A major security operation has been in place across Northern Ireland today to ensure the replacement of £240m worth of notes from the Northern Bank goes smoothly.
A special command room has been set up in Belfast and extra police resources are being deployed to oversee the operation at 95 bank branches in the wake of last December's £26.5 million robbery at the bank's headquarters.
Members of the public have been urged to be on their guard against criminals trying to exploit the situation as old Northern Bank money is exchanged for notes with a new design produced in a bid to prevent the stolen money being used.
Police on both sides of the border believe the IRA was behind the heist, which seriously damaged hopes that a power sharing government could be revived in Northern Ireland this year.
