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Hijackings soar in the West Midlands with more guns
Page 16
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Hijackings of trucks in the West V idlands have almost doubled in a year, with criminals increasingly resorting to firearms or deception.
Pete Swingler reports.
NINETEEN LGVs were hijacked in the West Midlands last year. compared with 11 in 2005, and the M6 is still the region's hijacking hotspot.Four trucks were attacked in the West Midlands in a single week, according to Truckpol's annual report; the national total was 129.
The West Midlands-based freight-crime taskforce is headed by Detective Constable Andy Round. More hijackers are using guns—he believes this is in response to better security: "With vehicles being made more secure, it is increasingly difficult for the gangs to get what they want and they are resorting to using more firearms, stun guns and other weapons."
The report warns that in some cases criminals are dressing up in fluorescent jackets and uniforms to flag down vehicles by pretending to be policemen, highways officials or Customs officers. In some incidents they have even used fake blue lights and 'police stop' signs.
In another trick, criminals stop drivers to ask for directions and then hold them up with guns before taking their trucks.
Other gangs have staged dangerous collisions to force LGVs to stop. Only two weeks ago £400,000 worth of alcohol and copper was taken after drivers were tricked into getting out of their cabs.
The report also reveals how the police smashed a truck-theft ring in Walsall when a stolen truck was discovered being dismantled at a yard. Six men were arrested, including a Polish driver. They have yet to appear in court.
Many foreign-registered LGVs were among the hijacked trucks coming off the M6 and M5.