A recently co-ordinated protest by 150 tradespeople in Plymouth has highlighted the increasing problem of theft of tools from vans.
Responding to the action, ECIC, a specialist insurer for the contracting sector is urging contractors to use every tool in the box to defy the thieves and keep their business on track.
ECIC’s Tips to tackle the tool thieves:
- Keep high value items in a locked container that is secured to the floor of the van
- Remove tools from the van overnight
- During the day, park the van next to a wall or fence to help prevent peel and steal and if possible in view of CCTV cameras
- Make it easy to identify your property by permanently marking it or joining a register such as Immobilise or SelectDNA
- Ensure you have tools insurance and choose a reputable or specialist insurer that has experience in contractor and tools cover
- Keep a digital log of what you own, with serial numbers and scans of receipts – this will help speed up a claim and support police investigations
- Calculate the value of all your tools and keep your insurer appraised if this changes to ensure adequate levels of cover in place to cover all equipment
- Be aware of any specific warranties under the policy and ensure you comply with them
- Report thefts to the police immediately and provide the crime reference number to your insurer. Take photos of the crime scene to support your claim
- 82% of light commercial vehicles were stolen without the owner’s keys in 2017 – up by nearly 100% compared to 2016 so fitting a tracking device to the van is also worth considering