According to a survey conducted by Sheffield-based Logistics Security Network (LSN) which has taken over the work of the Yorkshire and Humber TruckWatch, 36 out of 50 logistics businesses in the region have been a victim of crime in the last year.
Although there were only 50 respondents, LSN's survey results hammered home the message: HGV crime is a big problem in the area.
For the 12 months to September 2009, companies questioned revealed the biggest threats to their firm:
Fuel thefts: 29%
Theft from premises: 22%
Theft from parked truck: 22%
Theft in transit: 15%
Hijack: 6% Staff thefts: 6%
The estimated cost of crime over the period at the 50 firms was £2.16m.
David Stockdale, BCRC head of unit.
LSN is a division of South Yorkshire-based Business Crime Reduction Centre (BCRC) and is encouraging truckers to join the scheme free of charge as a way of sharing information on freight crime.
Considering the results also revealed just 65% of respondents reported all crimes it seems the industry still has a lack of faith in police powers.
TruckPol maintains its doing its best to help the haulage sector but I wonder how many of you are involved with the LSN or similar groups? Are drivers feeling more confident in reporting crimes or is there still the fear they will not be taken seriously?
I want to hear your thoughts...
reporting is the easy bit but I believe that victims dont have the confidence that their crime will be investigated fully. Freight crime is still classed as 'volume vehicle crime' unless it is a robbery and in most cases it is just a paper exercise unless there are witnesses or real forensic oppurtunities.
When you says 'volume vehicle crime' does this mean that all vehicle crimes are categorised the same?? For instance theft from car is seen as the same as cargo theft from a truck?
Thanks