Van Safes...

[neds]

You keep hearing about how tradesmen are big targets for thieves but just wondering what you guys do to keep your expensive tools safe. It seems odd that I don't see many use dedicated van safes to store their tools while on the job? Obviously overnight most will empty the van but on the road its not practical to empty out every time your on a job.

Is it just due to the space requirements for them? To me I would be daft not to lock up my gear and rely solely on the pitiful locking functions of the van.

I think with the safe and the short time needed for thieves to steal this would be an ideal deterrent as it would take much more longer to actually get at the tools. And they are pretty reasonably priced too.

 

[breezer]

why? take the whole van easier and open at your leasure

 

[neds]

Yeah but most thieves are opportunists, they see an easy target and they will pinch it, If they are after the van then fair enough there is little you can do but would be a good deterrent for those opportunists who see easy pickings and don't want the hassle of robbing the whole van.

 

[Thermo]

im probably going to regret saying this as i know what will happen now!

As previously said, most theft from vehicles is done on an oppurtunist basis (based on my time in my old job on a vehicle crime unit!) Any deterant will normally move them on to the next van. Very few go out equipped to deal with modern vehicle security as it is a lot better than it used to be. There is also not such a market for it as there used to be. very similar with car stereos etc.

I leave my normal kit in my van. there are some power tools in there, but i figure the time it takes me to keep emptying it everyday, is not worth the time it takes. The bigger expensive stuff does come out and goes under lock and key at my yard, or garage at home.

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

why? take the whole van easier and open at your leasure

Why not just post a sign

"This area protected by Mr. Smith and Wesson"

 

[Thermo]

because its meaningless over here

 

[breezer]

not to mention ilegal and b*llsh*t

 

[hairyben]

why? take the whole van easier and open at your leasure

Why not just post a sign

"This area protected by Mr. Smith and Wesson"

Unfortunately, the UK doesn't have the same rights to defend oneself, ones family and ones property as you enjoy in the US. More's the pity, especially as all the police do these days is hand out fines for menial offences to meet their targets.

Instead of a safe, I've got 7 pin garrison deadlocks fitted to all the doors on my van- evan if you wanted to steal the whole thing you'd have to climb in through a broken cab window.

 

[JohnD]

if your van is parked, unattended and unwatched, within easy reach, what use will the gun be?

 

[experience]

I've got a large van vault, drilled it to the chassis on my van so its going no where! I feel much more relaxed leaving my tools in it overnight now

 

[chappers]

ditto i have two van vaults bolted down for power tools, limpit locks on both the side and back doors as well as the standard locks, plus imobiliser and alarm. IMHO my van is the safest place for my tools.

 

[John506]

I'm definately looking to invest in one of these in the future, a guy I used to work for had a big steel cabinet drilled and riveted to his van, he neve did get round to getting a padlock for it though

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

You can get insurance for tools in your van.

Goods in Transit and Tools Cover
Provides you with £2,000 worth of goods in transit and /or tools theft in the vehicle 24 hours a day. There is no requirement to garage the vehicle. Cover can be extended to cover tools on site. There is a £100 standard excess on each policy.
Standard policy is £114.25 for 12 months

Policy extended to include tools on site is £193.00 for 12 months.

From Commercial Vehicles Direct.

 

[lagunaglen]

I had a van vault and left all power tools in there,would have been noisy and time consuming to get into it.
Needed it especially as i had a transit van.
If you have one ,they can be opened simply by slicing wires on back doors,i was lucky as they didnt cut through them all on mine and i just blew a fuse in cab.
Ford know about this and you can buy an add on that protects the wires but they dont fit them as standard !!!!!

 

[hairyben]

I drive a SWB vito which at just over 15' is about the length of a standard car, mostly cos of parking in and around london. the XLWB at 16" longer would be usefull but wouldn't fit in a parking bay, or most recently-vacated street parking spaces.

The problem with van safes is the amount of space they kill- this van is loaded to the roof with good racking and loads of kit, a tool safe needs to be a vertical cabinet really, but no-one makes such an item. In my last van I did mount the safe on it's end which was a semi-solution, but this time I've got the van deadlocked, hopefullly thats enough. I gather you need pro cutting equipment to get past the deadlocks, so that rules out the oppertunists and crackheads, which is all you can really do.