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.