Police double down on thieves after welter of HGV, trailer and cargo thefts

March has seen a rash of HGV, trailer and cargo thefts, counterbalanced by a string of arrests across the country, according to the latest figures from the freight division of the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NAVCIS).

Cheshire Police & Greater Manchester Police arrested two males from Liverpool after responding to a report of two stolen DAF trucks in the early hours of Wednesday 3 March. Both vehicles were recovered.

On the same night, Essex Police arrested three men from Dagenham and Newham, following the theft of a significant amount of Covid-19 lateral flow testing kits from an HGV.

The theft occurred the previous evening at Harlow Business Park. All the stolen testing kits have been recovered.

Following what West Midlands Police described as a “complex investigation” three men were arrested on 4 March and charged with conspiracy to steal HGVs, trailers and motor vehicles, which the police said are related to a series of HGV trailer hook-up thefts and arrests.

Read more

• Training to help HGV drivers avoid cargo theft launched by NAVCIS and surveillance experts AnteVorte
• Lorry raid on M1 slip road sees driver tied up and £5m of Apple products stolen
• Police acted lawfully in shooting man trying to steal HGV, investigation concludes

West Yorkshire Police are calling for any information on a theft of a 40-foot preloaded trailer containing sports goods that occurred between 6pm on 4 March and 4.30am on 5 March at Cartleford in West Yorkshire.

On 11 March in a joint operation Lincolnshire Police and Humberside Police apprehended suspects breaking into the rear of a parked up HGVs whilst the driver slept on an industrial estate at Elsham North Lincolnshire.

Following the theft of microprocessors (ECUs) from seven refrigeration trailers from a haulage yard near Warrington, Cheshire Police said they are “keen to know of any recent similar incidents”.

NAVCIS is also warning HGV drivers operating in the North West to remain vigilant when making deliveries in the region following mounting numbers of jump-up thefts from trucks held up by traffic lights or slow moving traffic.

It is also urging HGV drivers and operators to remain vigilant as thefts continue across the country, with 669 offences with a cost price loss value of £12. 1m and an average cost of £18,086 were reported since the beginning of the year.

Whilst police operations across the country have had some success in apprehending cargo thieves, NAVCIS is urging HGV drivers and operators to prevent these crimes by being vigilant and by coming forward with any information, no matter how small, that may be related to cargo thefts.