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Keeping crime

20th February 1976
Page 22
Page 22, 20th February 1976 — Keeping crime
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

'Context Pr SINCE a regional crime squad operation against container thieves, under the code-name "Operation Context," thefts of 000-plus loads from commercial vehicles had fallen by over 70 per cent, said Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Robert Mark last week.

Speaking at the annual lunch of the Freight Transport Association's south-eastern region, in London, Sir Robert said the operation had resulted in about 50 arrests. The action had been taken as a result of thefts of containers between Southampton and London. Despite this, the need for security was now paramount. At any one time there were probably more thieves than police on London's streets.

Three out of every 10 indictable offences in London now related to thefts of or from motor vehicles—and the police simply could not cope. Responsibility devolved on trans port operators and motorists to protect their property.

Earlier he declared that the need for access for freight into London was greater than that for personal transport. Buses appeared to be at the top of the current priority list, but there was inadequate legislation to make priority systems work. The creation of conflicts by priority policies, by which one form of transport was benefited at the expense of another, was worrying. Highway restrictions were often unintelligible; restriction orders were often made against the advice of the police—who had the smallest finger in the London traffic pie—and the task of enforcing them was quite impossible.

The swing to restraint and restriction was of as much concern to the Metropolitan Police as to transport operators. Compliance depended largely on voluntary co-operation, and in restrictive measures of this sort there was little public co-operation.

Traffic management provided short-term answers, but only in theory; in fact it created the maximum opportunity for disobedience and dissatisfaction, and this was creating an intolerable situation.

Sir Robert reminded his audience that to supply London with its needs now involved moving 250m tons of freight annually.


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