Humber: Van Crime is on the increase

Van theft can have a huge impact on owners’ lives. Usually those that own vans do so for their work and it is essential for their livelihood.

Humberside Police are committed to tackling this type of crime, however they are currently seeing an increase in the number of van thefts in urban areas of Scunthorpe and Grimsby and want to provide van owners with crime prevention advice to prevent further thefts.

The Police have made arrests and are continuing their investigations, with the hope of taking thoughtless thieves off the streets, but it’s important owners are equipped with the knowledge of how best to protect their vehicles.

It’s also important that if you see anything suspicious in your area, you contact them so that they can investigate by calling 101.

The majority of van thefts are occurring between 11pm and 4am, with Saturday nights into Sunday mornings the most common day for offending, although they have seen thefts occur on all days of the week.

Ford Transit vans which are seven years old or older are frequently the targets, however they would urge owners of all van types to be vigilant.

The most common method of stealing vans is keyless car theft, meaning criminals are able to access the vehicles without smashing the windows or breaking into houses to steal keys.

Crime prevention advice

• Always double check your car is physically secure and alarmed, especially when using keyless locking systems.
• Keep keys out of sight inside your property; don’t leave near doors, windows or out on worktops
• Use a Steering Wheel Lock or Car Alarm – Most modern car thieves are equipped with laptops rather than hand tools, so mechanical devices – such as steering wheel locks – can be a real deterrent.
• If you have a big enough garage, keep your van in it when it is not being used.
• If you don’t have a garage, park your van as close to your property as possible to make access difficult.
• Where possible, block your van in with another vehicle or a driveway parking post which would mean the vehicle couldn’t be driven away.
• If you don’t have a driveway, make sure to park in well lit areas, ideally in view of CCTV cameras.
• Install CCTV and a motion sensor security light covering the area where your van is kept, such as your driveway or the street outside your property.
• Invest in a tracking device. Whilst it won’t necessarily stop the vehicle being stolen, it will significantly increase the chances of us being able to locate and recovering it.

For more advice, visit Humberside Police’s website here and for advice on products visit Secured by Design or the Neighbourhood Network online shop here.