:22and bring them to justice
17:23and bring the family some justice
17:25and make them feel safe again in their own home.
17:28Because at the moment they don't.
17:29No.
17:30No, which is so sad to hear.
17:32Arrest has been made so far, one arrest,
17:35but you're still looking
17:36for who actually deliberately set fire to the vehicle.
17:40These are the people that were caught on camera
17:42and you still want as much information as possible
17:45as to who they could be.
17:47Yeah.
17:47So we arrested one person.
17:49They've been released under investigation.
17:51But our primary focus at the moment
17:53is on the people that actually committed the attack
17:56at the address.
17:57Those that got out of the vehicle
17:58and deliberately set it on fire.
18:00Okay.
18:00And as you say,
18:01that poor lad is petrified being in his own home
18:05as a result of this completely understandably.
18:07We need to find out who those people were.
18:10Yes, it's an arson.
18:10It's horrific.
18:11It could have been so, so much worse,
18:14couldn't it, Melanie?
18:14Yes, it could.
18:15Yeah, absolutely.
18:16Melanie, thank you.
18:17If you do know anything about this arson attack,
18:19please do get in touch.
18:20All the usual ways to contact us
18:22are on your screen just down below.
18:26Now, how a tip-off about Grade A weapons
18:29led the National Crime Agency
18:31to uncover a man supplying guns
18:33to criminal gangs in the North West.
18:37He was making a living supplying
18:39military-grade weapons to people in the UK
18:41and tasking an enforcer
18:43to blind people with acid attacks.
18:46He was driven by greed.
18:47He didn't care who he hurt
18:48and he had to be stopped.
18:55In early 2020, the National Crime Agency
18:58were given a tip-off
19:00that an AK-47 was being hidden
19:02in the Warrington area of Cheshire.
19:06The agency launched an immediate hunt
19:09to locate the lethal weapon
19:11and uncover who had put it there.
19:16When you get that first piece of information,
19:18you're kind of a little bit dubious.
19:20An AK-47 in Warrington?
19:23OK?
19:24Fully automatic rifles
19:26that you would associate more with war zones
19:28than the streets of the UK.
19:33Through intelligence,
19:34they discovered the AK-47
19:36was being hidden
19:37in a suspended ceiling
19:39of an empty business premises.
19:42What we had then
19:43was confirmation
19:44that the AK-47 was real,
19:46that there was
19:47a North West-based
19:49organised crime group
19:50with the capabilities
19:51to obtain automatic firearms
19:53for the purposes of criminality,
19:56which is massively significant in itself.
20:00But now,
20:01they needed to identify
20:02who would put it there.
20:05A massive CCTV trawl
20:07of that entire area
20:08identified a shop and location
20:11where we believe
20:12that these firearms handovers
20:13may have taken place.
20:16We then identify
20:17that there is a male
20:19using a red van
20:20that arrives at the location
20:21and appears to conduct
20:23a handover
20:23to a black vehicle.
20:28Working back from that,
20:29we see what we believe
20:30to be the same male
20:31attending other vehicles
20:34either on foot
20:36or in a push bike.
20:40Or we see the red van
20:42attend other locations.
20:45Suspicious the male
20:46was moving weapons,
20:47they sought out
20:48the owner of the red van.
20:50We identify a local male
20:52who is the register keeper
20:54and his home address
20:55is round the corner
20:56from the handover location.
20:59And that male's identified
21:01as Robert Brazendale.
21:04They established
21:05Brazendale had been involved
21:07in handling
21:08other dangerous weapons.
21:11We identified
21:12a series of other handovers
21:15of more military-grade weapons.
21:19Scorpions, a machine gun,
21:22Uzi,
21:22another AK-47.
21:24Suddenly you have got
21:26quite a significant
21:27criminal capability
21:28within the sort of
21:29northwest Warrington,
21:31Merseyside region
21:31of people coming together
21:33to take possession
21:34of automatic weapons.
21:36Each weapon
21:37had a healthy market value.
21:39The AK-47
21:40were offered
21:41for around about
21:41£11,000 each
21:43with magazines
21:44and ammunition.
21:46Uzi and the Scorpions
21:47were probably a similar amount,
21:48around about
21:49£10,000 each.
21:54NCA investigators
21:55immediately arrested
21:57Robert Brazendale.
21:59When they searched
22:00his home,
22:01they recovered clothes
22:02that matched
22:03those seen on CCTV.
