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CORNWALL POLICE
Page 47
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ponce traffic divisions are staffed by patrolmen and accident investigators and, in some cases, commercial traffic intelligence officers. Devon & Cornwall's CTI comes in the shape of PC Chris Eggins. ''My role Is to monitor the trends, look for the baddies and to collate intelligence," he says.
Much of the information garnered by Eggins is sourced through routine road checks. Vehicle faults, drivers' hours offences and so on are all recorded. "Errant hauliers are identified, then I prepare information packages for the officers out on the road."
Shortcomings with HGVs and tachographs follow the same national pattern, reports Eggins.
He says: We reflect the general trends in the country, although faults are not as prevalent because we do not have the same volume of commercial traffic; we have a huge coastline, but with a small number of operators."
Plymouth is the only significant port In the two counties; Continental-registered HGVs are not present In significant numbers, he adds. Cornwall's sea wall effectively means that there is no through traffic in the county.
Eggins is keen to stress the difference between those in haulage who make mistakes—defective brakes, for example—and those who deliberately involve themselves in criminal activity.
He turns the conversation to a national level. Trucks have long been targets for thieves and a curtainsider full of whisky can make for an easy
night's crime. "There are big profits to be made for relatively easy work," asserts Eggins.
He laments the lack of secure HGV parking, but he points out that hauliers and drivers can still make a difference. "We still find trucks, with high value goods, parked up in the middle of nowhere!" he says. Drivers should aim to park up in a well-lit spot, or along with other Ms if possible, he advises.
Then, he states a blindingly obvious yet easily overlooked fact. Organised criminal gangs target Ms—nothing new here—but they need to have the right infrastructure and skills in place if they are to make money.
They need the accommodation to store goods, and they need people who can drive a truck. Depressingly, this means that Class 1 holders. and perhaps hauliers with storage facilities, are involved in crime against trucks.
"Lorries are rarely stolen for their intrinsic value—most of them are recovered," he says. Rather, they are targeted because criminals know exactly what's In them and that means they have the intelligence network.
"There Is more evidence that criminals are resorting to violence more quickly. But unless the industry is telling us, we will always be playing catch-up. We want to foster contacts with the industry... hauliers need to help us to help them," says Eggins.
• Contact: Devon & Cornwall Constabulary on 08705 777444 and ask for PC Chris Eggins. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.