"It's the most famous shopping street in the world." "In the heart of Britain's capital city." "A mile and a half long, with 30 million visitors each year." "With some of the world's most famous shops, biggest stars..." "Kate Moss." " ..and busiest stations." " Sorry, guys, stand back for me." "What does it take to keep it running 24 hours a day..." "The busiest street in the world, so it needs constant attention." "...seven days a week?" "Oi!" "Clear off!" "Welcome to Oxford Street, welcome to the pickpocket team." "Are you ready, London?" "A street that never sleeps." "This sort of thing wouldn't happen anywhere else." "Oxford Street." "Coming up, pickpockets wearing disguises." "The specialist undercover police team take action." "I've got them, I've got them." "I'm across the road." "Welcome to Oxford Street, welcome to the pickpocket team." "A tourist's lost her boyfriend on the London Underground." "It's OK, we'll find him." "And pride comes to Oxford Street, but the crowds of spectators threaten to overwhelm it." "Severe congestion outside Bond Street, can we please have some additional stewards?" "Oxford Street prides itself on being one of the safest streets in the UK." "Every store has a security team, the area is covered by CCTV cameras and uniformed police officers are on patrol 24/7." "And, as if that wasn't enough, there's this man." "Sergeant Steve Stamp, head of the Metropolitan Police's elite." "West End counter pickpocketing team." "The type of criminal I'm dealing with, it takes a specific type of officer." "You have to be good with your eye and you have to have that basic instinct, spotting somebody out of the corner of your eye." "That split-second decision makes all the difference when we're walking along a street of over 100,000 people every day." "Steve regularly patrols the streets in plain clothes with his team, looking for shoplifters and pickpockets." "And earlier today, he witnessed a shop crime different to anything he's seen before." "He talked us through the incident, which was caught by the shop's CCTV cameras." "You'll see myself, the far corner of a shop, looking for potential thieves." "Straight away, my eyes are drawn to these two females." "As you can see, from my angle there, I can see the communication that's taking place between both of them." "They have now identified their potential target." "She wants that bag and they're moving in for the kill." "Again, there's eye contact." "This female here has indicated to this female she wants that bag next to that male." "The other female knows what she's doing and she's working her way round." "Right, straightaway they're talking to each other." "This female is acting as a shield, it's her job to stand in the way of the camera." "You can tell these two have worked together before, it's very well rehearsed." "The shield has told her where everyone is, what they're doing, there's no staff around - do what you've got to do." "She's been given the green light." "The female sat down has now placed her jacket over the top of that bag." "And she's ready to strike." "Her arm is now reaching underneath her coat, on to the bag and unzipping the bag and reaching inside." "But just as the woman sitting down is about to rifle the bag and steal property, Steve believes the other woman spots him." "So at that point, the shield has clocked me over in the corner." "They're talking exit plans now." "As they walk out the store, they're going to glance at me to see if I'm looking at them." "With his targets beating a hasty exit from the store," "Steve makes a call to his second-in-command," "PC Darren Bond, who's undercover further along on Oxford Street." "We happened to be filming with Darren at the time and he heads in pursuit." "He's got two on the go possibly." "Which direction?" " What are they dressed like?" " One's in a black burka, the other one's in a grey jacket." "Yeah, I've got them, I've got them." "I've got them, I'm across the road." "They've split, they've split." "I'm going to have to stop them, they've split." "They're aware, they're aware." "He can't afford to let her get away and moves in to make the arrest." "Police." "Put your hands where I can see them." "PC Bond makes himself known to store security." "Hi, mate, can I use your holding room?" "Police." "Meanwhile, the other suspect has been stopped and brought by Steve Stamp to the same room." "Holding rooms like these are an area of the shop few members of the public ever get to see." "Right, the time is now 18.02," "I saw you sitting down, put your jacket over that black bag, OK, in an attempt to reach inside and take property out." "I'm therefore arresting you on suspicion of attempt theft from person." "Hello." "Look at me." "Look at me." "Yeah?" "I'm the guy that's dealing