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.