The ownership of a van usually signifies the possession of expensive tools which sadly, may be of interest to thieves. It is not un-common to hear of a van burglary, which is what gives a lot of drivers the fear. Today, we have recapped the most helpful ways in which to secure your van and deter thieves.
- Install an alarm system
Alarms are the first thing that vehicle owners think of when needing to secure it and it is highly likely that your van already has one fitted. If thieves were to activate the alarm, you and surrounding neighbours would be alerted which, in return, could deter them from returning to the area for a second attempt.
- Signage
The use of signs on your van may not be pleasing to the eye, but they have proven to be affective. By stating simple facts, such as that there is an alarm fitted within your vehicle, or that no tools are left unaccompanied in the van overnight, could be the decider between whether they attempt a burglary from your vehicle or not.
- Day-time parking
Often, we don’t think about vehicle burglaries taking place in broad daylight. However, it is worth remembering that thieves work 24 hours a day. You can take measures to prevent this from occurring, such as parking in a heavily populated area, like the pay and display bays at the side of the high street, or in sight of the entrance to the store that you need to visit. To be more thorough, if you are feeling nervous or suspicious, park near to a visible CCTV camera on the side of a nearby building to allow identifiable footage to be available should the worst happen to your vehicle.
- Night-time parking
When leaving your van unattended at night, take the correct measures to imply maximum safety. If parking at home, be sure to park it outside your property instead of around the corner and aim to get as close as possible to a lit lamppost. If parking away from home, look for a place in which your van can be parked with the doors against walls, decreasing the chances of someone making a quick steal from your vehicle.
- Remove or secure valuables
When leaving your van at night, or out of sight for a long period of time, remove all tools and valuables and store them in a secure place within your home, office or location at which you are staying. The security measures on these properties will likely be too high for a thief to attempt. If you are unable to remove these items, take extra care in keeping a record of which belongings are placed where. By using photography or the old-fashioned pen and paper, ensure that you have a clear record of your belongings. You can also purchase a safe which can be locked and bolted to the floor of your van, securing the safe as well as the items inside and making it harder for someone to make a quick escape with your items.
- Tracking devices
Ever improving technology allows us the ability to install a GPS tracker within our vehicles. A high-quality tracker will be able to keep your van located at all times, should the worst happen, creating the difference between a stolen and missing van, to one that is tracked, located and potentially returned. However, it is important to note that you should never go after a stolen van yourself and always report these issues to the police who will deal with it accordingly.
If you are needing to hire a van, or have any queries in regards to the safety of one, contact us at CVS Van Hire by calling 020 8003 1184 where we will be happy to discuss these matters with you.