22:06And their forensic report
22:08gave them
22:09further evidential links.
22:11Robert Brazendale's DNA
22:13was recovered
22:14from the bag
22:15used to carry the weapon.
22:17There was DNA recovered
22:19that was a billion to one
22:21that it was
22:21Robert Brazendale's DNA
22:22on that bag
22:23that contained
22:24the AK-47.
22:25With the case
22:26against Brazendale
22:27now watertight,
22:29officers moved
22:30to re-arrest him.
22:31But he had fled to Spain.
22:35We have to work
22:36really quickly
22:37to coordinate that
22:38with the Spanish
22:39to try and locate
22:40Robert Brazendale.
22:43in October 2020,
22:45he was located
22:46by Spanish authorities
22:47and extradited
22:49back to the UK.
22:51And in February 2022,
22:54he was sentenced
22:55to 10 years'
22:56imprisonment
22:56for conspiring
22:57to transfer
22:58prohibited weapons.
23:05The National Crime Agency
23:07knew that
23:08Brazendale
23:09wasn't working alone.
23:10But who
23:11was his
23:12co-conspirator?
23:14Unless we take out
23:15those people,
23:17we don't
23:17completely disrupt
23:18the crime group.
23:19It had to be stopped.
23:25Wow.
23:26Juicy.
23:27Yeah, it is.
23:27Now, you might have seen
23:29in the news this week
23:30how some victims
23:31of crimes
23:32are having to wait
23:33not just months
23:34but years
23:35to have their case
23:36heard before a jury.
23:37Well, to talk about that,
23:38we're joined by
23:39Clare Waxman,
23:39who is the Victims Commissioner
23:41for England and Wales.
23:43Clare, thank you
23:43for coming in for a chat.
23:45You've not long been
23:45in the job,
23:46three months,
23:47but can you just explain
23:48to people
23:48what does a Victims Commissioner
23:50do?
23:50Well, it was an
23:51independent role
23:52that was created
23:53over 20 years ago
23:55to be a champion,
23:56really,
23:57for victims,
23:58survivors,
23:59families bereaved
24:00by homicide
24:01and manslaughter
24:02to really try
24:03and promote
24:04their interests
24:05and listen
24:06to their experiences
24:07to help influence
24:08changes within
24:09our criminal justice system.
24:10So, working really closely
24:11with the police,
24:12the Crown Prosecution Service,
24:14all the way through
24:14the criminal justice system
24:15and with government
24:16as well
24:17to ensure that victims
24:18have stronger rights
24:19when they're reporting
24:20to the police
24:21and accessing justice.
24:22It's something
24:23that you are
24:24incredibly passionate about.
24:25How did you get
24:26involved in this?
24:27So, I have been
24:28a victim
24:29over 20 years,
24:3123 actually,
24:32of stalking.
24:33So, I had experienced
24:35that criminal justice system
24:36really on a loop
24:36for so many years
24:38and it really was
24:39sort of eight years in
24:40that I felt
24:40something had to change
24:41because I was seeing,
24:43you know,
24:43on that front line
24:44just how many challenges
24:45victims were having
24:46to endure.
24:47So, I campaigned
24:48for a stalking legislation
24:49and then for a
24:51victim's law
24:52and really it started
24:53from there
24:54using my experience.
24:55and I work with
24:56so many other victims
24:57and survivors
24:57and families now
24:58to help give them
24:59a voice
25:00and help them campaign
25:01for meaningful change.
25:02And it's so important
25:03that you understand
25:04what it is like
25:05to be in their shoes.
25:07So, can you just tell us
25:08a bit about what
25:09the barriers are then
25:10in the justice system
25:10for victims?
25:11Yeah, I mean,
25:11there are a number
25:12of barriers and challenges
25:13that victims have to face.
25:16One of the big ones
25:17is around the very long
25:18waits for justice
25:19from the moment
25:20you report
25:20to getting into court.
25:22I have worked
25:22with some victims,
25:23in particular rape victims,
25:25where it's taken
25:25seven to eight years
25:27from the time of reporting
25:28to coming into court.
25:29That's awful,
25:30living with this.
25:30They have to,
25:31it's agonising.
25:32They have to endure
25:33these terrible long waits
25:34and it has a real
25:35profound impact
25:37on their life.
25:37It prolongs the trauma.
25:39They can't move on
25:39from their lives.
