Tool theft from vans appears to be on the rise. An ECIC study reported a 55% rise in insurance claims for tool theft in 2019 alone.
In this post, we’ll explore some ways you can reduce the risk of tool theft from vans.
When it comes to theft, prevention is better than a cure. But for total peace of mind, add tool cover to your comprehensive van insurance policy. That way, even if you do fall victim to van thieves, you can make a claim, recover, and continue trading in no time.
Make Life Harder for Thieves
If possible, park your van in a secure garage, or at least somewhere that’s well-lit and covered by security cameras.
It’s also good practice to take your tools out of your van overnight, to store them somewhere secure. You often see stickers on vans stating that no tools are kept in the van overnight. Even if these measures don’t stop thieves from breaking into your van, they can at least guarantee that they’ll have nothing to steal if they do so.
Secure Your Van, Inside and Out
Maybe it’s impractical to take all of your tools out of your van every single night. And maybe it’s not possible to park somewhere secure that’s monitored by CCTV. In which case, you could get extra protection with van security locks, and other solutions.
Here’s some of the extra security you could get for your van:
- Stoplock – Place this over the back door of your van and it’ll be much harder for thieves to pry it open with a crowbar. Learn more.
- Steering Lock – A bar you attach to your steering wheel, making your van impossible to drive away. While this may not prevent tool theft, it’ll send a strong signal to opportunistic thieves that you take security seriously – which might make them less likely to have a go! Learn more.
- Van Security Locks – Some companies specialise in aftermarket van security locks to add extra strength and protection to your van’s existing locks.
- Extra Secure Tool Storage – If you can’t take your tools out of your van overnight, you could instead store your tools in an extra-strong, powder-coated, tamper-proof steel box, with anti-pick, anti-drill and anti-rust steel disc locks.
- Dash-Cams – Some dash cams work even when your van’s not running. Others even let you view camera footage remotely. Learn more.
What Are The Hardest Vans to Break Into?
Another way to make van tool theft less likely is to choose a van that’s extra secure to begin with.
Here are some models to consider:
- Vauxhall Vivaro – Features a central door locking system that lets you unlock the van’s load area independently from the cabin. There’s also a sophisticated security alarm system that can be triggered not just when someone tampers with your locks, but also when it detects unusual movement in the cabin area. Learn more.
- Ford Transit – Perimeter alarms, central door locking, anti-tamper shielding, power door deadlocks, strengthened mountings and an extra layer of plywood surrounding the storage area make the Ford Transit a formidable fortress of a van. Optional extras include rear window protection guards, and some models include auto-slam locks and automatic relocking functions. Learn more.
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter – As well as the usual alarms and deadlocks, the Sprinter comes with vehicle monitoring software included as standard. This lets you use an app to keep tabs on your van’s location at all times. And if there’s an attempted theft, live-GPS tracking will help you recover your vehicle.
Will Your Insurance Cover Van Tool Theft?
Choose comprehensive van insurance from Insure 2 Drive and you can add tool cover to your policy. That way, if opportunistic thieves ever target your van, you can rest assured that everything will be taken care of. Get in touch to get a free quote.
