FTA finds truck crime hotspots
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by Tim Maughan III One in five hauliers have experienced vehicle or load theft in the past 12 months, a Freight Transport Association survey reveals.
The value of unrecovered losses for lorry operators exceeded £130m, and hauliers believe that the South-East and the West Midlands are the regions where vehicles are most at risk, according to the association's Vehicle and Load Theft Survey. More than 40% of thefts occurred at the operators' premises, where the thief is often able to observe vehicle movements.
A further 10% of thefts occurred while the vehicle was parked outside the driver's home, again where regular routines can be observed.
Nearly half of the hauliers with crime-free fleets said they had invested in security cameras, as well as security staff, in the war against the thieves. A secure compound to park vehicles was also important, the survey found.
It was discovered that one in seven operators put their good theft record down, at least in part, to luck, compared with one in six in 1996.
Simon Chapman, FTA manager, information services, says: "Vehicle and load theft continues to be a major headache for the industry. On top of unrecovered property and consequential losses, industry is having to foot the bill for increasingly advanced security equipment for the vehicle, load space and depot.