Van theft is becoming more sophisticated. Organised criminal groups increasingly target commercial vehicles for tools, generators and specialist equipment that can quickly be resold online. In many cases, thieves are not stealing the van itself but targeting its contents, meaning fleets need to think beyond vehicle recovery and focus on protecting cargo and equipment. Matt MacConnell reports.

According to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the value of stolen tools rose by over 40%, averaging £2,433 in 2024. A quarter of tool theft incidents were valued at £3,500 or more, compared with just 10% in 2023. As a result, some 86% of tool theft victims were forced to take an average of four days of downtime to repair locks and restock vans. The knock-on effect is increased insurance premiums, meaning the financial implications can stretch beyond the cost to replace the stolen tools.

According to Travis Perkins, more than 105,000 tool thefts have been reported to UK police forces since 2020, while Direct Line claims that around £40m worth of tools were stolen in 2024, resulting in £16m in lost earnings and disruption. Therefore, some insurers may also look more favourably on fleets that use approved tracking systems, immobilisers and camera technology, particularly if these measures improve recovery chances or reduce claims costs. That said, technology is only effective if drivers use it properly. Fleet operators should ensure staff understand basic security procedures, including double-checking locks, parking in well-lit areas, avoiding overnight tool storage where possible and reporting suspicious activity quickly. Even advanced tracking systems can be undermined by poor day-to-day habits.

From the 1990s to the early 2010s, vans were protected from prying eyes and sticky-fingered thieves by mechanical locks. Even today, many fleets that carry expensive essential equipment use mechanical locks, including deadlocks, slam locks, steering locks and reinforced door shields. But can today’s technology help beat van theft, or should you stick with the good ol’ lock-and-key?

Many tech firms claim their products deter thieves, but much of this depends on the crook and their ability to have noticed the product. For example, having a simple forward and rear-facing dash camera fitted could act as a physical deterrent for some, but it might not deter a masked individual. It’s a bit like having a ‘Warning CCTV’ sign on your property.

Camera systems are becoming smaller and more discreet, while the software behind them is becoming more sophisticated.

Founder and CEO of dash camera company Vantrue George Chen says: “I can’t guarantee that installing a dashcam will definitely pay for itself – ideally, you’ll never have to use it. But risks are everywhere, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Vantrue offers an array of camera systems, including the Nexus N5S, N4 Pro, S1 Pro Max, N4S, E360 ACE and more. Most of Vantrue’s cameras have two lenses: one for recording the road and the other for capturing the cabin. Similarly, the 5S includes motion detection, Wi-Fi, built-in GPS, parking monitoring and voice control. It also comes with an additional 2.7K camera that can be placed in the van’s loading area. Combined with Vantrue’s software, you can track trips and your current location, access mileage stats and check the van’s speed.

Pairing a system like Vantrue’s with a traditional lock is a good idea, as it stacks the van’s security, making the thief’s life more difficult. Increasing the difficulty level far enough may force the crook to give up. However, fleets can take additional measures to protect their vehicles and goods.

Cameras, however, are just one part of the security picture. Fleet management systems can help operators to see where their vans are and how they are being used. Geofencing, for example, can alert managers if a vehicle leaves a predefined area or is used unexpectedly outside of working hours. Location data can then help fleets to act more quickly if a van is stolen.

“No single measure on its own offers a silver bullet to van security. Strong locks and other physical deterrents make vehicles harder to access, while fleet technology helps operators see what’s happening and gather the evidence they need to respond swiftly.

“It should be remembered that drivers also have a vital role to play by choosing safer parking spots, locking vans properly, keeping their tools out of sight, and reporting anything suspicious. By providing greater visibility, fleet technology should help support these good everyday habits,” says Alex Crane Robinson, Webfleet UK and Ireland regional director.

Running a telematics system will not only give you essential information, such as fuel usage, driver speed and location, but can also help tie together a more secure fleet. Webfleet offers a demo of its fleet management product, allowing fleet managers to try before they buy.

Brigade Electronics says that some cameras can be linked with a door or vibration sensor, which is then set up to record unauthorised access or tampering. However, this is a more reactive option, capturing footage after a break-in and providing police and insurance with evidence. As mentioned earlier, cameras can be removed, but the device could be set up with a secondary battery-powered tracking device.

While cameras are important, other technologies can help track a van’s stock. For now, much of this will require storehouse operative or fleet operator intervention, as items will need to be scanned to record quantity.

Geotab sales manager Oliver Holt says: “Geotab is not just simply vehicle tracking and video tracking; it’s really an open platform, and that allows us to integrate with various asset tracking providers, giving us the flexibility to track assets at an individual tool level within a single pane of glass.”

Holt adds: “Geotab is investing quite heavily in the asset tracking journey. It has a Go Anywhere family, which is predominantly aimed at tracking larger assets such as trailers and even mid-sized tools; think generators and such. That’s why the Go Anywhere asset-tracking tool is invaluable. This is more for the recovery side of theft. Onboard power is not needed for these systems, either.”

To track tools, the item must have something attached, such as a QR code or similar. Therefore, wouldn’t this be easy for the thief to remove? “What we can integrate via partnership, and the open system, is the smaller, more discreet Bluetooth and battery-powered asset trackers. These can be discreetly installed on handheld tools. Security and installation method are the same. If you can install it discreetly within a handheld tool, it will be more difficult to remove.”

More fleets are returning to sleeper devices to provide an added layer of protection against thieves locating and removing hard-wired tracking units. These units often remain dormant until the primary device is tampered with or removed.

“Moving forward, Bluetooth mesh tracking will also offer an effective and affordable way of tracking and recovering stolen tools, equipment and cargo,” says Queclink.

While traditional locks still play an important role, modern fleet security increasingly relies on connected technology. Cameras, telematics and asset tracking systems may not stop every theft attempt. Still, they can improve visibility, accelerate recovery and help operators build a clearer picture of how their vehicles and equipment are used. For many fleets, the future of van security is likely to combine old-fashioned physical deterrents with smarter digital tools.