Shoplifters: At War with the Law

Shoplifters strike 200 times every hour in Britain, stealing £2.2 billion. With the police crippled by budget cuts, retailers are fighting back. A look on the frontline with those who are putting their lives on the line to catch criminals.

Ed and Steve are on London's Oxford Street when a call comes in for a pair of suspected shoplifters working together and spotted inaction and are now fleeing the scene. Lee Thompson is a master pickpocket, but uses his skills on stage to entertain.

Today they're hot on the heels of a criminal duo who have a tried and tested routine - as one enters the store to clear the shelves, the other waits outside ready to receive the stolen goods.