with you." "Today's your unlucky day, ladies." "With the suspects detained, Steve and his team search them." "What they find turns everything they know about pickpocketing upside down." "This is new." "This is big." "This is an extra level on top of the level they're already at." "Unbelievable." "London is the most popular tourist city in the world, attracting around 20 million foreign visitors a year." "And at some point, most of them will head to Oxford Street to go shopping." "Those that do will probably pass through Oxford Circus station." "But with so many strangers trying to negotiate the same confined space, it's not unusual for people to get lost." "Welcome to Oxford Circus, change here for the Victoria and Bakerloo line services." " The next station on this train will be..." " It's down to tube staff like customer assistant Clare O'Brien to make sure people negotiate the network as smoothly as possible." "Keep clear, please mind the doors, mind the closing doors." "Mind the doors, please." "It's the beginning of rush hour and already the platforms are getting crowded." "It's about to get a lot busier." "Suddenly, some concerned passengers alert Clare to a woman who appears to be in trouble." "Where is she?" "This woman." "Thank you." "Are you OK?" " No." " No?" "Do you speak English?" "She's a Spanish tourist visiting Oxford Street with her boyfriend." "Underground in the rush-hour crowds, they've somehow become separated." " Did your boyfriend get on the train?" " No, I..." "It's OK, calm down." " Bond Street?" " Yes." "Did you..." "He got off at Bond Street and you got off here?" "Clare's used to thinking on her feet and comes up with a plan." "I'll take you upstairs and we can put a call out." "A tannoy over there." "Yeah?" "A message out." "OK?" "It's vital to piece together the journey, so that calls can be put out at the right stations." " Your boyfriend, does he speak English?" " Yes." " Yeah?" "On the way, Clare gets some help from a colleague." "You don't speak Spanish, do you?" "No, but I have a translator on my phone." "Westminster." "Um..." "Clare, they're going to Westminster." "Armed with all the information she needs," "Clare arranges for the other stations to be contacted." "Is there any chance we could phone Westminster?" "Put out a callout." "We're going to phone Marble Arch." "Don't worry." "The announcement goes out." "'Leo Hidalgo." "'Leo Hidalgo." "'If you're on the station, please contact any member 'of London Underground staff 'or use any available help point to contact the control room.'" "Do you want a glass of water?" "Yes?" "OK." "Clare's done all she can." "But all she and the visibly emotional Beatriz can now do, is wait and hope that boyfriend Leo's still in the tube and listening carefully." "We're just waiting for the stations to call us back." "Um... fingers crossed." "To take her mind off the situation, Clare asks Beatriz about her holiday so far." "How long are you here for?" " What?" " How long are you on holiday?" "10 days?" "OK." "It's OK, we'll find him." "Suddenly, Clare overhears a message on the station radio." "Ah, we've found him, he's here." "And then, at the door of the supervisor's office..." "Leo appears." " Oh, this is him?" " You have to give her a big hug." " Yeah." " Oh, OK." "It's the result everyone wanted." "And finally, the couple are reunited." "It's a huge relief all round." "I am happy." " Where have you just come from, Marble Arch?" " Yeah." "Ah, OK." "We were at the last station... when I realised that there was no connection," "I just jumped off the train and she just stayed... stand there and..." "I thought she would come back but she didn't." "I was really nervous, I thought she would get lost." " Everyone's happy?" " Yeah." " Good." " Thank you very much." " Don't lose her again!" " I won't." " Thank you." " Thanks for your help." "Leo and Beatriz head back out to Oxford Street to carry on their evening." "Clare's quick thinking meant they were speedily brought back together." "You know, it is quite common that we lose people." "Sometimes it's children, old people." "It's always a happy ending when they are reunited." "Of the 130 million people that use Oxford Circus every year, few can be quite as happy to leave it together as these two." "In the holding room, at the back of a major Oxford Street store, the head of the Metropolitan Police's West End anti-pickpocketing team, Steve Stamp is searching two suspects he's arrested for an attempted theft in a footwear store." "Naughty." "The two foreign women are kept in handcuffs while Steve searches their bags." "He immediately finds a series of disguises that they've been using." "You see, you know, how they change their appearance, look." "Look how many different hats they've got..." "for all