A shocked and bruised Spanish truck driver was left in his underwear at the side of a Black Country road after robbers beat and threatened him with a knife before stealing his lorry containing some 25 tonnes of copper tubing, it emerged today.
The dazed driver had been undressed and sleeping in his cab when the attack happened in Reaymer Road, Leamore, Walsall.
The trucker was woken shortly after 4am by a man in a high-visibility jacket asking him to move his van forward.
The driver obliged and shortly after there was another knock on the door. He opened his door again but was thrown from the cab, beaten up and threatened with a blade.
The three raiders then made off in the heavy goods lorry leaving the Spanish driver at the side of the road last Thursday.
Detectives say that attacks on truckers have increased 14 per cent on last year and that Walsall is one of the worst hit areas as thugs use knives and guns to steal millions of pounds worth of metal.
Dc Andy Round of Truckpol, the group that fights freight crime across the country, said: “This was a very nasty incident which has left the Spanish driver not only injured but in severe shock.
He added: “This is a crime which is on the increase due to the huge demand for metal at the moment. Walsall is certainly one of the worst hotspots for violent lorry crime. I would urge all truck drivers to park up in a secure area at night to try and reduce the chances of becoming a victim of a crime such as this,” the officer went on to say.
The first gang member was described as being white, 5ft 3ins tall, clean shaven, wearing black tracksuit bottoms and top with hood and black gloves.
The second was of an unknown race, described as having a proportionate build and was wearing black gloves, and the third was white, 5ft 7ins tall, dark brown hair, clean shaven, padded hooded jacket, dark jeans and was wearing blue/black trainers. Over the last few months detectives say that they have been investigating a spate of violent attacks on truckers.
The drivers are losing loads of copper and steel worth hundreds of thousands of pounds in a trend that has been sparked by rapid rises in the price of metal.
A recent report issued by TruckPol put the total cost to the industry of lost loads and vehicles at around £80 million
A third of all metal thefts from lorries in the country happen in the West Midlands, with 47 loads being targeted last year.
Foreign drivers are often targeted because it gives criminals a larger window of opportunity due to language problems.
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