£700m falls off back of lorries

A government study found the cost of freight crime to the UK economy was around £250 million in 2011.

- Jon Coates

THE cost of food cargo theft has nearly tripled to around £700 million in just over a decade, as criminals seek “low risk, high reward” heists, according to a vehicle crime expert.

But with inflation sending the value of food and drink soaring, criminals are increasingly targeting goods while in transit, or waiting to be transported from ports or warehouses.