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Van security tips

When it comes to hiring a van, we know you’ll likely be moving large amounts of items that you care about, or stock for your business that you don’t want to go missing. That’s why we’re sharing these top tips for increasing van security and keeping your cargo safe.

Lock your van

It might sound obvious, but lots of people fail to lock (or even close!) van doors when they leave the vehicle. Even if you’re dropping off a quick delivery, or popping back into the building to get something, make sure you shut and lock the van doors.

Record what you’re carrying

How will you know if anything has been taken or disturbed if you don’t know what’s in your van? Keep an up-to-date inventory of the items you load in to help keep track!

Don’t leave valuables

Again, some more common sense advice that people often fail to use. If you leave valuables in the cab or back of the van, you’re increasing your chance of a break in. Don’t leave valuable items in the van over-night unless it’s in a secure parking bay, and never leave things visible in the cab when the van is unattended.

Check out our tips for packing a van here.

dark street with parked vehicles

Take a look at our guidance for loading a van safely and securely

Park sensibly

Where you park makes a big difference to your van security. Park in well lit, busy areas so thieves will be less likely to have a nosey around. Look for areas that are covered by CCTV too, as it’ll deter any potential crimes.

If you’re leaving the van for a while, you can find a parking spot and back right up to the wall. That way, even if a thief wanted to, they wouldn’t be able to get the door open! Most vehicle thefts are opportunistic, so if you make it difficult for them, a thief will just pass your van by.

Read our parking tips

Buy a tool store

You can purchase secure tool stores that slot easily into the backs of vans. We know it’s impractical to unload any tools you’re using each day, but having a lockable, secure fastening tool store in your van makes it much harder for things to go missing…

Mark your property

With a UV pen or a distinctive stamp, you can mark your property. That makes it much more likely that you can get your items back if they’ve been recovered by the police. You’ll also be able to identify them easily if you see they’re being sold online!

Keep track of your keys

Another really simple one… make sure you have your van keys on you or know where they are at all times. Leaving your keys around makes an opportunist theft very easy.

We hope we’ve given you some useful tips for increasing your van security. Of course, you can make sure to get full insurance cover for your items too, but these practical steps will help deter thefts.

Take a look at our hire vans