Criminals have clocked on to a new daredevil but effective way of stealing valuable goods on the move.

According to Europol, thieves gain access to delivery trucks by hiding inside large wooden boxes labelled as ‘fragile’.

They are then collected by parcel delivery services and once en route inside the vehicle, they free themselves from the box and scan the rest of the truck’s contents for valuables including jewellery, phones and electronics.

Their next step involves contacting their accomplices, who either track the truck down with a GPS device or follow it at a distance, to then simulate an accident which forces the vehicle to stop.

That enables the ‘Trojan Horse’ thieves to escape via holes cut in the lorry’s roof.

Spanish Civil Guard made their last major arrest back in December 2013, when seven ‘alucineros’ – criminals whose modus operandi involves crashing cars into shop windows to then steal goods – were busted after carrying out two ‘Trojan Horse’ thefts on Madrid motorways.

Europol has therefore issued an early warning notification to alert police forces across Europe of an increasingly popular trend. 

Don't miss stories about Spain, join us on Facebook and Twitter.