25:40So, I would say
25:41the long waits
25:42for justice
25:42is a huge challenge
25:44along with really struggling
25:46to get their rights,
25:48basic rights to dignity,
25:50to information updates
25:51on their case,
25:53to accessing support,
25:54compensation,
25:55all the things
25:56that victims in this country
25:57should be receiving.
25:58They have to really fight
25:59to access it.
26:00Yeah, which puts people off.
26:02It does.
26:02And a lot of things
26:03put people off,
26:04like the years to wait
26:06for a trial
26:06that you've mentioned,
26:07that can put people off.
26:08And one of the cases,
26:11something like rape,
26:12for example,
26:12can take a long, long time.
26:13You've done a lot
26:14of work on that.
26:15You've really pushed
26:15for change
26:16and given victims a voice
26:17and you want them
26:18to be able to challenge
26:19a decision even with the CPS.
26:20That's one of the ones
26:21you pushed for, isn't it?
26:21Yes, absolutely.
26:23I mean, in particular
26:24around rape,
26:25before I was in this role,
26:26I was the London
26:27Victims Commissioner
26:28and in 2017,
26:29I worked really closely
26:31with rape victims
26:32and survivors
26:33and worked and pushed
26:34towards really changing
26:35the way that we investigate
26:37and prosecute rape
26:38in this country.
26:39Back in 2017,
26:40it was virtually decriminalised.
26:42You know, victims,
26:42the moment they were reporting,
26:44they were being asked
26:44to hand over their mobile phones
26:46at the point of reporting.
26:48That's so intrusive.
26:49Really intrusive,
26:50looking at all that
26:50personal material,
26:51trawling through it,
26:52making them feel like
26:53that they were on trial,
26:54they were being scrutinised.
26:56We have changed that.
26:57We've seen a big shift
26:58over the years.
26:59The focus now
27:00is very much on the suspect,
27:01not the victim's credibility
27:03and character.
27:04So we have seen improvements,
27:05not in the court.
27:07We need to see
27:07much more improvement
27:08around the way victims
27:09are treated in court,
27:10but also those long delays.
27:12But yes,
27:13they have an access now
27:13to reviewing,
27:15that right to review.
27:16It's a right under
27:17the Victim's Code,
27:18which gives victims
27:19in this country 12 rights.
27:21So many victims
27:21aren't aware of their rights.
27:23It's so important
27:24that they know
27:24what they should be receiving
27:27and to push for it.
27:28So there's a code
27:29which basically tells you
27:30what your rights are then?
27:31Yes, there's a Victim's Code.
27:33It's been in for many years.
27:34I campaign to strengthen it
27:36in a victim's law
27:37so that victims have access
27:39to information,
27:42support, compensation,
27:43the right to review
27:44a Crown Prosecution Service decision
27:46if they decide
27:47not to charge a case.
27:48So we've made great strides
27:50over the years.
27:51I think what's missing
27:51is we're not letting victims know.
27:54Yeah, and talking about
27:55not letting them know,
27:56do you think that's something
27:57that people don't even know about,
27:58something like the Victim's Code?
27:59There's a lot of people
28:00that didn't even realise it was there.
28:01I would think, you know,
28:02I would think a member of the public,
28:03if you haven't been a victim,
28:05you certainly wouldn't know about it.
28:06But I meet victims
28:07who've even been through the process.
28:09They've gone to court.
28:10They've finished that justice process
28:12and they didn't know
28:13about the Victim's Code.
28:14And that's on police
28:15and that's on Crown Prosecution Service.
28:17There's a duty on them now
28:18to promote the code to victims
28:20and to deliver it.
28:22Yeah, I mean,
28:23you've got bold ambition,
28:24haven't you, with this?
28:24What's reform going to look like?
28:26Well, reform for me in this role
28:28is, one, we have to reduce
28:30that backlog.
28:30There is a bill in Parliament this week.
28:34It is a controversial bill.
28:35It's about reducing jury trials
28:36in certain cases.
28:38But without taking some of those cases
28:40out of the Crown Court,
28:41I really think we will struggle
28:42to speed up justice for victims.
28:45So we do have to tackle that
28:47because otherwise we'll see victims
28:48coming out of the process
28:49and that's a big problem.
28:51And I want to overhaul the way
28:52that victims are treated
28:53in our criminal justice system.
28:55I think we can offer
28:56a much more seamless,
28:58integrated service
28:59that will meet victims' needs
29:01and help keep them supported
29:02and well engaged in the process.
