Cash-in-transit robbery: Vaudois government acts
The government of Vaud has acted after the recent attacks on cash-in-transit vehicles and announced measures in cooperation with the cantonal police and the VSSU.
(Illustration image: © depositphotos, tangducminh)
According to the media release of the cantonal government in Vaud, with immediate effect only heavy armored cash transporters weighing more than 3.5 tons are allowed to transport funds. And these courier services must take place within the canton's territory between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., because there is a nighttime ban on heavy motor vehicles in Switzerland (see below). In addition, and this is another important point, the amount of money per vehicle is limited to ten million francs. Incidentally, such limits are also known in France, according to the government. Furthermore, the police are increasing their presence, especially in areas close to the border.
Luc A. Sergy, director of the Association of Swiss Security Services Companies (VSSU), had also demanded that banknotes be inked and thus rendered unusable in the event of a robbery. Swiss Post has already implemented this last point, as it announced a few days ago.
Insurer cancels protection without notice
Let's flash back for a moment: on December 2, 2019, perpetrators brutally attacked an armored car belonging to Secure Post, a subsidiary of the Swiss Post, in Vaud. Armed robberies by gangs have occurred several times in western Switzerland in the recent past. After the latest robbery in Daillens VD, Secure Post's insurer has suspended insurance coverage for vehicles to and from this town with immediate effect, Swiss Post announced on December 9. The cancellation of insurance coverage at short notice and without notice means that Swiss Post can no longer transport money and valuables to and from Daillens.
Will there be a federal exemption?
As already mentioned, heavy motor vehicles such as armored cash transporters are banned from driving at night in Switzerland for noise protection reasons. So if ATMs have to be refilled at night, this can only be done with a normal delivery van, which provokes brutal robberies, as recent examples have shown. Therefore, in the National Council a Motion by Olivier Feller (FDP) is pending, which demands an exemption from the night driving ban for heavy money transporters of more than 3.5 tons. In the statement of the Federal Council, it says that armored vehicles are available on the market that would have less than 3.5 tons total weight. Such vehicles are already exempt from the Sunday and night driving ban. The Federal Council therefore proposes rejection of the motion Feller. (rs)
