A burglar has the standard lock of a van's load compartment open within 30 seconds on average. Especially vans belonging to the self-employed are a favourite target of organised criminals. Recently, expensive tools are increasingly being stolen from a van. When you go to set off for work in the morning, what an inconvenience it would be to find that your van had been broken into. Not only would you have to get the damage that the thieves had caused fixed, you would also have to report the theft, cancel your customers and buy new tools. A lot of costs and misery that you naturally want to avoid.
8 tips on how to stop your van being broken into
Have you been the victim of a break-in and want to stop your van from being broken into again? There are measures that you can take yourself. Locking your van properly, taking the keys out of the (loading) door and not leaving valuable items in sight are obvious ones. However, there are also other things that you can do to prevent theft. Here are a number of tips for you:1. Park in a safe place
Park your van preferably in a safe place such as a garage or a well-lit parking area. If that is not possible, then position your van with the rear doors as close as possible to a wall.2. Switch off electronic equipment
Thieves can use Bluetooth to locate electronic devices and then carry out targeted thefts. So switch off electronic equipment and store it in a safe place.3. Install an alarm system and a van lock
The Foundation for Tackling Vehicle Crime states that fitting an approved alarm system in conjunction with a certified mechanical security lock is the most effective way to prevent cargo theft. Or see what other van security is available.4. Minimise what you can see from outside
Screen off the loading space so that tools are out of sight. Fitting window grilles is a good way of doing this. They are easy and quick to fit and serve as an effective deterrent against break-ins.5. Do not put any advertising on your van
Displaying the name of your company on your van may be good advertising but it also indicates to thieves that you have got something that they can take. Vans without any advertising on them are less likely to be broken into.
