Every seven seconds a parcel is stolen in Britain. With less than a week to go before Christmas, Dispatches goes on a mission to catch the crooks behind this escalating crimewave.
Reporter Tir Dhondy meets victims frustrated that their parcels keep on going missing, even though they have doorbell footage of the criminals at work.
To investigate what happens when deliveries are stolen, Tir hides tiny tracking devices in parcels and leaves them on doorsteps. When they are stolen, the thieves have no idea Tir is secretly following on their trail armed with her cameras, ready to challenge them.
Tir finds out how one doorstep thief susses out which of our homes offer prime pickings and learns that parcel theft is no longer just a petty crime for opportunist thieves but is now a lucrative business model for criminal gangs, costing more than an estimated £650m a year.
She also discovers the shocking reality of how violent organised crime gangs are hijacking delivery vans to steal the parcels they are carrying, sometimes with deadly consequences and how stressed-out delivery drivers are frightened in their daily work.
With exclusive access to a major police operation, Tir sees first-hand how the cops are tracking down and tackling organised gangs intent on pinching our festive purchases.
The eye-opening film reveals the stark reality of our disappearing doorstep deliveries, showing how it’s become big business for Britain’s criminal gangs.
Filmed, Produced and Directed by: Charlie Mole
Producer: Claire Burnett
Assistant Producer: Sally Wardle
Executive Producers: Richard Cookson and Esella Hawkey