Staff with access to cash can improve their security

Northern Ireland's experience may help to tackle the Republic's growing 'tiger robberies', writes Conor Lally, Crime Correspondent

The sudden increase in so-called "tiger robberies" is in many ways a byproduct of the Garda's recent success in tackling armed robbers.

As security was improved in bank branches over the past decade, traditional hold-up-style robberies became less frequent.

Even the installation of simple buzzer systems at bank entrance doors proved enough to deter most armed raiders.

The gangs reacted by moving outside.

In the first five months of 2005 hardly a week passed when newspapers did not carry reports of cash in transit vans being held up by armed gangs during deliveries. Robberies of close to €1 million were not uncommon.

This increased activity coincided with an unrelated upsurge in gangland murders.

The Garda and Government reacted by establishing Operation Anvil. Over €20 million has been made available to enable gardaí to mount intensive overt and covert surveillance against known armed criminals.

The result was an immediate, almost complete, cessation of cash-in-transit robberies.

But it now appears that, once again, the criminals have simply changed their methods to keep ahead of the game. Enter the tiger robbery.

A key-holder at a financial institution is identified. Their movements are closely monitored and details of home address gained. Gang members, who are often armed, call to the house and hold an entire family hostage.

The bank or post office worker is ordered to use his or her position to access large sums of money at their place of work. This is then paid to secure the release of their family.

Developed by paramilitaries in the North, they are called tiger robberies because of the similarities between the stalking by gangs of key-holders and by tigers of their prey.

An Post has said it is "hugely concerned" with the targeting of its staff this week. The Postmasters' Union has said its members now fear being attacked. The Irish Bank Officials' Association, two of whose members fell victim to tiger robberies in recent months, has also expressed its concern.

Garda sources say that because the force cannot offer protection at home to thousands of at-risk workers, these individuals need to act to help protect themselves.

Gardaí believe managers and key-holders should vary their movements and be alert to the possibility of being followed.

In the North, the PSNI co-operates with financial institutions and businesses in combating cash robberies.

Co-operation is so close under the Organised Crime Taskforce (OCT) that the PSNI and private security companies jointly run control rooms from which all cash deliveries across the North are co-ordinated.

In Dublin, John Brophy is an executive with Risk Management International, which advises a diverse group of corporate clients on operational security.

"You need to make it part of the corporate culture," he says of risk and security awareness.