Our top van safety tips
In this article
When it comes to expensive and essential business investments, your van is probably one of, if not your most important work tool, and if something happened to it there's a good chance that you'd end up cancelling any upcoming jobs until you could find a temporary replacement.
Unfortunately, van and tool theft appears to have been on the rise in recent years. According to a study by Volkswagon Commercial Vehicles published in September 2023, tool theft from vans has increased by over 33% since 2020. It also found that a third of van drivers had tools stolen in the previous 12 months - with the average value of the tools stolen capping out at a whopping £2,000.
But while this might sound worrying, the good news is that there's plenty you can do to improve van and tool safety, making your van harder to break into and steal and deterring criminals from targeting it.
Read on to learn our top van security ideas and tips for how to keep tools safe at home or on the job.
Our top van safety ideas
From improving your van locks to getting smart about where you park at work, here are our top van safety ideas to reduce the odds of your van being stolen:
1. Beef up your locks
Needless to say, when not in use, you should keep your van locked and its windows closed at all times. Even if you only plan to leave it unattended for a moment, there’s always the chance that a criminal may take that brief opportunity to make off with your work vehicle.
Of course, a locked van is no guarantee of deterring a thief, which is why you should both change the locks on your van after buying it (as experienced criminals may be familiar with the types of locks fitted on popular models), as well as upgrading these locks to more secure models.
For example, you could fit your van with hook-locks, which use a hook bolt instead of a standard deadlock and make doors much harder to prise open. Robust locks that can resist hammer blows and being crowbarred are also good options, as are anti-drill and anti-pick locks that can’t be broken into with a screwdriver.
Alternatively, you could simply add extra locks to all your van doors to boost the security of your van’s existing ones, while also investing in auto-lock systems. Slam-locks lock your van’s doors as soon as you close them, which is particularly useful if you’re unloading or delivering items (just remember to have your keys on you so you don’t get locked out).
Finally, you could fit deadlocks between your van’s door and its adjoining door panel. These put a bolt into a bracket and are locked manually with an external key, making them very hard to open. Any extra visible locks also have the added benefit of acting as a deterrent to potential thieves by presenting a harder mark.
2. Get wise with parking
Besides easy-to-break locks, another major factor that often contributes to van theft is the location in which you leave your van parked. Needless to say, the last place you want to leave your van unattended is in a dark and obscure alley.
Instead, when you’re out and about, try to park your van in a place where it’s clearly visible and well-lit. Look out for areas with CCTV, which can put criminals off, and make use of secure car parks when they’re an option. It can also help to brush up on parking regulations around vans to see what rules there are around parking your vehicle.
Parking with your sliding door or the back doors close to a wall will also make it harder for thieves to remove items if they do break into your van, as is parking somewhere that makes it hard to get underneath your van to steal components like your catalytic converter, which is valuable because of the precious metals inside. We recommend investing in a special lock or having its bolts welded shut to make removal even harder.
3. Invest in dedicated security systems
If your van doesn’t come with an alarm and immobiliser as standard, then it’s certainly worth installing an approved system to further deter thieves. Thatcham Research, which was set up by the motor insurance industry, tests and certifies alarms, immobilisers, and other vehicle security products, all of which are suitable for use with vans.
Alongside this, the Police Preferred Specification is an accreditation scheme for all types of security products as part of the police’s Secured by Design (SBD) initiative, so you can also search for vehicle security products here that have met certain standards on the Secured by Design website.
Naturally, something as simple as a steering or gear lever lock can be a fantastic and affordable investment, acting as a final layer of security should a criminal gain access to your van, and a security box that fits over the pedals will make your van harder to steal quickly.
And should the worst happen, and a thief does make off with your van, then installing a tracker can substantially increase the chances of it being recovered by the police in the future.
4. Be mindful of using keyless fobs
Although they may seem relatively secure, another way criminals steal vehicles is by relaying the signal from keyless fobs to open the doors of your van. And while car manufacturers are introducing measures to make keyless fobs less vulnerable, none of the current solutions are entirely foolproof.
So, if you’re van is reliant on a wireless fob, then make sure you store your keys well away from anywhere that thieves could access, preferably inside a pouch or box that can block external signals.
Or, alternatively, and if possible, simply purchase a van that operates using traditional keys to eliminate the risks posed by this problem entirely.
5. Take precautions when parking at home
Much like when parking for a job, if you normally park your van outside your house or on your driveway when you’re not working, you can look to position an indoor or outdoor smart security camera in view of your van to monitor it against thieves.
Many of these systems come with apps that can alert your phone should someone attempt to gain access, and any footage could help catch the culprits responsible if your van is stolen or broken into. Though if you’re planning to install a security camera or CCTV on your property read the advice on the Information Commissioner’s Office website first.
Alongside this, you should make sure that your van keys are kept well out of view of thieves, preferably somewhere secure and close to your person where they cannot be easily accessed.
Finally, applying signage to your van with your business’s name and branding on it could also make it less attractive to thieves, as it’s far more noticeable and easier to identify than an unmarked model.
6. Invest in van and tool insurance
While not a direct way to prevent van theft from occurring, should your work vehicle be stolen and unable to be recovered, then having the right insurance in place will help to cushion the inevitable financial blow when making an insurance claim.
Just remember that, in the majority of cases, insurance may not cover the entire cost of replacing your van, and you may be required to pay an excess before the terms of the insurance policy can be activated. However, such excesses are typically small and will be substantially cheaper than paying for a new van outright.
How to keep tools safe
Now that we’ve looked at our top van security ideas, let’s briefly touch on how to keep tools safe, both at work and when off the job.
Starting with the latter first, ideally, you should remove your tools from your van when you’re not working. Even though this might seem like additional work, if your tools aren’t in your van to begin with, then they can’t be stolen as easily. As for where to store them, much like your van keys, they should be kept out of sight and well inside your home.
However, if removing your van tools isn’t possible, then again, make sure they’re out of sight by covering them, locking them in hidden hatches (such as a lockable tool vault) or an in-built cupboard, or by tinting the windows of your van to make it harder for would-be thieves to see what’s inside.
Another option is to attach expensive tools to the inside of your van with a security cable, which are designed to be difficult to break. And while small, a sign saying no tools are kept in your van overnight may deter less persistent criminals.
Finally, if all your acts of tools safety are not enough, you can mark your tools with a UV pen or etching kit so they can be traced back to you if they’re stolen.
