Tool theft from vans is rife in the UK with one in five drivers having had equipment stolen from their vans last year, according to research from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which found the average value of the stolen goods exceeded £1,700.

Add to this the finding that 41% of tradespeople leave tools in their vans overnight, possibly because they have nowhere more secure to store them, and it becomes obvious operators should protect the load areas of their vans with devices such as alarms, locks and trackers, which may also lead insurers to look more favourably upon them if the worst does happen.

Tool theft also leads to increased downtime for businesses with 57% of respondents to the VW survey saying they were unable to work while their vans were re-stocked and repaired.

John Ricardo-Neto, head of product planning at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, says: “The cost of theft is more than just the price of the tools stolen – it’s the downtime while van drivers replace the stolen equipment, the higher insurance premiums and lost revenues, so it’s imperative that UK tradespeople be vigilant to tool theft.”

Where a business is located can affect its vans’ chances of being stolen or broken into. A Freedom of Information request submitted by Trade Fix Direct to police constabularies across the UK found West Yorkshire, followed by Nottinghamshire and Merseyside were the areas where vans are most likely to be stolen whereas Hertfordshire, followed by Gloucestershire and North Wales reported the least number of van thefts.

Merseyside followed by West Yorkshire and Northamptonshire were the areas where the contents of vans were most vulnerable to theft while tools and equipment were most likely to remain safe in Gloucestershire, North Wales and Hertfordshire.

Not all of the UK’s constabularies, notably the Metropolitan Police Service that operates in London, responded to Trade Fix Direct’s request.

The cost of insurance

The average quoted price of van insurance rose by 24.7% in the year to June, according to the latest Consumer Intelligence Van Insurance Price Index.

Prices only increased 2.7% in the three months to June, however, the lowest increase for five consecutive quarters, following the previous quarterly increase of 3.3%. Consumer Intelligence said the quoted premium for a new van insurance policy in June most commonly fell between £750 and £999, with 16.4% of quotes within that price band. It added just 28.5% of under-25s were able to obtain quotes for less than £1,500, compared with 89.3% of those aged between 25 and 49, and 97.5% of the over-50s.

“Van drivers of all ages have seen new business quotes rise over the last year, but inflation was less extreme for younger drivers. However, premiums for the younger end of the market remain considerably higher,” says Laura Vas, senior insight analyst at Consumer Intelligence.

The firm said that in the last decade insurance premiums for the under-25s have risen by 96.8%, compared with increases of 235.9% for those aged 25 to 49, and 223.7% for the over-50s.

Fleet management company FleetCheck has teamed up with insurance broker 1st Choice to help fleets access lower insurance costs through demonstrating they represent a better risk. 

The two companies are working together to identify fleets that are managing risk well, which FleetCheck says it can assess with its software.

Callum Watkins, managing director at 1st Choice, explains: “The insurers with which we work are looking for fleets that represent a lower than usual risk. They want to build a client base of businesses that are controlling their risk successfully through a defined and effective strategy.”

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, adds: “Most fleets have seen an increasing cost of claim, based on factors that are largely out of their control such as general inflation and rising cost of vehicle repairs, but much can be done to mitigate premium increases through advice on how insurers perceive risk.

 “Effective strategies for reducing insurance costs can range from enhanced safety measures and changes in your fleet composition through to improved driver retention rates and enforced driving standards, all of which can be achieved with the help of our software.”

New security solutions

LCV security specialist Locks 4 Vans (L4V) says the cost-of-living crisis has led to a surge of opportunistic thefts from supermarket delivery vans. To combat this trend it has introduced an Electronic Slamlock, which it describes as a “game changer” for the delivery and logistics sector.

The device integrates with the van’s central locking system to apply slamlocking, which is controlled through its own wireless remote. Where the L4V alarm is fitted, the system can be programmed to give access to the load area while disabling the alarm.
Then when the load area door is slammed shut the door will lock and rearm the alarm automatically.

Sam Woollard, L4V marketing manager, says: “Grocery delivery vehicles come in various shapes and sizes, with access typically through roller shutters and refrigerated doors. The L4V Innovation Team has been working with supermarket fleet operators to create bespoke solutions that help prevent theft from their vehicles while maintaining easy access to the cargo.” 

Laura Moran, managing director of security firm TVL, estimates 60% of LCV operators add additional security to their vehicles either as a factory option or in
the aftermarket. She says the favoured attack route on vans is through the side door,  “so it’s no surprise that our biggest selling product is the Protektaplate, which defends the door latch mechanism”. 

It already has an anti-drill manganese internal shield but Moran says criminals are adopting a new technique of attacking the lock and exposing the cylinder.

“To address this we have designed and patented an anti-snap bracket that protects the cylinder and holds it in place so that it can continue to do it’s job and keep the van door secure,” she says. The device was launched in September 2024.

To compensate for the weight of the batteries, electric vans are built from lighter materials than ICE equivalents, potentially making them easier to breach. TVL uses anti-cut matting to thwart attacks on EVs.

“The anti-cut matting is similar to that used in cash-in-transit vehicles and bulletproof vests, it can be placed behind panels and to block access to door mechanisms and it will tie thieves up in knots if they try and cut their way into the van,” explains Moran.

TVL’s best-selling products to prevent the theft of vans themselves are the OBD Port Protector, which blocks the on-board diagnostics port to stop thieves from accessing the vehicle’s electronic system to compromise the immobiliser, and the satisfyingly simple Pedalbox that protects the foot pedals to stop the vehicle being driven. Painted bright yellow, it is designed to deter thieves from breaking into the van in the first place.

Pick-up protection

Pick-up trucks, which are frequently fitted with load cover canopies in the aftermarket after they leave the factory, present a different challenge to security-equipment suppliers than vans.

TVL’s Moran says: “As many pick-up trucks have fibreglass canopies this doesn’t present a suitable environment for the fitment of locks so we offer internal cages with locks constructed from high-grade steel to protect the contents if the vehicle
is accessed.”

Meanwhile, L4V has expanded its range of alarms to cover both the cabs and hard-top canopies of pick-up trucks. The firm says impact and movement sensors can be programmed to trigger the alarm through slight movements when the driver is away from the vehicle.

Double lockdown

Mul-T-Lock has introduced new security systems for commercial vehicles. The new MVP1000 is an entry-level locking system suited for almost any type of van door, both rear and sliding. It features a push-to-lock design, for quick and easy keyless locking, and is designed so it can be installed without expert help.

MVP1000 is available as an individual item, or as a pair keyed alike on Mul-T-Lock’s patented MTL300 key system.

It joins the MVP2000, an all-in-one, non-corrosive lock-body solution, which can be used in conjunction with default vehicle locks or as a retrofit to an existing vehicle. It has no hanging parts and has a dedicated mounting bracket to protect paintwork beneath the lock.

Bradleys Master Locksmiths has installed the Mul-T-Lock MVP1000 van security package thanks to its robust security features and reputation as a powerful visual and physical deterrent against potential thieves.

Bradleys Master Locksmiths owner Rob Bradley says: “The MVP1000 provides us with the peace of mind that our valuable assets are protected.”

An advanced model MVP3000 is set to join the range later this year.