Tag: van theft

Robberies of Parcels and Delivery Vans on the Rise

Posted on by News Desk

We’re in a sombre mood this week as we report on two stories from the UK involving the theft of vans and several packages. Both drivers suffered shock and will surely take some time to recover from the horrid events.

With these two stories coming to light this week, we are reminded even more of the efforts our delivery drivers put in everyday to do their jobs. Stay vigilant, friends.

Awful News from Oxfordshire

The first story is from Oxfordshire, although the robbery took place early last year. The delivery driver was working for Amazon when he was robbed in broad daylight. The thief managed to nab over 100 packages worth more than £2,500, and also drove off with the Amazon van. 

Robson Tereza, the victim, tried to stop the van from leaving but suffered an injury to his hands and knees in attempting to do so. The thieves claimed that Mr Tereza had left his keys in the ignition, but this was refuted. 

The case has been adjourned until the end of this month, so we really hope Robson Tereza gets his justice. For more information, read here. 

Robbery Hell in Hull

The second robbery is far more recent and happened earlier this month in Hull, but involves a Hermes delivery driver. 

This time, it is clear the keys had been left in the van when it was taken. It is estimated that 20 or more parcels were taken, but thankfully the van was discovered by police the next day.

They are, however, appealing for any information as there are currently no suspects. For more information, see here.

How Can Delivery Drivers Stay Safe?

We are hearing more and more about instances like this happening, especially if keys have been left in the ignition.

So, we’d love to hear from our delivery drivers. What do you do to keep safe? Let us know in the comments below. Perhaps we will have enough good advice to create a post about it.

Until then, we’ll leave you with a gift of cheap van insurance deals. Simply click here, add a few details, and we’ll take care of the rest! 

How Safe is Your Van?

Posted on by News Desk

News this week for van drivers to lose sleep over is a report that theft from vans is costing van drivers a whopping £264 million a year. A study commissioned by van insurance company Honcho, reports that each van break in costs tradespeople a massive £5,584 a time. 

Theft from vans occur in the UK once every 23 minutes. While some insurance companies are on top of this and help out by offering 24-hour replacement services for items stolen, so that van drivers and tradespeople can get back to work, pronto, many don’t and still take their own sweet time sorting out a payout while you watch the work slipping away. It can, on average, put a tradesperson out of work for around an entire month.

If you’re a sparky or a plumber and you see your van being broken into, the average loss from a theft would take two months wages to replace all the lost items. 

Yet still, 89% of you are not fully covered for loss of goods as a result of a thefy, and 84% of you don’t have a courtesy van on your van insurance policy. 

This makes the need for ensuring your in-vehicle security is as good as can be, with lockable storage and additional locks on entryways. 

If you don’t have the added extras you may need if you become another one of those unlucky victims of van theft, it might be worth checking out what a new van insurance policy can do for you. 

Don’t Let Your Tools Go AWOL

Posted on by News Desk

Here at CVI, we are sure you’ve heard ad infinitim about the risk of keeping tools in your vehicle. We know our readers are generally a pretty smart and savvy bunch, and so those of you who do carry tools, are, we are sure, know to display all the warnings, such as one of those stickers saying ‘no tools left in the van overnight.’

And it’s a good job you’re cautious, too While we know that tool theft was a thing (incidentally, catalytic converter theft is also on the up), did you know that tools are actually stolen from the vans of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland a shocking once every 20 minutes?

20 minutes?

That is a ridiculous number of tools to be going AWOL each year. 

According to research, tools went AWOL from vehicles 28.681 times last year. And that is just the thefts that were reported, so we can only imagine what that tally may be when you included the ones that didn’t even get reported. 

That equates to 78 incidents of tool theft every single day of the year. 

Of those thefts that were reported, the majority happened in London, followed by the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside. A whopping 4,400 crimes were reported in Lancashire alone last year.

This just goes to show how important a great van insurance policy is. If you don’t have your tools covered, you can wave goodbye to that job – and that’s something none of us can do with as things stand with the uncertainty of a winter of coronavirus approaching. 

Of course, personal responsibility also plays a part, and ensuring tools are well secured inside the vehicle, that the van is kept locked and well supervised can all help to reduce incidents of told theft from vans.

The good news is that some instance companies are now offering specialist tools insurance for van insurance policies, some even offering full replacement of any stolen tools within 24 hours – so there is no waving goodbye to those jobs you’ve got lined up, after all.

