Van broken into... security suggestions??

[Luckyboy]

Hello all,

The day had come for my van to be broken into... in London it's a matter of when.
Luckily I had the more expensive tools and tester with me on the job while the b******s had picked the lock and taken a few empty cases, and some power tools.

My current van is an MK7 transit, super easy to break into and not looking to improve it at all, its got 212k on the clock and surprises me every morning when it starts.

I am due to get a Transit Custom (2022) in a few weeks and want some suggestions on what security features to add - deadlocks, slam plates, ghost immobiliser... what is actually worth it and what will just cause more damage to the van.

I have thought of adding "PRIVATE AMBULANCE" to the side and rear of the van as this may put them off! not sure what the legality of that is though...

 

[Murdoch]

Sign write it as if you are a painter and decorator? Nobody wants pots of paint and dirty dust sheets

 

[poni]

you could try handle shields and a van vault, but that will not stop them getting into your van if they want to, I have seen side doors bent from the top and left like an ice-cream van serving hatch, and also seen the back doors taken off with an angle grinder, all you can do is slow them down, at the end of the day if they want your van, they could just take the whole van

​

 

[Leigh Winspear]

Sorry to hear your ordeal. Are you going to make an insurance claim?
I have been wondering myself about how and if to advertise my business on my van or if to not bother. Disguise and cunning and keeping a low pro, could be the way to avoid unwanted attention.
Just looking for you now in regards to putting private ambulance on yer van, google results are poor but im doing some electrical work tomorrow for a friend who is married to a solicitor so i will ask him to ask her.
What I am definitley going to do is carry my brand new makita tools to and from the jobsite in unnamed/unbranded bags and boxes.

 

[Badger]

Hello all,

The day had come for my van to be broken into... in London it's a matter of when.
Luckily I had the more expensive tools and tester with me on the job while the b******s had picked the lock and taken a few empty cases, and some power tools.

My current van is an MK7 transit, super easy to break into and not looking to improve it at all, its got 212k on the clock and surprises me every morning when it starts.

I am due to get a Transit Custom (2022) in a few weeks and want some suggestions on what security features to add - deadlocks, slam plates, ghost immobiliser... what is actually worth it and what will just cause more damage to the van.

I have thought of adding "PRIVATE AMBULANCE" to the side and rear of the van as this may put them off! not sure what the legality of that is though...

Connect the megger set to a thousand volts across the handle on 2 x contacts so when they grab the handle they get a nice surprise

 

[Leigh Winspear]

Connect the megger set to a thousand volts across the handle on 2 x contacts so when they grab the handle they get a nice surprise

And if you could video the incident, the first time some scum try it on and show it on here, that would also be err, mega.....

 

[Leigh Winspear]

https://www.britannica.com/topic/advertising-fraud
Best I could find as Im interested myself in avoiding me finding someone taking my things and having to dish out the appropriate punishment. I am a family man but there comes a time.

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

The link you posted does not apply here, since that is American law, not UK law.

I can't see it being a problem what you have on a van, so long as it does not say police etc and or have blue lights. Fraud only comes into it if you claim to be something you are not.

Some companies even have "batten berg" markings, no trouble at all.

 

[poni]

why do I keep wanting to put an E in this photo

 

[stuboy]

I saw our local traveling community chaps "on the job" while picking my daughter up from her nursery, there were 5 of them in a registration-less Audi. 4 of them lept out, one lept at the sliding door and it was peeled down, next one dived inside, stuff came flying out to the hands of the others and in less than 60 seconds they were down the road. Funnily enough didn't want to show their faces as i cycled past. Spoke to the chap who owned the van on my way home, it was the third time he'd been done!
Keeping it out of site is a great deterrent, but even then you can get followed home and then they come back in the middle of the night as happened to one of my neighbours who's a plumber. I do like the thought of them getting a very hefty shock when they enter the vehicle and covered in paint too
Happy motoring
Cheers
Stu

 

[Murdoch]

I run a VW T6 combi, extra darkening on the side and rear windows. Private plate is company initials. No sun writing at all

Works for me and lots of people think it’s a camper

 

[MikeJhn]

There was a case in the US where a chap connected his door handles of his car to the mains and electrocuted a security guard, the court case surmised that as he was not the intended victim he was let off with a warning, only in the US.

 

[Leigh Winspear]

I run a VW T6 combi, extra darkening on the side and rear windows. Private plate is company initials. No sun writing at all

Works for me and lots of people think it’s a camper

Did you use a paint on or material to darken the windows? if so which one.

 

[Murdoch]

Did you use a paint on or material to darken the windows? if so which one.

Went to a local specialist.

 

[Leigh Winspear]

Went to a local specialist.

A local specialist wants £240 to do my Citroen Berlingo. Good price?

 

[Murdoch]

A local specialist wants £240 to do my Citroen Berlingo. Good price?

no idea. Mine was done about 5 years ago

 

[Leigh Winspear]

no idea. Mine was done about 5 years ago

Looking into doing it myself but loads of choices of materials as per usual nowadays.....

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Sign written vehicles can be a double edge sword...

One edge gain visibility for potential new customers...
On the flip side, gain visibility for scum-bags who want to dishonestly obtain various bits of kit that you have worked hard to purchase!!

The deciding factor ultimately has to be your perceived risk of when & where your gear is most vulnerable?
e.g. (a) whilst at work? or (b) whilst not at work overnight / weekend?

My gut feeling is it's when not at work that I hear of most vehicle break-ins..

So a half-way house could be magnetic vehicle signage, that you can use whilst working..
Then leave it parked as plain and unmarked overnight.

e.g.
https://www.signrightsigns.co.uk/

 

[Leigh Winspear]

Sign written vehicles can be a double edge sword...

One edge gain visibility for potential new customers...
On the flip side, gain visibility for scum-bags who want to dishonestly obtain various bits of kit that you have worked hard to purchase!!

The deciding factor ultimately has to be your perceived risk of when & where your gear is most vulnerable?
e.g. (a) whilst at work? or (b) whilst not at work overnight / weekend?

My gut feeling is it's when not at work that I hear of most vehicle break-ins..

So a half-way house could be magnetic vehicle signage, that you can use whilst working..
Then leave it parked as plain and unmarked overnight.

e.g.
https://www.signrightsigns.co.uk/

Do they check first to see if you are competant before doing business? If so i better give it a miss apparently.

 

[Luckyboy]

I have a feeling I was followed from a local wholesaler to the job I was working at. My van doesn't have sign writing and is an old banger, probably look at the lock and it'll open for you.

The new van also won't have signwriting and I'm in two minds whether to beef it up with all the deadlocks and armour plates, or if that will just show that there's something inside. Part of me thinks, if there's no extra security then they may not be so tempted.