Glue technology sticks it to Deptford cash robbers

Stolen cash made worthless by a hidden glue and dye soiling device. Photo: Met Police.

An automatic glue and dye spoiling technology that makes transit van robbery cash unusable, led to the Old Bailey convictions of three men who robbed a G4S delivery to Lloyds TSB  in January last year.

The robbery took place in in Southwark Park Road. A G4S worker being pushed from behind and knocked off balance. The cash box was grabbed by a robber who ran off towards Ambrose Street.

Less than an hour later, the Old Bailey heard, five men including Baffour Amponsah, Brian Ocaya and Daniel Collins were seen getting out of a white transit van in a car park in Watergate Street, Deptford.

Ocaya took the security cash box from the back of the van and placed it on the floor. The men then forced open the box but this only activated the hidden glue and dye device and in an instant all the money inside became worthless.

Plain clothes police officers moved in to make arrests.

Detective Constable Lee Davison, of the Flying Squad, said: “The outcome of this investigation represents a determined effort by Flying Squad officers and our partners in the cash in transit industry, to apprehend those responsible, and bring them to justice.”

“Unfortunately for these men the glue technology deployed in this cash box rendered the money useless and due to the quick work of our officers they were arrested,” he said.

Detective Superintendent Nick Stevens, from the Flying Squad, said: “The conviction should assist in deterring other criminals who think that committing cash in transit robberies are a quick and easy way to get cash. This latest technology is a new weapon in the fight against cash-in-transit robberies and adds to the Flying Squad’s already excellent partnership work with the industry which has seen the number of such robberies consistently fall significantly year on year. ”

Daniel Collins found guilty of robbery. Photo: Met Police

Gavin Windsor, Risk Director at G4S, confirmed the significant fall in cash robberies: “A contributing factor is the close working relationship that the security industry has with the Met to tackle crime. The shared intelligence and continued introduction of new technology means that the chances of being caught and convicted are higher than ever. It’s particularly pleasing to see from this case how the recently-introduced glue solution in cash boxes ensures that any money stolen becomes completely unusable for the criminal, effectively removing any reward for committing cash in transit CIT crime.”

Baffour Amponsah & Brian Ocaya. Photo: Met Police

Baffour Amponsah, 25, of Reigate Road pleaded guilty to robbery at an earlier hearing. Brian Ocaya, 28, of Southwark Park Road and Daniel Collins, 28, of Clifton Road have been found guilty of robbery. All three men are expected to be sentenced Wednesday 23 May.

Leave a Reply