The Crime Agents
Global
If you want to understand what’s really happening on Britain’s streets, you need to hear this.
The Crime Agents, the new podcast from the makers of The News Agents, goes beyond the headlines to uncover the truth behind crime that affects all of us. Why is violence rising? Why is public trust in the police collapsing? And what’s really driving young people to kill each other?
Hosted by two insiders who have spent their lives chasing the answers, this is your front-row seat to the realities of crime today. Neil Basu, the former Head of UK Counter-Terrorism Policing, brings unparalleled experience from the front lines of law enforcement. Andy Hughes, LBC’s Crime Correspondent, has spent two decades exposing the criminal underworld as an award-winning investigative journalist.
Each week, The Crime Agents dives deep into the stories you think you know - from foiled terror plots and unsolved murders, to gang culture, far-right extremism, and the tactics police use to crack the toughest cases. With over 50 years of combined experience, Neil and Andy don’t just report on crime - they’ve lived it.
For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com
The Crime Agents, the new podcast from the makers of The News Agents, goes beyond the headlines to uncover the truth behind crime that affects all of us. Why is violence rising? Why is public trust in the police collapsing? And what’s really driving young people to kill each other?
Hosted by two insiders who have spent their lives chasing the answers, this is your front-row seat to the realities of crime today. Neil Basu, the former Head of UK Counter-Terrorism Policing, brings unparalleled experience from the front lines of law enforcement. Andy Hughes, LBC’s Crime Correspondent, has spent two decades exposing the criminal underworld as an award-winning investigative journalist.
Each week, The Crime Agents dives deep into the stories you think you know - from foiled terror plots and unsolved murders, to gang culture, far-right extremism, and the tactics police use to crack the toughest cases. With over 50 years of combined experience, Neil and Andy don’t just report on crime - they’ve lived it.
For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
9 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 44min
Who’s winning the war on gang violence?
Sammy Odoi, a grassroots youth worker who builds trust with at-risk teens. Lib Peck, director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit who leads prevention-focused citywide programs. They discuss why children are getting pulled into knife crime. They explain hospital interventions, outreach at night, restorative approaches, and how prevention-first units have driven falling youth homicides.
Feb 22, 2026 • 27min
Q&A: Tracking down Epstein's emails & was Jim Ratcliffe's immigration rant illegal?
Investigators explain how original digital emails are authenticated and why chain of custody matters in high-profile probes. The legality of explosive public remarks about immigration is debated and whether they could cross into hate speech. Practical policing topics pop up too, from why counter-terror teams pick jeans and Vans to when missing-persons inquiries stay open.
24 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 28min
Special episode: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested
Breaking news coverage of a royal arrest and the dramatic police operation at Sandringham. Discussion of why officers chose arrest over invitation and how custody procedures protect investigations. Examination of allegations tied to the Epstein files and the legal hurdles in proving misconduct in public office. Overview of coordination between forces, custody processes like mugshots and swabs, and likely next steps in the inquiry.
Feb 18, 2026 • 41min
The gangs targeting Premier League stars
Organised gangs researching and stalking wealthy targets, including Premier League players and celebrities. Detailed break‑ins and smash‑and‑grabs at high‑end shops are described. Discussions cover home invasions that threaten families, sophisticated surveillance and money‑laundering networks. The episode also looks at policing tactics, specialist squads and the trade‑offs of private protection.
Feb 15, 2026 • 35min
Cheating death: ‘I was ambushed by Russian hitmen’
Richie Mockler, veteran Sky News cameraman and ex-Royal Marine, survived a harrowing ambush in Ukraine and decades of frontline danger. He recounts tracer rounds shredding his vehicle, being hit while filming, a desperate sprint to safety, shelter in a garage, and a dramatic rescue by Ukrainian police. He also reflects on why he keeps returning to warzones and the toll on family and mental health.
10 snips
Feb 11, 2026 • 36min
Mandelson, Epstein & Andrew: when power and policing collide
Lewis Goodall, political journalist and co-host of The News Agents, provides sharp political analysis of the Mandelson–Epstein revelations. Short takes cover allegations of confidential information sharing, the hurdles to proving misconduct in public office, international evidence-gathering with the US, and whether powerful figures receive different treatment from police.
20 snips
Feb 8, 2026 • 27min
Q&A: Andrew's bodyguard & was police chief right to go over Maccabi Tel Aviv debacle?
They debate the fallout from a police ban on visiting football fans and whether leadership failures cost a chief his job. They explore how close protection officers handle suspected wrongdoing and whether they might run checks for principals. They discuss plans for a UK national policing body, risks of US-style enforcement, and how AI and big tech complicate online harms and policing.
20 snips
Feb 4, 2026 • 45min
Lucy Letby: time for a retrial?
Sir Jeremy Hunt, former UK Health Secretary and MP, explains why he now questions the convictions in the Lucy Letby case and urges a fresh CCRC review. He discusses disputed medical evidence, expert panels challenging the original findings, concerns about prosecution strategy, and the wider impact on maternity safety and legal processes.
Feb 1, 2026 • 22min
Q&A: undercover officers at risk from AI, cake fines & does the 'perfect crime' exist?
They debate whether AI and facial recognition make undercover policing riskier and what extra discipline is needed. They discuss using AI as a tool for intelligence and crime solving. The pair argue for scrapping Scotland's 'not proven' verdict and explain how much legal knowledge officers must have. They also unpack police 'cake fines' as workplace culture and whether a perfect crime can exist.
10 snips
Jan 28, 2026 • 31min
‘Britain’s FBI’: how will it work?
Sarah Jones, UK Policing Minister leading the white paper on policing reform. She explains plans to reshape forces, create a national police service focused on counter-terrorism and organised crime, and boost neighbourhood policing with extra officers. Discussion covers whether MI5 stays separate, the long rollout to 2030, and political and resource risks.
