Securing Tools in Your Work Van

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Bob Kraemer

Bob Kraemer

Senior Member
Location
Ohio
My van was broken into, in a motel parking lot last Thursday. Thieves stole 90% of my tools.
How do you guys secure your tools?
A bolt cutter or a battery drill & a 1/8 drill bit are all that is needed to get most padlocks off.
I have a small gang box I could put in my van, but since space is limited, it would make it harder to hall material & get to material stored on shelves & I really don't want to do that.
If you have an alarm installed, what type do you have?
Any & all suggestions appreciated.
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Windows? If so, put the grills over them.
Headache rack is almost a given........ divides the cab from the rest.
Put these types of locks on the side & back doors:

RLG-full.jpg

​
 
S

satcom

Senior Member
Bob Kraemer said:
My van was broken into, in a motel parking lot last Thursday. Thieves stole 90% of my tools.
How do you guys secure your tools?
A bolt cutter or a battery drill & a 1/8 drill bit are all that is needed to get most padlocks off.
I have a small gang box I could put in my van, but since space is limited, it would make it harder to hall material & get to material stored on shelves & I really don't want to do that.
If you have an alarm installed, what type do you have?
Any & all suggestions appreciated.
Click to expand...

There is no sure way to avoid theft, even though the insurance buys new tools and equipment, the fact that someone entered your space is tough to get over.
 
P

poeboy

Member
Location
Los Angeles Metro area
one of the guys I work with tried locks like that after the 1st time his van was broken into. Next time they drilled a hole in the sliding door then used tin snips and a sawzall to open the side door (though the locks remained!!!!), robbing him again.

There is no real way to stop it from happening, sorry to say. But depending on where you live and other factors, you might be able to take out a type of insurance that will cover the tools and maybe even some material if the circumstance happens again.

I used to carry a $25K policy on my tools, and $10K on material for the company trucks, it was cheap considering the possible loss if the worst happened. I would caution you to verify the insurer's policies on claims BEFORE signing or paying for anything. One company I priced wanted receipts from purchases I had made on tools ten years prior when they were new ..... and were also going to depreciate their value if I ever tried to make a claim (leaving me about $3 for the $25 Kleins I had bought while I was an apprentice..... WOW!!!!!)

These days I don't do not carry insurance. @ home I use video surveillance, that probably deters MOST. The back windows do have a metal grate on them, but I also have the windows painted black so no one can see in. There is also a typical bulkhead between the front seats and cargo area of the van.
 
S

satcom

Senior Member
poeboy said:
one of the guys I work with tried locks like that after the 1st time his van was broken into. Next time they drilled a hole in the sliding door then used tin snips and a sawzall to open the side door (though the locks remained!!!!), robbing him again.

There is no real way to stop it from happening, sorry to say. But depending on where you live and other factors, you might be able to take out a type of insurance that will cover the tools and maybe even some material if the circumstance happens again.

I used to carry a $25K policy on my tools, and $10K on material for the company trucks, it was cheap considering the possible loss if the worst happened. I would caution you to verify the insurer's policies on claims BEFORE signing or paying for anything. One company I priced wanted receipts from purchases I had made on tools ten years prior when they were new ..... and were also going to depreciate their value if I ever tried to make a claim (leaving me about $3 for the $25 Kleins I had bought while I was an apprentice..... WOW!!!!!)

These days I don't do not carry insurance. @ home I use video surveillance, that probably deters MOST. The back windows do have a metal grate on them, but I also have the windows painted black so no one can see in. There is also a typical bulkhead between the front seats and cargo area of the van.
Click to expand...

Yes, when shopping for coverages, you want a replacement policy, not one where they depreciate the value, you will pay the same price for a good policy, that gives you peace of mind.
 
Bob Kraemer

Bob Kraemer

Senior Member
Location
Ohio
Thanks 480,
I have a cab divider, but no center door, I will be adding that part real soon.
The thieves jimmied the drivers door lock, came through the center part of the divider & unloaded my van.
Thanks for the tip on the the side & rear door locks.