their appearances." "You know." "You see what I mean?" "Always changing." "These guys... these guys are good, these guys are good." "I'm chuffed to bits we got them." "And amongst the disguises is the Islamic dress the women were wearing when Steve interrupted their attempted theft." "Burkas." "Steve wants to know which Islamic country they're from." "Where are you from?" "Chile and you're wearing a burka?" "Brilliant." "Steve's just uncovered that the two women aren't Muslims at all." "They're South Americans who are using Islamic dress to help them steal." "This is her prop to go around and steal in venues." "She should feel ashamed of herself." "Unbelievable." "This is a first for Steve and all of his team and is big news." "Chileans, South Americans have always been our number one." "They, in our eyes, are the best of the best." "Never before have we had Chileans in burkas before, this is new." "This is big." "This is an extra level on top of the level they're already at." "You know, they hide things." "You know, they can reach in and..." "They do all sorts of things." "It's a great tactic that they're using." "Look at me." "He's been battling South American pickpockets for some years on Oxford Street and knows just how hard they are to catch in the act." "You come to our country and you steal off of vulnerable victims." "It's not on." "Not in my book." "Welcome to Oxford Street, welcome to the pickpocket team." "Steve knows he's got enough evidence to take the women for questioning but because he interrupted their activities in the store, a search of the women reveals only personal effects and no stolen goods." "Sit down." "This one's kind of got a body pouch on." "One woman is wearing a body pouch." "The other has a number of elastic bands round her wrist." "OK, what's this for?" " Why do you have this?" " The team think all these items are suspicious and likely to be used to help their thieving." "You two will be coming with me to the police station." "As you know, you will be interviewed." "Depending on what you say will depend on your outcome." "Do you understand me?" "If a formal case is to be brought against them," "Steve will need to get stronger evidence from their police interviews." "If he can't, he'll have to let his Chilean burka wearers go." "We'll find out what happens later." "One of the groups Oxford Street shops try to appeal to the most is day trippers from other parts of the UK." "It's a lucrative market, key to many shops' profits." "And amongst the out-of-towners descending on the street today are digital marketing manager and mum Dal Dosanjh from Leamington Spa with her best friend Angel Gibbons." "We live in Leamington Spa and there's not really big high-street names there, so we kind of rely a lot on big brands when you come to London." "Except they're here for a very special day trip." "Today, department store Debenhams is holding the final of its competition to find a muse to inspire the next collection of one of its main designers" " Ben de Lisi." "And Dal's been chosen as one of the three finalists." "To win, she's got to model in an in-store catwalk show." "It's not something she's ever done before." " So you're doing a catwalk?" " Yeah, I know." "How exciting's that?" " Are you wearing a bikini?" " No." "I hope not." "The competition is part of the Designers At Debenhams scheme, in which top fashion designers put together affordable ranges for the store." "It's designed to appeal to everyday shoppers like Dal and the competition and catwalk show are aimed at raising the scheme's profile." "Ready for her big moment, Dal makes her way through the store and the nerves are beginning to kick in." "I'm so excited that I want to be sick." "So, if there's a bucket handy..." "Lovely." " Thank you." " Thank you." " It's warm in here." "Dal's barely sat down when designer Ben de Lisi arrives." " Oh, my God." " Hello." " Hello, nice to meet you, finally." " Nice to meet you." "Welcome." " Thank you." " Excited?" " Oh, God, I can't breathe right now." " Somersaults, eh?" "Absolutely." "Lots of them." "Well, it'll be fun." "It'll be a fun evening." " Glad you entered it." " Yeah." "New Yorker Ben has built up a reputation for designing evening wear for the rich and famous." "But today, it's Dal and fellow finalists," "Anna Marridge and Claire Carter, that he'll be concentrating on." "What I'm looking for in my perfect muse is confidence above all." "Someone who's quite striking... not conventionally beautiful." "She can be any size, any age but she has to have elegance and to be comfortable with her elegance." "Ben, Anna, Claire and Dal head onto the shop floor." "It's Ben's job to pick outfits for each woman." "They'll then model them on the catwalk." "How amazing is this?" "I think maybe that." "We