To stop the chances of it happening, here’s our advice:

  • Leave your van where you can see it – on site, if possible
  • Always lock it between trips to load and unload
  • Make sure you have a sticker advising you don’t leave your tools in there overnight and that your van is alarmed – it’s always worth deterring them from trying
  • Make sure you have lockable storage inside your van that is fixed to the vehicle – there are some great storage cages which can prove worth every penny
  • If you have safe overnight storage for your tools – use it!
  • Try and park the van somewhere secure overnight

We can’t guarantee you won’t get your tools nicked, but you can do your bot to try and prevent it from happening. After all, it’s another insurance claim that nobody needs to make….

4 Tips to Protect Your Van

Posted on by News Desk

I arrived back at CVI HQ the following morning and there was still no word from our CNR. No calls, no texts…nothing.

So there he was…out there in Paris, France, getting up to some kind of shenanigans, and here I was…at HQ with no news stories to run.

“When you have no news, it’s time to pull out the tip articles,” I said.

4 Tips to Protect Your Van:

Tip 1 – Start with the basics

Yes van criminals might be crafty these days and they might leave you in awe with moves such as “the peel and steal” – but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the basics.

Make sure all of your van doors and windows are locked every time you leave the vehicle. Remember, these van hoodlums only require a few seconds – in and out – and then they are gone. The perfect crime…but it is YOU that does the time.

Tip 2 – Get the right van insurance

In my opinion, the first line of defence in protecting your van is with insurance. Not just any old insurance either. You only want the best van insurance…and the cheapest.

We are not called “The Nations Favourite” for nothing. Thousands of van owners are choosing us and our 3 minute form, and then arming themselves to the teeth with van insurance.

Tip 3 – Get grilling

What is the soft point of any van? The windows of course. Van gangs rub their gloves with glee when they see a window that is ripe for the picking.

The solution? To grill. No, not grill some cheese on toast…what we are talking about here is grills that fit to the window and offer an additional layer of protection.

Think of the grill as kind of like prison bars…only you want to keep the criminals out, rather than in.

Tip 4 – Don’t park here

Imagine a van scally walking down the street and eyeing up two identical white Ford transit vans. One van is out in the open, like a gazelle minding its own business right before a pack of lions strike. The other van is parked with its rear up against the wall, with no access to the rear unless you move the van.

Which van will the scally go for? I reckon it would be the first one, because he could easily get access into the rear and then do what he wants.

The lesson here: Always secure the rear of your van against a wall, or railings, or another vehicle…especially when you are in areas where van crime is…

Just then the phone rang.

“Hello,” I said.

“It is me,” he said.

“Where have you been?” I demanded to know.

“I am in French jail, I was arrested for not having a lisonce.”

“A license? A license for what?”

“A lisonce for selling balloons.” He said, matter of factly.

“Why on earth were you selling balloons, You are supposed to be there…”

“The Inspector wants to talk with you,” he interrupted.

Van Theft Hotspots – Don’t Park Here

Posted on by News Desk

Van crime is sweeping the nation like a big sweeping brush and no-one is safe. Trades people and delivery drivers. Everybody is a potential victim.

With that being said, there are some places in the UK where you are more likely to have your van nicked or tools “lifted.”

Van criminals are nippy as well. They are “in and out,” so to speak, and don’t mess about. They train for hours on end to perfect moves such as the “peel and steal,” and then, when it comes time to commit the actual act they are flawless.

Make no mistake about it these are not dumb criminals. These are masters of their craft.

So where is the number 1 place in the UK where they are most likely to strike? Romford to be exact, so be careful if you are doing a job there anytime soon.

You might just go to price up a job or make a quick delivery, only to find your van is gone by the time you get back.

Some van owners even make the huge mistake of leaving their keys in the ignition while they go to buy a kit kat, but if you do that in Romford then you will definitely be taking a break…without a van for the next few weeks.

Of course, some van insurance companies will offer you a courtesy van if yours gets stolen so you can keep on trading, although others don’t. Make sure you check your insurance details.

Birmingham was second on the list of van theft hotspots, with Halifax coming in third and Liverpool 4th.

If you live in any of these towns and cities then you can bet your bottom dollar that van insurance will be getting more expensive year after year. It’s a slap in the face, but what can you do?

The only thing I can think of is to compare van insurance right here at The Nations Favourite…CVI.

It doesn’t matter if you live in Romford, Birmingham, Halifax or Liverpool, when you use the power of Cheap Van Insurance then expect to get quotes that will make you wonder if what you are seeing is real.

