IAmA Armored Truck Guard for the largest security company in the world!

whats the procedure if you get held up by someone?

It mostly depends on whether or not they have a weapon, what type of weapon, how many there are, etc. If three guys walk up with guns pointed at me, I'll hand them the bag and say, "Have a nice day, gentlemen!"

However, if one guy walks up with a knife, I'll have my gun pointed at his eye in less than one second. After that, it's his move.

Spoiler Alert

I like your spoiler. That is a nice spoiler.

I thought it gave a different twist on "trigger" warning.

Im surprised nobody has said anything about the 21 foot rule. As a professional, how does that factor into this hypothetical scenario?

What is the 21 foot rule?

+1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tueller_Drill

Someone with a knife can stab you, running 21 feet, in 1.5 seconds.

I can draw, aim, and fire in less than 1.5 seconds. It takes a lot of practice, but I'm very proficient with a handgun. Not everyone is like that. Some people have only ever fired a gun during qualification. Those people are stupid.

Will you marry me?

If you know why Charlie hates Dennis...

Google for Tueller distance. Basically, it's the distance that an attacker armed with a knife can get to you before you can draw, aim, and fire. It's about 21 feet.

Answered ^

Has this ever actually happened to you?

Thankfully, no.

Are you scared when driving or does it get "normal" over time?

Driving this massive truck takes a bit to get used to. But now, I feel as comfortable driving this as my car. I think, if you're a good driver, you can drive anything well.

I think he's more talking about it more like this "do you feel scared driving because of the threat of being robbed or does it get "normal" over time?"

It gets normal. You just have to train yourself to act like every stop could be the stop. The day you get lazy on this job is the day you die.

That's heavy. Would you consider your job more or less dangerous than a police officer in a big city?

Less dangerous, only because their jobs require them to put themselves in dangerous situations. My job requires me to avoid dangerous situations.

Has your truck ever been picked up by a giant magnet of some sort?

No, but I long for the day!

what are the things that movie makers have gotten wrong in Movies based on Armored vehicle heists ?

Simply, how easy it is in the movies. Unless you have a guy on the inside and a full crew, you're probably not going to be successful.

Heat: realistic.
Armored: unrealistic.

I'm really interested in hearing this answer.

Answered ^

How realistic is this? On a side note, do you know where one could purchase sticky bombs?

This happens to me every day.

What's your favorite kind of soup?

I make a fantastic white chicken chili.

I thought he asked about "Soap" I was thinking to myself white chicken chili is a little weird but to each their own.

My favorite soap is Twilight Woods by Bath & Body Works. My wife buys it for me. It's just delightful.

What's the scariest situation you've been in and what's the scariest situation you've ever heard of happening to someone who has the same job as you?

I haven't been in any robbery attempts yet, so my scariest situation happened while driving. I was on route in a rural area, going around 50mph in the rain on a country back road. There was a car about 150 feet in front of me that just slammed on their brakes to turn into a driveway. I had to slam on my brakes as well. The truck didn't even slow down. I started sliding towards the car on the wet asphalt. Once I was about 75 feet away, I knew I wasn't even close to stopping in time. I made a controlled turn to the right shoulder, into thick grass. The grass didn't hold at all, which turned me sideways. So, here I am, sliding sideways at 30mph, by this point. I thought surely the grass would catch the wheels and we'd flip. Luckily, I got traction and was able to gun it back onto the road, directly in front of that stopped car.

TL;DR I drifted a 26,000 lb. armored truck off road, around a car, and back onto the road - all without going under 30 mph.

Sounds like you've got a truck with a lot of armor that never had it's brakes upgraded to deal with the extra mass.

It was the tires sliding on wet pavement. It's not meant to stop that fast in short distance. Just physics

Do you just deal with moving money, or other things as well? And what is the weirdest situation you have been in during your job?

Just money. Our company does other security work in other countries, like executive protection, escorting private valuables, etc.

Have you ever seen someone set off a dye pack accidently?

I have never even seen a dye pack used before.

Bummer, I was hoping you'd have a story about someone looking like a smuf and ruining a 100k.

I'd have to tap into my awful retail memories. Please don't make me do that.

Story time!!!! Think of it as free therapy, first off were you the Smurf?

