Three men arrested for robbery of delivery van in Speke

Three men have been arrested following the robbery of a delivery van in Speke.

At around 5.10pm on Tuesday 31 October it was reported that a delivery van driver was attacked by a man whilst two other offenders got into his van on Burnage Close. The man then then let go of the victim and got in the driver’s seat and drove the van away which had over 90 parcels inside.

Detectives have now arrested three men after extensive CCTV and witness enquiries were conducted in the area and a property was searched in Liverpool.

Two men, aged 42 and 43 from Liverpool, were arrested on suspicion of robbery on Sunday 10 December and Wednesday 13 December. They have since been bailed.

A 43-year-old man from Liverpool was also arrested today (Wednesday 20 December) on suspicion of robbery and theft at an address in Speke.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said: “I hope these arrests shows how committed we are in keeping our communities safe and preventing crime more likely to happen at this time of year, including the targeting of delivery vans.

“This was a frightening attack on a delivery driver who was just doing his job by providing a vital service for businesses and shoppers in our community.

“For them to be faced with threats of violence while they try to earn a living is simply not acceptable.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts added: “We launched this year’s Operation Shepherd last month, an extensive force-wide operation involving a wide variety of teams, each with their own area of expertise, and they all play a part in keeping our communities safe over the festive period.

“We have open lines of communication with retailers and delivery companies so that we can be sure that we’re doing everything we can to prevent these kinds of incidents from occurring in the first place.

“The existence of our ‘trojan parcel delivery van’ is now well-known. The decoy van is filled with dummy parcels with plain clothes officers who are under instruction to act as delivery drivers. We’re being proactive about this.  Criminals targeting delivery drivers could well get more than they bargained for.”

If you have any information, CCTV footage or dashcam footage relating to this incident or other offences in your area, DM Merseyside Police on X via @MerPolCC quoting reference 23001080317. call 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. In an emergency always call 999.
 
As part of the Op Shepherd campaign, we have shared 10 tips for delivery drivers to stay safe:
 
1. Be aware of any vehicle following you. If followed, do not exit the vehicle, keep doors locked, keep moving, and call the police
2. If something does not look or feel right, do not make the delivery. Stay in your vehicle and report any suspicious activity to the police
3. Never leave your engine running or your keys in the ignition when making a drop. Always lock your doors, take your keys with you and remain vigilant when making your delivery
4. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid areas that are not well lit. Park under a streetlight if possible and carry a torch to illuminate dark areas and walkways
5. Be alert to anyone acting suspiciously in the immediate area of the delivery location
6. Ensure your vehicle is working properly
7. Fit a tracker on your vehicle and install dashcam
8. If you feel threatened, activate the panic alarm on your vehicle or sound your horn to draw attention to the situation and potentially deter the criminals
9. Do not flash money during transactions and limit the amount of cash you carry
10. If an emergency occurs, remain at the scene only if it is safe and call 999.

If it is not safe to remain at the scene, get to a place of safety and call 999.