February 2021 | Van Lock Solutionz

February 22, 2021

Van Deadlocks Van Alarms

Van Locks vs Van Alarms

Okay, so over the many years of fitting vehicle security there is not many people that want both an alarm and additonal security locks. We believe this is down to personal preference and beliefs on what actually works, heard horror story, knowledge etc over the cost of the alarm.

You will get your vehicle owner that prefers alarms, there argument will be that by the time somebody has noticed any noise or wrong doing with thieves attacking the locks they will be in and off with your tools without being noticed. On the flip side you will get your Van locks guy stating nobody listens to alarms even when they go off whether it be domestic or Automotive and the manufacturers locks are that easy to gain entry to why would you not put another source of physical security in its way? More often then not people that have been broken into like to put all they can on with the haunting of another loss over there heads. With arguments for both side is there a right and a wrong? We believe strongly in layers, I know, I know we sound like a broken record. The more layers the more chance you have of keeping the valuables your trying to secure right? As anything, it all boils down to budget, you have to prioritise. With the average thatcham approved alarm costing the same as a high security lock package its either one or the other for your average tradesman, with either been better by far than nothing in place which benefits would stick out to you more if you had to choose?

Benefits of the two

Visible Detterent

The van locks have a decent presence and with the bright flashing LED status light of the alarm usually seen on or around the windscreen of the cab area, although we have made such a status with some of the discreet places we have put the LEDs from front to rear visibility. You do not have to have just the one!

Peel Protection

We fit the van locks as high as physically possible to protect against such attacks. We can also fit additional pin switches to the top of the doors to trigger the alarm when as little as your finger ends peer over the them, a really nice discreet protection if you are more inclined to say like some do”if they see the van locks they are going to think there is something worth having”.

Panel Protection

If the panel is pierced or banged on more often then not (alarm choice dependant) the alarm will trigger, whereas the locks are door protection.

Door Protection

Both are great security items. If a door is opened the alarm will trigger but more often then not that door open often say they will all open meaning the valuable placed with the cargo area will be gone within seconds. The locks more specifically the hooklocks will put up more of an engaged attack for such attacks like crowbars and peeling.

Window Protection

It goes without saying the locks will not protect against a smashed panel but what they will protect against is somebody smashing a panel to then try pull the internal handle which does not often work as the manufacturers locks are deadlocked. If a pane is smashed the alarm will trigger immediately

Tool Theft Statistics

With tool theft up by 30+% and Yorkshire and West Midlands been the worst hit do not be ‘that guy’ that does not move forward with security knowing this. It is not a sales pitch the stats are all over the internet and more often then not all over then news. Over 7 years ago when we started Solutionz (Bradford) Ltd there was not that urge to secure vans which van locks really, its only over the last 2 maybe 3 years that the crime epidemic has got out of hand. Items are manufactured to repair or replace destructive entries, unfortunately, by the time these are produced savvy thieves have moved onto the next destructive entry.

Top 10 Worst Hit Areas in 2017

Top Tips for Van Security

Can you store your tools inside? If you are parked in a Hotel Car Park try to take out your tools after your days work. If you are parked away from the sight in a multistory car park try put your tools on site in a lock box for the day

When Parking try to keep in a well-lit busy area rather then dark unknown area.

Probably the easiest one this, mark all your tools with an engraver or ultraviolet pen. Try something unique like your postcode over initials

Are you insured? A question most tragedies do not know the answer to unless they have taken out additional insurance. Do not always presume your household insurance will cover the tools, CHECK.

February 14, 2021

Van Trackers

Van Tracker Horror Story

Plug and play and it still went away! We was contacted by a gent in Liverpool in the middle of Lockdown 2020, he had asked for advice on several items and seemed really eager to move forward with a few items which included a Replock, Loom guards to offside and nearside, load area Deadlocks and an S7 Tracker to his Mk8 Transit.

