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Securing the well-protected load

5th September 1975
Page 79
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Page 79, 5th September 1975 — Securing the well-protected load
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

by Johnny Johnson

ROAD HAULAGE operators are well acquainted with the transport of high-value loads for they are involved in this kind of transport as •an everyday occurrence.

There can be few types of freight Which are as vulnerable to theft as cash, however, for one pound note looks very much like another and Without the evidence of note numbers ft is impossible to suggest that any particular specimen "fell off the back of a lorry."

The movement of cash is, therefore, very much a matter of tight security allied with the use of a vehicle specially designed for such work.

These vehicles are not available "off the peg" for very obvious reasons, and secure cash-carrying vehicles are invariably conversions from conventional vehicles Which are readily 'available.

Quite small

Many of the vehicles being used to 'transfer cash are conversions from manufacturers' lightweight ranges land it is quite amazing to discover just how small some of these vehicles might be.

The use of Ford Transit vehicles by well-known security companies can be observed any day about most British towns, but these organisations are not the only carriers of money and many local authorities have a requirement for a small vehicle which can be used for this purpose. Council staff might be gaged on work on the outs; of the borough and their w must be taken to them. Th just 'another cash tzar problem which faces : 'authorities in addition to collection of rents, par meter receipts and c regular cash payments.

However, in these day restricted local govern' spending, few authorities afford to maintain a sp purpose vehicle which is exclusively for one purpos one or two occasions a wc Their real need, therefor for a vehicle which can be on a number of mundane --meals on wheels or c school meal service, for stance—while being suit for the transport of cash v the occasion demands.

One bodybuilding firm w has made a study of con. ing conventional vehicles cash carrying is Locomt Ltd of Andover. This comi not only builds vehicles foi specialist 'security firms b able, from the experienc has gained, to satisfy the mands of local author requiring suCh vehidles.

Being well aware of standards necessary to ach the maximum security wild utmost utilisation, this is able to offer conver; on vehicles ranging from 3LMC Sherpa 240 van up )eclally built bullion vans payloads of 10 tons and above.

iediate alarm

undertaking these conver;, ?the aim is not to make vehicle impossible to .:111; there is no claim that will be bullet-proof for nce. What is sought is •a le which will take so long ;netrate and which is cap of giving immediate a if attacked that the es will be deterred from )ing home the attempted ery.

is is achieved by a system nterior compartmentation ; material By ing the interior layout as • as possible so that few les owned by the same ator are comparable the ibility of security being ched is minimised, oreover, by varying the loading and unloading edures and ringing the ges on the different types tterior layout it is possible rrive at a series of crew .viour permutations which, ranged frequently, serve to act the vehicle from attack potential thieves who rve it over a long period. n. rent collection, there is pecially designed vehicle three cash-receiving wins. That illustrated here is d on a Commer Walk-Thru SFS.

le interior is fitted with ing for three council staff .ct as rent collectors and ✓ fittings can include a t to preclude staff having ;aye the vehicle and create opportunity for illegal y, a wash basin or a gas :er.

;curity measures can in e bandit-resistant glass and ection for the cab side lows with plastic-coated I grilles.

le pay-in windows have Ids which can be dropped iediately at the pressing of ngle button. A special sysof interlocking doors has been incorporated. All the C vans are available with hanical options to suit mdial operations and normally ade a bandit-resistant cab, ire vault area and an elec11 alarm system which 'ines radio contact with base ana an audible attack warning.

The rent collection vehicle illustrated is connected by direct radio telephone to Securicor HELP service. Other vehicle types suitable for conversion apart from the ever popular Transit 22cwt and 35 cwt are the 6 to Scwt BLMC Marina and Ford Escort vans and a variety of makes in the 20 to 35cwt range.

In the larger vehicle range, the coach-built bullion vans normally commence at 5i tons gvw at which the Ford ASeries or BLMC FG chassis would give a payload of 2.6 tons and an unladen weight of less than 3 tons thus escaping the present hgv licence requirement.

Although these vehicles can be constructed to an 'operator's own specification to suit his particular need, the normal specification includes a pro tected cab area, a secure rear vault with seating for:, a custodian, communication between the staff in the cab and the vault custodian and protected " air-lock" loading facilities into the vault which is heated, mechanically ventilated and glazed with bullet-resistant glass observation ports.

In the event of attack, the cash 'carrying area in the vault can be closed and secured in a trice, and once closed is incapable of being opened by the crew. It requires a journey back to base to obtain access to the cash by 'legitimate means so that the crew cannot be forced to open the safe. To gain access by forcing the safe would involve a considerable amount of time and effort.

It 'is obvious, 'therefore, that maximum security not only depends on a high quality of workmanship and materials but also attention to the requirements •of an individual operation.'

Bodybuilders who have learned the best method of obtaining maximum security through many years of designing and converting these vehicles will 'usually 'advise an operator on the best methods and layouts to adopt to achieve their oblective.

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