Police follow this van

[jjimm]

Of late, most security vans in the UK have started to carry stickers on the back that say:

POLICE
FOLLOW THIS VAN

I can’t work out what it means.

Does it mean: (Hey robbers, the) POLICE (always) FOLLOW THIS VAN

Or: (Hey robbers, the) POLICE (sometimes) FOLLOW THIS VAN

Or: (Hey) POLICE (, please) FOLLOW THIS VAN

I suspect it’s most likely #2, but the layout makes it look like an instruction to the cops.

That said, I’ve never seen any police following any of these vans. Do they maybe have an agreement involving unmarked cars?

ETA: If it’s #3, then what would motivate the cops to do this?

[DrFidelius]

The following might not be a physical shadowing, but using a GPS or similar system they could be remotely tracking the van’s whereabouts and comparing it to an expected route.

[MarcusF]

I have no real knowledge but I’d taken it to mean that the police were tracking the van remotely. No idea why I think that :dubious:

[Elendil_s_Heir]

Maybe it’s just going to the doughnut shop?

D&R

[Chez_Guevara]

From the minutes of a meeting in public of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, held on Wednesday, 16 June 2007 at 11.30am in Waterside Tower, Belfast, I give you the words of a Detective Inspector, Community Safety Branch, concerning cash in transit robbery:

There have been significant initiatives both by way of enforcement and crime reduction. From a Targeted Arrest Strategy that has delivered results to even a simple message put on the back of cash in transit carriers Police Follow This Van.

Intelligence would suggest that this created confusion in the robbery fraternity as to whether it was an appeal to follow the van or a statement that we did in fact do it.

So basically it’s there to confuse potential robbers.

[Polycarp]

@Elendil_s_Heir

Maybe it’s just going to the doughnut shop?

D&R

From a year ago last spring, this (factual) article:
Deputies nab doughnut-napper

Published: March 21, 2008 at 6:07 PM

MOLINE, Ill., March 21 (UPI) – Police in Illinois and Iowa don’t even want to think about how it looked chasing a doughnut van, even if it was stolen and crossed state lines.

“I can’t imagine what that must have looked like,” said Rock Island, Ill., Police Capt. Scott Harris, hinting at the stereotype of cops loving their doughnuts.

A delivery van belonging Donut Delite began its illegal odyssey in Moline, Ill., and ended with a police chase in central Iowa, Quad Cities (Ill.) Online reported.

The driver left the van running while making a delivery at Trinity Medical Center in Rock Island Thursday before dawn. When he couldn’t find the van, the driver called police, who issued an all-points bulletin.

A county sheriff in Iowa spotted the van, called reinforcements and a high-speed chase ensued, with speeds topping 100 mph, QConline.com reported. The driver was arrested at gunpoint after officers rammed the van with a vehicle.

The Donut Delite van was returned to its owners in Moline Thursday afternoon – contents uneaten.

[jjimm]

@Chez_Guevara

So basically it’s there to confuse potential robbers.

Guess I’m a potential robber then, because I’m confused dot com.

(Good find btw.)

[Elendil_s_Heir]

@Polycarp

…“I can’t imagine what that must have looked like,” said Rock Island, Ill., Police Capt. Scott Harris, hinting at the stereotype of cops loving their doughnuts…

The Donut Delite van was returned to its owners in Moline Thursday afternoon – contents uneaten.

Love it!