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Stolen Hinds are chopped in Ireland

19th December 2002
Page 6
Page 6, 19th December 2002 — Stolen Hinds are chopped in Ireland
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

II by Miles Brignall

An organisation that registers thefts of trucks and heavy plant say they have discovered a "chop shop" in the Republic of Ireland that was in the process of dismantling several trucks stolen from UK operators. Investigators from The Equipment Register ;TERI. which Is part of the Loss Management Croup, are still trying to work out how many vehicles had been cut up and made into "clean" vehicles at the site, which they will only say is "somewhere in Eire".

It is believed that most of the recovered trucks are Scanias, although at least one Daf has been found, Truck thieves use chop shops to dismantle stolen trucks, mix up the main components and put them back together as 'legal' vehicles. This practice makes it very hard to trace the component parts If the vehicle is subsequently checked by the authorities. "We are still In the processes of working out what has been happening here," says TER's Nick Mayell, As you can imagine it's very difficult establishing what has come from which vehicle when there are parts all over the place—but we are getting there.'' Although one of the trucks on the site is thought to have been stolen in France, the rest appear to have come from the UK. One was registered in Cardiff while another was taken from Leicestershire.

For many years organised gangs have been stealing trucks to order so that they can be cut up in this way. Police who stop a "chopped" vehicle might be able to prove that the engine was stolen but its operator can deny responsibility by saying he bought it reconditioned from an engine dealer.

• West Midlands truck dealer Chris Kelly says he is "mildly optimistic" that his local police force will take truck thefts more seriously in future after meeting his local Chief Constable.

This week the managing director of West Midlands Scania agent Keitruck met Chief Constable Paul Scott-Lee and Roger King, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, to discuss the force's reaction to truck crime.

In the past Kelly has been critical of the West Midlands Police. There was a surge in thefts during the summer when several Scanias were taken—most notably from truck dealers—and he says there was little action from police.

"There was a very frank exchange of views and I think the Chief Constable knows exactly how truck dealers and operators feel," says Kelly. "I am happy to say that for the frst time in a while I'm optimistic that the issue of truck theft is going to be taken seriously."


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