How Secure Is Your Van from Determined Thieves?

Your vehicle is probably of great importance to you. It carries financial value, business value and perhaps personal value too. In fact, vehicles probably rate second after our homes as the most valuable item we own. Securing this property, then, naturally becomes a priority.

Many vans are already fitted with top-of-the-range security measures. Last year’s British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards, for example, gave awards to vans in five categories: microvan, light van, heavy van, pick-up and 4×4. The winners all showed outstanding safety credentials. Peugeot’s 207 and Renault’s Trafic picked up awards in the Light and Heavy van categories respectively. The Citroen C-Crosser Enterprise won most secure 4x4, while the Mitsubishi L200 gained most secure pick-up.

Citroen overall achieved the award for manufacturer of the most secure vans. Commenting on the win, Managing Director Gary Savage said “Citroën’s unrivalled success at these prestigious awards is a fantastic acknowledgement of our efforts in producing some of the safest and most secure vehicles on the market today."

If you are lucky enough to own one of these models, you certainly already have the advantage of excellent security standards. If not – and, in fact, even if you do – there are still many important ways to ensure the security of your vehicle.

The metropolitan police and other organisations offer some excellent points of advice for commercial vehicle security:

> Alarms are useful in two different ways, both of which are effective in deterring theft. On one level, they are designed to attract attention using loud noises and flashing lights. Secondly, immobilisation safeguards should be activated to prevent the vehicle being driven away. Getting your alarm checked or upgraded is critical.

> When parking your vehicle, try to keep it in a secure area. The area should be well lit. Where possible, overnight secure parking facilities are an excellent option.

> To further prevent access, extra mechanical locks fitted to doors and access points can greatly increase security. Locks can be fitted which automatically clamp fast when the driver slams the door shut. If these are not already features of your vehicle they can be added later.

> Another possible security addition is further alarms. Retrofitted alarms can range from inertia sensors which detect vibration to glass detectors which respond to the sound of breaking glass. As well as making entry even more difficult for determined thief, these measures can provide extra deterrents from attempting theft in the first place.

> Marking your vehicle clearly in multiple areas is also highly recommended. Etching identification numbers into any trailer chassis, and ensuring that spare components like wheels and batteries are marked with permanent marker or paint can provide helpful information for police.

> One of the strongest appeals of commercial vehicles to criminals is contents. Depending on your individual use, the contents of your vehicle may well be of high value. Take care not to publicise any valuable contents. Items should be covered up when the van is being left, and you should not talk about your load or your route unnecessarily.

Securing your vehicle is a case of both making entry as difficult as possible, and also discouraging it in the first place. Of course, it is always advisable to have excellent vehicle insurance cover should the worst happen, but do also make sure that you are conscious of the security basics.