I keep hearing about robbers tracking Armored Car schedules/routes.

[Warren14]

It is a challenge, because you've got factors like traffic, access roads / entrances (or lack there of) and merchant demands. No matter how random you try to make it, certain patterns will still occur.

The criminals want the element of surprise. Your objective is to try & identify the I implement a plan of action before they strike. Sometimes that small change in routine can give that edge you need.

The big thing is situational awareness my driver pulled in to a stop one day, frowned, pulled out quickly and said, "We're going to the next stop, we'll come back." Never told me what he saw, but since he'd been doing it for five years, I trusted him.

Situational awareness is very important & trust your instincts.

Sometimes you don’t see anything wrong but you get that feeling that something is not right, get out of that situation as quick as possible.

Back in 2002 I made that mistake & got hit by two bakkies (LDV) of robbers with R1 rifles.

I later heard that there were approximately 30 armed robbers in total.

Sometimes you to look for what is missing. e.g lack of people in a parking lot can be a warning sign.

[Cobbdiesel]

I just got hired by Gardaworld today so I started doing some research on deaths and attempted robberies of Armed Drivers and Messengers...this should be interesting 😬

[Condo Guard]

It is a challenge, because you've got factors like traffic, access roads / entrances (or lack there of) and merchant demands. No matter how random you try to make it, certain patterns will still occur. The big thing is situational awareness - my driver pulled in to a stop one day, frowned, pulled out quickly and said, "We're going to the next stop, we'll come back." Never told me what he saw, but since he'd been doing it for five years, I trusted him.

[Warren14]

Sorry for the late reply, my pc has been without a pc for a while.
Unmarked cars will work as long as you can maintain the element of surprise.
The cash in transit robbers in South Africa are usually professionally trained gangs, sometimes mercenaries from neighboring countries are used to do the robbery.
They also use surveillance teams who study the area they are planning to rob a few weeks beforehand.
They usually have alibi so if you pick up they are watching you there is nothing the police can do.
Another thing you can do is put covert cameras in the back of your cash vehicles & study what is happening behind the vehicle.
The objective is to try & work out their plan of action before they implement it.

[Squid]

I am sure even you lowest grade security guard what the problem is there. Guards need to learn to not just look but actually see what is going on. The perpetraters will always leave signs that a robbery is about to take place, the guard must learn to see those signs.

in a contest between Ambush and Awareness, Ambush is going to win. In the "Code of Silence" robberies the gang would hide in the back of a minivan that had rear seats removed. If your job requires you make stops in bustling downtown areas like banks someone will always be able to get the drop on you.

Thats why I suggested flipping the script on any would be Ambushers with unmarked Backup that would make robbers the ones worrying about getting ambushed, since in a crowded area Ambush has such a great advantage.

[Warren14]

One armored car guard that got shot was carrying his lunch from a fast food restaurant back to the truck. It turns out the team took their lunch every day at roughly the same time, and always went to that restaurant.

I am sure even you lowest grade security guard what the problem is there. Guards need to learn to not just look but actually see what is going on. The perpetraters will always leave signs that a robbery is about to take place, the guard must learn to see those signs.

[Condo Guard]

Well, let's get away from movies. Movies simulate reality, but they are fiction, even if they are based on real events. (And documentaries aren't "real," they are carefully crafted films with a clear story and viewpoint, even if they appear objective.)

The only point I'll comment on (or that I can comment on without violating the non-disclosure papers I signed) is the random factor. That includes when and where you take your breaks. One armored car guard that got shot was carrying his lunch from a fast food restaurant back to the truck. It turns out the team took their lunch every day at roughly the same time, and always went to that restaurant.

[Warren14]

I forgot to mentioin(for those that don't lnow me) I am from South Africa and my armourd car experience is only from south African Cash & asset in transit security.

[Warren14]

But in my Warm Body detex training we were all told "best thing is mix up rounds a bit" for obvious reasons.
Is that because AC clients demand service at a certain time so they only have a spike of risk they can plan for?

A client will have an approximate time (e.g. bettween 09h00 & 10h00) they want their money to be picked up, but never arrive at a client at exactly the same time eveery day & always alternat your route.

Remember when you are driving an armourd vehicle with any form of asset, the criminals want the element of suprise & you are their target.

The only way you can eliminate them having the element of suprise is if you can detect the incident while the planning is still in the surveillance stage.

They usually leave clues that they are busy doing surveillance.

The syndicates do use signal jammers to block comms.

If that does happen the company should have a procedure in place which the drive should follow.

I never understood what great tactical advantage is gained by having two guys in one truck. I guess it sorta helps if one guy is in secure driver's box diff from Cash Box.

If the drive & guard are in the same vehicle but in different compartments they can still communicate with each other & if they are robbed while enroute, the guard can return fire while the driver dirves the vehicle.

If the guard is robbed while out of the vehicle the drive should get the vehicle out of the danger zone & to a polace of safety as soon as possible e.g. a police station.

[Squid]

this movie. "Code of Silence" is so widely used hard to narrow down. Code of Silence


Be the first to review this itemIMDb 9.220021h 36min
In the late 1990's, New England is hit by a crime wave, netting millions for a gang of sophisticated thieves. A rash of armored car and bank robberies turn deadly as the gang gets sloppy, and guards must pay the price with their lives. Investigators attempt to blend in to a crime-ridden Boston community for information and names of anyone associated with the crime wave.