need shoes." "This, I love." " Try it." " I'll try it." " Try that as well." "That's the dress, you're done." "You're staying in that." "Turn round." " Your turn." " My turn." " Your turn." "Cool, huh?" " Now, it looks great." " I love this." " This is looking..." "I feel really comfortable in this." "All right, well, that's it." "So, voila." "Three potential muses, all styled up." "Clothes sorted, the finalists get their hair and make-up done for the show." "Being styled by Ben has clearly made an impression on Dal." "Wow, what a guy." "He taught me quite a few things today about, you know, stop thinking about your size and dress for what makes you feel comfortable, accentuate all the good bits." "That was really nice." "In the store, the crowds are gathering for Ben's show." "And then Dal and her fellow out-of-towners head out to strut their stuff." " Right, is everyone ready?" " Ready?" " Have a good show, ladies." " Thank you." " Strut it." " Let's come down here, ladies." "Please put your hands together for the brilliant Ben de Lisi." "Ben, the search this evening was to find a muse and how would you describe your muse?" "Elegant, confident and striking were my... my words." "The first finalist in our muse competition, Anna." "Please welcome our second muse finalist, it's Claire." "Right, the final, final muse." "We need a warm welcome for our brilliant lady, Dal." "Thank you so much to our three lovely ladies for entering and being here this evening." "A big cheer for them, please." "If I can just get you to stand halfway down the runway." "Then it's time for Ben to announce his winner." "The winner is..." "The lovely Dal, congratulations." "Congratulations, Dal." "I picked Dal as my winner because she was humble." "Um, excited, confident... but yet vulnerable." "I just knew instinctively she was the right one." "For someone who sees herself as an everyday shopper, it's been a pretty extraordinary day at the shops for Dal." "Oh, my God." "I know, just like... shocked, amazed and really, really delighted." "It's been an awesome day." "Dreams do come true and, you know, I got to meet Ben de Lisi." "That's really cliched and, um..." "cheesy but it's so true." "And now Ben has his muse," "Oxford Street can expect to see the garments she inspires in the near future." "Sergeant Steve Stamp and PC Darren Bond of the Metropolitan Police's counter-pickpocket squad have arrested two female suspects for attempted theft in an Oxford Street store." "Steve brings them into Charing Cross police station for further questioning." "Two South American women dressed in burkas." "He's hoping he'll have enough evidence to charge them but, having interrupted their attempt to steal, they've not got any stolen property on them." "Much will depend on what he can get from them in interview and what checks on their identities reveal." "He books them into custody." "Was seen with another by plain-clothes officer using her coat, placing over the victim's bag a jacket and reaching in." "She's got numerous items on her, which relate to completely different identities." "I've put it down here as... three different hats used to change identity." "Neither of the women speaks much English but Steve does his best to convey to them the strength of the evidence he does have." "From what I've seen, and from what the CCTV has seen... there's enough, OK?" "So... as long as you understand that." "All right?" "The suspects are fingerprinted and locked up, until Steve is ready to begin the interviews with a solicitor and interpreter present." "And, nearly an hour later, the interviews are over." "The women haven't admitted anything but Steve's got important news from another source." "Had her sweating, mate, had her sweating." "Quality interview." "Checks on the women have revealed they were arrested just a few days ago for the same offence - attempted theft." "It emerges the two women are only in the UK on six-month tourist visas." "It's clear to Steve and the team, they're actually here to work." "She's in the UK with the... purpose of stealing." "As a result of the CCTV evidence, their previous arrest and Steve's witness statement, Steve gets the news he was desperate for." "The case will be taken forward by the Crown Prosecution Service." "The charges for both females... for going equipped to steal, in terms of the clothing they were wearing and... also the attempted theft." "PC Bond goes to break the news to the suspects that they are going to be formally charged." "The additional charge of going equipped to steal relates to the disguises - articles knowingly possessed for use in connection with theft." "And, faced with Steve's evidence, a few weeks later in court, both women pleaded guilty." "They both received custodial sentences of 12 weeks." "The