Stolen tools

[marktownsend85]

hi ya

had my van done over at the weekend. all my drills and hand tools and testers stolen. if anyone gets offered anything, please call the police asap as they did 4 vans in the car park that day. Was in Abridge, Essex

gear stolen was;

2 x dewalt 18v twin set's
1 x dewalt 36v hammer
megger mft1553
2 sets of hand tools, both in c.k magma bags, both pretty new, one with irizola screwdrivers and all the other tools youd expect from a couple sparks tools

all the drills and batteries had 'mt' or 'hc' carved in to them.

please contact me on 07877847883 if you hear of anything

many thanks,

mark townsend

 

[Garythenab]

Im sorry to hear this
A man who steals another mans tools effectivly puts them out of work. They are the lowest of the low.
Shame we cant do what Arab countries do and chop the b******s hands off

 

[Outspoken]

Mark, sorry to hear that chap, had it happen many years ago when i used an Escort Van, the buggers just pulled the rear doors off and cleaned me out..

In that part of the world I would consider checking the Boot sale that takes place on Sundays on the junction of the A13/A130 and Canvey Way in the big field on the left (as you approach the Roundabout from Leigh on Sea) There used to be lots of people, especially pikey's, selling second hand tools there and I'll bet most were stolen.

 

[marktownsend85]

thanks for the support. i was in a vivaro. another sparks was in a vivaro that got done and a mate of mine in a new berlingo got done at well. there was 4 transits next to us and they didnt touch them at all. saw the whole thing afterwards on cctv. got a vehicle reg and police are pursuing but to what extent i dont know!

 

[sima24]

Sorry to hear that, absolute scumbags. Maybe worth a try checking ebay

 

[sima24]

How did they manage to get in? I use to have a vivaro and they have the deadlocks on the rear doors dont they? Had my vivaro done once but they only managed to get into the front.

 

[Plonker 3]

Someone recently had a go at my Vivaro, back doors were double locked so couldn't get in but they have completely knackered the back door and it is now unusable.

I do feel,for you OP there are no words to describe them lowlife that do this sort of thing.

 

[stranded]

Damn, people are pathetic nowadays... Sorry to hear that... Its pathetic you cant leave anything even in a locked van, or leave your bag down at a break without something getting picked out of it. As others say, check auction sites and similar, ebay,gumtree etc. That bootsale might be worth a look! Best of luck to ya.

 

[pennywise]

There is a weak spot on the Vivaros/traffic/nissian thing, pop the surround off the door handles and you can get to the door locking mechanism ( like most vans unfortunately), my mate had his done 6 months ago and got some new door slam locks fitted they look factory finished and quite swish, they have a large plate on the inside to prevent a bashing screwdriver being punch through and levering of the outside plate. Sorry to hear about your loss.

Vauxhall Vivaro Slam Handle Kit - 2 Door Pack- Vauxhall- Slam Handle Kits- Garrison Locks

 

[1st Electro]

Hi mate,

Totally gutted for you, like some of the guys on here who have been a victim of theft, it is totally and painfully heartbreaking. When I got done over they also took everything and I thought the area I liv in was free of this sort of thing. It takes you years to accumulate all the tools, testers and bit and pieces that are needed to do your job and for some low life degenerate to think he has the right to take them is disguising.
On a brighter note for those of you who are pleased with redemption. A group of different trades eventually traced down the guys responsible for the thefts in my area, perhaps in excess of 20 vans.
Lets just say we haven't had any bother since.

 

[Brightspark2]

So how did they get in?...was it as below?...

There is a weak spot on the Vivaros/traffic/nissian thing, pop the surround off the door handles and you can get to the door locking mechanism ( like most vans unfortunately), my mate had his done 6 months ago and got some new door slam locks fitted they look factory finished and quite swish, they have a large plate on the inside to prevent a bashing screwdriver being punch through and levering of the outside plate. Sorry to hear about your loss.

Vauxhall Vivaro Slam Handle Kit - 2 Door Pack- Vauxhall- Slam Handle Kits- Garrison Locks

They look the business!!...

 

[trev]

I know Clarkson made a joke about the strikers but I really would have tool thieves executed in front of their families

 

[eds54]

Unlucky mate. The people who do this truely are the scum of the earth they are stopping you earning a living and feeding your family. I think they should be branded THIEF across their forehead so eveybody knows what they are. I also think the *******s who buy the tools giving them a market are as low as the thieves themselves.
I had the back doors of my kubistar done twice within 2 monthes both times they busted the surround of the lock 1st time they didnt get in the 2nd time they did and got 2 battery drills and some hand tools (my own fault for not taking them out of the van) so now i have not replaced the lock surround and i clear the van of anything of value and leave it unlocked and you know what i have not had another problem since.
If you buy cheap throw away tools and it happens again you will not be so gutted
Keep your chin up

 

[DJ Ovengloves]

The fact that you left tools in your van was unfortunate, but don't blame the fact they got nicked by some women's hairy play-thing your fault bud!

