Cops not left in the dark; AID: Night vision goggles to fight freight crime.

Byline: By Mark Cowan

TRAFFIC cops are being given Army-style night vision goggles to help in the fight against multi-million pound freight crime.

Criminal gangs are targeting lorries heavy good vehicles travelling through the West Midlands motorway network and hijacking their lucrative loads.

Research by police number crunchers has shown that cargos are more likely to be stolen overnight while drivers are parked up in lay-bys and service stations.

Now motorway police are to get the new equipment to help cut through the darkness during the so-called 'silent hours' and help catch the thieves.

Freight crime has grown across the country over recent years as criminals looked to cash in on the black market value of stolen goods, particularly domestic appliances and electrical items.

Much of the police success catching truck thieves have come from early warnings of suspicious activity allowing them to get to the scene quickly or intercept stolen vehicles.

Insp Simon Westwood, from the Central Motorway Police Group, said drivers might not be aware of the thefts until the following morning.

It is hoped the set of night vision equipment, funded by a donation from the haulage contractor Norbert Dentress angle and supplied by Thomas Jacks near Stratford, will give police an early indication of crime.

Officers on uniformed and plain-clothed patrols will use the goggles to search vehicles in truck stops and service stations for signs of crime.

Insp Westwood said: "Typically lorries drivers wake up in the morning and find the curtain sides of their trailers have been slashed and the loads stolen.

"We would much rather know as it happens, as soon as it happens is next best but by the time someone wakes up, they thieves are long gone.

"By finding out little bit earlier so we can take proactive measures.

CAPTION(S):

Police are to use specialised night vision glasses to help fight freight crime.