Criminals sophisticated in attacks on businesses

Cape Town - Criminals have become increasingly sophisticated and strategic in their attacks on businesses during the movement of cash, according to Grant Dunnington, CEO of SBV Services.

This is forcing businesses to have a more agile and innovative approach to security to reduce cross-pavement risk.

Dunnington says a lack of agility in response to continually-evolving criminal methods makes businesses vulnerable.

“Businesses, especially small to mid-size companies, do not have the in-house resources to effectively manage security risks associated with moving cash. To avoid becoming a target, companies need a better understanding of how criminals operate and be more strategic about when and how they move cash,” explained Dunnington.

"Most businesses are most at risk during the movement of cash into and out of the premises, also known as cross-pavement risk. It is easy to assume that the riskiest time to move money is at night, but experience shows that attack times vary. The type and nature of criminal also varies."
 
There are amateurs, intermediates and professional offenders. Each varies in terms of criminal history, the amount of planning put into a robbery, and the risk to yield ratio of the robbery. Businesses need to be prepared for all three.
 
“Amateur criminals are those who rob when the opportunity is presented, such as when a cash in transit (CIT) guard is moving a box of money from a shop into a CIT vehicle, and they have no idea what their yield will be, or the risks.
 
“Intermediates tend to be more organised and have an idea of how much they will get away with. With a few robberies under their belts, these criminals tend to evolve into professional criminals. These are the worst to society," said Dunnington.

“They have the support and resources to carefully study their targets and collect intelligence for a long time before committing the crime. They usually work as teams, with each member specialising in a required skill."

Before they do a cash heist, they usually know almost the exact money they will get away with. They have access to armour and weapons, and they do not fear the use of violence to achieve their goals. They carefully weigh the risk and rewards of each attack.

CIT providers have had to make it their business to understand the criminal mindset – and adjust services and solutions – to keep pace with changing trends.

“Over the years, criminals’ tactics have changed and we have had to be agile in our response to mitigate risks as  criminals are prepared to take higher risks with the use of violence and heavy armour," said Dunnington.
 
“Undoubtedly, the biggest challenges arise from the committed observation and tracking of cash delivery or pick up times, and professional planning. It is virtually impossible to effectively deal with these if you do not eat, sleep and breathe security."
 
At a time when a lot of companies are reducing investment in security measures for cost-curtailment, Dunnington is of the opinion that outsourcing the entire cash management function could save money, while more effectively managing risks.
 
“Outsourcing the entire function to a provider that understands CIT risk factors not only reduces business owner’s risks but can also save them money in the long term. For instance CIT companies can use the scales of volume to negotiate better insurance on cash and valuables that they handle on behalf of their clients," said Dunnington.

“Costs also have the potential to go down when businesses apply say a full range of security solutions, such as deposit systems, vaults and safes, and CIT services, from one provider."