Despite the fact that vehicle crime figures have actually declined in the UK, there are still many business owners who still see their vehicles targeted by the thieves.
Trevor Hodgson-Philips, Head of Service and Parts at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles offers some advice so van owners can better protect their vehicles.
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- Parking Its important you consider where you’re parking. Its recommended you park somewhere that's in a well-lit area or in a car park with CCTV. Hopefully this should reduce the possibility of unwanted attention. If this isn't an option, parking defensively could also help. (Parking so that the doors are blocked). Basically making it as hard as possible for the thrives!
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- Stop Prying Eyes There are many options available to further increase the security of vehicles. However, make sure that you use a reliable, recognised company when fitting a security system so warranties are maintained. Don't forget to protect your vehicle from prying eyes. This can be done by fitting window guards or a full internal bulkhead. You could also add a security film to the glass to prevent thieves from smashing a window.
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- Additional Locks and Storage Consider fitting additional lock systems to rear doors or sliding door. This’ll make it more difficult for thieves to force open the doors. These devices are fitted to the door skin and owners use a key to undo the mechanism. Another option could be to fit secure storage boxes or lockable internal racking and tool chests storage to protect expensive tools and equipment. Roof mounted systems can also do the same by having lockable fixing added. Lastly, consider using a tracked vehicle. If stolen, the police can then track the vehicle, increasing the chance of recovery and hopefully catching the thief red-handed!
- Anti-Siphoning Finally, as you’re probably aware the cost of diesel is rising, making fuel thieves a big problem. A possible solution could be fitting an anti-siphoning device. However, the theft of catalytic converters is more common as their rare material still makes them valuable. Consider using welded-bolts or a protective screen to prevent these types of offences.
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