REGIONAL police forces have teamed up to launch a national education campaign to prevent cash-in-transit robberies.

While the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), the collaborative policing unit involving forces in North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria, will use extra resources to escort delivery vehicles during the Christmas period, they have appealed to members of the public to help them.

Despite a fall in the number of cash-in-transit robberies, last year some 66 offenders were convicted and sentenced to more than 500 years in prison.

ROCU has created an animation that highlights the consequences of cash-in-transit robberies, which pose risks to everyday people, and the importance of public cooperation. It will be shared with all UK police forces as part of a digital campaign.

Sarah Staff, ROCU’s head of safer cash, said: “Although we have seen a reduction in cash in transit robberies in recent years, we are not complacent.

“This animation aims to educate the public about cash in transit robberies, its effects on the victim and on the wider community, and more importantly how members of the public can help catch and convict these criminals, helping to keep their communities safe.”

Police measures to tackle cash-in-transit robberies include armed police vehicle escorts, CCTV monitoring and patrol cars.

Chief inspector Mike Ankers from ROCU’s regional intelligence unit added: "Robberies that target cash-in-transit vehicles, banks, post offices and commercial businesses are often violent offences that can result in life-changing mental and physical scars on those who find themselves confronted by these criminals.”

"We urge anyone with any information about those involved in these kind of incidents, or about any suspicious activity around cash-in-transit vehicles or ATMs, to call us so we can take action against them before they have opportunity to carry out these crimes."

If you have any information related to a cash-in-transit incident or another crime call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously at crimestoppers-uk.org