Another van broken into.

[sparkdog]

Yup, got to add my name to the list, Transit Connect opened with a key overnight in a quiet country villiage.Toolbag, drills MFT and a lot of other stuff gone. It was insured so hopefully get some new kit. I'll leave my van locked up in a garage now and take my car home.Police absolutely no help at all.

 

[Lou]

Aw no that's awful! Did the Police say anything helpful? Fingers crossed the insurance does not take too long.

 

[sparkdog]

Nope, the Police said they couldn't help as no CCTV or witness.

 

[littlespark]

Nope, the Police said they couldn't help as no CCTV or witness.

Good old fashioned fingerprints?

Look for your stuff for sale on facebook or ebay?

 

[Lou]

Yeah I agree, Gumtree too, you might find something on there. Did they have some kind of special key?

 

[stuarth]

You don't need a key to open fords.

 

[MJPD29]

Scum and police are useless as always no interest in helping

 

[Lou]

Aw well I hope it's sorted out soon for you. Thieving so and so's

 

[westward10]

Load of bad luck mate.

 

[James]

Sorry to hear about your theft.

please don't take this as bad news but more friendly advice.

I have known other tradespeople who have had this happen.
unfortunately, quite a few have been hit again about 2 to 4 weeks later.

The F**** W***** T***** (insert your own colourful words)
know that you will have to replace all the old tools and equipment, quite probably with new stuff that will have a better value on flea bay etc.

Do what ever you think is necessary to prevent a repeat event.
have you considered a security light and/or camera?

there are a few on the forum that will be able to install them for you

 

[tony clark]

c***s absolutely hate these scum bags and should be set on fire,
then i would only ---- on them if i could ---- petrol,
hope all goes well for you mate

 

[JK-Electrical]

Nope, the Police said they couldn't help as no CCTV or witness.

Translation: we're too busy with more important police business like arresting people for posting politically-incorrect comments on Facebook and Twitter.

Sorry to hear about your van being robbed.

 

[Midwest]

Whilst it can be infuriating that police do seem to take little action about such thefts, they are not miracle workers, if there are no witnesses, cctv etc, what else do you expect?

Fingerprint recovery, is a bit of a long shot, requiring good surfaces and none exposure to the elements.

And ‘we’ are to blame for propagating crime, by buying too cheap to believe products. It’s too cheap to be believed, cos it’s been nicked. Car thieves wouldn’t survive, if their wasn’t a ready market for their spools, let’s not forget that.

It may of escaped your notice, but one of my local ‘useless’ police officers, lost his life trying to apprehend these scumbags. Let’s not forget that either.

 

[Simon47]

A late friend was a self employed chippy by trade. His van needed more than just "a ford key" to get into it. Back door secured with one of those security hasps using a padlock that's recessed to make it hard to get to with cutting gear. Side door secured with a lump of chain inside popped through a hole in the internal timber bulkhead so it could be secured above the passenger seat with a good padlock.
OK, easily defeated if you can get into the front and have bolt cutters with you - but that's another level of bother and risk for the b'stards (carrying around bolt cutters isn't something you can easily explain away).
And perhaps consider a strongbox of some sort inside the van to add another level of protection. For the latter, a VERY loud siren so that if someone is tampering with it, they'll find it very uncomfortable trying to work inside a tin box with a loud siren going off

 

[DT1991]

They'll just nick the van.

Best bet it to whittle your tools down into something that can be wheeled into your house.

I've always thought why do we sign write our vans electrical services we should just advertise paint and decorating on the side noone every broke into a decorators van to nick a old paint brush and dust sheets!

I do take all my tools out every night a pain I know but it's the only way!

 

[SparkySy]

I like that idea, I've never had a sign written van, not needed to but if I did it would say biohazard or a big radioactive waste sticker on it or best of all mortuary! No even stupid person would try and get in any of those

 

[James]

They'll just nick the van.

Best bet it to whittle your tools down into something that can be wheeled into your house.

I've always thought why do we sign write our vans electrical services we should just advertise paint and decorating on the side noone every broke into a decorators van to nick a old paint brush and dust sheets!

I do take all my tools out every night a pain I know but it's the only way!

You have given me an idea.
I personaly don't have a signwritten van but how about the following?

get the van signed up as Blah Blah Electrical services etc.
then get some magnetic signs made up to cover the words electrical services.

maybe it then reads Blah Blah waste disposal, or gutter cleaning.
will probably stop the opportunists from even looking.

edit,
P.s. well done sparkysy for beating me to the post button.
we must have been typing at the same time!

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

Sorry to hear that man, maybe time to invest in a van vault?

 

[DPG]

Translation: we're too busy with more important police business like arresting people for posting politically-incorrect comments on Facebook and Twitter.

The police don't want to be dealing with crap like that either, but today's society is easily offended and there are plenty of lawyers who are all over it unfortunately.

If you're not sure what sort of stuff the police do and the people they come face to face with then I suggest you do a few weeks as a special and then report back. You will not be sat looking at Facebook and twitter crime belive me. Despite what some people reckon on Facebook etc.

Rant over and no offence intended.

 

[littlespark]

Recent news story and commented on the forum somewhere about an anti theft device on a van which electrified the door handles.
Something to think about.

Interesting point mentioned earlier about vans getting targeted twice to get the replacement tools which would be brand new.