Nope, but I did see some set off by employees on accident. Nothing terribly exciting but a ruined pair of jeans.

This is why I hate Hollywood.

They are still used, just not by us. I think the Fed uses them.

Have you ever thought about just pushing your truck through everyone when stuck in traffic?

Every. Fucking. Minute.

Especially pedestrians. I mainly work downtown in a major US city. If the Purge was real, I would drive around all night, running over pedestrians.

Until the faithful day you run over a loved one and realize the true horrors of the purge.

Meh.

What makes a person suspicious to you? What do you look out for?

The simplest answer I can give is that it's just pure, primal instinct. Because we're known for carrying cash, added to the fact that we're rarely seen, we always have a lot of eyes on us. You learn to differentiate between the curious and the hungry looks, if that makes sense.

Plus, it helps if the perp is shakily pawing for his revolver in the back of his pants.

If any, what kind of weapon are you armed with when on duty?

With this company, we provide our own weapons. Although, I've heard some of the other companies issue weapons. Personally, I feel more comfortable carrying a gun that only I have ever used, cleaned, etc.

I carry a Springfield XD(m) 9mm.

Nice, I was split between that and my Smith and Wesson M&P. The grip is what sold me.

You supply your weapon, what do they supply? Armor?

They supply the body armor and uniform.

Have you considered carrying a carbine or a shotgun? I've seen truck guards with them before, are they practical/useful, or just bulky, and not really necessary, as you probably won't need them.

They aren't necessary, as any typical confrontation would be too close for a rifle or shotgun. Within 75 feet, I want my pistol.

We have the same gun!

I chose mine over a Glock because the gun store guy told me to hold them and see which one I liked better. Glock was iffy. XDm fit like a glove.

Precisely. Glocks are functional and dependable. The XDm is comfortable and dependable.

[deleted]

Cops come babysit us until we get towed.

Do you just call 911, or is this an agreement with the cops in that city? Why doesn't your security company have their own "guard teams" show up?

As I mentioned in a previous comment, the armored truck industry is a vital part of our society. It keeps money flowing throughout the economy, safely. Police officers know this. They also know, the longer we're on the street, the more dangerous it is for everyone. They do what they can to accommodate us whenever possible. We carry one of the two state-issued licenses for firearms. The other is a police badge. We're not cops, by any means. But from what I've seen, they regard us as colleagues. We feel the same about them.

How do companies prevent employees from performing an inside job?

Strict accounting. The majority of theft in our industry comes from employees. They always get caught and they always go to prison.

Do they always get caught or is that just what they tell you?

How could he know that?

This.

How often do you become suspicious of people following your truck's route?

Not often. I purposely run the route differently every day so they can't predict my timing. This is especially useful, since part of my route is in the hood.

What is the most amount of money you have ever transported?

$6M, but that's rare.

So, for $3M.............

If you wanted to rob an armored truck, you would need to fill several huge trash bags to get maybe $200k, and half of that would be checks. Not only is it incredibly difficult, it's not worth it.

How would you pull a heist against yourself?

• Knock himself out.
• Steal his clothes.
• Casually drive the truck to a secret warehouse.
• Hide the cash somewhere til the heat dies down.
• When he wakes up he wont know what happened.
• Report the stolen truck to his company.
• When the heat dies, you get the cash and move it to Mexico.
• Continue working for security company. You're now paranoid from the mysterious nature of the heist.
• Blow all the cash in Mexico and go back to set up another heist.
• Security is too tight so you try to get a job with the security company.
• You are partnered up with a paranoid driver who was mysteriously robbed a few years back.
• When he isn't looking knock himself out.
• Switch clothes and wallet.
• Drop his unconscious body off in Mexico with bags of cash.
• Go back to company and frame your partner. Tell them were he is.
• Marry his wife.
• Everyone in the company loves you for stopping the criminal mastermind.
• Become CEO.

Basically this.

Do you wear body armor, and if so what level? Also, are the ports on the truck for shooting out of?

Level III, but idk if everyone is the same. And yes, just like canon ports on the side of a ship.

That's what I figured. So you carry a personal handgun, what kind of ammunition do you run in it?

Hornady Critical Duty

What does level 3 mean?

Actually, I think it's 3a, which is all handgun rounds, including 44 magnum. Level 3 is rated for rifle rounds.

