Caravan Insurance

Armed attacks on security vans have become more frequent over the last year, according to new figures.

In the last 12 months the number of "cash in transit" robberies has risen by 12 per cent, with 226 reported for the first quarter of 2006, compared to 201 for the same time last year, reports the BBC.

Furthermore, in 2005 some £15 million was stolen in a total of 836 attacks, with 170 of these resulting in injury and a quarter of all attacks robberies involving guns.

Now the GMB union and other industry bosses are calling on the government to reclassify these attacks to crimes against the person, rather than business crimes.

The news comes despite the fact that over the years banks, shops and the vans themselves have all become more secure - making the time in transit between the van and a destination the most dangerous for the security guards.

According to the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the last three years have seen up to 447 security guards injured in "cash in transit" robberies - 58 of them seriously.

Furthermore, the BSIA warned that members of the public could also be at risk from such attacks, as many take place in public areas.