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Whether you use your van for work or leisure, keeping it and its contents safe is top priority.
Compare the Market predicts that by 2030, an average of 56 vans will be stolen in the UK every day. And that doesn’t even account for smash and grabs or tool thefts. Opportunistic thieves can look at a van and guess it might have valuable tools hidden inside, which sadly means your vehicles could be a target.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to lower your chances of being victim of theft. Here are a few of our top tips.
If your van didn’t come with an alarm system or immobiliser, the good news is that you can fit one yourself. These are a good way of making your van less appealing to thieves, as they promise hassle and unwanted attention.
When you’re parking for a job or even for the evening, do try and choose spots that are covered by CCTV. Shops, supermarkets, certain streets and even private homes often have CCTV cameras to protect them and if your van is within sight, thieves will know they might get caught on camera.
If you’re able to reliable park nearby your house or you have your own parking space, it might be a good idea to add CCTV to your own property. This can be a relatively cheap way to show that someone is keeping an eye on your vehicle.
Most dash cams are designed to start recording the moment they detect motion, which can be a serious deterrent. They can also make it easier to recover a vehicle if it’s stolen, because they track its location. If you gave a dash cam prominently displayed on your windscreen or have a window sticker that shows you have one, you may be able to deter van thieves who want a clean getaway.
Sometimes, you don’t have much of a choice about the areas you park in, especially if you’re on a job, but there are some things you can do that will help. For example, if you park close to a wall or other obstructions, you make it harder for thieves to break in to try and steal your tools. It’s also a great idea to go for the most brightly lit spot available, whether that’s under a streetlight or outside a supermarket.
If you’re able to park your van close to home most nights, then it might be worth linking your van up to your home security system. There are some options that let you install wireless cameras and contact sensors on your van that can then be linked up with your home security system when you’re parked nearby, meaning your alerted at home if anything goes wrong.
Calls may be monitored for quality and training purposes. Eastern Western Motor Group Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and insurance distribution activities under reference number 310505 – we are a credit broker not a lender. Registered Office: 8 Westerton Road, East Mains Industrial Estate, Broxburn West Lothian EH52 5AU Registered in Scotland No. 14833 VAT Registration No. 269233051 We work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. We are only able to offer finance products from these providers.