A commuter on a train boasts of the fact that he collects a large amount of money each week from a bank. A crook listens intently. The man collects his money and puts it in his briefcase. C/U of a Westminster Bank cheque. Man leaves the bank and gets into a car which drives off. The crook and his cronies push a car into the centre of the road and turn it over as if there has been an accident. Man from the bank and his chauffeur are beaten up when they stop to assist. The crooks drive off.
Businessman strolls along the street. We then see him in a boiler suit. He enters a building and the receptionist lets him in without checking his credentials. He walks out with a typewriter. Supermarket. A woman loads groceries into her shopping bag. Cashier gives her the change. She walks away with her handbag open. The man follows her along the street and takes her purse. C/U of the purse as he opens it and takes her keys. He follows her home. (Camera Slate in shot).
Domestic interior. Family watching television. (Camera Slate in shot). Mother is knitting. Father gets up to make the tea during the commercial break. The crook is inside the house and leaves when the father goes back into the living room. The crook poses as a meter reader. A woman lets him into her home without checking his credentials. He checks the meter and asks her to go upstairs and turn the lights on. He cases the joint. He steals a watch and when she comes downstairs he leaves. She waves from the doorstep.
An old lady walks down the stairs of her house to answer the door. A man breaks in. A neighbour sees what is happening and runs across the road to a telephone box to call the police. The man on the train is embarrassed when another commuter points out the newspaper story about the ambush on him.
Produced for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. End title reads: "Carelessness Causes Crime". Note: This item has two slates in shot as indicated above, a perfect copy of this documentary exists on Beta Number 1237.
FILM ID:3263.01
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