THE public can this year expect speedier investigations into cases of stolen motor vehicles by the Flying Squad as the unit moves to increase the number of forensic investigators on its staff.

According to Head of the Flying Squad Superintendent Cornwall ‘Bigga’ Ford, the unit is seeking to increase the number of officers to at least three times the six currently employed.

“The aim is to make the turnaround time in investigations much shorter,” Ford said on Tuesday. “What we would take a week to do, we want to take a day,” he added.

Ford expressed his intention to intensify the forensic investigation capacity of the unit and take its operations islandwide while collaborating with other divisions in the force. “We want to also partner more with Superintendent Lewis in Traffic (division), as well as the divisional commanders,” he told Auto.

Ford, however, declined to give a timeline for his planned improvements of the unit’s capabilities.

Last year, the Flying Squad recovered more than 95 stolen motor vehicles, valuing approximately $87 million. The police unit also recovered motor vehicle parts totalling more than $10 million.

Four hundred and thirty-seven persons, including 25 females, were arrested and charged.

Toyota Corolla motor cars top the Flying Squad list of recovered motor vehicles at 32, followed by Toyota Hiace minibuses at 21; Honda motorcars, 12; and Nissan motor vehicles at eight.

The Flying Squad cops also confiscated five Sports Utility Vehicles, four Toyota Coaster buses and nine motorcycles.