Director John Kavanaugh Starring Bob Featherer, J.B. Gardiner, Brandi Price Genres Drama, Documentary


PS- IMDb 9.22 is super high rating for a film. That is 9+/10 on honest rating system of hardened honest film critics, mostly film students, so I hear. I'd give this film maybe 7/10.

[Lone Wolf]

But in my Warm Body detex training we were all told "best thing is mix up rounds a bit" for obvious reasons.

Is that because AC clients demand service at a certain time so they only have a spike of risk they can plan for?

Or is it just laziness and penny-pinching (pun intended) on part of AC company?

Does AC company rely on a set timed route to know their AC hasn't been knocked off? "Jeb at the S&L called, says boys are 20min late, go see if someone killed them, since they haven't reported being robbed, and start checking all the titty bars in 20mile radius".

Last but not least, "thinking outside the armored box", instead of two guys in one armored car with cash, how about one guy in the AC with the cash, and one guy shadowing him in an unmarked car. The 2nd guy would be equipped with assault rifles, etc to totally "go to war" with any robbers, including disabling any of their get away cars. Backup Car would never be in same position at any given drop, and would sometimes go ahead, sometimes behind, etc. BC would be a random collection of used minivans, and swapped around diff AC routes. They would also be parked at diff secret location and pickup AC soon after AC leaves main base.

I never understood what great tactical advantage is gained by having two guys in one truck. I guess it sorta helps if one guy is in secure driver's box diff from Cash Box.

How about if Main Cash Box has separate Strong Box for each drop, and combos are set(collection of combo pad locks that are put on random Strong Boxes at base) at start of run. When AC arrives Client texts combo to AC for ONLY Client's box. Strong Boxes wouldn't need to be that strong to make robber unworkable due to time factor. Even if robbers got full set of combos, figure there will be 20+ diff locks per AC, and maybe 100 diff locks per Home Base.


Plan F: Remember those "secret shopper" ads? IMO they were all phony and crafted to make retail employees THINK every other shopper was a snitch. IIRC, this seemed to peak right about same time OnLine shopping was taking off and the term "Brick and Mortar" happened.

Anyway, how about a bunch of Help Wanted Ads for extra armored car Shadow Force guys? And maybe hire a couple just so local news or whatever can do a story on it. Even a 5-20% chance that there is an extra heavily armed escort you (as a robber) don't know about would be deterrent.

Just for kicks, tell the Shadow Force guys they might not be only Force assigned, because sometimes on major pickup there be double, so if they see something just keep eye on them but don't start shooting, to prevent guys from planning inside jobs. Each Operator would be assigned his own generic used minivan, which he'd take home and otherwise use, so other Operators wouldn't know if another Operator was on site.
F.U.D.

I talked to a guy who was trailing regular semi-trucks for a regular cheap Dept Store. He was just supposed to make sure they didn't make any other stops, or carry passengers, etc. More internal than external security. Sounds like that, even the passenger bit, could be done MUCH cheaper via Big Brother type devices.

As someone looking to get into the armored car business, I think these are some very important questions you are asking.

[Squid]

So, you're either working on your screenplay or getting ready to...? As usual, your information is wrong. My problem with the armored car industry was the hours and the pay. It is as safe as it can be given the country we live in. And by the way, Squid, they do make a great effort to capture / extradite anyone who gets away with it, especially if personnel were injured or killed.

what info is wrong? do AC's make multiple stops and if most of their daily haul subject to robbery at any particular stop because its kept in one big pile that is accessed at each stop?

I don't think I've ever heard "Armored Car was robbed, thieves got away with $100,000 that was being picked up at B of A stop where robbery occurred, but larger amount held in inner lockup was not able to be taken". Then again, maybe "they" keep such details from public.

If I was driving an AC, I'd have about 50lbs worth of thesehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/ariel5982/5961527214 sitting on top of highly compressed spring on the roof. At the first sign of danger, the entire area would be flooded and everyone would be going nuts and any robbers would bail.

I was watching a True Story movie about an Irish gang in Boston doing AC robberies. They killed two guards on one heist when a guard drew on them. It was all about the months of observation of AC routes and times. Cops knew who they were but took a while to find a weak link they could pressure to talk. Now I can't find it. One thing that seemed to be missing was them doing research on when the AC would be "loaded", and who was giving them such info. Movie stressed that the the gang had a lock on the area, and regular civilians were afraid to talk. I don't see why so much emphasis on scouting routes and times. Seems WHAT the AC had would be more important than when. Also missing was any counter-intel run on cops, to make sure any random patrol units would be at least located answering some made up call.

[Condo Guard]

So, you're either working on your screenplay or getting ready to...? As usual, your information is wrong. My problem with the armored car industry was the hours and the pay. It is as safe as it can be given the country we live in. And by the way, Squid, they do make a great effort to capture / extradite anyone who gets away with it, especially if personnel were injured or killed.

[Squid]

The money is insured. Cheaper to let it go

IIRC when a bank gets robbed they take the loss. Not sure about when "in transit". I'm mostly concerned with danger to Guards.

[Lunch Meat]

The money is insured. Cheaper to let it go