480sparky said:
Windows? If so, put the grills over them.
Headache rack is almost a given........ divides the cab from the rest.
Put these types of locks on the side & back doors:

RLG-full.jpg

​
Click to expand...
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
The biggest problem now and a great gift to thiefs is the cordless Sawzall and cordless drill.

I used to be president of the local Little League and three times thiefs broke into our snack shacks. Once sawing through the roof, once cutting the door latch and once simply pulling the door off the thing.

Cost over $6000 to put steel doors on the three shacks, but they could still cut through the roof on two of them.
 
mikeames

mikeames

Senior Member
Location
Gaithersburg MD
Occupation
Teacher - Master Electrician - 2017 NEC
Energize the racks inside it with 600 volts and put signs up warning them. Then you can find them the next morning. J/K
 
Y

yired29

Senior Member
Bob Kraemer said:
My van was broken into, in a motel parking lot last Thursday. Thieves stole 90% of my tools.
How do you guys secure your tools?
A bolt cutter or a battery drill & a 1/8 drill bit are all that is needed to get most padlocks off.
I have a small gang box I could put in my van, but since space is limited, it would make it harder to hall material & get to material stored on shelves & I really don't want to do that.
If you have an alarm installed, what type do you have?
Any & all suggestions appreciated.
Click to expand...

Take a look at this website. I used to install these they work great. A bulkhead is also a must.

http://www.cargolock.com/
 
GUNNING

GUNNING

Senior Member
Location
Gainesville, Florida
Warning! Protected by homeless guy with bat.

Warning! Protected by homeless guy with bat.

4 suggestions:

Put a mean dog in the van at night.

Don't keep your tools in the van at night.

Install a really REALLY loud alarm. Something that trips when they grab something inside.

Leave your van open and exposed with a spool of #2 THHN Cu inside one evening then sleep in the van with a baseball bat.


I worked on a job that a homeless guy lived under the building at night. We told they guy it was OK as long as nothing was stolen. Can you find a homeless guy? Give him a baseball bat and $40 a week and I guarantee your van will be safe.
Problem was dependability with our guy. He got picked up for a couple of weeks and we had to store his stuff; but he came right back after getting out. Never had a problem on that job.
 
W

wawireguy

Senior Member
An alarm that goes off when a door is opened or someone enters the space is a good idea. Might make the thieves rush so they don't get as much. Have to plan a alarm install well to keep if from nuisance alarming. I'd probably go with door alarms and a glass breakage sensor. Pretty sure they make some sensors that go off if the vehicle gets out of level such as someone trying to get your ladders off the top. Getting your tools stolen is no fun.
 
J

jes25

Senior Member
Location
Midwest
Occupation
Electrician
We are doing a large job in Detroit. This is what happened on three consecutive days in broad daylight with about 40 people onsite.

Day 1: Break into van without the fancy locks and steal all the tools.

Day 2: Same as day 1, only a different truck.

Day 3: Encounter truck with fancy locks on cargo doors. Steal entire van.
 
S

shepelec

Senior Member
Location
Palmer, MA
jes25 said:
We are doing a large job in Detroit. This is what happened on three consecutive days in broad daylight with about 40 people onsite.

Day 1: Break into van without the fancy locks and steal all the tools.

Day 2: Same as day 1, only a different truck.

Day 3: Encounter truck with fancy locks on cargo doors. Steal entire van.
Click to expand...

On day 3 they were too tired from carrying all the tools from the 1st two days.:)
 
J

jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
yired29 said:
Take a look at this website. I used to install these they work great. A bulkhead is also a must.

http://www.cargolock.com/
Click to expand...
Looks good to me. I'm having to use my open truck right now, hard to secure things. I've been fortunate so far. When I get a van, I will for sure look into this.

Don't know what it costs, but I would look into GPS trackers too, especially if employees use the vehicle. I've known several guys that had employees drive their vans to bars on Sat night, get plastered and drive home. Beach trips also and other abuses. Tracking would help find the vehicle either way, thief or misuse. I knew at least 2 guys that quit showing up to work but didn't return the truck. Fortunately both were recovered intact.
 
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