GPS Tracking a Vital Part of Armored Car Industry
In order to protect one’s assets and rein in insurance costs, it is often necessary to outsmart a would-be thief. This could not be more true in the case of armored cars, known by some as the “cash transport industry,” one of the most vulnerable privately-run businesses imaginable, with a huge potential for loss.
Armed guards and an impenetrable bulletproof outer shell on the vehicle were the earliest attempts at safety for the armored car. This has been true for about a century. But to be sure, they are not the only precautionary measures.
What security steps are taken in armored cars today, to protect their precious cargo? You might be surprised at the innovative ways we are securing our “money in transit.” GPS tracking devices are part of the arsenal.
Paul Jaworski, a Polish-American immigrant, masterminded the first successful armored car robbery in 1927 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jaworski’s gang buried an explosive in a dirt road and detonated it under the vehicle. They made off with about $100,000.
Jaworski would not be so lucky today, given the state of technology. It’s very difficult to pull off an armored car robbery. The FBI says only about 40 robberies from armored cars occur each year. Comparatively, there are about 7,000 robberies a year of financial institutions.
Insurance firms insist that armored car companies take a multi-layered approach to safety and security. One of the first and best lines of defense against armored car robbery is real-time GPS tracking systems. They are recommended by the National Armored Car Association, a trade association which represents about 80 percent of the armored cars on the road today.
Several vehicle tracking companies supply and service armored car companies across the globe. They provide GPS tracking systems that allow vehicles to be monitored in real time as they travel along their routes. Someone in central dispatch can watch every scheduled stop on a remote computer. Information includes exact GPS tracking location, speed and direction. If something is amiss, they can respond immediately and direct police to the vehicle, based on its GPS tracking coordinates.
GPS satellites send signals which are captured by receivers in the vehicle. Once location is determined the coordinates are transmitted through a wireless communications network and are read on a remote PC with Internet connection.
Other features of real-time GPS tracking include: geo-fencing, to ensure that the driver does not move outside a preset, electronic boundary; and two-way communication between headquarters and couriers by SMS message.
GPS tracking systems can be designed to interface with the vehicle’s electrical system and main computer. A manager can tell, from a remote location, if the vehicle is running or not. The manager can stop or start the engine remotely (car immobilization), unlock or lock doors, trip alarms and turn lights on and off. The GPS tracking system might have a temperature sensor and give “live” fuel tank level readings. Fuel tank readings are compared to mileage and GPS tracking location to ensure that the vehicle is not being hijacked.
Live GPS tracking devices are also being placed on cash bundles or boxes so that the money can be tracked as it is moved from vaults and ATM sites to truck, and back again. These GPS tracking receivers with tiny wireless modems built in are very tiny and easily attach to a cash bag, vinyl envelope or similar transport container. They transmit GPS tracking location in the same manner as vehicle tracking systems.
Other interesting and lesser known methods for preventing armored car theft:
· A wireless panic button built onto the floorboard interfaces with the GPS tracking system, to relay location in an emergency.
· Gun ports.
· Under-chassis protection for fuel tank and major mechanics such as radiator and battery.
· Cash defacement devices (CDDs). These are usually dye and smoke marking systems having unique stains and scents, so that the cash can be traced.
· SmartWater is an unusual antitheft system built into some ATMs, armored cars and in banks. In it, particular stations are outfitted with anti theft mechanisms that dispense a colorless liquid onto offenders that remains on the skin and the clothing for weeks. The liquid is actually a polymer glue laced with microscopic fibers. Each holds a unique chemical or forensic identification code (much like DNA). Police can use it to trace the suspect to a specific crime scene.
Cash Transport is High Risk Business
Transporting cash can be a burden. Due to its dangerous nature, it is not a job easily taken on by ordinary citizens. GPS tracking technology might be a significant investment for armored car companies, but it is a proven reliable solution for theft prevention. GPS tracking can eliminate police chases, prevent loss of cash and life and lower insurance rates.
Source: Wikipedia, The Standard of Nairobi, Kenya
Tags: ATM, Cash, FBI, GPS Tracking, robbery, Smartwater, transport, wikipedia
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