News

A haulier asked police to investigate the theft of six pallets carrying books - and has been offered a "Victim Support Service" instead.

Cheshire police told Royers, part of the GJ Cooper group, that "we will not be undertaking further investigation", just hours after taking a report of the crime.

Notification to the company came in the form of an unsigned standard letter from Cheshire Constabulary's  un-named "Demand Management Unit Manager".

Graham Westcott, chairman of the GJ Cooper group, tells Motor Transport that it is clear that no investigation was mounted by the police.

He suspects that the books, entitled "The Large Family Collection", will be sold through boot sales on Merseyside.

The books were stolen from a double-decked trailer parked at Barthomley Services off M6 junction 16.

Westcott says: "The lesson is, don't have your load stolen in Cheshire!"

Westcott has written to the Home Office, describing the police's reaction as "a public disgrace especially when the police still appear to have substantial resources available to solve much more serious crimes, such as speeding, arguably the only ones they have the intelligence to solve!"

Westcott tells Motor Transport that there may be a case for a police force paid for by the industry - but that already exists through taxes. Greater security at truckstops would be welcome  but it would be difficult in practice to achieve on a nationwide scale.