Ford Transit Van Owners at Risk

Owners of Ford Transits should be vigilant as police investigate ten reports of theft in only five days.

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Police in Nottingham are investigating these thefts, in which power tools were stolen specifically from Transit vans. Police suspect they have a device which overrides the central locking system.

Contents

Advice is being given to remove any tools or equipment when the vehicle is unattended and when it is parked up at night. Always park your vehicle in a well-lit area, or park on your drive or in a garage if you have one. The thieves are not after the vehicle, just the contents. Use stickers to highlight the fact that valuables have been removed and that the vehicle has an alarm system.

Extra Locks

For greater security add extra locks, deadlocks or slamlocks, as well as window grilles, steering wheel locks and hand-brake locks – all will deter or slow down any thief. There are good selections of locks for a van from places such as http://www.vehicle-accessories.net/Deadlocks-Van-Locks, which are relatively cheap and will give you greater peace of mind. Check your alarm system and immobiliser. If it’s only a basic system, advanced electronic upgrades are available.

Parking

Be careful where you park your vehicle. Always lock the doors and windows even when you’re popping in and out of a job for tools and equipment. Thieves are aware that vans generally carry valuable equipment and will grasp any opportunity they get to grab and go. Secure storage systems are ideal for keeping your tools safely locked away, especially if they are too heavy to remove every time you leave the van unattended.

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Dash Cam

Another useful deterrent is a dash cam mounted out of sight. Fitted with parking mode and a motion sensor, this will pick up people moving nearby, and can detect thieves removing objects from your van. This will assist the police in identifying and arresting them.

Insurance

Your van is your mobile workplace, having it violated by thieves can impact on your business. Many valuable working hours can be lost whilst replacing tools and equipment, and having locks repaired and replaced. When insuring your vehicle, make sure you are including the total value of its contents. It is worth paying a little more on a good insurance policy and will make life that bit easier if your van is targeted.