Police report drop in armed robbery

Police have reported a 40 per cent drop in the number of armed robberies on security vehicles, banks, and building societies in and around London this year.

Scotland Yard's Flying Squad investigated 351 armed robbery offences during the first six months of the year, compared with 590 incidents for the same period last year.

Raids on betting shops and jewellers are down by around 50 per cent, and on banks by about a third. However, Scotland Yard says many armed robbers have moved into the more lucrative drugs market.