29:05And Claire, finally,
29:05before we let you go,
29:06last thing we've got to ask,
29:07if someone is a victim of a crime,
29:09what would you say to them?
29:10Your words of advice?
29:12It is so tough
29:13and I know it is
29:14and you can feel very lonely
29:16and isolated,
29:16but there is support out there.
29:19The police are,
29:20on the whole,
29:21are doing a wonderful job.
29:22They really are pushing hard
29:23to help victims.
29:25Come forward,
29:26report,
29:27know your victims' rights
29:28under the code
29:28and get the support.
29:31Thank you, Claire.
29:31Thanks, Claire.
29:32It's really important stuff.
29:35Now,
29:35it's time for the second part
29:37of our exclusive film
29:39with the National Crime Agency.
29:40So they've put one man in prison
29:42for trading guns.
29:43Now,
29:43they need to identify
29:44who he's working with.
29:50Before 2020,
29:51criminal gangs relied
29:53on a notorious encryption network
29:55called EncroChat
29:57to communicate.
29:58It allowed modified smartphones
30:01to send encrypted messages
30:02to other users.
30:05The service was so popular
30:06to criminals
30:07because it offered
30:08almost a guarantee
30:09of anonymity.
30:11They aren't your,
30:12you know,
30:13typical off-the-shelf devices
30:14that normal people have.
30:16So there was
30:18a veil of security
30:19to go about
30:20your daily criminal activity
30:21without the concern
30:22of being caught.
30:25But in 2020,
30:27international law enforcement
30:29cracked it,
30:30giving them unprecedented access
30:32to millions of messages
30:34sent from inside the world
30:36of organised crime.
30:40It was unparalleled
30:42in terms of
30:42investigative opportunities
30:44to identify
30:44those people
30:46who are operating
30:47at the top of their game
30:48in terms of criminality.
30:49This gave us
30:50that golden opportunity
30:51to really pursue
30:53the most significant
30:55criminality
30:56that is causing
30:56the most significant harm
30:57to the UK.
31:01Despite Robert Brazendale
31:03being behind bars,
31:04the NCA
31:05were no closer
31:06to finding
31:07who was supplying him
31:08with military-grade weapons.
31:11Up until this point,
31:13we are working
31:13as a traditional
31:14reactive investigation
31:15into these
31:16firearms recoveries.
31:19We get the
31:21Ben Crow chat messages.
31:23That's when everything changes.
31:26Investigators found
31:27a string of messages
31:28between Brazendale
31:29and another person
31:30using the handle
31:32Ace Prospect.
31:34Together,
31:35they appear to be running
31:36the gun-smuggling operation.
31:39We can see
31:40the arrangements
31:41being made
31:42for the firearms handovers,
31:43pictures of the firearms
31:44being exchanged.
31:44We can see
31:45that the firearms
31:46pictures have been taken
31:49and we can see
31:50the arrangements
31:50for them to be taken
31:51to storage.
31:54That paints
31:55the full picture
31:55of the criminality
31:56then at that point.
32:01But
32:02they had no leads
32:04on who
32:05Ace Prospect was.
32:06Ace Prospect
32:07is the source
32:08of those firearms.
32:09Robert Brazendale
32:10is clearly
32:10his right-hand man
32:12in the UK.
32:13His armourer
32:14storing
32:15and distributing
32:15the firearms
32:16on his behalf.
32:18Unless we take out
32:19Ace Prospect,
32:21we don't
32:22mitigate
32:23that
32:24ongoing criminality.
32:26The initial messages
32:28we got from
32:28Ace Prospect
32:29was telling people
32:30to expect
32:32these firearms
32:33to come into the UK
32:34and that they would
32:35be for sale.
32:36We see
32:37pictures of
32:38those firearms,
32:40the AK-47s,
32:41the Uzi's,
32:42sent around
32:43as proof
32:44that they are
32:44in the UK
32:45and so that people
32:46can see
32:46what they are buying
32:48or what they are
32:48wanting to buy
32:49effectively.
32:51Messages on
32:52EncroChat
32:53gave police
32:54the location
32:54of two more weapons.
32:56These seem
32:57to have been put aside
32:58for Ace Prospect's
33:00own personal use
33:01and were buried
33:02in Brazendale's
33:03own backyard.
