Cargo Criminals: Eliminating Theft In North Yorkshire

There are many challenges that go hand in hand with haulage work, but cargo theft is certainly one of the most serious issues faced by hauliers in the UK. However, while the problem has been increasing over the past few years, measures are being put in place to stop the thieves once and for all. North Yorkshire’s police force is testing a new initiative, Op Cargo, which has great potential for a big impact on the industry.

Making Changes

Yorkshire was recognised as one of the top areas for cargo theft in the UK in 2018, so the North Yorkshire police decided to team up with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) (as well as some bordering police forces) in a bid to change this.

The overall aim of the operation, of course, is to reduce the amount of cargo theft around the UK, and there a number of ways the initiative will go about this. One of the first steps is to raise awareness among those involved in haulage work, motorway services and other drivers that use the roads. This will hopefully make the public in general a lot more cautious, and possibly encourage service stations to improve their security measures.

As part of the operation, police forces will be organising driver engagement days as a way of increasing knowledge and awareness of the issue. The first of these engagement days has already taken place at Coneygarth services on the A1M, and there are plenty more to come.

Being able to discuss the issue alongside fellow industry workers, police and security professionals is a fantastic opportunity for anyone involved in haulage work who has been a victim of theft to gain a better understanding of the operation - and also feel hopeful for the future.

The Patrols

One of the more significant changes being enforced by the initiative is an increased number of patrols, particularly along the A1M corridor and the A19 – both of which are hotspots for theft. A spokesperson for the North Yorkshire police has revealed that this is already having an effect. The patrols are carried out day and night, and the high visibility of the law enforcement officers has meant the criminals have noticeably been discouraged from taking advantage of cargo.

Working Together

Drivers must also play their part in eliminating crime in the haulage work industry. They are being encouraged to avoid using isolated service stations and try to find areas with better and more focussed security systems in place, such as Coneygarth services.

Tackling cargo theft is no mean feat, but hopes are high that operations such as Op Cargo will encourage more areas in the UK to act on the issue and, together, decrease the number of crimes happening throughout the haulage work industry.

 Author Plate

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage work with available drivers, and is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.