News  »  Thefts from Ford Transit vans

Do you own a business where you use a van for your work and keep your tools in your van overnight?  If so, please read this.

The police have issued reports of a number of recent thefts of tools and power tools from vans in South and East Cambs, including 12 since 18th February in South Cambs alone. In most of these thefts there was no sign of forced entry, leading them to believe that some kind of master key was involved. 10 of those thefts were from Ford Transit vans and took place overnight. They suggest that an additional deadlock is fitted to Transit vans to make them secure and to keep the contents safe, and offer the following general advice:

• Locking your vehicle in a garage would be the ideal option but as this is not always possible with vans, other security measures can be adopted to make your vehicle and contents less appealing to thieves.
• Where possible, consider removing valuable items from your van overnight and storing them in a safe place.
• Park in a well-lit area where the natural surveillance is optimum.
• If you must store expensive equipment, ensure it is out of view.
• Fit window blanks – they block the view from the exterior.
• Vehicle storage boxes/cages – these bolt to the floor in the cargo area.
• Older vehicles would benefit from an ignition immobiliser.
• Many factory fitted locks may not offer you the level of security needed to ensure high value items are protected, look at the possibility of having a further locking device installed.
• Install a vehicle alarm.
• GPS Tracker – if your vehicle is stolen this device will help to locate it.
• It is a proven deterrent to mark/register your property. This can be done in a number of ways – bright coloured paint, engraving or anything that identifies the property as being yours – and makes it less attractive to thieves. You can register anything with a serial number on it, for example power tools, on the Immobilise website, www.immobilise.com
• Remove all bags and clothing, satnavs and personal belongings.
• Most thieves operate on a time basis: the longer it would take a thief to gain entry, the better the chance they will not bother attempting and will move on to a less secure vehicle.
• Securing your vehicle with several deterrents will make you less likely to be deemed a soft target.

Please report suspicious behaviour on the non-emergency number 101.