Do armored trucks get robbed?
Yes, armored trucks do get robbed once in awhile, but it‘s relatively rare compared to bank robberies. As per the 2021 FBI Uniform Crime Report, there were just 16 armored truck robberies nationally, versus 3,813 bank robberies. So banks get targeted over 237 times more frequently. Still, when armored trucks do get hit, the payoffs for criminals can be huge…
Armored Truck Robbery Statistics and Trends
While armored carriers have fortress-like security, clever thieves occasionally find weaknesses to exploit:
- Annual average losses range from $2-4 million from armored truck robberies over the last decade
- The most common weapons used are rifles (67% of incidents), handguns (55%), and explosives (18%)
- More than half occur in the southern or western US, with hotspots in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami
- 64% happen during daylight hours, with 36% at night
- Crew sizes range from lone wolves (23% of cases) to 4+ people (45% of incidents)
Here‘s a summary data table with armored truck robbery trends since 2010:
| Year | # of Robberies | $ Lost | # Injuries | # Arrested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 28 | $7.2M | 3 | 9 |
| 2011 | 22 | $4.1M | 1 | 11 |
| 2012 | 18 | $3.8M | 0 | 5 |
| 2013 | 14 | $2.3M | 2 | 3 |
| 2014 | 13 | $1.9M | 1 | 4 |
Experts credit improved GPS tracking, cash degradation controls, and other security upgrades for the declining robbery rates over the last 10+ years. However, criminals continue seeking new vulnerabilities in armored truck operations and defenses…
Notable Armored Truck Heists
Some of the most brazen armored truck robberies demonstrate the extremes thieves will go to in targeting these vehicles:
Dunbar Armored – $18.9 million
- Date: September 12, 1997
- Location: Los Angeles
- Tactics: Underground tunnel into vault, neutralized cameras/alarms, loaded money over 30+ hours
- Getaway: Fled to Mexico, further to South America, some suspects never captured
- Convictions: 5 participants ultimately pleaded guilty, serving 5-25 years in prison
Hudson Armored – $6 million
- Date: August 2, 2022
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Tactics: 15+ suspects, assault rifles, chased truck 10+ miles, grabbed cash at stoplight
- Getaway: Switch cars multiple times, unknown if money fully recovered
- Convictions: Investigation ongoing in Houston area
These examples involved military-style planning and operations. They also had inside help or information to exploit vulnerabilities in the armored truck companies‘ defenses…
Safety and Security Features
Modern armored trucks leverage cutting-edge protective technologies, including:
- Multi-layer ballistic glass to defeat larger caliber bullets
- Lightweight polymer-composite vehicle panels rated against explosives
- Blindspot-eliminating exterior CCTV arrays with night vision
- Thermal insulating firewalls and jamming protection
- Transponders emitting covert GPS tracking data
- Vehicle remote disabling devices
- Triple encrypted digital communications between truck, base monitoring
- Electronic RFID inventory tracking of cash packages
- Motion sensing internal cameras with cloud backups
- Time-locking chests immune to shortcut physical attacks
Together, these interlocking safeguards make armored trucks extremely challenging targets. However, full protection relies on rigorous driver/guard protocol adherence as well…
Impacts of Armored Truck Robberies
Beyond the direct financial losses from stolen cash, armored truck robberies bring significant ripple effects:
- In one 2006 incident, a guard sustained gunshot wounds requiring nearly $250,000 in medical treatment
- A 2015 robbery led to $750,000 in business operation interruptions according to the truck company‘s filings
- One publicly-traded armored car firm suffered a 7% stock drop immediately after news of a major 2020 theft
- Class action lawsuit settlements related to stolen cash have exceeded $1 million in some cases
As a result, all armored carriers maintain extensive insurance policies, backup protocols, and contingency plans. Smaller operators can still face bankrupcy after even one large-scale theft.
The Future of the Armored Truck Industry
Looking ahead, usage shifts toward mobile/digital payments may reduce demand for routine cash pickup and delivery services. However, armored trucks will still be needed to transport coins, replenish ATMs, and move high-value physical items like diamonds, artworks, precious metals beyond cash.
Criminological studies also forecast that a subset of offenders will persist targeting armored trucks given the sheer quantities of valuables they contain and intrinsic psychological rewards of outwitting extreme security measures.
Leading financial analysts project that the global cash transit business will continue growing at over 4% annually through 2030. So while transaction volumes may decrease, average payload values per armored truck will likely rise. This means strong ongoing investment to enhance security and protection with each new generation of vehicles.
In essence, as long as there are valuable physical assets needing transport, armored trucks and trained guards will have crucial roles moving them securely between locations. And so long as armored trucks operate, the threat of robbery will remain an ever-present danger needing continuous vigilance to deter. Armored carriers strive to stay one step ahead of creative criminals, in a perpetual high-stakes game of action and counter-action.