33:05So we then
33:06searched his garden
33:07and dig up
33:08two firearms
33:09that are buried
33:10in his garden,
33:10one being a
33:11Smith & Wesson
33:12and one being a
33:14Grand Power 9mm.
33:21Then they intercepted
33:23a message from Ace Prospect
33:25which suggested
33:26he'd been arrested
33:27overseas.
33:30There was an exchange
33:31of an image
33:32of a news article
33:33in that country
33:34about a British national
33:36who was arrested
33:37avoiding a COVID roadblock
33:39in possession
33:39of cash
33:40and motorbikes
33:41and we then
33:42start to conduct
33:43inquiries
33:43with the Spanish
33:44police and law
33:45enforcement
33:45around who
33:46that British male
33:47is.
33:49And that's when
33:50we identify
33:50that male
33:51as Philip Waugh.
33:56Ace Prospect
33:57was Philip Waugh
33:59and supplying guns
34:01wasn't the only
34:02terrifying crime
34:03that he
34:04had committed.
34:06Ace Prospect
34:07directs
34:08an acid attack
34:08against an individual
34:09in the
34:10Warrington area
34:12and it becomes
34:13clear from the
34:13messages that
34:14Robert Raisendale
34:15is storing the acid
34:16and that those
34:17that are tasked
34:18to do the attack
34:19come and collect
34:20the acid from Robert
34:21to then go
34:21and try and
34:22carry out that attack.
34:25Warren listed
34:26the help of a man
34:27called Jonathan Gordon
34:29who acted
34:30as his enforcer
34:31in the Merseyside area.
34:34Ace Prospect
34:35offers him £6,000
34:36if he goes
34:37and conducts
34:37this acid attack.
34:38He offers to up
34:39that to £10,000
34:40if he blinds him.
34:42There were pictures
34:43of canisters
34:44that appeared
34:45to have acid in them
34:46and you would see
34:48conversations like
34:49give him a full face
34:50wash when talking
34:51about acid
34:51or stab him
34:53in the leg
34:53so he can't run away
34:54and you know
34:55at that point
34:55that you've got
34:56some quite significant
34:57threat and risk
34:58against another person.
35:01But War
35:02had left Spain
35:03for Thailand.
35:05It was very frustrating
35:07that he left Spain.
35:08We'd worked for
35:09three and a half years
35:10to get to this point.
35:14But finally
35:16in September 2024
35:17War's luck
35:18was about to run out.
35:21We got alerts
35:22that he
35:23had travelled
35:24back to Spain
35:24and at that point
35:25it was
35:26pull out all the stops
35:27and we were able
35:28to have him arrested
35:29within two weeks.
35:31War was arrested
35:32and extradited
35:34back to the UK.
35:36To get him arrested
35:38and finally in custody
35:39was the most
35:40significant moment
35:41of the whole
35:42investigation really.
35:45In April 2025
35:47War admitted
35:48to a range
35:49of firearm offences
35:51and instructing
35:52the acid attack.
35:53He was sentenced
35:54to 26 years
35:55and eight months
35:56in prison.
35:59And Jonathan Gordon
36:01was sentenced
36:01to 24 years
36:03and eight months
36:03for charges
36:04including conspiracy
36:05to inflict
36:06grievous bodily harm.
36:10Robert Brazendale
36:11admitted to further
36:12firearms offences
36:13and was given
36:14an additional sentence
36:16of 11 years
36:17and four months
36:17totalling
36:1821 years
36:20and four months
36:21in prison.
36:24It is absolutely
36:25one of the biggest
36:25investigations
36:26that I've had
36:27the pleasure
36:28to work on.
36:29To get him arrested
36:30and cut that supply chain
36:31all the way down
36:32from his right-hand man
36:34to the people
36:34that are conducting
36:35his violence
36:36in the north-west region
36:37was a real
36:39success for us
36:40as an agency.
36:45Wow,
36:45what a result there.
36:47Right,
36:47let me tell you
36:48about this bus
36:49which you might have
36:50seen around Lees.
36:51Now,
36:51this is a mobile
36:52outreach service
36:53which basically
36:54offers a safe space
36:55for women
36:56and girls
36:57who might feel
36:57unsafe or unwell
36:58on a night out.
36:59and the bris behind
37:00this operation
37:01is Sreena Gorby.
37:02Hello,
37:02Sreena.
37:03Hi,
37:03love.
37:03It's great to see this.
37:04Tell us a bit about it then.
