This film shows the aftermath of theft, vandalism, burglaries and assault in the West Yorkshire region. The documentary is narrated by a voiceover, providing general details and statistics on crime in the West Yorkshire Metropolitan police's constituency. "The Problem" is social deprivation and the film shows its consequences. Title - Crime (Note: background is a picture of a monster). The voiceover states that crime is like a monster reaching out to take our lives, valued...

This film shows the aftermath of theft, vandalism, burglaries and assault in the West Yorkshire region. The documentary is narrated by a voiceover, providing general details and statistics on crime in the West Yorkshire Metropolitan police's constituency. "The Problem" is social deprivation and the film shows its consequences. Title - Crime (Note: background is a picture of a monster). The voiceover states that crime is like a monster reaching out to take our lives, valued possessions and threatening the safety of our homes. Title - 3 1/2 minutes. The voice over expounds that a crime is committed every 3 1/2 in West Yorkshire; one crime for every 14 people. From above, the filmmaker captures a shot of fourteen people walking into a huddle. Title - 146,645. Crime. Title - Damage - assault. Theft - Burglary. A Birdseye view captures a city centre from above. A policeman then walks along a street by a metal gate. Title - "The problem". The policeman then points across the street to a multi-storey building, which has been vandalised; shots capture the smashed windows. There are then more shots of vandalism; a damaged stone wall, a vandalised rugby pitch, some vandalised buildings and shops (many include graffiti and smashed windows). Views of a defaced red telephone phone box are followed by shots of a school that has a sprawling array of graffiti on its walls. A new voice over artist - with a thick Yorkshire accent - then says, "Look what they've done to the window," and a shot shows a smashed window. The action then moves to a church with an adjacent cemetery. There are shots of damaged graves and over turned head stones. The voice over remarks that he has a relative buried there who fought in the war, and that the thoughtless vandalism of the graves belonging to such heroic figures have far wider ramifications than just the physical damage alone. There are then more shots of buildings with graffiti, and the voiceover states that vandals are constantly on the lookout for secluded spots, such as alleys and unattended doorways. There are then shots of a bus with damaged seats; the voice over adds significance to the act by stating that the bus was a mere two days old. More shots show shops, off-licences and a block of flats all boarded up. The interior of a burnt out nightclub briefly becomes the focus, with the voice over stating that vandals also have more dangerous tendencies that risk the lives of innocent people. Title - Damage. Reported cases 22, 843. Average frequency: 23 minutes. Cost: £10,757,821. The voiceover then dictates that the focus will now shift to assaults, which average one every 5 1/2 hours, "totalling over 1,500 in the area your about to see." There are shots of a secluded park. The voice over remarks that isolated spots in parks can often be areas of increased risk. There are then some disturbing stills of a child who has been beaten. A quiet residential estate is shown; again the voiceover states that the alley ways and quiet roads are hazardous, before shots show more dark alleyways and secluded spots around a shopping centre. Shocking stills show more injuries to young adults incurred from assaults. Modern buildings are next, and a handheld shot shows a remote staircase, which is a prime spot for attacks. The voice over says "look what happens when you open the door to a stranger," and there are still images of a man with a badly bruised face. The action turns to city centres, and shows more isolated locations where attacks could take place, and again these are followed up with stills of injured victims. Shots then show night and day views of different streets, with the contrast used to highlight the increased risk of areas at night. A lone woman crosses a bridge, and another person walks along a seedy underpass. The voiceover returns to state that it's a "terrible indictment on society that we all know the dangers of paths like this," and there is a shot of secluded path across a green. A still is then shown of a woman lying unconscious on the ground, and the voice over says, 'imagine if this was one of your family'. More stills show areas where gangs of youths hang out and cause trouble, and one shot shows a group of boys standing with a policeman, who has one of the boys in a head lock. Title - Assault. Reported cases - 6,782. Average frequency - 77 minutes. Theft is the next subject. The voiceover remarks that one happens every 75 minutes, and a panoramic view captures a sprawling view of a town from above, with the voiceover stating that 6,500 cases are recorded every twelve months in this district. Some scenarios that offer opportunities for theft are shown; milk is left by a doorway, letters protrude from a letter box, a lawn mower has been left unattended, clothes on a washing line, gas meters, paving slabs and finally building equipment. There is then an expansive of a viaduct from above, which leads to a brewery, and the voiceover states that trucks filled with valuable produce are a prime target for thieves. A woman leaves a bicycle outside a newsagent without locking it up. A jump cut occurs, and bicycle has now disappeared. The voiceover then gives statistic on stolen goods from shops. Shots capture a market scene and the voice over states the thieves in West Yorkshire stole £392,000 worth of money and goods. A shot captures a woman walking along with a bag, and the voice over jovially quips, "that the thief won't be looking at her legs, but the good in her shopping bag". More opportunities for thief's in this area are shown; a wallet sticks out of a man's back pocket, a handbag rests on the back of a pushchair and the final shot shows an elderly man brazenly holding out his money. The next sequence shows more opportunities for thieves. Goods left in cars are the concern, and there is a shot of a camera disappearing from the inside of a car, before the voice over goes on to talk about thieves syphoning off petrol from unattended cars. A red car then disappears from a car park, with the voice over remarking that over 14 million pounds worth of vehicles was stolen last year, including a double decker bus. The next sequence illustrates the naivety of the elderly. The camera approaches the front door a house, and an elderly woman invites the camera into her home, with a brief dialogue exchange between the woman and the voice over artist. There are then shots which show opportunities for thieves in and around the home; money left out for the milkman, a house key under a mat, an unlocked front door, jewellery left on the kitchen work top, money for the grocer, a cheque book, keys, and finally a radio left next to an open window. The woman then sets a cup of tea down on the table. The voice over asks her if she put her money in the bank, "like he told her", but she says, "no, not yet. I've got a good hiding place," and a shot shows money stored in a draw. Title - Theft. Reported cases: 79,926. Average Frequency: 6 minutes. Value: £21,806,517. The focus in the next sequence switches to burglaries. Shots show estates with the voice over giving out statistics on burglaries from the council district, which include 4,500 last year, averaging one every two hours. Several rooms are then shown ransacked, with clothes and various items strewn all over the place. The voiceover talks about perimeter security, and how low fences, recessed doorways, and tree's minimising visibility play right into the burglars hands; several shots illustrate these points. Other opportunities for thieves are shown; open windows, ladders left by houses, and the last shot shows a well-stocked freezer in an unlocked out building. Burglaries are then talked about in the context of schools, and there are shots of a school with damaged windows and educational paraphernalia thrown around. More shots show a sports centre, which was broken into for sweets in the vending machine. The voice over then goes on to list specific sites that are vulnerable to these crimes such as newsagents and shopping centres; there are also views of points of access such as fire escapes, gates and rooftops, which assist burglars in gaining as to premises such as these. Brand new estates are then focused on, with residential streets being portrayed as secluded areas. The final shot shows an isolated factory, which is also regarded by the voice over as an opportune location for such crimes. Title - Burglary. Reported cases: 42,026. Average frequency: 12 minutes. Cost: £13,394,956. Title - Crime. Quality of life. (note: another drawing of a monster) Credits - Directed by Graeme Haley. Narrator's voice: Ken Cooper. Constables voice: Tim Heley. Graphics: John Meakin. Research: Anne Rhodes. Photography: Rex Matthews, Gerald Hancock. Title - Produced by West Yorkshire Metropolitan police. Title - The end.