15 Proactive ways to protect your tools from van thieves
Sep 30, 2018
With van tool theft rising by more than 30% since 2012, it’s vital now more than ever to be proactive in your security and to know all of the best ways to protect your tools from van thieves. We all know that theft equals downtime, and downtime equals a loss of revenue and failure to complete projects. These are two things that we here at strukta are keen for our customers and readers to avoid.
Make notes as we divulge our 15 proactive ways to protect your tools from van thieves…
1. Parking for prevention
The easiest point of access for a would-be tool thief is either the sliding side door or the rear doors. Depending on the design of your van, try and park it with the doors close to walls or fences so that they are not easy to get to. Busy or well-lit areas are advantageous, and if there’s CCTV, even better.
2. Store your tools sensibly
It’s not always possible to store your tools in your home at night, but if you have the option, be sure to use it. ‘Peel and steal’ and ‘Electronic fob’ techniques can make your van vulnerable to thieves, even if they seem well-secured. If you don’t have the option of storing tools indoors, double up your van security.
3. Mark your property
If your tools are stolen, having identification marks on them will help you to be recognised as the true owner if they are recovered. Use the Immobilise register today.
4. Make a note of serial numbers and other data
Providing information about a theft will help police to track down your tools. Serial numbers, and an itemised list of your tool box, with the make and model of all contents stolen, will ease the process of insurance claims too. This is something you can do today to help you in a worst case scenario.
5. Make sure your insurance coverage is adequate and up to date
If your tools aren’t covered as part of your business insurance policy, it’s 100% worth getting them added in. Should they be stolen, your policy will help with replacing them. Check the wording of your policy to see exactly what is covered, what the limits and excesses are, and if there are any terms and conditions worth knowing about.
6. Reinforcement and extra van security
Where there’s a problem, there later arrives solutions, as is the case for the security of vans in the UK. Right now, there is a wide range of security gadgets and devices designed to prevent break ins and even protect against newer theft techniques like ‘peel and steal’. You want your security to be high-tech, numerous, noisy, tricky to defeat and time-consuming, so that hopefully any potential thief cannot get to the tools before being caught or having to flee.
7. CCTV
Consider installing security cameras on your property if you feel your van could be targeted there. This will make a great case for catching the criminals, and may alert you as the break-in is attempted.
8. Window foils and tint
Thieves will often peer in through the windows to see if there is anything worth stealing, so be proactive and minimise this risk by sticking up window foils and tints.
9. Internal locking mechanisms
If you want to get really serious about security, get a professional to install a Stoplock on the rear doors. Whilst no lock is 100% effective, this one is pretty close, as it is fitted to the inside of the door and stops it from being jammed open.
10. Top of the line toolboxes
Few thieves will want to run down the street with an incredibly heavy toolbox, so having a larger and well-reinforced toolbox with security features, welded serial numbers, and a tough lock, will slow them down massively.
11. Van Vaults
Van Vaults are top of the line security, if you have very valuable tools to protect. This fitted piece of equipment cannot be manually removed from you van, and is so well protected that your average thief will have no clue how to get into it.
12. Dash Cams
In some countries, dash cams are mandatory, and have proved incredibly useful for insurance claims, especially in road traffic accidents. They also play a vital role for your van’s security, as they may well spot any thief in action. They work as a proactive measure, as few thieves want to take the risk of stealing from a van that has cameras on it.
13. Visibly secured is best
Whilst it may go against the conventional belief that ‘if you are highly secured, you have something worth stealing’, it’s actually proven to be better to have some of your security options on display as a deterrent for the common thief. Professional criminals might find a way past your security, but they are fewer in numbers.
14. Signage considerations
If your van states that you are a plumber, electrician, or builder, any thief will know, more or less, what tools they can expect to find inside. If you are a subcontractor, or you’re not looking for new clients, it might be worth removing the signage on your van so that thieves don’t have an inkling and won’t take the risk.
15. Lock your toolbox to the van itself
Some vans and toolboxes will have loops and buckles that make it possible to fully padlock your toolbox to the van itself. This means the thief cannot take the toolbox unless they have something like a bolt cutter. If your toolbox is well-locked too, you can hope that the thief will give up and get away before they are caught.
Conclusion
There you have it, our top 15 proactive ways to protect your tools from van thieves. Do you think we missed anything, or are there some new techniques that we omitted? Get in touch at marketing@strukta.co.uk.