Unlucky mate. The people who do this truely are the scum of the earth they are stopping you earning a living and feeding your family. I think they should be branded THIEF across their forehead so eveybody knows what they are. I also think the *******s who buy the tools giving them a market are as low as the thieves themselves.
I had the back doors of my kubistar done twice within 2 monthes both times they busted the surround of the lock 1st time they didnt get in the 2nd time they did and got 2 battery drills and some hand tools (my own fault for not taking them out of the van) so now i have not replaced the lock surround and i clear the van of anything of value and leave it unlocked and you know what i have not had another problem since.
If you buy cheap throw away tools and it happens again you will not be so gutted
Keep your chin up

 

[marktownsend85]

just bought those slam handle locks £300 odd but hopefully will make them think twice about trying. they are obviously just looking for easy vans to break into so with those bad boys they might atleast think twice. going to get a van vault as well so even if they make it in they cant get eff all. id almost theyd put a gun to my head and made me open the doors than eff up all the handle and surround as now cant put anything in the back. i used to think 'oh thatll never happen to me' or 'i live in a nice part of town' but it just takes one set of scum bags to ruin what was looking a good year so far. just had to spend over a grand replacing my drills and hand tools. still got to get a tester and have the sign writing repaired where they ripped the handles off.

just a big thank you to everyone on here for your support. anyone with a vivaro/trafic/primestar id definitely recommend getting something extra security wise as they ease they broke in was shocking. or buy a transit as they didnt touch them!

thanks guys!

 

[specs]

Slam locks are the way to go. I got done outside a job a while back, I was only gone 15 mins and the b's popped the lock on my side door (o/s). I had slam locks fitted ,and although they did manage to pop my other locks since then, they never got in. the company that fitted them came to me in a mobile workshop and job was done in about 2 hours and cost about £350. Since then got a new van and had them fitted as extras. A word of warning, do not leave your keys inside back of van and close doors, I did this and had to get cab home to get spare key.:blush5:

 

[GLENNSPARK]

thanks for the support. i was in a vivaro. another sparks was in a vivaro that got done and a mate of mine in a new berlingo got done at well. there was 4 transits next to us and they didnt touch them at all. saw the whole thing afterwards on cctv. got a vehicle reg and police are pursuing but to what extent i dont know!

vehicle they used will have been pinched....or the reg plate wasn`t real....
i know this isn`t much help...but my sympathies go out to you mate....and the best of luck getting it back....
as has already been said: bootsales in the area....as their a sure bet for folk movin stuff on...

 

[Megavolt]

There is a weak spot on the Vivaros/traffic/nissian thing, pop the surround off the door handles and you can get to the door locking mechanism ( like most vans unfortunately), my mate had his done 6 months ago and got some new door slam locks fitted they look factory finished and quite swish, they have a large plate on the inside to prevent a bashing screwdriver being punch through and levering of the outside plate. Sorry to hear about your loss.

Vauxhall Vivaro Slam Handle Kit - 2 Door Pack- Vauxhall- Slam Handle Kits- Garrison Locks

Are these the best way to go. Does anyone rate the armourshell locks

 

[specs]

As a side note, pikey's use transits, they were probably sitting in one waiting for you to park, they need a vehicle to load the stuff into, transits fit the bill.

 

[specs]

Are these the best way to go. Does anyone rate the armourshell locks

not heard of this one, is it a slamlock or a dead lock where you have to use the key to lock ( better idea for me ).

 

[pennywise]

Are these the best way to go. Does anyone rate the armourshell locks

if you mean the surface mounted locks that look like just a square piece of metal, according to the van security guy that fitted my slam locks, surface locks aren't really that good, as you can get quite good purchase on them, a good swing with a sledge and the lock will come away with the metal of the door .

 

[specs]

Has anyone on here, not been done.

 

[Poshspark]

I got done just before Christmas there I was only 10 meters away working on the switch behind the front door, my van is an old shape kangoo same lock as the pre mentioned kubistar I didn't realise how easy it was to break into leaver the plastic handle surround off with a screwdriver then the four thin plastic pins just break allowing you to push the mechanism up £1500 worth of tools gone in 20 seconds.
When I get a new berlingo in a few months I will invest in some after market locks & an alarm.

