IfES on the ROAD
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Having a truck stolen is bad news for any haulier: for an owner-driver it can be the end of the line. Wise operators take security seriously, and many are fighting back by joining the growing network of Truckwatch schemes. CM investigates.
South Yorkshire Police is the latest force to set up a Truckwatch scheme and it already claims to have the largest network in the country, comprising 96 haulage companies with a combined fleet of 4,000 vehicles.
The Truckwatch scheme, which is owned by the Road Haulage Association, works by notifying drivers of any stolen vehicles and asking them to keep a look out for them when they are on the road.
If a stolen vehicle is spotted the police are alerted and, with luck, an arrest will follow.
In South Yorkshire's case, once a theft has been notified the vehicle's colour, make and registration number will be sent to most of the 96 member companies by multiple fax (a few of the smaller firms do not have fax machines) and the firms pass on the information to their drivers.
In most cases this means photocopying the details and adding them to drivers' worksheets, but sometimes it involves the use of incab phones. This is a ticklish subject, especially with pending legislation to ban the use of handheld phones while driving—in these cases drivers are advised to ring in to get the details during their next break, Speed is off the essence. PC Gary Cooper, who runs the South Yorks scheme, says the best chance of recovering a vehicle is within four hours of the theft because after this time it is likely to be stripped down, with highvalue parts, especially the engine and gearbox, being prepared for export.
"We tell firms only to keep details of any theft for 48 hours before destroying them because otherwise the drivers will just end up with a clutter of paperwork," says Cooper.
There is no doubting the scheme's success. During its first year in Norfolk truck theft fell by 65%. Once the publicity surrounding the scheme died down the crime reduction rate also fell but it's settled down to a healthy 40% reduction.
Sgt Geoff Brendling, now in charge of the Norfolk Truck Watch scheme, says: "I wish I could tell you in all honesty why there was such a reduction in thefts when the scheme was launched. We have not made any significant arrests but it is quite possible that other forces have arrested people operating in our area and have put them out of circulation."
Interestingly enough, top-of-the-range vehicles do not comprise the lion's share of Norfolk's theft. Favourite targets seem to be D, F, G and H-reg trucks, especially Bedford flatbeds which are used extensively in the Third World.
South Yorkshire is the first northern force to introduce Truckwatch, and in the opening week of operation there was not a single truck stolen in its area.
Publicity
No doubt this was partly due to the publicity surrounding the launch of the scheme—as happened in Norfolk—but it still comes as music to the ears of Cooper: "Truckwatch is not only about catching thieves, it is also about prevention," he says. "If a truck is stolen it is ultimately the public who pays for it because the theft pushes up insurance premiums, which in turn increases haulage costs, which in the end leads to more expensive goods in the shops."
The scheme has been enthusiastically received by hauliers.
David Milner is group transport manager of Polypipe with a fleet of 150 trucks on the road. He says: "Even if only a quarter of the members of the scheme are on the road at any one time that's 1,000 vehicles, and they have a much better chance of spotting a stolen truck than the 25 police cars which South Yorkshire has at its disposal."
And Jonathan Bramwell of SBS, a firm which has 70% of its trade in the domestic removals business, says: "We are very keen on marketing our firm and will state that we are a member of Truckwatch in all our adverts because it gives potential clients just that little bit extra piece of mind."
Everyone connected with Truckwatch schemes wants to see a national system set up, and there is a good chance of this with more and more forces becoming interested in the operation. However, there are fears of diminishing returns, Most truck thefts are carried out by organised gangs. When they learn of a Truckwatch scheme being set up in one area they simply move to another to reduce the chances of getting caught. If Truckwatch covers the entire country there will be nowhere for them to move to.
Membership of Truckwatch schemes is cheap, ranging from nothing to £25 per firm per year. In South Yorkshire there is a charge of 120, except for firms without faxes, which get it free.
Sponsorship
The start-up costs (anything between 45,000 and 115,000) are covered by sponsorship. Many of the sponsors are insurance companies—Guardian Royal Exchange is sponsoring some of the South Yorkshire operation and Norwich Union has backed schemes in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. However, most insurance companies are adopting a wait-and-see attitude before agreeing to a reduction of premiums for members of Truckwatch.
"Firms already benefit if their vehicles are recovered through a Truckwatch scheme because it saves their no-claims bonus," Norwich Union points out.
Police members of Truckwatch agree that the scheme is not a panacea which will stop all CV thefts, but they stress that it is an important weapon in the fight against truck crime. Brendling says: "So far this year 16 out
of 30 commercial vehicle thefts have been from socalled mare yards, and these areas should be much better protected. Some firms are still leaving keys under wheelarches so drivers can make an early start. I advise every single haulier to contact their local crime prevention
officer to see how best their yard can be made secure."
And South Yorkshire's Cooper says: "Truckwatch is not just about notifying firms of stolen vehicles. It gives us a chance to talk to members of the scheme about a whole range of issues which will benefit them, and we are arranging a series of seminars for members. These will cover everything from improving security to how to deal with the 112,000 different pieces of legislation which affect road users."
Truckwatch makes sense bemuse it does help prevent crime and catch thieves. It is not just for the big boys, in fact Jonathan Bramwell of the South Yorkshire steering committee says: "We are very interested in attracting the small operator because the theft of one of their vehicles can easily put the firm out of business."
E by Mike Sherrington For more information on South Yorkshire Truckwatch ring the hotline number: 01302 385442.