Crime Next Door - 1. The Perfect Detective

1. The Perfect Detective

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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.

Published on Tuesday, 2nd December 2025.

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