Police unveiled a scheme to tighten security both in bank branches and during delivery of banknotes.

The nation has been shocked by a number of bloody bank robberies over the past few weeks, which have resulted in the loss of several innocent lives and millions of dollars.

In Beijing, a three-day operation aimed at preventing delivery truck robberies ended yesterday.

High-tech equipment used in the operation made use of the global positioning system (GPS), which enables local police to pinpoint the precise location of the delivery vans on the road.

Under GPS surveillance, a robbed van can easily be intercepted by police patrol cars.

Police authorities said their exercises had accurately replicated robbers' behaviour and had enhanced co-ordination between different government agencies.

In Shanghai, the nation's largest commercial city, local public security agencies have assigned well-trained armed and plainclothed police to escort delivery vans.

Security staff employed by commercial banks to guard the delivery vans are highly armed to help them cope with potential robbers, according to the Shanghai Morning Post.

The city also set up emergency checkpoints at the exits of the inner ring roads and other expressways, as well as at airports, docks and bus stations used for long journeys, the newspaper said yesterday.

Public concern over financial security has increased over the past few weeks, following a number of bank robberies in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, Central China's Hunan Province and Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

One of the most notorious incidents took place on Saturday in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province, leaving three people dead and five badly injured. The robbers made off with 1.97 million yuan (US$237,000).

Among the three dead, one was a passer-by and the other two were bank security staff, according to local police.

The local police bureau is continuing its investigation, but initial inquiries have failed to yield any information on the robbers' identities or whereabouts.

The Spring Festival period usually sees a marked increase in the number of bank robberies in the country.

Chinese residents are currently flooding commercial banks to withdraw or transfer money to get ready for the upcoming shopping and leisure spree.

(China Daily January 23, 2003)