So it won't stop rifle rounds?

As far as I know, no. But if you're gonna shoot someone with a rifle within 75 feet, a vest stopping a bullet will still rupture organs and break all your ribs.

What's your favorite place to stop while you're en route to a delivery?

Wendy's

Good choice. Could you perhaps provide a little more locational info; a specific branch would be appreciated?

Sniff - Sniff - can you smell that? Something's fishy.

That's probably just the fish sandwich from Wendy's.

Do they have a fish sandwich?

favorite episode of Sunny?

Chardee MacDennis: The Game of Games

Edit: it's actually a close call between that and The Gang Cracks The Liberty Bell.

Have you ever thought about taking all the money yourself? You are, however, THE armored truck guard guy that we all see.

Of course you think about it, but never seriously. Because of the implication.

So you're saying these girls are in danger?!

I'm not gonna hurt these women.

Are the holes on the side of the armored trucks for you to shoot out of, if needed? If so, have you ever had that opportunity?

Ha I love the way you worded the last bit. Yes, we have them...but, sadly, I have not "had the opportunity."

What's something about this job that annoys you to no end?

Stupid people. But that's what annoys me about every part of life. And shitty trucks. Sometime the AC goes out and the truck becomes an oven.

What's the situation that's stood out most in your career?

I don't have any yet, and if I'm lucky, it'll stay that way. Sorry I don't have a more exciting answer for you.

Has anyone held you up? If not, do you have any stories of coworkers being robbed?

I haven't, but I know people who have. The last death we had was 4 or 5 years ago. Our guy was in a store, where a girl was waiting outside. When he walked out the door, she put a bullet in his head. When he fell to the ground, dead, she put six more in his chest. All for $10,000. She's rotting in prison on a 120 year sentence.

How was the training?

Intensive for a short amount of time. Mostly learning the laws, etc. It's a lot of learning on the job.

Learning the laws? Like, actual laws? I could understand them wanting to scare you so you never consider taking the money for yourself, but why would someone tasked with transporting money need to know any other laws?

Mostly, we learn the laws concerning what we are and aren't allowed to do. A state security license is a step between civilian and police.

How did you apply for this job, did you need previous experience as a security guard or anything? Can an average Joe just walk up to any company that owns armor trucks and apply? Do you have to be a certain age to be able to drive and work for that company? Do you have to be physically fit for the job?

I just found an opening online and applied. Anyone with a high school diploma is eligible, but it definitely helps if you have a security, law enforcement, or military background. The trucks are under 26,000 lbs, so you don't need a CDL. You have to be 21. And you don't have to be physically fit, but I'd recommend it. We have some behemoths; but when you look the part, you're less likely to look like an easy target.

What's the strangest thing you've had happen while working?

The other day, I stopped to allow a woman to cross the street. She got about halfway across the street, stopped, and walked around to my window. She looked me dead in the eye and knocked on my window three times. Then, she turned around and walked back where she came from, as if I had never been there. She never even crossed the street.

If someone were to hypothetically plan on holding your armored truck, what would be the best way to go about it?

I'm not a bank robber or anything

I can't answer that without putting my peers in danger. All I can say is, don't try to rob an armored truck unless you're prepared to die. I don't mean that in a cocky manner. But most of us have a wife and kids waiting for us at home. If it has to come down to whether me or anyone else lives...it's gonna be me.

What exactly is it like on the inside of the trucks and in the back? Always been curious about this

The seat in the back sits right over the back axle. Crappy shocks means a VERY bumpy ride. Speed bumps and pit holes are not your friend in those trucks.

My spine can confirm.

Do you have a standard route or does it change day to day?

It just depends on the person. Some people have their own route and some people do different routes every day. It took me about six months to get my own route. Some people never do.

What happens if you get into an accident while in your armored truck?

Same procedure as a regular car accident, except there will be additional cops there to protect the truck.

In the North Hollywood shootout, police comendeered an Armoured Car to assist. What is protocol when being approched by police?

We can assist police, if they need us. Civilians can too though. There are cases where a civilian saved a cop's life because they were carrying a concealed weapon. It's best to wait for their request, so they don't confuse you for the bad guy.

