Emerging Trends

Hijacks and attempted hijacks increased dramatically in 2004, averaging 7 per month and peaking at 15 in November, with a corresponding increase in the level of violence used by the perpetrators. Drivers and security personnel have been abducted and held captive for several hours after being threatened with firearms, knives and other weapons. Loads are becoming more attractive to criminals than the vehicle carrying them, evidenced by the fact that over half of stolen vehicles are abandoned (minus the load) within a relatively short time of the theft.

Concerns were raised about the perceived use of incapacitant gas to tranquilise drivers and facilitate the theft of a load but there has been little, if any, evidence to support this. Several reports by drivers have been discredited and no forensic evidence of this has yet been recovered. TruckPol has submitted a report to the Forensic Science Services for advice and will be keeping a careful eye on it, as the potential for an overdose and fatality is self-evident.

Diversion thefts have increased through 2004, with a handful in the first quarter rising exponentially to over 30 in London alone in September. This is a variation on the round-the-corner game and is carried out by the simple process of telephoning manufacturers, freight forwarders, hauliers, retailers and so on and acquiring specific detail about deliveries, routes and even the mobile phone number of the driver. These will continue to happen as long as drivers are happy to hand over consignments in the street to a complete stranger with a semi-plausible story and a clipboard without first checking with their own or the consignee's transport office. The methods of getting vehicles to stop have also been apparent. Staged accidents and calls placed to company transport offices by bogus police officers or 'good Samaritans' asking for them to call the driver and have him pull over on the pretext that trailer doors are open or that there is a defect with the vehicle have started to occur. Concerns about bogus VOSA officers appear to be unwarranted.