Softly Softly: Task Force - Season 5 (1973)

Watt, Hawkins and Evans come from a protection unit and straight into a bank robbery in Thamesford. Hawkins wounds one robber but John Watt is taken hostage.

An unidentified body of a woman is pulled from the canal. Sgt Evans and PC Snow have to chase down all the missing person reports from the last twelve months.

Watt and Hawkins head to Deauville, France to track down Clive Hornsby-Hyatt, a middle man who has orchestrated a string of antique robberies on country houses

Sgt Evans gets a tip that a filling station attendant will be shot for revenge and it made to look like an accident. A pair of low level thieves hit the jackpot when they steal 1500 watches.

Harry Hawkins has put together "Operation Ratcatcher" to arrest a number of local big wigs who are involved in a conspiracy which they benefited from council contracts.

A tip off about serial criminal Billy Mason puts PC Snow undercover at a casino. Snow makes contact with him about a possible deal only for Mason to be murdered.

A jeweller's shop is robbed and a shot is fired at a bystander. Two suspects are arrested who both deny all charges. Gradually the police breaks down the suspects' resistance and one of them makes a full confession, implicating the other.

Two professional criminals break into a canning factory but take along petty thief Terry Johnson. When the three are arrested Johnson only gets probation which makes Hawkins suspicious.

Hawkins and Snow are to due give evidence in Herbert Andrews robbery trial. Much of the case resolves around forensic evidence so Andrews counsel is out to discredit the pair.

Harry Hawkins receives allegations that Sgt Jack Stirling is having an affair Jean Buxton, who's husband Tony he put behind bars. Hawkins and Watt decide to do some low key investigating first.

Jarman's barn is burned to the ground with arson suspected. When they start paying big money for a new structure to be built, Sgt Evans is sent undercover. He quickly spots the Thornley's planning something with villain Johnny Drew.

Hawkins is tipped off that armed robber Dave Riley is in the Kingley area following a break out of jail. Watching from a nearby flat Riley is with several accomplices and appears to be planning another armed robbery.

Task Force aid a drug bust at a house containing mainly black tenants causing a lot of bad publicity from Fordyce, a black activist lawyer. In a bid to counter claims against police, John Watt is told thoroughly investigate.

A post office van is raided by six men who steal £50,000. Only hired muscled Danny Darby is arrested after using a gun. Darby eventually gives up the name of escaped villain Johnny Warren but he has not been seen for two years.

Chief Constable Cullen receives a threatening letter about prisoner David Bridie being persecuted again. Evans and Knowles are currently taking Bridie, via train, to London and need to get him to give up the letter writer.