Theft from van

[SDELEC]

seasons greetings to all except the lowlife who broke into my van today at tescos in purley.They managed to cut through the central locking cable by putting a cheese wire? through the gap between the front edge of the drivers door and the chassis and shorting out the lock. Once in it is possible by flicking the passenger door lock on & off to open the side door to the rear of the van, hey presto.
didnt guess a thing when i came out of the shop. went to next job and was puzzled as to why the tools i had put by the back door of the van were now down the front & also miffed to find the driver door would not lock with the key fob only manually. i noticed the rubber sleeve in the door edge was worm through and the wires also but still didnt click!! took the van round to my local mechanic on the way home and he was a bit puzzled as he said he had only seen that kind of wear and tear once. Got home and needed my dewalt 18v drill, gone, looked around the van makita angle grinder gone and also a site jigsaw. . To take the ultimate**** they left behind my cheap and nasty mains b&Q sds drill.
Hey ho, Off to buy a van vault and some hasp and padlocks tomorrow.

 

[Amp David]

Unlucky mate, what van is it?

 

[rocker]

I feel your pain, mate. Had mine done out of my garage a few months back. Sorry to hear about it, but unforunately that's the world we live in. Our rates will have to up soon on account of how long it takes to load the van in the monrning and lock everything away at night after a job. Scum.

 

[SDELEC]

Ford transit connect ex BT jobbie!

 

[Amp David]

The rear doors are usually the target for cutting the loom to short the wiring.

Get some of these fitted Ford Connect Wiring Loom Guard - Single Pack- Ford Rear Wiring Loom Guards - Garrison Locks

 

[SDELEC]

Cheers AMP David, I have checked out the site, I have emailed them to see if any product is available to protect the wiring looms in the front doors as this is where they cut mine.
I am just thankful that my megger was at home today!!.

 

[Lofty]

Hi ,
This link is to a company that has a guard for the front doors of the connect as well as the rear transit doors.

LoomGuard Security Products for Ford Transit - [2006>current]

Cheerrs,
Lofty.

 

[SDELEC]

Cheers Lofty, I will give them a bell in the morning. Apparently this is a common problem with ford connects, ive driven them for 5 years in total and know loads of others who did/do too, never heard of it before!!

 

[accordfire]

How I wish it was legal to use electricity for our own protection.

These scrotes need them taking off without anaesthetic, and then fed back to them, slowly.

My soap box is well and truly out tonight.

Maybe someone should take my keyboard away before I say what I really think......

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Sorry to hear of todays events SDELEC. I had the same thing happen back in September. Santa is just bringing me tools this year.

 

[brucelee]

Hi sdelec

sorry to here that mate

scroats and the more the current economic situation bites the more of these scroats will be out there leeching of hardworking decent people

cant say what i want to or i may get in trouble

 

[Phil]

sorry to hear that mate. is there anyway of getting the local plod down for the videos of the cctv in the car park? just a thought that they might be able to get a reg plate if they turned up in a car or something

 

[SDELEC]

yep, I am just hastiliy re writing my letter to santa

 

[SDELEC]

sorry to hear that mate. is there anyway of getting the local plod down for the videos of the cctv in the car park? just a thought that they might be able to get a reg plate if they turned up in a car or something

Ive reported it online and will get a call back within 72 hours !! I think there is some cctv there.might give tescos a call and let them know

 

[garyinderby]

Hi SDELEC
sorry to hear of your misfortune. Though, I think its going to get a lot worse, In the current economic climate. with all the cuts, the police wont be able to lock the thieving B******DS away. Hope things get better for you.
Gary

 

[Giovanni]

Sorry dude that's unlucky, I recently upgraded my alarm system to try and prevent it from happening, the cost was £440.00 for that the van is alarmed inside via microwave sensors in the front and back, impact sensors on all doors, panels, roof, windows, which cannot be bypassed, if you breach the cable the alarm keeps going, the whole thing covered, after that all the kit is linked together via steel rope security locks linked through the anchor points inside and then to each other, the van alarm system is linked to a pager that will alert me if any of the sensors are triggered, and also my phone, so my hope is it is not a thiefs best option. The tech that fitted even commented that you couldn't fit anything else to it, it should be bulletproof.
I figured that £440.00 balanced off against kit, didn't even compare, it is well worth it......I can give you the company name if your interested, they cover the south west though so depends where you are.
Agree though we should be able to wire the van up and give them a bite if they try and get in, sadly not

