Truck thefts
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by Karen Miles frock thefts are spiralling out :ontrol. Commercial Motor has iducted the first survey into scale of the problem—and nd that 40% of hauliers quesied suffered a truck or trailer ft in the past year.
;lost hauliers feel helpless to tect their property and believe y are let down by the police 1 insurance companies when y become victims of truck ne. Hauliers want police to comate anti-theft action and the ne Office to identify trucks t are most at risk.
/lir survey also shows that ice were able to recover all of stolen property in only 22% of es. Hauliers claim that these t generally cases where stolen ides had broken down or been ndoned. In 50% of cases neithe vehicles nor their loads e ever seen again.
lauliers are doing their best to a back: more than 50% of questioned have spent more
than .C100 on security devices for each of their trucks, and 44% have spent £500 or more to protect their depots. Over 40% take steps to leave their trucks in secure sites.
C.11/fs survey seems to cast doubt on the police view that hauliers can greatly reduce their risk of theft by fitting security devices to vehicles and loads.
Insurance companies are not flavour of the month among theft victims: 19% of claimants did not get a penny and only 12% had their claims met in full. Nearly 70% say they lost earnings as a result of the theft, despite being insured.
Most hauliers-66%--feel that truck and trailer manufacturers could go a long way to fight the crime epidemic by fitting antitheft devices: nearly 60% would be prepared to pay extra for vehicles fitted with anti-theft devices as standard.
There is widespread criticism of the perceived lack of police enthusiasm and resources to tack