Your tools are some of your most valuable assets – therefore keeping them secure should be a top priority.
It's important to make the effort to keep your tools safe - it could mean the difference between a good days work and a long and painful process of recovery or replacement.
Here are four tips for preventing your tools from being stolen.
Take them out of your van overnight
Not only are you unlikely to be insured, but your van is not the safest place for your tools at night. Organise them into easily transportable boxes or bags and move them to a secure building or garage at the end of the day.
Make your van less attractive to thieves
Cover windows so that your van's contents can't be seen from the outside, and use lockable storage or van boxes (steel-like safes with anti-drill locks) where possible.
Put it in a garage or secure area whenever possible and add a sticker to your van to say no tools are kept in it overnight.
Make it harder for thieves to get into your vehicle
Always lock your van when you're not in it. Add dead locks that work independently of the standard door locks, or install slam locks that automatically lock when you close the door. Secure ladders with a roof-mounted lock.
Fit an immobiliser and an alarm if they are not fitted as standard.
If thieves do get into your van, an internal battery powered alarm can let off a siren when activated. It can be set remotely if necessary.
Make your tools traceable
Put a security mark on all your tools with a UV pen (available from most stationery shops) and take photos of your most valuable tools to help trace them if they are stolen.
Keep an inventory of your tools too so that you can quickly identify if anything has been taken.
And finally, you should ensure you have adequate cover should your tools and equipment be stolen. Find out more about business van insurance.
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The information and tools contained in this guide are of a general informational nature and should not be relied upon as being suitable for any specific set of circumstances. We have used reasonable endeavours to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the contents but the information and tools do not constitute professional advice and must not be relied upon as such. To the extent permitted by law, we do not accept responsibility for any loss which may arise from reliance on the information or tools in our Insight Hub.