Yes it is real, many van owners are saving hundreds of pounds off their van insurance, and its all thanks to our 3 minute form. Go to the top of this page and click on “get a quote.” You won’t be disappointed.

Some van owners might not need CVI quite as much though. For example, in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Kirkwall, Dumfries, Inverness and Perth…van crime is almost non existent.

I still wouldn’t leave your key in the ignition though, and I would still compare van insurance if you live in any of these places. Sure, you might already have it cheap, but with the power of CVI you can get it even cheaper.

No License, Van Insurance or Permission = Friends No More

Posted on by News Desk

When your van goes missing you don’t expect the culprit to be…a work colleague. Forget those criminal gangs. Everybody is a suspect.

The potential thief who is going to take your pride and joy could very well be a neighbour, family member, or even someone you are sharing a B&B room with.

That is exactly what happened in Manchester, where two men were doing some work in the area. To save money, only 1 B&B room was booked, although while one of the owner of the van was sleeping the other man…

…Took the keys for the van and decided to go off on an adventure. What kind of adventure? The kind where you have no driving license and no insurance for the van, but, most importantly you have no PERMISSION.

Let’s face it, if a friend just took your keys and drove off into the night with your van without any kind of permission then wouldn’t you be a bit miffed? Of course you would.

To make matters even worse, the man who went off in the van had apparently drunk 6 pints down the local boozer.

So just to sum up…he had no license, no insurance, no permission, and was drunk. Something tells me this story is not going to end well.

And it didn’t. Our boys and girls in Blue did their job for once and pulled over the friendly joyrider.

“It’s my mates van,” he could have said.

“Do you have permission from your mate?” the Police officer might have asked.

“No,” would have been the honest reply.

As we all know, any time the Police pull you over and find that you have no licence or insurance then you can expect to find yourself in trouble. A night down the local nick could be in store and a star appearance at the court is definitely going to happen.

So the man with no permission had his day in court and immediately pleaded guilty from the dock.

This was all the judge needed to hear, and with the trusty hammer firmly in her grasp she slammed it down with such force that everybody in the courtroom jumped a bit.

Jail time was not on the cards in this particular case, but a 12 month community order and 120 hours of unpaid work was.

Not only that, but he was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

I think the moral of the story is…if you are thinking about going for a drive in a van that is not yours, then make sure you get permission.

Also, make sure you have a licence, and check to see if you are insured to drive the van.

Temporary van insurance can be compared right here of course, at CVI, The Nations Favourite.

Once you have permission then go directly to the top of the page and click on “get a quote.”

Tool Theft Again! But…Reunited is the Man With Van

Posted on by News Desk

Cheap Van Insurance enthusiasts will no doubt remember the numerous blog posts where I talk about tool theft. It’s headline news.

Unfortunately, most of the time those sneaky but clever van thieves are in your van, and then, with a crafty plan they are away with your tools…never to be seen again.

This usually means the tradesperson is left in a bit of a situation, because the simple fact of the matter is that most people out there do not include tool theft protection in their van insurance policy.

Maybe you think it’s too expensive? Think again is my advice, because all you have to do is compare van insurance, right here of course, and then you get the really cheap deals. Include some tool theft cover and you really won’t be paying too much.

Despite the fact that van tool theft is typically a crime that usually leaves police officers baffled, some of these incidents do have a good ending.

Take the recent story of Ryan Harman-Taylor who hails from the town of Weston-Super-Mare. He was having a great day due to the fact his second child had just been born, but then he returned home to find his van broken into and the tools vanished.

Yes, it was those cunning yet methodical van criminals I am always talking about, who are waiting to pounce no matter where you are in the country. Sometimes they drive all around the country, armed with an A-Z street book and circling the points of interest.

On this particular day they were in Weston-Super-Mare, and it didn’t take them long to find their target.

So they were in and out like a flash, and then…gone…back to base to offload the loot before hitting the streets again to get more loot.

Back to the story and it was £19,000 worth of tools that were stolen from that van, that day, and it left Ryan Harman-Taylor without any way to do his work as a carpenter.

In situations like this most tradespeople have to admit defeat and get directions to the local job centre, but in this story there was a twist.

For once the Police actually got their act together and apprehended the tool thieves. These particular thieves had been doing a lot of activity, to the point where Avon and Somerset Police were actively patrolling the roads looking for suspicious individuals.

