"Police follow this vehicle"

June 19, 2012 1:27 AM

I just walked past an armoured truck doing a cash drop to a bank. On the back was a sign saying "Police follow this vehicle". Is this a request or a statement? What's it trying to achieve and does it work?
posted by cromagnon to Grab Bag (5 answers total)

I'm assuming- statement (true or otherwise) intended to deter would-be thieves. Is there a reason why that would not be the explanation?
posted by jojobobo at 1:35 AM on June 19, 2012

Best answer: Are you in the UK? If so, it's almost certainly an arrangement in some UK counties where private cash transport vehicles are marked with the the aforementioned phrase to let UK constables know that the vehicle is participating in a "Follow that Van" program.
posted by RichardP at 1:40 AM on June 19, 2012

Wow, I've seen this a lot and always assumed it was a request and the letters somehow lit up when the truck was registered stolen. Police! Yes, you! Follow this vehicle!

Makes much more sense as a statement.
posted by jontyjago at 5:02 AM on June 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

The missing comma has me thinking that it's a warning/statement. If it was "Police, follow this vehicle" I would read it as more of a "hey, would you mind terribly just keeping an eye on my money?"
posted by zombieApoc at 6:33 AM on June 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

There's a picture of the UK type sign here - although not with the exact wording: http://blog.functionalfun.net/2008/06/police-follow-this-blog.html - I think the "POLICE" is separate enough that it may still be a polite request!

It seems most of the pictures Google shows of this sort of sign are G4S vans. I don't know if that's relevant.
posted by SuckPoppet at 9:40 AM on June 19, 2012