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• Most police forces do not have truck theft initiatives. Norfolk Police, however, have been at the forefront of the nationa 'Truckwatch' scheme. Launched severa years ago, the idea was centred arounc a telephone chain of haulage firms which alerted each other every time a commercial vehicle was stolen.
It soon became clear that if one haulier broke the telephone chain, the scheme failed. Determined not be beaten, Norfolk police found a sponsor, insurance company Norwich Union, and no'% a fax bureau alerts all Truckwatch members simultaneously once the details of c stolen vehicle are received.
In the 10 months since the new technoI ogy was introduced, the number of staler LGVs in Norfolk dropped 40% to 42 trucks. Suffolk and Cambridgeshire are also involved in the Truckwatch scheme and Essex Police look set to join in the near future. Truckwatch is a nationa scheme and costs 220 to join. Member: also get police advice on security measures for both vehicles and premises. J South Yorkshire is about to introduce an initiative to cut down theft from LGVs, particularly mobile phones and sterec equipment, which operates in conjunction with West Yorkshire police.