<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<FilingSummary xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <Version>2.2.0.7</Version>
  <MyReports>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>true</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>001000 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets</LongName>
      <ShortName>Consolidated Balance Sheets</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/ConsolidatedBalanceSheets</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R1.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>002000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Income</LongName>
      <ShortName>Consolidated Statements of Income</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfIncome</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R2.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>003000 - Statement - Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Equity</LongName>
      <ShortName>Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Equity</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementOfShareholdersEquity</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R3.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>004000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows</LongName>
      <ShortName>Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfCashFlows</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R4.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006000 - Disclosure - Basis of presentation</LongName>
      <ShortName>Basis of presentation</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/BasisOfPresentation</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R5.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006010 - Disclosure - Segment information</LongName>
      <ShortName>Segment information</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/SegmentInformation</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R6.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006020 - Disclosure - Shares used to calculate earnings per share</LongName>
      <ShortName>Shares used to calculate earnings per share</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/SharesUsedToCalculateEarningsPerShare</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R7.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006030 - Disclosure - Retirement benefits</LongName>
      <ShortName>Retirement benefits</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/RetirementBenefits</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R8.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006040 - Disclosure - Income taxes</LongName>
      <ShortName>Income taxes</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/IncomeTaxes</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R9.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006050 - Disclosure - Share based compensation plans</LongName>
      <ShortName>Share based compensation plans</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/ShareBasedCompensationPlans</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R10.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006060 - Disclosure - Common stock</LongName>
      <ShortName>Common stock</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/CommonStock</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R11.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006070 - Disclosure - Acquisitions</LongName>
      <ShortName>Acquisitions</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/Acquisitions</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R12.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006090 - Disclosure - Supplemental cash flow information</LongName>
      <ShortName>Supplemental cash flow information</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/SupplementalCashFlowInformation</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R13.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006100 - Disclosure - Comprehensive income</LongName>
      <ShortName>Comprehensive income</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/ComprehensiveIncome</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R14.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006110 - Disclosure - Fair Value</LongName>
      <ShortName>Fair Value</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/FairValue</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R15.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>006120 - Disclosure - Commitments and contingent matters</LongName>
      <ShortName>Commitments and contingent matters</ShortName>
      <Role>http://brinkscompany.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingentMatters</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R16.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>995200 - Document - Document Information</LongName>
      <ShortName>Document Information</ShortName>
      <Role>http://xbrl.us/us-gaap/role/document/DocumentInformation</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R17.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <LongName>995400 - Document - Entity Information</LongName>
      <ShortName>Entity Information</ShortName>
      <Role>http://xbrl.us/us-gaap/role/document/EntityInformation</Role>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName>R18.xml</XmlFileName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ReportType>Book</ReportType>
      <LongName>All Reports</LongName>
      <ShortName>All Reports</ShortName>
      <Role />
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <XmlFileName />
    </Report>
  </MyReports>
  <EntityCount>1</EntityCount>
  <ContextCount>26</ContextCount>
  <SegmentCount>5</SegmentCount>
  <ScenarioCount>0</ScenarioCount>
  <UnitCount>3</UnitCount>
  <ElementCount>132</ElementCount>
  <FootnotesReported>false</FootnotesReported>
  <TuplesReported>false</TuplesReported>
  <ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00018</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>4</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00025</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00021</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>6</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00003</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00007</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00016</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00014</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00024</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>26</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00020</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00008</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00022</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>5</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00015</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00017</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>97</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00012</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>2</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00000</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00006</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00005</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>2</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00013</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00023</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>26</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00002</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00009</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00010</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>1</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00001</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>63</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00011</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>29</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00019</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>4</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
    <ContextSummary>
      <ContextName>c00004</ContextName>
      <ElementCount>29</ElementCount>
    </ContextSummary>
  </ContextSummary>
  <BaseTaxonomies />
  <HasPresentationLinkbase>true</HasPresentationLinkbase>
  <HasCalculationLinkbase>true</HasCalculationLinkbase>
</FilingSummary>
