Thieves hide in boxes inside trucks to steal high value goods
THIEVES have been using new and ingenious methods to gain access to high-value cargo by hiding inside large wooden boxes while they are being moved by truck to their final destinations.
Reports of so-called "Trojan horse" truck thefts in Spain has prompted the European Union's law enforcement agency, Europol, to issue an 'early warning notification' about this new style of operation.
Boxes, marked as 'Fragile' and with the thieves concealed inside, were collected by parcel delivery services personnel who had been informed that they contained high-value and precious goods that had to be handled with great care, reports Lloyd's List.
Once loaded on to a truck and en route to its final destination, the thieves broke out of the boxes and set about opening real cargo making up the shipment, stealing the valuable items found, such as jeweler, phones and electronic goods, Europe explained.
To leave the truck, the thieves contacted accomplices following behind via mobile phone or other transmitters. The accomplices then simulated an accident ahead of the truck in order to bring it to a halt with a countryside location preferred.
After escaping via holes cut out of the roofs of the trucks, the thieves made their getaway with the help of other accomplices.
"While the concept is quite simple, it requires a degree of organisation and sophistication uncommon to similar modus operandi," Europol said.