Police Operation Foils Attempted Theft from HGVs at Fleet Services

A late-night police operation has led to the arrest of three men suspected of targeting heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) at motorway services as part of a wider spate of thefts across the country.

Officers from the Northern Roads Policing Unit (RPU) were conducting routine patrols on the M3 as part of Operation Hoist — an ongoing initiative to combat thefts from lorries parked at service stations and laybys — when they received a call from CCTV operators reporting suspicious activity at Fleet Services southbound.

According to police, the crimes typically involve multiple vehicles working together, including a “spotter” who identifies potential targets. Once suitable lorries are found, suspects “create small cuts in HGVs to check what they are carrying.” If the goods appear to be of high value, the offenders “return with more vehicles and offload the items into vans and smaller transport vehicles.”

Although officers say such offences are difficult to predict — as the suspects “rarely target the same services twice and never use the same vehicles” — this time police were in the right place at the right time.

“We can’t be everywhere at once, but we could be anywhere,” a Roads Policing spokesperson said.

Officers acted quickly after being alerted to suspicious activity, showing great teamwork and persistence.

When the suspicious vehicle left the southbound services before officers arrived, patrols from across the county were mobilised to search the surrounding areas. Acting on instinct, the Northern RPU decided to double back and check the northbound services — a decision that paid off.

“Officers spotted a suspect male hiding among the HGVs who didn’t appear to want company and ran off toward the main car park,” police said.

There, officers discovered a vehicle on false number plates containing three men and a set of bolt croppers. The suspects were arrested on suspicion of going equipped for theft and conspiring to steal from a motor vehicle. The vehicle has since been seized for forensic examination.

Police thanked colleagues from Basingstoke’s District Policing Team (DPT) for their assistance in the arrests and transportation of the suspects.

“This was a brilliant team effort by all,” the spokesperson added.

This shows the value of vigilance, collaboration, and the determination of officers to protect our road networks and haulage industry.

Enquiries are ongoing.