The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) and Banknote Watch have hailed the sentencing of five cash-in-transit robbers, which took place at Preston Crown Court this week. The robbers who carried out two cash-in-transit exploits in the winter of 2008 in which they shot a cash-in-transit courier leaving him seriously wounded, received sentences totalling over 50 years.

James Kelly, the boss of BSIA, says: "The BSIA welcomes this sentence, which sends a clear message to any would-be criminals who may be considering future crimes. Last year, the cash-in-transit industry suffered over 1000 attacks in the UK, leaving 176 crew members and a Police Officer seriously injured. This is not a victimless crime and often members of the public are caught up in the trauma, many suffering injury."

Mr Kelly further remarks, "The BSIA works closely with all police forces to combat cash-in-transit crime, and our thanks go to the officers involved in this case for their dedication in bringing these men to justice."

Police are said to have been  assisted in this case by unique taggant technology, which has been developed by the cash-in-transit industry to help catch criminals. Unique taggants, or codes, are used in dyes or smoke which are released if cash is stolen and will spread onto skin and clothing, leaving an information trail for police to trace a stolen note to an incident or place an individual at the scene of a crime. In this case, banknotes used by the offenders were traced back to the robbery in question.

Also, Alan Townsend, Chairman of Banknote Watch - a partnership between the manufacturers, installers and users of cash staining systems and the Government and Police that promotes the fact that a stained note is probably a stolen note – says: "The effectiveness of unique taggant technology in helping to bring these criminals to justice is testament to the continued investment and commitment of the cash-in-transit industry to increase criminals' chances of getting caught."

Lending his voice, Ashley Bailey, Section Chairman of the BSIA's Cash and Valuables in Transit section, adds: "These sentences provide another reminder of the serious nature of cash-in-transit robbery. The security industry remains committed to its ongoing partnership with Government and the Police to combat this serious crime."