It didn’t take them long to find the culprits, and after searching their property they found thousands of pounds worth of stolen tools, including the £19,000 worth of tools we have been talking about in the story.

So, the man with van is reunited with his power tools, and for once those criminals didn’t get away with it, although it wouldn’t surprise me if they avoid jail and are on the streets again in no time at all…the captured, once again the hunters.

This all just highlights the importance of making sure you have insurance for your tools. Don’t leave it a minute longer…fill in the 3 minute form now and be rewarded with 40 quotes from van insurance companies and brokers.

CCTV Catches Van Thieves, Still “Isn’t Enough”

Posted on by News Desk

Van theft is a problem that affects trades people around the UK, but even when you catch them in the act via CCTV it still “isn’t enough” for Police.

Take Chris Webb for example, an electrician who was innocently sat at home watching TV with his family…completely unaware that just metres away on his driveway van thieves were striking, and in minutes his van would be gone.

Unfortunately, Chris was unaware of what happened, until he went out the next morning to get in his van, only to find an empty space.

It was a £10,000 Ford Transit Sport that had vanished into the night, but to make matters even worse, £5000 worth of Bosch power tools also went in the theft, which means Chris is now £15,000 out of pocket.

You might be wondering how these criminals can break in to vans so quickly and quietly? As I’ve talked about before, it’s these “magic keys” that are becoming popular among thieves, that unlock a lot of Ford vans and can be purchased online for around £20. Ford say they are doing something about it, but many people remain unconvinced.

What about the Police, are they doing something about Chris Webb’s stolen van? Well, despite the fact he has the thieves caught on CCTV with a lot of clear footage it appears they are not really that bothered.

According to Chris, he phoned the Police immediately once he realised the van had been stolen but it took then 2 days to even ring back.

When he eventually did get to speak with an officer Chris mentioned about the CCTV footage which he was told to send over to the station. However, since that time nothing has been done and a spokesperson for the Police has said they cannot view the material and want it to be sent again.

I’m sure the Police do their best in situations like this, but it is frustrating when they don’t seem to be doing enough especially when the victim has clear CCTV footage.

The £10,000 Ford Transit Sport van should be covered by his insurance. Unfortunately, his power tools were not on the insurance, which means he has started to buy replacement tools at a cost of £1500 so far.

This is why I always advise van drivers, make sure your tools are not kept in the van overnight, or you could also insure your tools at extra cost, especially if you keep £5000 or more of power tools in the van.

One of the reasons why van insurance is getting more expensive is because van theft is a real problem. Everybody needs to be doing their part to stop it…van manufactures, van drivers, the insurance companies, and the Police. Together we can beat the criminals.

Sheffield Experiences Wave of Van Break-ins

Posted on by News Desk

South Yorkshire Police have issued a warning to all van owners in and around the Sheffield area as the city experiences a mini wave of break-ins.

In the past week there have been multiple thefts all around the city, with many of the vans having power tools stolen. There was even a van stolen from Adastral Avenue in Charnock on the outskirts of the city, which just goes to show how far these criminals are willing to go.

This has prompted Police to issue their warning to all van owners in the area, and if you know someone that owns a van then make sure they are fully aware of what is going on around the city.

Basically, it comes down to the fact that many van owners are not securing their vehicles and the contents inside them properly, which in turn has led to thieves seeing them as an easy way to get some tools and similar items they can sell.

It wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of these power tools are being advertised on sites like eBay within a few hours of being stolen. That brings us nicely to the question “are these big auction sites doing enough to make sure stolen items are not being sold on their platform?” I think it is better than a few years ago, but more still needs to be done.

We should all be taking responsibility though. For example, if someone is offering you a power tool down the local boozer for £40, when it usually sells for £400, then you know it literally fell of the back of a lorry.

In this kind of situation you should not only refuse the sale, but report the incident to the Police. At the end of the day, it is the only way we are going to stop these criminals.

Van owners must also do more to make sure their vehicles are secure. Things like parking in a garage or up against one to limit access is a good idea, as well fitting extra alarms, installing more locks and taking your tools out of the van at night.

This also puts you in good favour with the van insurance companies, as they reward you with cheaper policies.

It is always worth doing that bit extra to make sure your van is as secure as it can be. Yes it will cost you a bit more upfront to fit an extra alarm and a few more locks, and it will mean an extra 10 minutes at night taking your tools out of the van and an extra 10 minutes in the morning putting them back in, but in the long run it will be worth it.

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