If you are a tradesperson, your van and its contents are how you make your living. But there are constantly worrying reports about the increase of tool theft from vans. So, what steps can you take to prevent this happening to you? In this blog, we will take a closer look at the statistics and give you some tips on how to protect tools in your van, from applying low-tech common sense measures to more high-tech solutions like fitting alarms with microwave sensors on vans.
At AJT Installs, we specialise in all aspects of vehicle security, including keeping your van and its contents safe from thieves. For your peace of mind, any product bought and installed by our technicians is backed by a minimum three year warranty (five years in some cases.)
If you are concerned about tool theft from vans and van security, call us today on 08000541146 to talk about the benefits of installing a Cobra A4615 ADR alarm with Vodafone microwave sensors on vans.
Tool theft from vans – the facts
In a Direct Line analysis compiled from police data from forces in England and Wales* (published in early November 2021), tools totalling more than £46 million were reported stolen from vehicles since the easing of lockdown six months previously (April 2021.)
38% of these thefts were from tradespeople, who had to deal with the impact on their livelihood:
- Time taken to call insurance company and deal with paperwork relating to the theft
- Time and cost of sourcing new tools – according to the Professional Electrician and Installer, the average value of a sinlge stolen tool is £385.00
- Time and cost of cancelling and rescheduling planned work
- Damage to a reliable reputation
In fact, it has been estimated that it takes a full working week to deal with the aftermath of tool theft from vans and replace what has been lost.
London was the location for the majority of these crimes, with a staggering 12,769 cases of thefts from a vehicle reported to police. West Yorkshire reported the next highest number of incidents, with 400.
There are many reasons to presume that this figure will rise even further during 2022:
- Tradespeople trying to rebuild their businesses post-pandemic
- People choosing to become self-employed following the impact of Covid-19 on many companies and professions
- As life returns to normality, more tradespeople will be out on the road
- The sudden and dramatic rise in the cost of living pushes more people into a life of crime to make ends meet
Protecting your tools – low-tech
Of course, as with all things, prevention is better than cure, so what can you do to ensure you don’t fall victim to the theft of tools from vans? Here are a few simple precautions you can take to keep the tools of your trade safe:
Make sure your van is locked and the windows are closed when you leave it, even when on-site or outside the premises where you are working. Most thieves are opportunists, so NEVER leave your van unlocked, even for a few minutes!
Install window grills to reduce the risk of thieves getting into your van through a window.
When parking at night, park in a well-lit area or install lights with motion sensors if your van is parked on your driveway.
Ensure your van is covered by CCTV, whether parked on the road or in your driveway.
Park in a confined space – if the passenger side and rear doors are against a wall, it will be very difficult for thieves to break into your van by ‘door-bending’, because there won’t be any room to do manoeuvre!
UV pen-marking – mark all your tools with a UV marker that is only detectable under UV light, so if your tools are stolen they can be identified as belonging to you. You can take this a step further by engraving personal information directly on to your tools. This cannot be rubbed off, making them more difficult to sell.
Inventory your tools – keep receipts in a safe place along with a full inventory and pictures of your power tools. This will make things much easier if you do have to claim on your insurance, saving you time and ensuring your claim is processed as quickly as possible.
Invest in lockable power tools – many makes, for example DeWalt, offer apps that can be used to disable their tools.
Remove tools overnight! We know that this takes time and can be a bit annoying at the end of a busy day, but if you have somewhere safe you can keep your tools overnight, store them there instead of in your van! If this is impossible, remove batteries and chargers, making them more difficult to sell.
Most of the above cost nothing or next to nothing, just a change of mindset and a little time, but there are some low-tech options that involve more outlay:
Insurance – check your policy to make sure you have the right cover for your individual circumstances. Many policies only cover for theft from vans in specific circumstances, so be clear about what these are and adhere to them or search for better cover.
Locks/plates/safes – there are a number of different security options available including slam locks, deadlocks, door protection plates and van boxes/safes costing anything from £20-£450 each. Most of these fit any make and type of van, but door protection plates are usually make/model specific.
Protecting your tools – high-tech - Microwave sensors on vans
It is arguable that a van with no audible deterrent may present an easier target for thieves, as nobody will be alerted that someone is trying to break into the vehicle.
Installing high-tech devices like alarms, immobilisers and tracking systems doesn’t cost as much as you think, and some of the low-tech solutions we highlighted above can cost as much. Why not call the experts at AJT Installs to discuss microwave sensors on vans, alarm systems, immobilisers and the AJT Locate Tracker? We take your vehicle security seriously and can discuss the types of electronic devices available and advise which would work the best for your particular circumstances.
For example, the Cobra A4615 ADR alarm offers great all round protection against theft for your van and its contents. It has a Vodafone microwave sensor, which creates a ‘bubble’ inside the load compartment. If the sensor detects an object entering this ‘bubble’, it triggers the alarm, catching thieves in the act! Here are just a few of the benefits of this system:
- Thatcham 2-1 accreditation, which can help to reduce insurance premiums
- Built-in immobiliser
- Powerful siren which will continue to sound even when removed from its harness
- Full vehicle perimeter protection
- Prevents against key cloning (read our blog about key cloning)
Read the full description and all the benefits of the Cobra A4615 ADR alarm.
We hope that you have found this blog and our advice useful, but if you are worried about van security and tool theft from it affecting your livelihood, talk to us on 08000541146 about the benefits of installing an alarm system with microwave sensors on vans. As we have said previously, prevention is better than cure, and investing in a good vehicle alarm system now will save you a lot of time, money and headaches later caused by the theft of tools from vans.
* Direct Line submitted a freedom of information request to all 43 police forces in England and Wales – 27 of which provided relevant data