FORCE
It isn’t only tradesmen that are at risk – with the huge increase in online shopping there are thousands more self employed couriers on the road than ever before and thieves know that their vehicle could contain high ticket items that aren’t afforded the same protection they would get on the high street in a shop covered by CCTV and shutters. The constant opening and closing of a courier driver’s vehicle means it can be all too easy to lose concentration and leave the vehicle exposed to theft, and there are teams of criminals that follow them around in order to capitalise on this. Many couriers are particularly exposed to theft when they are holding a delivery with both hands and unable to lock the door. In the few moments it takes to deliver the parcel, the contents of the vehicle can be stolen Locking the Vehicle Often, the locking devices that come as standard with a van are insufficient against a determined thief, so considering the value of your vehicle and its contents, you should consider adding to the exterior locks on your van. Slamlocks This useful device will automatically lock the door of a vehicle a soon as it is closed, without any action by the driver. If you are involved in multi-drop deliveries then it can be a massive benefit and gives you total control over whether the vehicle is locked or not,
without having to remember to activate a lock. Thefts have taken place where drivers are leaving the vehicle unlocked for mere seconds whilst a delivery is taking place so the use of a slamlock is a no-brainer for many people. deadlocks Another massive help in van security, deadlocks differ from slamlocks in that they require the driver to physically enable the lock after shutting the door with a key. Deadlocks are notoriously difficult to break which in itself can deter a large number of opportunistic criminals as they know they will have their work cut out! Yes, they can be time consuming and inconvenient if you are constantly opening and closing the vehicle, but for traders that may be leaving their vehicle for a period of time whilst working, they can be the best form of defence. Strength Inside and Out Making things tough for thieves can also apply to the interior of the vehicle, and there are a number of steps that you can take to extend the security features, even if a thief does gain access to your vehicle. If a thief has bypassed external locking devices then it is unlikely to be a crime committed whilst you are around the vehicle, so if the vehicle is being left anywhere overnight, other than in
Federation of Regional Crime Enforcement
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