End-of-year Improvement in Theft Figures
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QTATISTICS issued by the Road L) Haulage Association this week show that in comparison with the last quarter of 1960 there was a decline in the number and value of goods vehicle thefts in the Metropolitan Police Area in the last
quartet of 1961. During that period there were 1,100 cases of theft and the value of the -goods stolen was 000,000. The corresponding Agures for the last quarter of 1960 amounted to 1,150 and £232,000.
Despite the improvement towards the end of the year, however, the figures for the whole of 1961 were substantially higher than for the previous year as the following table shows: Commenting on the latest figures, Mr. J. T. Brown (Atlas Express Co., Ltd., London. S.E.16), chairman of the Vehicles' Security Committee of the R.H.A., said: "The last quarter of each year is notoriously the worst for vehicle thefts because of the longer periods of darkness and the large increase before-Christmas in the volume of traffic, much of it of the kind particularly likely to attract thieves. Towards the end of the summer the committee warned operators that the position was likely to deteriorate, issued posters to operators and transport cafes, and put forward a number of suggestions for improving security.
"It is gratifying to note that many operators have apparently heeded the warnings they received. A tribute should also be paid to the help and co-operation given by the police."