 

[SDELEC]

Sorry dude that's unlucky, I recently upgraded my alarm system to try and prevent it from happening, the cost was £440.00 for that the van is alarmed inside via microwave sensors in the front and back, impact sensors on all doors, panels, roof, windows, which cannot be bypassed, if you breach the cable the alarm keeps going, the whole thing covered, after that all the kit is linked together via steel rope security locks linked through the anchor points inside and then to each other, the van alarm system is linked to a pager that will alert me if any of the sensors are triggered, and also my phone, so my hope is it is not a thiefs best option. The tech that fitted even commented that you couldn't fit anything else to it, it should be bulletproof.
I figured that £440.00 balanced off against kit, didn't even compare, it is well worth it......I can give you the company name if your interested, they cover the south west though so depends where you are.
Agree though we should be able to wire the van up and give them a bite if they try and get in, sadly not

Yeh you are right I estimate this is going to cost me about £450 in repairs and new tools, luckily the van was not loaded right up and the tools they stole were bottom of the range dewalt & makita. So £440 sounds a good investment. I am in south east so might try one round here first but thanks anyway.

 

[Giovanni]

Cat 1 alarm system, as listed above microwave and impact sensors everywhere with pager, it's the way to go pal, also the stell wire locks are from you local very large BRIGHT ORANGE DIY SHOP, they cost me 20 each i have 5 of them, I even have one through the cable I have on the spooler, and it is a bit of a pain linking up and locking off every day, but a small price to pay, also the other benefit is that it saves me having to kepp shouting at the wife in the middle of the night to check that the van is alright, the pager is always armed so she only has to get up if that goes off!

 

[SDELEC]

Hi sdelec




cant say what i want to or i may get in trouble

lol dont worry! i'm thinking it!!

 

[millwall ken]

Sympathies fella, I hope that the pikey (and before anyone tries giving me all the PC b*******, F*** off I ain't interested) who done it dies in a nasty fireball. I know that its a long shot, considering that the whole of Purley is one big Pikey site, but it may really be worth having a nose around some of the pubs in the area. Chances are that the scrotes who done it will be trying to flog your gear within a mile of that Tesco. You could also ask around in these pubs about the most likely suspects. It may just pay off. Good luck fella.

 

[accordfire]

Sympathies fella, I hope that the pikey (and before anyone tries giving me all the PC b*******, F*** off I ain't interested) who done it dies in a nasty fireball. I know that its a long shot, considering that the whole of Purley is one big Pikey site, but it may really be worth having a nose around some of the pubs in the area. Chances are that the scrotes who done it will be trying to flog your gear within a mile of that Tesco. You could also ask around in these pubs about the most likely suspects. It may just pay off. Good luck fella.

Nah - you're in good company here mate. Political correctness needs to die a death in a nasty fireball too.

It is, sadly, unlikely he will find his kit now - it'll have been long converted into a rock or two of crack, or a baggie of some other junk.

Real life exchange rate - typical cordless drill in box = one £20 quid deal tops - cash often isn't even on offer at all now.

Whether we like it or not, most of these theft/drug networks are far better organised than any official organisation ever will be.

They can also move any item (yes, any) quicker than most of us can empty the main vein.

Latest stats from Met intelligence (yes, I know, a contradiction ) - from 2008, from theft to fence for small "portable" items is on average around 4 hours tops. Vehicles stolen to order, from theft (using keys) to vanish - around 24 hours tops on average. For vehicles that includes shipping container, dismantling, ringing, resale elsewhere, and crushing for metal value.

Scary, and senior Met admit there's naff all they can realistically do about it.

 

[millwall ken]

Nah - you're in good company here mate. Political correctness needs to die a death in a nasty fireball too.

It is, sadly, unlikely he will find his kit now - it'll have been long converted into a rock or two of crack, or a baggie of some other junk.

Real life exchange rate - typical cordless drill in box = one £20 quid deal tops - cash often isn't even on offer at all now.

Whether we like it or not, most of these theft/drug networks are far better organised than any official organisation ever will be.

They can also move any item (yes, any) quicker than most of us can empty the main vein.

Latest stats from Met intelligence (yes, I know, a contradiction ) - from 2008, from theft to fence for small "portable" items is on average around 4 hours tops. Vehicles stolen to order, from theft (using keys) to vanish - around 24 hours tops on average. For vehicles that includes shipping container, dismantling, ringing, resale elsewhere, and crushing for metal value.

