Raid-control expands to protect cigarette gantries

18 Nov 09

Criminals are targeting the cigarette gantries within several convenience store chains and demand that the person behind the counter hands over the cigarettes.

In some cases the raiders jump the counters and sweep the cigarettes into bin bags before escaping with their haul.

John Birkenshaw, Raid-control chairman, said: "Raid-control is pleased to have been given the opportunity to help prevent these crimes. When we were approached we decided that the 'stolen cash traceable' element of our package should be widened to include the protection of cigarette gantries.

“In co-operation with one of our member companies, we developed the existing covert till production system that is currently used to protect cash, to provide an effective way of tackling this rising crime against cigarette gantries.

"The smoke and dye system forms the fifth pillar of the Raid-control toolkit and works by rendering the stolen cigarettes worthless to the extent that there is no gain to the criminal. The system was first trialled in six convenience stores across the country and proved to be a success.

"Since installing the Raid-control system there have been no reported cases where cigarettes have been stolen. The signage is clearly doing its job and deterring criminals from stealing the cigarettes and we hope that this will remain the case."

Raid-control is a partnership between the police and the security, retail and insurance industries, and is backed by the British Security Industry Association and the British Retail Consortium.

It consists of five key elements that combine to provide a deterrent to would-be robbers, and are also capable of capturing evidence to help secure convictions if a robbery goes ahead: staff training in raid awareness; cash minimised; time delay systems; camera(s) in operation; and stolen cash traceable.

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