Road Collision Warning
12/6/2010
Hauliers have been warned that the Metropolitan Police area is one of a number of regions within the UK that is experiencing a high level of deliberately induced road collisions. Organised criminal groups are targeting companies who operate vehicle fleets within the M25 area by deliberately causing collisions in order to defraud their insurers.
‘Operation Catcher' is a Metropolitan Police initiative, intended to identify an offence when it happens, prosecute the offenders and, as a result, reduce the incidence of this type of crime.
According to TruckPol, a national intelligence unit which forms part of the national ACPO Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, the criminals use two cars to target their victim. These cars will get ahead of the victim's vehicle in steady moving traffic. The first will then brake hard or make an unexpected manoeuvre. This will cause the second car to brake hard (often using the handbrake to avoid alerting the intended victim) and result in a collision.
The first car will make off while the second (now damaged) car will stop and converse with their victim. The occupants of this second car will make a point of blaming the car that has made off and appear to sympathise with their victim.
However, all sympathies are a distraction. The aim is to now force their advantage.
If you genuinely believe they have been the victim of an induced collision, your first action is to immediately call the Police on the non-emergency number 0300 123 1212 and say that you believe you have been involved a deliberately induced collision.
You must tell the operator that you need an ‘Operation Catcher' response. Do not inform the other vehicle you have called the police as they will probably leave the scene.
Make a mental note of who was driving; it is very important you can identify this person to the police. Exchange details as you would normally do but take your time; this will give the police time to get to you.
Take details of all occupants. You can say that this is company policy because of recent experience of personal injury claims. Make a note of the car that drove off and make a note of where you first saw it. This will help the police trace it later.
