Keep your vehicle safe – Using a van for work can be hugely beneficial, especially if you have heavy tools you need to lug around on a daily basis. The only problem is that there are some untrustworthy people out there that will do anything for money so if you leave your tools in your van overnight they are not necessarily safe. The poor security of vans entices thieves as they are viewed a soft target due to the high rewards they may gain from the tools. When looking for a new commercial vehicle make sure you ask the seller about the security system that the vehicle has in place.
Thieves are often very knowledgeable when it comes to vans and know each security system inside out, so you need to make some adaptations to your van’s security system in order to prevent thefts.
Ideally, everyone would like to be able to lock their van up overnight in a secure, alarmed garage but unfortunately this is extremely costly. Luckily, there are some other methods you can employ in order to secure your van and reduce the risk of theft…
Basic Van Safety
Your first safety method should be to lock all your doors and close all your windows. This is an obvious statement but it is still the cause of many thefts so don’t forget to shut and lock everything!
Remove all your belongings from your van every night including Sat Nav’s, tools, or anything else that is valuable and remember to take your keys with you too!
Don’t leave your car down quiet roads with no road lighting because that is the prime location for thieves to easily target your vehicle. Instead, you should park in well-lit, busy roads so there are almost always people around.
Van owners can add visible security features to their vans in order to deter thieves approaching such as steering locks or mesh grilles on the windows. You can also add an invisible security device inside your vehicle such as an alarm or tracker, however if you choose to do this you need to make sure you put a warning sticker on the outside of your vehicle to deter criminals before they try to enter your van.
Smaller safety methods include locking wheel nuts, installing a lockable fuel cap or investing in a removable stereo that you can take out at night.
Immobilisers
An immobiliser prevents the engine from starting without the correct key (or other device) being present, stopping the car from being ‘hot-wired’. Some immobilisers come as standard with certain vans, but if not you should be able to get one fitted as an added extra. Immobilisers work in different ways; some require a separate remote-control and others automatically set once the van is locked.
Deadlocks and Slamlocks
Deadlocks add an extra locking point to your van door meaning the driver can decide when to lock it for extra security. These types of locks work independently from the normal door locks and therefore increase the security of your vehicle as a whole. Meanwhile slamlocks close automatically when a door is shut, meaning there’s less chance of you forgetting to lock up your vehicle for the night!
Alarms
As with immobilisers, most vans come with alarm systems as standard however you can always have them upgraded. Do not put a sticker on your van stating the type of alarm system you have because it will help thieves figure out how to disarm your system.
Armaplate
This security measure is a stainless-steel cover that encases your existing exterior locks and connects them to a steel plate on the interior by thread studs and is secured by heavy-duty lock nuts. Armaplates will help prevent thieves from getting into your van and even better, it will stop the costly body shop repairs if a thief attempts to break in.
Secure Van Boxes
These anti-drill locked, high tensile steel safes are almost impossible for criminals to get into if they have managed to gain access to your van. The box is secured to the inside of your van but you can also get semi-portable boxes. Secure van boxes are perfect for keeping your tools and high-value equipment in as it means you don’t have to remove them from your vehicle each night.
Recovery
If after putting all these security measures in place your van is still stolen you still have a chance of getting it back if you have installed a GPS-based tracking unit. Unfortunately, even if you do have a tracking unit you still have little to no chance of reclaiming the goods inside, which is where your van insurance comes in. If you have extensive insurance cover you should be able to replace your stolen goods in next to no time, which is why as soon as you purchase any new van you should make sure you cover it with an adequate insurance policy.