Van Conversions

According to new research, tool theft from Vans has soared by 15% in the last three years costing businesses over £46 million. VCL can help protect your vehicle with our Thatcham rated deadlocks. Protect your tools before it is too late. One of the main reasons why so many vehicles are stolen is that a thief, even if inexperienced, can force a standard vehicle door lock in a matter of seconds, often using nothing more than a piece of coat-hanger wire. In response to the growing number of vehicular thefts, manufacturers both of vans and vans accessories have developed a range of devices and techniques to protect your vehicle. A cheap solution to this is to fit a set of high-security locks known as deadlocks. These are fitted in addition to the standard door lock, which means you have two locks to undo instead of one. The deadlock is a mechanically driven lock that provides a high level of security. It is particularly suited to securing a door when t...

Tool theft from vans is on the rise - and London is leading the way in this sort of crime IT’S just one of the most despicable things to happen to any tradesman or tradeswoman. During the night – or sometimes the day – your tools are pinched from inside your van. It’s massively irritating for so many reasons – not least because you can’t do your job that day. And you then have to invest in more tools. And tell the insurance company. And… It’s a right proper pain you could do without. Yet, tool theft from vans is on the rise, up 15% in the last three years. There have been over 67,000 police recorded cases of tools stolen from vans since 2015 with London, followed by Northumbria and West Yorkshire as the most at-risk areas. Humberside police recorded the biggest rise over the three years with incidents up by over 1,000%. The total cost of equipment stolen from vans – which includes power tools and heavy machinery – is more than £46 million over the last three year...

Police forces across the UK have recorded over 64,000 cases of theft from commercial vehicles since April 2015 with a record 23,859 incidents in 2017/18. Tool theft from vans has soared by 15% in the last three years costing businesses over £46 million, according to research by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Police forces across the UK have recorded over 64,000 cases of theft from commercial vehicles since April 2015 with a record 23,859 incidents in 2017/18. Figures obtained by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles - (August 2018. 34 of 47 police forces across UK responded) reveal the total cost of equipment stolen from vans – which includes power tools and heavy machinery – is more than £46 million over the last three years. And according to analysis of police figures, September is when van drivers should be most vigilant with more than 2,000 cases recorded across the UK in September alone last year. The cost of tool theft to businesses is more than just replacement equip...

Thieves are harnessing sophisticated technology to hack into your car’s OBD, meaning they don’t even need a key-fob to start the vehicle and can drive it away in a matter of minutes. In fact, 96% of motorists are at risk of having their vehicle stolen by criminals using the latest theft technique - known as a relay attack.  How does a relay attack work? A relay attack usually involves two people working together. One stands by the targeted vehicle, while the other stands near the house with a device that can pick up a signal from the key fob. What’s more, some devices can pick up a signal from over 100 metres away. The device then relays the key fob’s signal directly to the vehicle, allowing the thieves to get in and drive away immediately. According to the Daily Mail, these hacking devices can be bought for as little as £100 by thieves online. Recovery figures from Tracker found that 82% of Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) were stolen without the owner’s ke...

IS YOUR VEHICLE A SAFETY CONCERN? Van racking and storage is not just about payloads and profit margins. Badly loaded vehicles can be the difference between life and death. There can be a range of items in the back of any van. Simply because tools are in boxes, it doesn’t mean that they are safely stowed. Even the most benign item can become lethal in the event of a crash. With duty of care an ongoing concern, van drivers and fleet managers need to be aware of the dangers. Similarly, employee liability insurance means that a lot of larger operators will only fit racking systems that have proven performance in crash tests. Poorly designed racking systems will not support the typical loads that occur in a crash. In fact, the racking can become projectile itself. While a wood racking system may feel quite sturdy when braking or driving around corners, problems can occur in the event of a crash. Wooden racking disintegrates in an accident and while many people assume the bulkhead...