Efforts to tackle HGV crime at known hot spots in Yorkshire are ramping up in the run-up to Christmas, with police acknowledging it was a time of heightened risk.
Officers from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) have teamed up with NaVCIS to mount increased activity at identified places across the region.
As part of the campaign, officers are running driver engagement evenings alongside increased overt and covert activity during the evenings at HGV parking sites.
A similar operation in the summer saw six people arrested in raids at addresses in Leeds as part of an investigation into organised theft of cargo from lorries.
Those arrested remain on bail while enquiries continue.
Detective Superintendent Al Burns, of the YHROCU, said: “While we’re aware that organised criminal groups target heavy goods vehicles to steal valuable goods throughout the year, we know that the weeks and months leading up to Christmas is a key time where thieves think there will be rich pickings for them.
“We have had some notable successes targeting these gangs through an intelligence-led approach and, while that work is continuing, we have launched this campaign to raise awareness and share crime prevention information among the HGV driver community at key locations in the region.”
NaVCIS freight intelligence lead Nigel Collins said the partnership was instrumental in tackling organised crime groups targeting HGVs: “As the freight and logistics sector enters one of its busiest periods, the sharing of intelligence between law enforcement and industry remains critical to identifying threats, protecting cargoes and reducing opportunities for criminality,” he added.
