4. The Thief

The case takes a dramatic turn when a seemingly unconnected crime reveals a chilling back-story. Lesley Whittle’s kidnapper is far more dangerous than they imagined.'Perfect detective' Bob Booth is faced with a far-from-perfect investigation and the growing realisation that they’re dealing with a monster.This series contains rare and original archive, some not broadcast since the time.Presenter: Susan Hanks. Producer: Susan Hanks and Rob Howell. Sounds Producer: Rob Howell. Story Consultant: Luke Eldridge. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producers: Arran Bee and Aftab Gulzar. Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin.ARCHIVE : Dudley news report sourced from ‘ATV Today’ produced by ATV­. Bob Booth commentary sourced from ‘Real Crime – The Heiress & The Kidnapper’ produced by ITV.

Detective Chief Superintendent Robert 'Bob' Booth from West Mercia Police is tested by the rarest of crimes. He faces an unprecedented challenge after 17-year-old Lesley Whittle is kidnapped from her home in Highley, Shropshire, and a ransom note is found. The case gripped the nation in 1975 and created widespread public fear.This series contains rare and original archive, some not broadcast since the time.Presenter: Susan Hanks. Producer: Susan Hanks and Rob Howell. Sounds Producer: Rob Howell. Story Consultant: Luke Eldridge. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producers: Arran Bee and Aftab Gulzar. Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin.ARCHIVE : Bob Booth commentary sourced from ‘Real Crime – The Heiress & The Kidnapper’ produced by ITV.

Lesley Whittle is kidnapped from her home by a man known as 'The Black Panther'.A ransom note is found and Detective Chief Superintendent Robert Booth from West Mercia Police becomes involved in a race across the country to solve the rarest of crimes and bring the teenager home.The story is now retold by the people who lived through it and will never forget it. This series contains rare and original archive, some of which has not been broadcast since the time.Presenter: Susan Hanks. Producer: Susan Hanks and Rob Howell. Sounds Producer: Rob Howell. Story Consultant: Luke Eldridge. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producers: Arran Bee and Aftab Gulzar. Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin.

What do you do when someone you trust turns out to not exist?  When ‘Chloe’ starts messaging other teenage girls on social media she is friendly. Fun. Interested. Soon she sends explicit photos, and asks her new friends to send some back. That’s when she changes and the blackmail begins. Because ‘Chloe’ isn’t a real girl. She’s a catfish. And her depraved demands have fatal consequences. 

What do you do when someone you trust turns out to not exist?  When ‘Chloe’ starts messaging other teenage girls on social media she is friendly. Fun. Interested. Soon she sends explicit photos, and asks her new friends to send some back. That’s when she changes and the blackmail begins. Because ‘Chloe’ isn’t a real girl. She’s a catfish. And her depraved demands have fatal consequences.  This episode features real online messages, read aloud by an AI voice. Find out more about how the BBC uses AI https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/reports/policies/approach-to-ai/

What do you do when someone you trust turns out to not exist?  When ‘Chloe’ starts messaging other teenage girls on social media she is friendly. Fun. Interested. Soon she sends explicit photos, and asks her new friends to send some back. That’s when she changes and the blackmail begins. Because ‘Chloe’ isn’t a real girl. She’s a catfish. And her depraved demands have fatal consequences.    This episode features real online messages, read aloud by an AI voice. Find out more about how the BBC uses AI https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/reports/policies/approach-to-ai/

What do you do when someone you trust turns out to not exist?  When ‘Chloe’ starts messaging other teenage girls on social media she is friendly. Fun. Interested. Soon she sends explicit photos, and asks her new friends to send some back. That’s when she changes and the blackmail begins. Because ‘Chloe’ isn’t a real girl. She’s a catfish. And her depraved demands have fatal consequences.  This episode features real online messages, read aloud by an AI voice. Find out more about how the BBC uses AI https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/reports/policies/approach-to-ai/

What do you do when someone you trust turns out to not exist?  When ‘Chloe’ starts messaging other teenage girls on social media she is friendly. Fun. Interested. Soon she sends explicit photos, and asks her new friends to send some back. That’s when she changes and the blackmail begins. Because ‘Chloe’ isn’t a real girl. She’s a catfish. And her depraved demands have fatal consequences. 

What do you do when someone you trust turns out to not exist?  When ‘Chloe’ starts messaging other teenage girls on social media she is friendly. Fun. Interested. Soon she sends explicit photos, and asks her new friends to send some back. That’s when she changes and the blackmail begins. Because ‘Chloe’ isn’t a real girl. She’s a catfish. And her depraved demands have fatal consequences. 

What do you do when someone you trust turns out to not exist?  When ‘Chloe’ starts messaging other teenage girls on social media she is friendly. Fun. Interested. Soon she sends explicit photos, and asks her new friends to send some back. That’s when she changes and the blackmail begins. Because ‘Chloe’ isn’t a real girl. She’s a catfish. And her depraved demands have fatal consequences.This episode features real online messages, read aloud by an AI voice. Find out more about how the BBC uses AI https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/reports/policies/approach-to-ai/