Secrets of The Pickpockets returned as a new crime wave hit London above and below ground. This is latest story of the pickpockets and the Police squads sent in to track them down.
This time “Secrets..” is at street level in London’s West End – to witness how the gangs target the pub crowds as they spill out onto the streets. Through the eyes of a Big Issue seller who watches everything, you’ll never see the Capital in the same way again.
We’ll reveal some new tricks of the criminal trade, from the “Lebanese loop” to “Scattering”, where a pickpocket targets their drunk victim by weaving and bobbing around while talking to them in order to disorientate them and make them fall over. They can then help them up and help themselves to some change.
As the public changes its spending habits, we’ll reveal how the criminals are changing their techniques too; learn about the rise in cash point scams as the criminals find new ways to get at your money. The Secrets team sits on a stake-out with a specialist Police unit targeted with catching one organised ATM gang in the act…It’s the story of a long wait, rising tension and then a very dramatic four car chase.
And finally, we meet the experts on both sides of this extraordinary game of cat and mouse – from the no-nonsense Sergeant of one of British Transport Police’s dip squad with dozens of arrests to his name, to the Chilean pickpockets, who always seem to get away…