Van Security

[Tomo1971]

I am collecting a van from a dealer this coming week, trading my car in as I think that a van is more suitable for the work that I am doing.

The van comes with central locking and 'deadlocks'. Are the deadlocks ok to keep people out the back of the van (it has a full steel bulkhead) or shall I try and get secondary locks on the doors?

There will be tools left in there (all insured) as will be in hotels if not at home. When I had a Freelander van before, I would reverse up to a wall or substantial bush/tree to limit the access. I will do the same with new van but this has a side door that still leaves it vulnerable. Its a new shape Doblo (or Vauxhall Combo) van, and not that many products are available for it as yet.

I wont bother with the 'No tools left in this van overnight' sticker but was wondering about a 'Internal post only' sticker, lol

[GrahamC230K]

I would not trust the deadlocks alone. Who has insured you to store your tools in the van overnight please?

[DrDeAtH]

A lack of signwriting helps as its won't scream 'rob me I'm full of tools'
Maybe look at armour plates that protect the wiring loom that goes to the back doors.

[Tomo1971]

@Graham.... I thought I was insured for tools.... just looked, think Im not.... will have to confirm on Monday.

If im not, I will probably pay to be insured.

The van wont be sign written.

Unfortunatly, there doesnt seem to be much on the market for these vans in terms of extra security. I have emailed someone about deadlocks though.

[Alucidnation]

Tools in transit will be extra.

If you have public liability insurance, sometimes it can be added as a bolt on.

Also read the small print. Some tool insurances only cover the tools left in the van in working hours.

[hairyben]

It's a matter of when, not if your van will be done.

Mine gets attacked twice about a year- despite having secondary deadbolts they still have a go in case you've forgotten/not bothered to use them anyway- plus PoS merc vitos have chocolate for locks so forced entry is scandalously easy- all the doors on my van have lock damage so I'll be fitting armourplates just as an easy cosmetic repair as much as anything. They've evan tried to crowbar the door open where the secondary deadbolt is fitted.

Best to look at it as a "not really illegal", or "fair game", to break into vans and nick peoples tools- the police certainally seem to- and try not to get to frustrated or emotional.

Tool insurance was through groupma liability/indemnity/tools combo policy via NIC EIC and they coughed up a couple of grand a couple of years ago without complaining

[Little Lofty]

hairyben said:

It's a matter of when, not if your van will be done.

Mine gets attacked twice about a year- despite having secondary deadbolts they still have a go in case you've forgotten/not bothered to use them anyway- plus PoS merc vitos have chocolate for locks so forced entry is scandalously easy- all the doors on my van have lock damage so I'll be fitting armourplates just as an easy cosmetic repair as much as anything. They've evan tried to crowbar the door open where the secondary deadbolt is fitted.

Best to look at it as a "not really illegal", or "fair game", to break into vans and nick peoples tools- the police certainally seem to- and try not to get to frustrated or emotional.

Tool insurance was through groupma liability/indemnity/tools combo policy via NIC EIC and they coughed up a couple of grand a couple of years ago without complaining

Criky your unlucky.I've had vans for over 20 years and never had one touched.

[Rickyy]

I got one of these from Ebay for about £17, won't stop a determined thief, but should hold them up and create a lot of noise in the process.

Do you need the sliding door? If not permanently lock it from the inside and block it off with some sheet metal.

[wst]

Would it be possible to install a decent safe inside the van, bolted to the body (then the bolts welded?), and shove the tools in that?

[s2sol]

I used to use Armaplate when I had panel vans. It's bloody expensive, and needs holes drilling through the doorskins, which seems a shame. It also acts as a repair after your doors have been done, as long as the thieves are fairly tidy.

[chrisw666]

Sleep in the van, with a gun under your pillow. If anyone does break in shoot them.

No list tools and one less thief.

[Tomo1971]

wst said:

Would it be possible to install a decent safe inside the van, bolted to the body (then the bolts welded?), and shove the tools in that?

Thats an option, or even an addition at some point but think locks are the first thing that should get my money.

How does one know where to drill on a van floor as not to damage anything?

[Tomo1971]

s2sol said:

I used to use Armaplate when I had panel vans. It's bloody expensive, and needs holes drilling through the doorskins, which seems a shame. It also acts as a repair after your doors have been done, as long as the thieves are fairly tidy.

They dont do armaplate for my van else I would probably go for that.

[Tomo1971]

Rickyy said:

I got one of these from Ebay for about £17, won't stop a determined thief, but should hold them up and create a lot of noise in the process.

Do you need the sliding door? If not permanently lock it from the inside and block it off with some sheet metal.

Ive seen them, I even think B&Q sell them.

All I need is overnight security, so the pain of unlocking in the morning, locking at night will be OK. Im just worried about how they look after a few months... ie do they get rusty? Obviously if I went that route I would ensure any holes I drilled were rust proofed well.

[Rickyy]

It has unfortunately gone rusty, I need to remove it and paint it to offer some protection. Broke my heart having to drill holes in my van though!

There are branded versions of this lock for sale at around £50-£70, I'd hope that they were protected from corrosion for that price.

[s p a c e m a n]

Couple of links in here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[hairyben]

Little Lofty said:

Criky your unlucky.I've had vans for over 20 years and never had one touched.

Smackheads/scumbags etc, generally 2 or 3, drive round targetting vans- not unusual to have several done in adjacent streets in london.

Even when picked up in stolen falsely plated cars with a bootfull of hot stolen kit (traceable within the hour), police just pat them on the head and tell them to run along, following day they're at it again, so hardly surprising it's a massive crimewave.

Where do you think all the "secondhand" tools on auction/small ads sites, boot fairs, markets comes from? Tradesmen rarely get rid of tools until they're knackered.

[Steve_F]

I park mine against a wall if away anywhere and have the option but realistically they're just going to break into the front door, take the handbrake off, push it forward and unlock it all from the front (or break the rear lock too).

Might be worth dropping into your local blacksmith and seeing if they can weld on a couple of lock options. Would only need a bolt cutter to get through it right enough but not sure that'd be standard tool kit for someone breaking into vans. Anything to make the next one look more tempting than your's.

[West4x4]

Steve_F said:

I park mine against a wall if away anywhere and have the option but realistically they're just going to break into the front door, take the handbrake off, push it forward and unlock it all from the front (or break the rear lock too).

Yep i had this done to mine. Best thing is a van vault bolted into the vehicle although this can be a pain accessing tools everyday

[rohrl]

GrahamC230K said:

I would not trust the deadlocks alone. Who has insured you to store your tools in the van overnight please?

I know that Royal and Sun Alliance do a 24 hour tools cover product covering tools and equipment locked in a van anywhere in the UK which doesn't require any extra security over and above the standard equipment. It's a broker product underwritten by RSA Marine in Manchester.