Britain is 'worst in the world' for armed robbery says security boss

Nick Buckles, chief executive of Group 4 Securicor, attributed the rising level of attacks to the fact that his staff are not allowed to carry guns, leaving them vulnerable to armed raiders.

He said: "It's just part of our business. It is a rising trend, particularly in the UK, mainly because we are not armed. Britain is the worst country in the world for robbery."

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Mr Buckles's comments, made as the company's results were published yesterday, were particularly troubling because G4S also operates in countries which are notorious for violent crime, such as South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, the U.S. and Colombia.

The company did not disclose how many incidents its staff have been involved in.

But Home Office statistics reveal there were 1,033 attacks on couriers in 2006 - up 24 per cent on a year earlier - and G4S has about 50 per cent of the UK cash-in-transit market.

Asked whether the law should be

changed to allow certified security professionals to bear arms as part of their job, Mr Buckles replied: 'It's not going to happen so I don't want to go there.'

Sources said G4S has concerns about picking up and dropping off cash in certain 'metropolitan' areas of Britain.

Statistics from the Home Office identify London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester as the three police force areas which account for almost half of all cash-in-transit attacks.

Police in London have warned that a new generation of armed robbers, some as young as 13, are targeting vans in a wave of increasingly brazen attacks.

The concerns of G4S echoes those of other companies. Some are so afraid for staff safety that they have declared certain urban areas of the UK no-go zones.

The parcel delivery firm DHL once said it was happy to deliver to Baghdad but not to some inner-city areas, including Canning Town and Custom House in East London.