 

[Megavolt]

if you mean the surface mounted locks that look like just a square piece of metal, according to the van security guy that fitted my slam locks, surface locks aren't really that good, as you can get quite good purchase on them, a good swing with a sledge and the lock will come away with the metal of the door .

ArmourShell Security Products

There the ones British gas use I think

 

[Harryb]

Working in south west london, 7th floor apartment. Put the test kit in the lift and picked up my bag to chuck in there as the door shut and went down to ground floor. School boy error, 1 test kit down.

However hope you get hold of em!!!!!

 

[robbo1]

sorry to hear this mate

 

[ferg]

all I can say is that the cucking funts that nicked your toools will eventually come a cropper.
maybe you should go down the same route as me and have 40KG of rottie in the passenger seat.
She's a sweet little thing but god help anyone who tries to get in to my van or house

 

[Robert Turnbull]

Gutted for you mate, have been done a couple of times. It's sickening.

I take this view now if assuming they can get in again so always park with doors against a wall.

Chain them shut from the inside and keep as much as I can in a safe.

Also make sure I have tool insurance.

Had it the first time it happened, and was a fool not to have it the second

 

[stranded]

Me again , keep an eye on ebay IMO, look through searches like "tools joblot"or "hand tools" as there are some things i wouldnt believe its someone having a "garage clearout''...h

 

[Engineer54]

These sort of people need a life long lesson, one that would insure they wouldn't even ''Think'' about doing it again!!

If the police have it all on video and have the number plate of the van used, surely if the van wasn't itself stolen, they should all be collared by now?? Or perhaps they are undermanned and all available officers are out nicking motorists for anything they can pin on them!! Seems nothing changes much then!! ...lol!!

 

[Former Sponsor TM]

hi ya

had my van done over at the weekend. all my drills and hand tools and testers stolen. if anyone gets offered anything, please call the police asap as they did 4 vans in the car park that day. Was in Abridge, Essex

gear stolen was;

2 x dewalt 18v twin set's
1 x dewalt 36v hammer
megger mft1553
2 sets of hand tools, both in c.k magma bags, both pretty new, one with irizola screwdrivers and all the other tools youd expect from a couple sparks tools

all the drills and batteries had 'mt' or 'hc' carved in to them.

please contact me on 07877847883 if you hear of anything

many thanks,

mark townsend

Hi Mark, I'm sorry to hear the news. We get the odd call from people wanting to 'sell' second hand test equipment.

Do you have the serial number of the Megger MFT1553 in question? If so, I can send a quick email around to the majority of the test equipment suppliers in the UK and ask them to be on the look out.

A Megger MFT1553 in condition will not remain in somebody's possesion for long if it is being sold, so this may be fairly good news if we are to keep an eye out for it.

Best of luck

 

[grantr37]

Unlucky mate. The people who do this truely are the scum of the earth they are stopping you earning a living and feeding your family. I think they should be branded THIEF across their forehead so eveybody knows what they are. I also think the *******s who buy the tools giving them a market are as low as the thieves themselves.
I had the back doors of my kubistar done twice within 2 monthes both times they busted the surround of the lock 1st time they didnt get in the 2nd time they did and got 2 battery drills and some hand tools (my own fault for not taking them out of the van) so now i have not replaced the lock surround and i clear the van of anything of value and leave it unlocked and you know what i have not had another problem since.
If you buy cheap throw away tools and it happens again you will not be so gutted
Keep your chin up

I know somebody that left his van unlocked and empty as it kept getting broken into, they got angry with the van being empty and burned it, he got nothing from his insuarance as there was no lock.....lost the van....he never replaced the lock...

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I know somebody that left his van unlocked and empty as it kept getting broken into, they got angry with the van being empty and burned it, he got nothing from his insuarance as there was no lock.....lost the van....he never replaced the lock...

sounds like the opposite of MR.Bean then.....

 

[Megavolt]

There is a weak spot on the Vivaros/traffic/nissian thing, pop the surround off the door handles and you can get to the door locking mechanism ( like most vans unfortunately), my mate had his done 6 months ago and got some new door slam locks fitted they look factory finished and quite swish, they have a large plate on the inside to prevent a bashing screwdriver being punch through and levering of the outside plate. Sorry to hear about your loss.

