Uniform are looking for someone who is letting off distress flares inside letterboxes. Melvin arrives on the scene of an attack. Householder wants something done. Hollis is back on the beat. As he is responding to Melvin's call to assist, he knocks into a rider of a moped who takes off. Fire Officer tells Cryer flares could be dangerous because of corrosion. Hollis is swinging bag around containing flare gun. Suspect has a thing about neighbourhood watch. An elderly betting shop owner(ex villain) tells Burnside about another elderly villain who has come out of retirement to out a contract on him. P.C. Turnham goes undercover.

Ch. Insp. Cato's anti-vagrancy initiative draws WPC Page's attention to the plight of a young mother, who along with other hostel residents are being threatened by a short-tempered loan shark with violent tendancies.