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Haulage Theft on the Increase |
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In the UK theft of vehicles and loads from haulage fleets has been steadily increasing in the past few years. The latest figures from TruckPol and crime prevention agencies indicate that improvements need to be made in onboard security. |
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| Author: Chris Peterson |
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It is the smaller firms which are being hit the hardest by the rise in vehicle theft. Half of the total vehicle thefts were reported by companies which employ ten staff or less. These are the operators which are least able to absorb the costs brought on by such thefts.
The current economic situation appears to be forcing up the theft of vehicles and their loads.
There is a common pattern of HGV's being stolen for their loads, the vehicles are then stripped down for their saleable parts with the rest being sold as scrap, or else the entire vehicle is shipped abroad with falsified identity. There is a high demand for parts and even complete vehicles in developing countries.
The Police research group (PRG) reports that certain manufacturer brands are being targeted much more than others.When the number of thefts are broken down per manufacturer it has been shown that Iveco Ford, Bedford, Leyland Daf, and Mercedes are the most popular for criminal activity.
Together tippers, flat-beds, drop-sides and goods vehicles account for 80% of the vehicles stolen, with the tippers lorries by themselves accounting for 30%. The construction and Haulage sectors of the industry are being hit the hardest by vehicle theft.
For vehicle crime a third of reported thefts of HGV's were from the operators own premises, while half of all HGV's stolen were taken while parked on Industrial estates.
Another area of concern is the rising trend for fuel theft.
In March 2011 the Road Haulage Association (RHA) petitioned its members with a survey asking for the details of any fuel theft which had occurred. Two thirds of the haulage firms which responded had been the victim of fuel theft in the past 12 months.
The average amount stolen was up to 600 litres or around £700 pounds worth, although some thefts were as high as 2,500 litres or £3000.
Much of the reported criminal activity was occurring overnight in lay-bys, lorry parks, and even the operators own premises. This together with the increased risk of battery theft from premises due to the rising value of lead means that haulage operators need to be extremely vigilant at all times and ensure their staff are following the recommended safe practices.
It is recommended that operators make use of secure police approved parking when stationary.
Police research group figures indicate that less than 1% of vehicles are stolen from secure parking.
Theft from vehicles often occurs overnight when the driver may be asleep in the cab, and can include goods stolen by slashing side curtains. Many insurers are increasing premiums by on average 25% in areas of the country where theft is the highest.
The use of Onboard security systems has been woefully inadequate with three quarters of the vehicles reported stolen having only a steering column lock or intruder alarm.
High specification security equipment and immobilisation makes operators vehicles far less attractive to thieves. With proper security measures installed, operators can also benefit from reduced insurance premiums for the vehicles in their fleets.
About Author
Chris Peterson is a specialist in business security and communications solutions. He is an expert author and consultant with interests in modern tracking technology and ways in which it can be adopted to aid businesses with their security, planning, and distribution needs while reducing business overheads.
http://www.shieldbase.co.uk
Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com/author-chris-peterson-49990.html
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