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To avoid this , think carefully about where you store your keys when they ’ re not in your van . Scanners have limited range . Keep your keys away from your main entrance at night .
Don ’ t invite them to target you
If crooks can see things like tools that are valuable and easy to move on , it ’ s much more likely that they will act . There are some simple ways to help to stop this happening :
• Hide any valuables and tools from view . When things can be seen , it ’ s an open invitation . Some thieves will even tell themselves that they are not doing wrong because you “ asked for it ”
• Add a sticker or writing on the van “ No tools are left in this vehicle overnight ” or “ All tools are securely locked in a tamper-proof box ”. Then practise what you preach
• Put blanks in place of glazed windows ( or use plastic glazing on the windows which is a cheap alternative ) and put a screen between the driving area and the back . That way the crooks don ’ t know what they will be getting . It helps them to decide to look elsewhere
Make it harder to break in
Coming onto the more physical side of things , thieves can and will cut round locks , smash windows , and get into your van with a method known as “ peel and steal ”. This involves them pressing their body hard on the side of the van and then lifting open the top of the side door . This can be done without breaking any locks or setting off alarms . The ways to fix this risk are :
• Fit deadlocks . These are used independently of the van ’ s existing locking mechanism and offer protection from brute force attacks .
• Put protection plates around your locks so that cutting their way into the van becomes a real chore for thieves
• Fit steel window grills or metal blanks instead of windows . This provides both a physical and a visual deterrent
Make the pickings smaller and harder to get
It ’ s a good idea to empty your van every night , to avoid leaving valuable items on show to potential thieves . An alternative is fitting a fixed and lockable strong steel chest inside your van and using it to store any expensive tools . This is another great idea .
Install a van tracker
If you install a van tracker and your van is stolen , you can provide the location to the police . However , not all van trackers are equal .
Trackers can cost as little as £ 20 - £ 40 . However , the best , most reliable and ones likely to result in lower premiums will have been approved by Thatcham . These cost hundreds of pounds . They are likely to come from market leaders like CobraTrak , Teletrac and Smartrack . Subscription services that will reduce upfront costs are also available .
Trackers can also provide the benefit of helping to manage any staff that you may have .
Defend in depth As well as the ideas already considered , here are some further suggestions :
• Provide training for your staff in van security and then keep reminding them . They can easily be the weakest link
• Mark your property with Ultraviolet (“ UV ”) pens to so that if the police recover anything stolen it will be returned . It also provides great evidence to nail the thieves
Prevention works
Most thieves are opportunists , don ’ t want to get caught and don ’ t want hard work . I have had my property broken into twice in my life . Since I started taking more precautions it has never happened again . It ’ s why van security is worth considering . Get your retaliation in first , as they say .
Don ’ t relax Finally , although it ’ s easy to say that it will never happen to me , the growth in trade vehicle crime is definitely worrying . The solution to this rise lies partly in the hands of the industry . Where we make things much harder for the thieves , they will be less bothered to have a go . And it will also be less likely that new people will be tempted to give it a try too . My hope is that some of the ideas here can be part of the fight back .
About the author Benjamin Dyer is CEO and co-founder of Powered Now . Powered Now ’ s mobile app aims to make it easier for installers , electricians , builders and other trades to run their businesses .
www . powerednow . com
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM AUGUST 2022
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