More than 15,400 cases of tool theft from vans were made to police across the UK last year, a new report confirms.
Illustrating the devastating affect tool and equipment theft can have on UK business as a whole the report, from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, shows that the average value of stolen equipment from each van stands at £1,700.
When that’s multiplied by the proportion of van drivers affected by theft (19%) against the UK van parc (5 million) it means the total value of goods stolen could reach £1.6 billion.
But despite the risks and these shocking figures, thousands of drivers say they leave valuable tools in their van overnight – a third of those admitted in a poll that more than £2,000 worth of equipment is left unattended every night.
The impact of tool theft goes way beyond just the cost of the equipment though. Nearly 60% of those questioned in the survey said they could not work for days after the break-in because their van’s locks had to be repaired and the vehicle re-stocked.
Add to that the potential loss from increased future insurance premiums and the simple cost of not having a working vehicle on the road for a few days – downtime is widely estimated at £550 a day – and the true price of theft from vans soars even higher.
“The cost of theft is more than just the price of tools stolen, so it’s imperative that UK tradespeople are vigilant to theft,” says John Ricardo-Neto, of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
“We urge those who own expensive equipment to take extra precautions – securing or removing tools overnight and parking in a well-lit, CCTV-monitored area.”
Basic security steps for van users
Buying specialist security equipment or just taking some simple steps can help reduce the chance of van theft or break-in. Here’s how:
1. Always lock your doors, even it’s for a few minutes
2. A van’s signwriting displays to everyone what you are probably carrying. Consider an unmarked vehicle
3. Don’t leave phone, satnav or other equipment on show in the cab
4. Remove expensive equipment and tools at night
5. Keep your keys with you so that thieves can’t clone them
6. Use stickers to tell crooks of your security measures such as: ‘No valuable are left overnight’ or ‘GPS tracking is fitted’
7. Consider fitting an immobiliser to reduce the risk of the van being driven away
8. If the van is stolen, a tracking device could help the police to find it. Consider buying one
9. Think about where you park. Well-lit areas or car parks with CCTV are deterrents for would-be thieves, making you less likely to be a target
10. Window guards or a full internal bulkhead will stop people from seeing inside your van, and it can provide additional security to the load area
11. Security film on the side or back window glass can prevent thieves from smashing it – dependent on the type of film, it can deflect attacks altogether
12. Secure storage boxes or lockable internal racking and tool chests will make it difficult for thieves to walk off with loose equipment
13. Lockable fixings for roof mounted storage systems will also go a long way towards preventing your property being taken away
14. Diesel theft is an ongoing problem, so fitting an anti-siphoning device could protect your fuel
15. Another problem is the theft of catalytic converters. Welded bolts or a protective screen can help prevent drivers becoming victims of this crime
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