Has anyone ever come close to robbing the truck? If so, how did you stop them?

Not yet, thankfully.

What country do you live in? In the UK we have a company called Loomis and whenever i see them they don't really look ready for an attack of any sort. All that they have is a vest and helmet.. Is the pay fair? What kind of qualifications are needed?

I'm in the US. We have Loomis here too. And that's because only police can have handguns in the UK, right? You don't need any qualifications, really. They train you. And yes, the pay is just enough to dissuade most people from stealing.

Folsom ?

Was this meant to be a comment reply?

Have you noticed any security weakness? Have you ever thought about robbing your company?

Where there are humans, there are weaknesses. We are paid to not allow anyone to exploit those weaknesses. And no, I wouldn't risk going to prison over that. I have a family to support.

Have you ever been attacked by a wild animal?

A bat almost flew into my face once.

What level of "armor" are the armored trucks?

I'm not sure. I just know I'd rather be inside the truck when shit goes down.

Have any coworkers of yours been robbed/attempted robbed?

Yeah a couple. None were harmed. The money is insured, so we're not going to fight you for the money unless we can get the drop on you.

How much do you get paid? What are the benefits or perks?

I make about $40k with all the overtime. They have health benefits, but they're expensive as shit.

How would you be treated by the police and the courts if you had to discharge your weapon? Say, compared to a random guy and a police officer.

Legally, I would be treated more or less the same as a police officer. I'm licensed by the state with the authority to discharge my weapon on duty, if my life is in danger. The difference between me shooting you and a cop shooting you is that you could sue me personally. Not that you would win, if I was justified.

But that's essentially the same right every citizen has, when carrying legally. I don't go anywhere without carrying, in my personal life.

Did anyone ever try to rob your truck? If so, how far did they get?

Answered in other comments.

Would you recommend this job to someone?

Negatives: You'll work ~60 hours per week. You'll be unsure of what time you'll leave work, making it impossible to have evening plans if you're not willing to postpone. You have a scheduled start time, but you go til you're done. It could be 3pm or 11pm, depending on the route. I've missed holidays, birthdays, etc. because I was on a long route. You may have to deal with shitty trucks that have no air conditioning. And you're putting your life at risk for someone else's money, that, if stolen, will be easily replaced by insurance.

Positives: Pays decent for anyone who doesn't have a college degree. Pretty secure, if you perform well. This industry is one of the few thats immune to recession. It's a necessary part of what keeps society functioning. Most people have never thought about that. I didn't until I started this job. Imagine how it would be if billions of dollars were being carried around, unprotected, every day.

What kind of experience did you have before you were hired on. How's the pay?

I worked retail for 6 years before this. I'll never do that again.

The pay is decent enough. I hear it's better than the other armored truck companies. I started at $40k, but some of the old timers here make closer to $80k.

I call B.S. on this. I work for an armored truck company as well and they DEFINITELY don't start pay at $40k and no route veteran is getting $80k. I've been doing this for over 10 years and it sounds like, from your description of the company, we work for the same one.

We have a union at our branch. I know we start considerably higher than branches with no unions. Also, I'm accounting for the overtime. It's not $40k at 40 hours a week. Our weeks are 55-60 hours easy. I didn't mean to be deceiving. We just don't work normal hours.

Edit: Forgot to add, one of my coworkers made $78k last year. He does ATM routes and works 70-80 hours a week. I think he hates his wife.

How's your training compared to that of, let's say mall security?

Same. They only do the minimum training for state licensing of armed security. You have do further your own training. At least, you should.

Edit: I misread the question. I thought you said "normal" security, as in other armed security guards. Ours is far more extensive than mall cops. They just have to learn how to write reports. That's 99% of security jobs, even when you have a gun. I worked regular security before this.

Is it a well paying job? Would you recommend your job to anyone else?

Definitely, if they're willing to put up with the bullshit. The money is worth it to me.

What is the best way to get into the business?

Just find an opening and apply. It's easier if you have security or military experience, but it's not required.

How did you end up getting the job? What fascinated you so much?

I just came across an opening while job searching. It kinda fell into my lap.

I was fascinated by the secretive nature of armored trucks. I don't like secrets. I didn't like that i didn't know what the inside of the truck looked like, or how many people were inside. I like learning about everything.