sentences are a great result for the team but the case has far greater significance in terms of exposing a brand-new tactic being adopted by thieves." "This is a good job because of what they were wearing." "And it's very rare we come across that." "That's why... it's a huge..." "This will make every intelligence site across the Met." "It's a big thing." "South Americans wearing burkas, it's..." "it's unheard of." "Today, London's most famous shopping street is about to have one of its biggest days." "It's been booked to host the annual Pride march, a celebration of equality and London's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community." "In all, over 20,000 marchers will parade down the street, representing 200 different groups." "Hundreds of thousands of spectators are expected to line." "Oxford Street to watch it." "And making sure such vast crowds enjoy their day out, is down to Pride's team of 600 voluntary stewards." "Following the march to oversee crowd control is event manager Siobhan." "The weather's taken a turn for the worse but her spirits aren't dampened." "We've managed to swim up Oxford Street and up through Regent Street and we've come to here, this corner with Selfridges and the parade's going to start just behind there." "We've ironed out a few of the last-minute bits and the parade is good to go." "The start of the parade is marked by a vanguard of bikers." "Are you ready, London?" "CHEERING." "And there's a massive number of 200+ groups behind us." "But while the parade is going well, on the sidelines, the crowds are beginning to cause problems for the stewards in front of Debenhams." "Some shoppers are getting frustrated that the march is stopping them crossing the road." "I would say... if you've got time and you can relax for 10 minutes... enjoy it." "You've got to get back to work?" "Siobhan's just trying to reason with some shoppers when a call comes through." "There's a problem at Bond Street tube station, one of the main underground stations on Oxford Street." "The station is being rebuilt and the building works have created a narrow section of pavement." "Do not stop in front of the building works." "With the crowds of spectators and shoppers increasing, a bottleneck is starting to form." "As a senior steward, Siobhan needs to take charge... and fast." "We have some severe congestion outside Bond Street, can we please have some additional stewards to this area?" " I've already radioed in for some more people." " Great." " OK?" "Ladies and gentlemen, there is severe congestion in this area, we thank you for your patience." "People are getting visibly uncomfortable at the size of the crowds and the pressure on the bottleneck." "Some are trying to jump the barriers." "Yeah." "You've got to let people through." "We're just going to let..." "Can you just let a few people across?" "Siobhan breaks the barrier to let the most vulnerable out." "Are we going across?" "We're just going to let this child out, if that's OK." " There's a pregnant lady here." " But with the parade continuing, she can't allow any more through." "While the people in the parade continue oblivious to the problem, the police, too, are worried about crushing." "We basically need to move people away from the hoardings" " cos there's too much density." " Yeah, fine." " There are crossing points." " Yeah, OK." "Ladies and gentlemen, there are crossing points opening at both ends of this to alleviate the congestion." "Ladies and gentlemen, there is no stopping in front of the hoarding." " Please keep moving." " With Siobhan and the police taking control of the situation, things begin to calm down at the bottleneck." "The police have been really, really helpful." "We got people to the scene, it's helped to alleviate that." "It was a little bit stressful at points but we've got it in place." "Gay Gooners, come on." "Three." "Two." "One." "Go!" "The parade is nearly past Oxford Street and is moving on to its final destination at Trafalgar Square." "Come on, let's do a bit of sparring." "Even Siobhan is beginning to relax and enjoy herself." "All right, all right." "OK, I'm game, I'm game." "Am I allowed to do this?" "Come on." "This year's Pride turned out to be a record breaker." "An estimated three quarters of a million people attended throughout the day." "150,000 more than the previous year." "It's gone smoothly and safely, we've had hundreds of thousands of people on the street, despite the rain and I'm sure most of these volunteers will be back next year." "I know I will." "It's a really special event to be part of." "And perhaps, more importantly, the 67 national press articles the event generated were all overwhelmingly positive, thanks, at least in part, to Siobhan and her cool head stewarding Oxford Street."