Theft prevention
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The worrying subject of increasing lorry theft is being grappled with by the Crime Prevention Agency within the Home Office through a group of experts from all sides of the transport industry led by the Metropolitan Police.
This group, aptly named the Joint Action Group on Lorry Theft (JAGOLT), has recently produced an agreement and specification for the stamping of a VIN number on trailers (CM 18-24 June).
Members of my association, the Commercial Trailer Association (CTA), will be adhering to this voluntary agreement in support of a very positive step forward to trailer identification and hopefully some reduction in the theft of valuable trailers and their loads.
The 17-digit 111N starts with a manufacturer code, includes security markings and readily identifies the manufacturer, model type and serial number. It will be stamped into the parent metal of the chassis side rail.
In addition, manufacturers are asked to keep records of serial numbers on all major components that can be readily cross-referenced to the YIN and, wherever possible, should be stamped into the component itself.
These procedures are being phased into line production as soon as practicable for new trailers. Meanwhile, operators can return trailers in service to their manufacturers for suitable identification.
The CTA has campaigned for a trailer registration scheme for some time and something similar to this agreement, but Department of Transport ministers have rejected this approach on the grounds that there is no convincing evidence of a major problem with trailer theft. Perhaps they should talk to their opposite numbers in the Home Office for a reality check—if only we could all live in that other world!
We are aware that the UK has proposed a "visible VIN" requirement to Brussels, although the DOT has not consulted with industry. Alan Smith, Commercial Trailer Association, London.