Armed officers will guard cash deliveries

POLICE are aiming to make it a bleak Christmas for robbers with the launch of a joint operation today.

Alongside the security industry, the operation will combat cash-in-transit robberies and theft of ATMs during the festive season.

Officers from across the region, along with the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), SaferCash and other agencies will be working together for the second year running.

It aims to repeat the success of last year’s campaign, which saw cash-in-transit robberies in December fall by more than 66 per cent across the region compared with December 2010.

The action follows significant success so far this year in combating cash-in-transit robberies, with 24 offenders sentenced to more than 161 years in prison.