Vauxhall Vivaro Slam Handle Kit - 2 Door Pack- Vauxhall- Slam Handle Kits- Garrison Locks

Ordered today thanks for sharing

 

[specs]

Woke up Monday 10th june , got myself sorted and went to my van (5.30 am) started van, drove off thinking van was a little noisy. Got to work and decided to have a gander underneath as noise sounded like a hole in my exhaust. I couldn't believe my eyes, some useless piece of humanity had cut thru my exhaust and nicked my ' cat converter '. Just got it replaced today £1200 and change. Police said there was a lot of it going on, as thieving B's can sell whatever metal is inside for about £100. I have now got to make a trip to a firm that makes guards for 'cats' at a cost of £200, So all in all that theft has cost my firm £1400 + my time + company time + police time. When are manufacturers going to fit guards as standard . and start producing vans with proper security installed as a norm. I feel to annoyed to go into this in detail, cos if i did this post would go on forever. I will add that the firm who is fitting the guard says that a 'cat ' can be removed in about 60secs from a van such as mine or a transit or any vehicle that can be easily accessed from underneath, cars are not so vunerable as they sit closer to the ground . May the worthless scum who did this burn in hell.

 

[Richard Burns]

Woke up Monday 10th june , got myself sorted and went to my van (5.30 am) started van, drove off thinking van was a little noisy. Got to work and decided to have a gander underneath as noise sounded like a hole in my exhaust. I couldn't believe my eyes, some useless piece of humanity had cut thru my exhaust and nicked my ' cat converter '. Just got it replaced today £1200 and change. Police said there was a lot of it going on, as thieving B's can sell whatever metal is inside for about £100. I have now got to make a trip to a firm that makes guards for 'cats' at a cost of £200, So all in all that theft has cost my firm £1400 + my time + company time + police time. When are manufacturers going to fit guards as standard . and start producing vans with proper security installed as a norm. I feel to annoyed to go into this in detail, cos if i did this post would go on forever. I will add that the firm who is fitting the guard says that a 'cat ' can be removed in about 60secs from a van such as mine or a transit or any vehicle that can be easily accessed from underneath, cars are not so vunerable as they sit closer to the ground . May the worthless scum who did this burn in hell.

Sorry to hear that, not nice at all, how people can do this I never understand, but it is, unfortunately, very common.
Just wish there were not other idiots who buy these from the thieves.
Does your insurance cover this? I suspect not since they will weasel out of anything.

 

[specs]

Sorry to hear that, not nice at all, how people can do this I never understand, but it is, unfortunately, very common.
Just wish there were not other idiots who buy these from the thieves.
Does your insurance cover this? I suspect not since they will weasel out of anything.

company phoned insurance broker yesterday to find out, they will get back today, Boss said even if he can claim he needs to know how much it will effect next years premium before he proceeds, it may not be worth it.

 

[sparks55]

Vanarack sell cat guards on their web site it's quite common on vans and camper vans a lot of dealers remove them from vehicles on the forecourt that are for sale then put a sign in window to let toe rags know its not fitted

 

[UNG]

all I can say is that the cucking funts that nicked your toools will eventually come a cropper.
maybe you should go down the same route as me and have 40KG of rottie in the passenger seat.
She's a sweet little thing but god help anyone who tries to get in to my van or house

Unless you have your rottie trained to eat on your command it might not be the deterrent you think it is seen a few dogs killed with a lump of poisoned meat

 

[UNG]

Woke up Monday 10th june , got myself sorted and went to my van (5.30 am) started van, drove off thinking van was a little noisy. Got to work and decided to have a gander underneath as noise sounded like a hole in my exhaust. I couldn't believe my eyes, some useless piece of humanity had cut thru my exhaust and nicked my ' cat converter '. Just got it replaced today £1200 and change. Police said there was a lot of it going on, as thieving B's can sell whatever metal is inside for about £100. I have now got to make a trip to a firm that makes guards for 'cats' at a cost of £200, So all in all that theft has cost my firm £1400 + my time + company time + police time. When are manufacturers going to fit guards as standard . and start producing vans with proper security installed as a norm. I feel to annoyed to go into this in detail, cos if i did this post would go on forever. I will add that the firm who is fitting the guard says that a 'cat ' can be removed in about 60secs from a van such as mine or a transit or any vehicle that can be easily accessed from underneath, cars are not so vunerable as they sit closer to the ground . May the worthless scum who did this burn in hell.

Transits were targeted a lot about 15 - 20 years ago the vans parked up at a telephone exchange one weekend had exhausts and propshafts nicked and a company I do some work for found one of their Transits with the bonnet missing one morning. Having said that it a lot of Transits were nicked with keys the thief would nick the fuel cap and get a key cut and return and nick the vehicle I always made a point of having the fuel cap differently keyed when I was buying vehicles when I heard of that one