How To Keep Your Van Secure

For many people their van isn’t just their mode of transport, it is also vital for their business or to make a living. If you use your van for work purposes it often means your van contains many valuables such as tools, equipment or stock. This can make a van a prime target for burglaries or break ins.

Van drivers need to be well aware of all these threats. We have come up with a few top tips to ensure your van is as safe as possible and maybe even save you money on your insurance policy.

1. Lock up your van

Locking up your van is vital, even if you are just getting out for a few minutes. It only takes a few seconds for a thief to get in and steal your equipment or to drive off with your vehicle. Also, you should ensure your locks are in proper working order.

In addition to central locking, consider installing deadlocks, slam locks or stop locks to both your side and rear doors. For that added peace of mind, fit protection plates around your locks to deter thieves..

If nothing else, the extra locks may deter criminals from breaking in, the more difficult it looks to get into the less attractive it will be to a thief. Locking your van creates an extra obstacle between the thief and the contents of your van.

2. Install an alarm

While most new vans will have alarms and immobilisers already installed, many older vans probably don’t. A good alarm system will often deter thieves from targeting your van. If possible, you should also look into investing in a silent alarm that sends you an instant phone notification if your van is broken into. Another deterrent might include installing a dash cam that records footage from both inside and outside your van.

You could also add a Disklok to your steering wheel. Seconds mean everything when a van is being stolen, so the combination of a steering wheel lock and an alarm could be all you need to put a thief off.

3. Brand your van

A van that is easy to identify will be less attractive to potential burglars. By branding your van with your company logo or contact details it makes it less appealing to potential burglars. A thief will be much more likely to attempt to steal a generic looking van as it is harder for police to locate.

4. Park your van in a well lit, secure area

Leaving your van in a dark secluded area will make it much easier for a thief to break in and steal the contents of your van. Try not to leave valuable equipment or tools in the van overnight and if possible leave it in a well lit area with CCTV monitoring in place. This will give you the best chance of keeping your van and its contents safe.

STEP 5. LOCK UP YOUR TOOLS INSIDE

Thieves are finding new ways to break into vans. One new technique is called ‘Peel and Steal’. Using the method, thieves grab the top of the van’s back or side doors with their fingers as they put their knees to apply pressure to the van doors. Some vehicle brands are more susceptible than others. One way to protect your tools is to invest in a tough Armour Guard toolbox and get it securely fixed to the floor of your van.

While all these tips will help to keep your van safe, we can’t guarantee your van is completely protected. However, having van insurance in place will protect you if anything does happen to your vehicle.