It didn’t just fall off the back of a lorry – it was stolen by one of the Organised Crime Groups (OCGs), who target HGVs in the UK on an ongoing basis.

Did you know that in 2020 there were approximately 4,500 thefts from HGVs parked overnight or on the move in the UK? The average loss, based on cost price alone, was not far off £50,000.00. These figures only represent the incidents that are reported to NaVCIS, who are the Police unit responsible for monitoring freight crime. There are likely to be many thousands more incidents that do not get reported to NaVCIS.

Curtain slashing and diesel thefts are frequent. ‘Jump Ups’, ‘Romanian Rollover’, ‘Deception Theft’ and Hijackings were once crimes seen only in Europe, but not anymore. 
See this video here of lorry Hijacking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82exeLkAdM

Drivers are in the front line of this crime epidemic, as criminals take more opportunities and exploit the vulnerable in very difficult times.

The OCGs know what they are doing and they prey on the vulnerable. Manufacturers, large hauliers, small hauliers, owner drivers, agency drivers, we are all at risk.
Goods are insured, but the disruption caused by a theft goes way beyond the loss of the load. The actual annual loss to the economy caused by the freight thefts in the UK is estimated by insurers to be around £700 million.
If you count all costs including damage, lost driving hours, lost customers, supply chain disruption, investigation costs and reputational damage, the impact of this criminality is enormous.

Who ultimately pays for this huge loss? YOU DO! Premiums increase, prices increase and jobs are cut.

What can I do about it? Stuff happens! The majority of freight crime occurs during transit. This makes the things that you and your fellow drivers do, the first line of defence against the Organised Criminal Gangs. For example, how you park, where you park and when you park, can reduce the risk of you becoming a victim. Thankfully, the use of violence by the groups is rare, but it is not unheard of and a driver should never put the safety of a load before his or her own safety.

There is an element of risk in many professions and no driver can ever be completely safe. However, there are some very simple steps that everyone can take to make it harder for criminals to steal vehicles, loads and fuel.

By the way, our three top tips to avoid hijacking are:

• Always ensure that your phone is fully charged, available and always be aware of your exact location
• Always park overnight in a secure parking area if at all possible
• If you are pulled over by an ‘official’ keep your doors locked and engine running, until you are completely happy that the ‘official’ is genuine. If you are not happy then call the Police and drive to the nearest Police station or services.

If you would like to be better prepared to meet the security and safety challenges offered by Organised Crime Groups, we offer a short online training course ‘Driver Safety and Freight Security’. If you wish to know more please contact us on 01635 861242 or info@antevortegroup.com 

You can also enquire today about applying for one of our driver safety freight courses here.

SAVE A LOAD, SAVE A LORRY, SAVE A LIVELIHOOD