37:05Welcome to Women's Night Safe Space.
37:07So,
37:07this bus
37:08is parked
37:09by the Corn Exchange
37:10every Saturday
37:1110pm
37:12until 3am
37:13in Leeds 60 Centre
37:14offering confidential,
37:16emotional and practical
37:17help and support
37:18for anyone feeling
37:18unwell or concerned,
37:20need any help,
37:21we've got a brilliant team
37:22here to provide
37:24that help
37:24and women and girls
37:26in 2021
37:26we did a survey
37:28and women and girls
37:29were concerned
37:30particularly about
37:31night time safety
37:32in and around
37:33going out
37:33because that's a great
37:34thing about Leeds
37:35is a night out.
37:36It's a fantastic thing
37:37about Leeds.
37:37It certainly kept me
37:38in the city
37:39for as long as
37:39I've lived there
37:40but it can be
37:42the time when
37:43those experiences
37:44happen around
37:45sexual harassment
37:46and worrying about that
37:47or feeling unwell
37:48and worrying about
37:49access to healthcare
37:49so this is what
37:51we're responding
37:52too from those voices
37:54from women and girls
37:55they've said
37:55we want a women's
37:56night safe space
37:57and we've been
37:57running ever since.
37:58So the things
37:59you've got in here
37:59I can see some
38:00of this stuff
38:00you've got all sorts
38:01haven't you?
38:02We have.
38:03Socks, biscuits
38:04that's it.
38:04So Monday to Friday
38:05this bus is a GP
38:06practice on wheels
38:07for homeless people
38:08run by Bevan Healthcare
38:09so there's all sorts
38:09of healthcare equipment
38:10we've got socks
38:11and like flip flops
38:12heels come off
38:13we've got makeup wipes
38:15come and have a brew
38:16phone charging
38:18condoms
38:18period products
38:19clean safe loo
38:20to be able to use
38:21so it's those
38:22practical items
38:23along with the
38:24emotional support
38:25from our team
38:26and access to
38:28long term help
38:30and guidance
38:30so lots of signposting
38:32information about
38:33a range of topics.
38:34Yeah because you get
38:35people talking to you
38:36about all sorts
38:36don't you?
38:37So things like
38:38domestic abuse
38:39it might be the first
38:39time they've ever
38:40talked about it.
38:41Yeah exactly
38:42there's lots of
38:42younger women
38:43we work with
38:4410 to 15 women
38:45and girls
38:45every single week
38:46so we've worked
38:47with over 3,000
38:49women and girls
38:49over the 3 years
38:52138 young women
38:54have spoke about
38:54domestic violence
38:55for the first time
38:56on Women's Night
38:56Safe Space
38:57and that's because
38:58they're here
38:59they can talk about
39:00it but they don't
39:01have to
39:01it is over a brew
39:03it is over
39:04you know
39:04a friendly conversation
39:06can I borrow a light
39:08it's approachable
39:09and that's what we need
39:10I always think
39:11those conversations
39:12end up happening
39:13in like smoking areas
39:14of pubs
39:14and I'm passionate
39:15about the space
39:17in and around
39:17Women's Night
39:18Safe Space
39:19replicating that
39:20environment where
39:21people feel safe
39:22to talk to one
39:24another
39:25and seek help
39:26and guidance
39:27I mean you can see
39:28why it's so popular
39:29so what's it like
39:30from your perspective
39:31then?
