Vehicles overnight - What action do you take against thieves??

[Sparky Ninja]

Just had a flick around the 'inside the back of my van forum', and observed that many seem to fill the van up and leave it that way. So I was wondering what the common approach to leaving your vehicles overnight is?

I'm consulting and teaching most of the time these days, however I had my gear taken a couple of months ago when I was working for a firm. I plan on getting my own van soon for some odd work here and there to keep our part P capabilities afloat.

 

[mogga]

i was lookin at tool insurance n some of the terms were "locked in vehicle in secure box with vehicle locked inside secure building" ffs easier takin tools into the house n not much use if your working away n parked in premierInn carpark is it??

 

[nickblake]

195db claxton operated by a pir and remote on off switch, that will stop the buggers in there tracks , prob with that is if your not awake in the morning you soon will be if you forget to switch it off

 

[malcolmsanford]

I have to admit I always had a good dead lock fitted on back and side doors, it cost a bit but worth it really. If I was working away and staying overnight I would try and reverse park up against a wall in a car park, but you have to get in before the plumbers to do that.

Failing that I did once make about 3 trips to the van back to my room at one place that was decidely dodgy,though not sure how impressed the premier Inn guys was seeing all these tools and test equipment going onto his nice carpets.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Early indications show maybe I shouldn't be looking for a van, and should be looking for a house with a driveway instead..

 

[ezzzekiel]

always remove main tools at night bit of a mess on though

 

[Guest123]

TBH it's not at all an issue round my way......been known to leave keys in it before now!!!

I have got a very big, very loud dog called George that barks at anyone/thing coming down our track after we've gone to bed though as no-one has a reason to, other than being up to no good!!!

 

[Phil]

i also have had the "looks" from the staff at the premier when 3 of us were working away, they were mighty impressed with 3 of us trampling tools in there every night i have had the car robbd befoe at college . didn`t leave a thing on show not even an empty cig packet. the scum took a pair of my glasses? a gun cleaning kit that was in the boot, a pair of my perscrip sun glasses and other junk that was no good to them. oh then they left every door open when it was chucking it down. £300+ worth of nothing that was any use to them but a load of grief to me. oh and that dam glass goes everywhere was picking it up for months

 

[Marvo]

We don't get crime in South Africa so I don't have a problem.......honest, ask Ross Kemp...

Seriously I use an MPV car for work and the testers stay in the vehical at night in my driveway. I'm probably tempting fate by saying this but I haven't had a car broken in in over 15 years.

 

[rocker]

I use little motors at the moment. Used to keep tools (excluding MFT) in the car in the garage. Got done a few months ago and lost a hell of a lot of stuff.

Garage now has proper locks and alarm, barb wire at bottom of garden and I'm putting night vision cams in, recorder activated by PIR. NO tools are left in the vehicle or garage any more, still got cable etc in garage, now I keep all tools in the house every night. When we move may consider heating the garage and putting dog in there every night. I REALLY don't want to get stung again, and if someone does decide to nick a reel of t+e and 20 quids worth of useless plastic conduit, I want them to be caught and injured. Anyone who has any good ideas for other things I can do, feel free to advise me!