Cash firm Securitas hit in second UK raid

LONDON, Mar 9 (Reuters) Robbers have attacked a cash van in northern England operated by Securitas, the company hit by last month's 53 million pound Tonbridge heist, police said on Thursday.

Less than a million pounds was taken in the robbery in Warrington, Cheshire.

Security guards in the van were unharmed in the raid, which took place around 2015 hrs yesterday.

The van was on a routine run taking cash between depots when a Volvo flat-bed truck pulled out in front, forcing the van to stop behind it at a junction.

Raiders then rammed the van from behind with a farm tractor, trapping it against the truck.

Two men wearing balaclava masks jumped out of the truck and attacked the van's windows with crowbars before setting the truck alight.

The raiders grabbed cash from the van and fled on foot.

Police believe they then drove away in a Volvo A40 estate, found abandoned less than a mile from the scene, before switching to another estate car, yet to be traced.

''The total stolen is less than a million pounds,'' said a Cheshire Police spokesman. ''It is believed to be in the thousands.

''At this stage there is nothing to suggest that this robbery is linked to the recent robbery in Kent'', he added.

Police have arrested 17 people and charged five over the Tonbridge raid.

Over the past three years, 447 security staff have been injured in ''cash in transit'' attacks, 58 seriously, the GMB union said.

GMB officials and security industry representatives met Home Office Minister Hazel Blears in January to discuss measures to combat a rise in raids on cash vans and couriers.

REUTERS SHR RN1823