The British Security Industry association, representing cash-in-transit companies, has lodged a formal complaint with Ofcom, the independent regulator for UK communications industries, over the broadcast on Channel 4 of the Derren Brown programme 'The Heist' .

The BSIA believes that station is in breach of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code for encouraging crime and endangering lives. They contacted Channel 4 on the afternoon of January 4, asking for it not to be broadcast.

BSIA chief executive David Dickinson said: "Screening a programme that trivialises armed robbery and presents a romanticised view of crime could further endanger the lives of the cash-in-transit crews that perform such a vital public service delivering cash to our high streets.

"It shows no regard for men and women who can be exposed to grave risk and danger in the course of their everyday working lives. It could also endanger the lives of members of the public who get caught up in armed robberies. Channel 4 has been extremely irresponsible in screening this programme. Cash-in-transit crime is increasingly a problem in the UK and often involves horrific incidents which, at the very least, traumatise those people who work as couriers, their families and members of the public, and can lead to serious injury and death".

There have been over 2,000 such armed robberies in the last three years, with 400 couriers injured, and two members of the public having died as a result.

"The programme made cash-in-transit robbery look like ‘easy money', which is very dangerous and could encourage people to commit this type of crime,"he said.

l GMB, the union representing security industry workers, also branded the programme "irresponsible and insensitive" and were making formal complaints to Channel 4 and the City of London Police Commissioner. They were concerned about the programme being produced with involvement from the police and banking industry.

Source

Security Installer