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Truck thieves beware...
Page 15
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II by Chris Tindall Fou!! Wes! Midlands police forces have teamed up in an attempt to rid the region of its reputation as the truck crime hotspot of the UK.
The growing problem of stolen trucks and loads cost the West Midlands economy an estimated £11m last year and the region is a recognised hotspot for criminals.
But now the West Mercia, Warwickshire and Staffordshire police forces are combining with the West Midlands in Operation Coppergold.
Superintendent Steve Burrows of West Midlands
Police Crime Support Department says: "Criminals don't recognise boundaries, and by the very nature of lorry crime thieves are prepared to travel hundreds of miles to get rid of both the lorries themselves and their loads,
13y joining together to share information and intelli
gence we can begin to have a real impact on this type of crime," he adds.
A spokesman for the Road Haulage Association welcomes this news: We are very, very pleased that they are looking at this sort of crime. The RHA believes [fighting] lorry crime is not a core activity for the police. We need it to be so.
"Due to our lobbying they have installed two detective constables to tackle the problem, which is unprecedented," he adds.
Research has shown that lorry crime is committed by organised gangs who are also involved in drugs and other smuggling activities. The national cost is more than £100m per year.