He stated he didn’t want another alarm after “a local reputable firm fitted an all singing and dancing alarm“ that kept singing and dancing all night even after being disabled and the firm now not answering the phone. After sending the gent a quote to which he accepted then left a small non-refundable deposit of £30. I was asked to contact X the evening before due to him flitting between the 2 main sites he was working on and not knowing which one he was at, after contacting X and still not receiving a response to my calls and voicemails I left it for him to contact me. After a few months had past X contacted me sheepishly saying he wanted to moved forward with the original quote to which i amended and resent stating the deposit will need resending.

X went into a little more detail of why he did not move forward with the exact quote a while back. In the end we appreciated his story and appreciated his honesty, He stated that he could not see the benefit of the quote. In the quote we offered a van tracker worth £350 + vat installed with an annual subscription of £99. The gent got another tracker quote which to us sounded like a plug and play kit over the phone without asking too many questions about the sour subject. He got quoted a £69 install one-off fee which included the tracker itself with no subs too good to be true? X saw it as doing the same thing, you can track it via an app 24 hours a day, what more could you want? Unfortunately for X with the van not having the original quoted locks on entry was easily made to the vehicle, the vehicle was taken and unfortunately the plug & play tracker was disconnected quite literally on his doorstep.

There is often a conclusion and a moral to every story, I think one has the two. If an item, product, company or quote is too good a sale always do your research. I know amongst this pandemic it is easy for me to say but do not, like most, go with pricing over reputation.

Thatcham Approved S7 Tracker

Unknown Brand

App Tracking

Yes

Yes

Desktop Monitoring

Yes

Discreet

Yes

Unpluggable

Yes

Easy to Find

Yes

24hr Monitored Call Centre

Yes

Thatcham Approved

Yes

February 2, 2021

Van Deadlocks

Guide To Van Deadlocks

Deadlocks come in 2 main varieties, Deadlocks (aka deadbolts) & Hooklocks, but both have been manufactured for sustainability against destructive attacks most commonly seen in tool-thefts. Tool theft statistically has been on the rise since 2016 with a recent study claiming the cost to business owners is in excess of £61.9 Billion.

Unfortunately, the cost of doing business without a van is damaging and in most cases not achievable, this is the reason why securing your tools and other vehicles contents is imperative! Unfortunately even with the rise in cases of theft, it is surprising to see van owners not applying any additional security at all.

Extra measures can be taken to guard against such attack so as you, the van owner keeps both the van and its contents in your possession .

How Do Van Locks Operate?

The locks are operated manually upon the owners discretion, we always advise on every entry/exit without fail. Like the deadlocks/hooklocks there are 2 options upon checkout, T-series and S-series cylinders. S-series, known as ‘standard series’ carries a standard keyway which is more susceptible to picking attacks. T-Series, formerly known as ‘Thatcham Series’ has a high security keyway and on 95% of cylinders has a sacrificial snap-off part which puts up more of a fight against the commonly seen snapping attacks.

Are Van Deadlocks and Hooklocks the Same Thing?

There seems to be a lot of confusion with this, the answer is simply, No. Van Deadlocks have been manufactured in a way that when the key operated cylinder is turned it throws a bolt (deadbolt) into the receiving keep. Hooklocks, although similar when operated, throw a hook over and out into the adjacent hole or keep.

If Pricing Seems Too Good To Be True, It Usually Is....

A lot of companies when pricing will give a price for standard series and in low position, saving you and themselves money, great right? Not entirely, no. If your manufacturers central locking is manipulated open, low position locks will give a great source of additional security, however, it will not protect against the most common method of destructive entry which is the ‘peel and steal’. This attack involves thieves simply creasing your door down from the top and simply reaching in to get tools to hand or reaching in to pull the internal lever, giving them as much room as they need without struggling.

AS STANDARD we supply and fit the high security T-series cylinders to all our vans and in high position wherever possible and AT NO EXTRA COST to our customers. We advise customers that when calling or messaging other suppliers they check pricing, positions and lastly what the kit actually involves.