Police reveal towns and counties worst hit by HGV thefts

Sussex has been revealed as the worst county for HGV thefts, with 87 incidents reported to the police since 2020, according to a freedom of information request.

Of the forces that responded, Sussex came out top, followed by Hertfordshire (67), Bedfordshire (38) and Derbyshire (14).

Included in the data provided to vehicle mitigation systems manufacturer Heald, Sussex had 10 dropside lorries and 20 tippers reported as stolen over the three-year period.

Locations the vehicles were stolen from in Sussex included streets, industrial estates, open air car parks and laybys.

In Bedfordshire, hotspot towns for lorry thefts were Luton (6), Kempston (4) and Bedford (4).

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In Derbsyhire, a truckstop and an HGV storage yard were targeted and Heald said lorry parks had become key locations for thieves in recent years.

In May, two men were charged after stealing £125,000 worth of chewing gum from a service station in Gloucestershire, while in August perpetrators stole £250,000 worth of trainers from a lorry at Lockerbie truck stop.

Heald MD Debbie Heald said perimeter protection for locations where HGVs park was essential: “To help stop HGV theft, haulage, delivery, and freight companies should consider implementing physical security products to mitigate theft and attacks,” she said.

“While there may be the initial investment to consider, by mitigating such attacks and thefts, communities will not only have access to a vital resource, but the financial loss and impact on insurance claims will also be lessened.”

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