Theft from Motor Vehicle

There has been numerous reports of tradespersons having there tools stolen from works vans . In the Shawheath area . Here is some crime reduction advice of   Keeping your tools safe.

Take your tools in at night

If you have a lot of tools (which you probably do) then this is likely to be easier said than done. Nevertheless, if you’re able to take just some of your most precious tools into the home with you at night it will help prevent them getting into the hands of criminals.

Instructing your employees to never keep tools in their van overnight might not stop criminals breaking into the van but it will certainly reduce potential losses.

Fit a safe into your van

Should a thief make their way into your van then having an additional layer of protection, in the form of a safe, could help to prevent them from stealing your tools.

Mark your tools

Applying police-approved forensic marking solution – which becomes visible under UV light – to your tools can help to deter thieves.

Invest in a steering lock

For some thieves, it’s not enough to get away with the tools, they’ll target the van too. Fitting a steering lock whenever you leave your van (day and night) will help to prevent any thieves from getting away with the van.

Fit van lock protection plates

In some cases, thieves will aim to drill their way through the locks of the van and simply fitting protection plates around the locks, which can be relatively inexpensive, around the locks can be enough to prevent someone from gaining access to the van.

Remember to insure your tools

No tradesperson wants to think about their tools being stolen but the statistics show that van tool theft is unfortunately an ever-growing concern for tradespeople. So, making sure that you’re covered will help you get replacement tools so that you can get back to work sooner rather than later.

As well as taking out insurance, it’s important to remember to hold onto receipts when you buy any new tools. That way you have hard proof of the tools that have been stolen.

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