39:32It's brilliant
39:32week in week out
39:33seeing the support
39:35for it
39:35and one of my
39:36favourite things
39:36about Women's Night
39:37Safe Space
39:37is when you hear
39:39both men and women
39:40of varying different
39:41ages
39:41walking past and
39:43saying you know
39:43that bus
39:44that's what this
39:45bus does
39:45and they're
39:46communicating that
39:47message
39:47because women
39:48and girls feel
39:49safer knowing
39:50that it's here
39:51so there's lots
39:51of people who
39:52might not have
39:53ever stepped foot
39:54on the bus
39:54but they feel
39:56safer going out
39:57in Leeds
39:57because they know
39:58should it happen
39:59it's there
39:59parents feel safer
40:01my daughter's out
40:02on a night out
40:03remember if you need
40:04out there's that
40:04bus
40:05you know what I mean
40:05new students to the
40:07city have heard
40:08about it
40:08so that's one of
40:10the best things
40:11is we are quite
40:13well known
40:13but we do need
40:14everybody's support
40:15to help let
40:16people know
40:16about Women's
40:17Night Safe Space
40:18and support us
40:19and get involved
40:20in our wider
40:21Women Friendly
40:22Leeds movement
40:22yeah and there's
40:23an app as well
40:24isn't there
40:24there is
40:25yeah so again
40:26linked from the
40:27safety survey
40:2758% of women
40:28and girls said
40:29that they would
40:29use a safety app
40:30so we worked
40:31in partnership
40:32with Leeds City
40:33Council to develop
40:35the Walk Safe
40:36app which is a
40:36national app
40:37it's free to
40:38download
40:38everyone can use
40:39it
40:39it's got
40:40location sharing
40:41tools that people
40:42quite often use
40:43to feel safe
40:44but it's mainly
40:46got a safety map
40:47for local information
40:48so local signposting
40:49information
40:50showing you our
40:51Asperangela venues
40:52in Leeds
40:52showing which venues
40:53are taking part
40:54in our Stop the
40:55Spike campaign
40:55and live tracking
40:57of support services
40:58like Women's Night
40:59Safe Space
40:59like our street
41:00marshals
41:01so you can kind of
41:02go there
41:03you're picking which
41:04venues you want to
41:05go to to feel safe
41:06you can also leave
41:07anonymous community
41:08reporting
41:09again women and
41:10girls asked for
41:11so all those tools
41:11have come from
41:12local voices in Leeds
41:14gosh it's so important
41:15and it's brilliant
41:16that you're doing this
41:16thanks for bringing
41:17the bus in
41:17I'll tell you what
41:18I'll probably just
41:19come in here for a
41:19chat with you
41:20yeah I think you
41:23can move mountains
41:23over a friendly
41:24conversation and a
41:25cup of tea
41:26and that's what I
41:26see Women's Night
41:27Safe Space is
41:28doing week in
41:29week out
41:29yeah thanks
41:30Shreena
41:30lovely to see you
41:31thank you
41:33a chat and a
41:34cup of tea
41:34that's all Steph
41:35wants
41:35great sounding
41:36initiative there
41:37though
41:37now it's time for
41:38today's Wanted Faces
41:43and first we have
41:45Liam Patrick Weaver
41:46though you might
41:46know him as Paddy
41:48police in Lincolnshire
41:49want to talk to him
41:50about a burglary
41:51he's 36 with several
41:52tattoos including a
41:54dragon a sword the
41:55words Paddy and
41:56England
41:57or maybe you
41:58recognize this man
41:59this is Rabinder
41:59Singh sometimes he
42:01uses the first name
42:02Gurpinder police in
42:03South Yorkshire want to
42:04speak to him
42:05about an allegation
42:06of rape he's 31
42:07with a beard and
42:08dark hair and has
42:10known links to
42:10Barnsley though police
42:12believe he has now
42:12left that particular
42:14area
42:14and Northamptonshire
42:16police are asking for
42:17your help to find this
42:17man this is Daniel
42:18Windle also known as
42:20Daniel Armsworth
42:21he's wanted on recall
42:22for breaching his
42:23license conditions
42:24he's lived previously
42:25in Northamptonshire
42:26and also has links with
42:28Hampshire Surrey and
42:29Wiltshire he has a
42:31tattoo on his left
42:32ring finger of two
42:34wedding band lines
42:35as always if you know
42:36the whereabouts of any
42:37of those individuals
42:38please do call us on
42:3908000 468 999
42:42I'm afraid and that is
42:44the end of the show
42:45today but you can still
42:46watch the series so far
42:47on iPlayer and our
42:48sister series crime watch
42:50court which takes a deep
42:51dive into some of our
42:52solved cases is also on
42:54there too
42:55lovely tomorrow a crime
42:56that has all the makings
42:58of a TV drama it's the
43:00hunt for a wife and her
43:01lover after a plot to
43:03kill her husband is
43:04foiled
43:05yes keep going as you
43:06are and keep bearing to
43:07the left
43:0910 yards in front of you
43:1010 yards in front of you
43:11put your hands on top of
43:13your head
43:13do it now
43:14turn around and get on
43:15your knees do it now
43:18hey what a story that is
43:19you don't want to miss
43:19that
43:21we've got that and lots
43:22more tomorrow same time
43:23at 10.45
43:24bye for now
43:25bye bye
43:26chatting
43:26so
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