Damage to locks, doors, windows or bodywork can still leave you facing repair costs and disruption to your working day.
If you spot signs that someone has attempted to gain access to your van, there are a few important steps worth taking.
Check Your Van Before Touching Anything
Before opening doors or moving anything around, take a good look at the vehicle. Check for obvious signs of damage around locks, handles, windows, doors and other potential access points.
If you believe the incident has only just happened or there is any possibility the person responsible is still nearby, keep your distance and contact the police rather than confronting them.
Photograph Any Damage
Take clear photographs of your van before arranging repairs. Capture both close-up images of the damage and wider photographs showing where on the vehicle it occurred.
These can provide a useful record when reporting the incident to the police or speaking to your insurer.
Even if the thief failed to get inside, don’t assume there’s no damage. Check that doors lock properly and look for anything that has been bent, forced or tampered with.
Check Whether Anything Is Missing
If it is safe to do so, check the contents of the van carefully.
Don’t just look for larger power tools. Smaller tools, batteries, chargers and other equipment can be easier to overlook.
Keeping an up-to-date inventory of the equipment you normally carry can make this considerably easier.
Report the Attempted Break-In
Attempted theft and criminal damage should be reported to the police. For a non-emergency incident in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you can use 101 or the relevant police force’s online reporting service. If a crime is in progress or there is an immediate danger, call 999.
Make a note of any crime reference number you receive, as your insurer may request it.
Look for CCTV or Doorbell Footage
Think about what might have captured the incident.
If your van was parked outside your home, check your own CCTV or video doorbell. Neighbours may also have cameras covering the street.
For incidents in car parks, on construction sites or outside commercial premises, ask whether CCTV is available. Acting quickly can be worthwhile, as footage may not be retained indefinitely.
Contact Your Insurer
If your van has been damaged, contact your insurer and explain what has happened before arranging substantial repairs.
The exact cover available will depend on your policy, so check what is included and whether your insurer requires particular evidence or an approved repairer.
If tools or equipment have been taken, remember that cover for these may be separate from the insurance covering the vehicle itself.
Get the Van Properly Inspected
A damaged lock or door isn’t only a cosmetic problem.
If somebody has attempted to force their way inside, make sure the affected area is properly inspected and repaired. A door that still closes may nevertheless have a weakened lock, damaged mechanism or alignment issue.
For a tradesperson who depends on their van every day, getting it secure and back on the road quickly is important.
Review How and Where the Van Was Targeted
Once the immediate situation has been dealt with, consider what the incident tells you about your van security.
Where was the van parked? Was the area well lit? Was the vehicle clearly signwritten? Were additional locks or alarms fitted? Could someone outside tell whether there were tools inside?
You may decide to improve lighting, change where you park, add physical security, remove tools overnight or use several different security measures together.
There is rarely one solution that protects against every type of van crime, which is why a layered approach can be useful.
Don’t Just Empty Your Van – Show That It’s Empty
Removing tools overnight is one of the simplest ways to reduce what a thief can take. However, there is still a problem.
You know your van is empty. A potential thief doesn’t.
From outside a closed panel van, they may have no way of knowing whether there are thousands of pounds’ worth of tools behind the doors or nothing at all. They could still decide to force their way inside to find out.
This is where Van Eye takes a different approach to conventional van security.
Van Eye allows someone outside to look into the load area, while an internal light helps reveal the contents of the van. If you’ve taken your tools out, they can see for themselves that there’s nothing waiting for them inside.
Rather than simply making your van harder to enter, the aim is to remove the reason for trying in the first place.
Protect Your Van Before There’s Another Attempt
An attempted break-in should be a reminder to review your van security, not something you simply repair and forget about.
Take sensible steps to protect the vehicle, remove valuable equipment when possible and make it clear when there is nothing inside worth stealing.
Already taking your tools home? Let potential thieves see you’ve beaten them to it.
