Operation Nightowl has been recognised by the Home Office for reducing lorry crime by 62% in the last two years.

The county had the third highest number of thefts involving lorries in the country in 2001. The main problem was a lorry park for 200 HGVs on the M6.

With thefts there occupying police time almost every night, the force adopted a crime-cutting strategy with the local authority and the HGV park's owners.