NVCRP secures significant Home Office funding to strengthen fight against vehicle crime
The National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership (NVCRP) has secured significant Home Office funding to strengthen the UK’s collective response to organised vehicle crime, supporting enhanced enforcement, intelligence and operational activity across police forces and national partners.
Through two major government grants the NVCRP has helped unlock a combined investment of nearly £700,000 to support vehicle crime reduction initiatives across the country.
The first grant (a combination of Home Office and Integrated Security Fund funding) was used to fund a coordinated week of action, known as Operation Alliances, in November last year which resulted in more than £3.3 million worth of stolen vehicles being recovered and more than 365 arrests so far as part of a national crackdown on organised vehicle crime.
The operation was led by OPAL, the national policing intelligence unit for serious organised acquisitive crime, with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) coordinating the operation. It brought together policing and key partners, including the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS).
It also enabled the creation of a Ports Problem Profile led by NaVCIS, strengthening understanding of vehicle export routes, and has helped to fund a strategic industry international conference in partnership with RUSI which will bring police and private industry together to discuss the recommendations in the RUSI report into ‘Organised vehicle theft in the UK’ and how to tackle it.
A portion of the grant was used to support the funding of additional staff within Opal on the vehicle crime desk, thereby improving the national intelligence picture around organised vehicle crime by increasing the capacity and capability of the unit which aligns with the NVCRP strategy.
The second grant (further ISF funding) is being used to fund targeted operational activity at national and local level. The NVCRP is working with Police Crime Prevention Initiatives to support a number of specialist operations linked to tackling serious organised crime. The relationship between NVCRP and Police CPI was established through earlier joint work supporting covert operational activity aligned with the NVCRP strategy.
In addition it will help support ongoing NaVCIS-led ports operations, focused on recovering stolen vehicles from containers before export.
At a force level, 34 police forces have bid for funding from the NVCRP to deliver local operations targeting organised vehicle crime in their communities.
The NVCRP will also use the funding to develop a Police Training Package, working with leading car manufactures, to strengthen frontline and investigative capability.
While specific operational details remain necessarily sensitive, the work supported through this collaboration contributes directly to all four of the five pillars of the NVCRP Strategy, including:
- Preventing vehicle crime
- Disrupting organised criminal networks
- Strengthening intelligence and enforcement capability
- Enhancing partnership working across sectors
Mark Kameen, NVCRP lead, welcomed the Home Office support and emphasised the importance of collaboration: “These grants represent a major investment in the national effort to reduce vehicle crime. They demonstrate what can be achieved when policing, government, and specialist partners work together. NVCRP is proud to support forces, OPAL, NaVCIS and Police CPI through these programmes. Together, these initiatives will enhance national disruption activity while supporting prevention and enforcement efforts at every stage of the organised vehicle crime chain.
“NVCRP will continue working closely with operational partners, private industry and police forces to ensure this funding delivers meaningful impact against organised vehicle crime, while maintaining appropriate safeguards around sensitive operational activity.”
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: “Vehicle theft is a devastating crime that leaves victims completely stuck while fuelling criminal gangs.
“This funding boosts the national effort to track down offenders and stop them in their tracks. By backing the NVCRP and its partners, we’re helping police recover more stolen vehicles, catch more offenders and protect the public.”
Assistant Chief Constable, Sarah Grahame, NPCC lead for vehicle crime, added: “Partnership working is undoubtedly the most effective way to tackle vehicle crime and this additional investment from the Home Office is testament to the success of our joint operations which continue to deliver results.”