Scary, and senior Met admit there's naff all they can realistically do about it.

Unfortunately mate I know purley, and I know that the chances are its a couple of Pikeys who've gotten lucky... However if it is a couple of crack/smack/glue/whatever heads then if he does some recon work then he might strike lucky. As there is only a few around there that they'd be able to flog em in.

 

[accordfire]

Unfortunately mate I know purley, and I know that the chances are its a couple of Pikeys who've gotten lucky... However if it is a couple of crack/smack/glue/whatever heads then if he does some recon work then he might strike lucky. As there is only a few around there that they'd be able to flog em in.

True - Purley doesn't change much - and odds are it was low level druggies looking for an easy score.

Unlikely sadly, that the cops will even bother beyond issuing the CRN.

 

[SDELEC]

yep I should know I lived there for 20 years!!
one house in our road was burgled 7 times in 2 years, they even stole his beehives!really its like any town good bits bad bits, theres a very rich bit as well which does attract the criminal element. plus its surrounded by pikey camps, woodmansterne, merstham, smallfields, all on / near the a23 .
I reckon it was a load of have it away day merchants, have van will travel and they could do a lot of towns in one day
i moved out 20years ago and only go back if I have too, cant be bothered to trawl around the pitiful shacks they pass off for pubs . been there done that !

 

[pennywise]

Unfortunately it's always been a weak spot on the connects the wiring looms, remember hearing about it a few years back I may invest in a set of those guards seen them before but haven't had the privilege of being done yet. Sorry to hear about your loses. It's got all the hallmarks of pikey you can imagine them now sat in those ridiculous transits with half of Halfords chrome accessories range adorning the thing and a hazard light and a tow hook with two guys with hair stiles that went out of fashion about 15 years ago in the front seats. They almost have a dress code these days. Hate them

 

[SDELEC]

LOL about the haircuts!! you can spot em a mile off. To quote smokey 'I second that emotion' they are the lowest of the low.I worked for Bt on the tools for 20 odd years in an area surrounded by pikey sites and they caused us untold grief.
had to laugh a few years ago when my neighbour had pikeys in to do his drive, they turned up in their finest hi vis, amber beacons blazing, and that was just to quote for the job. muppets.

 

[alarm man]

sorry to hear that mate. is there anyway of getting the local plod down for the videos of the cctv in the car park? just a thought that they might be able to get a reg plate if they turned up in a car or something

most tesco car parks run a cctv scheme that captures your car and reg plate coming in and going out for their car park management,might be worth speaking to the manager..

 

[irishsailor]

One word to describe these scumbags, but would be banned

 

[keith915]

I'd call them Jeremy hunt...

 

[SDELEC]

Unfortunately it's always been a weak spot on the connects the wiring looms, remember hearing about it a few years back I may invest in a set of those guards seen them before but haven't had the privilege of being done yet. just bought the full set from www.van locked.co.uk £90 inc delivery., ordered last night, arrived today, mechanic is fitting them now while he replaces the damaged loom.

 

[SDELEC]

most tesco car parks run a cctv scheme that captures your car and reg plate coming in and going out for their car park management,might be worth speaking to the manager..

yeah, have already sent an email but dont expect any joy.

 

[timo1]

Sorry to hear about your van its one of the worst things that can happen to any tradesman. In my experience (dealing with the people who do this for a living) the best way to protect yourself is to make life as difficult as possible to prevent an "easy" snatch. Something as simple as running a chain through the handles of tool boxes to make it impossible to drag off all at once will use up valuable time for the crook and they will scarper. If this is combined with an audio alarm (the louder the better) most casual thieves will chalk it up as a loss and move on. Parking your van under street lighting or near CCTV where available would also help as a deterrent. Recording serial numbers of tools and reporting to your local Police will assist with recovery, hundreds of tools are recovered each year and can never be reunited with owners as the owners cannot be traced- The usual suspects are regularly turned over but all too often tools have to be returned as they cannot be proved as stolen.

This site is pretty good I would definitely think about logging multimeter s and expensive hand tools with it immobilise - the home of the National Property Register and Recovery Service its a national register and most forces will check it as well as their individual property system if property is recovered or checked against a known criminal

 

[beats]

sorry about the lost of tools its just heart dropping when you open up the van door and your tools aint there and their's no sign of a break in! thats what happend to my transit aswell but they had some sort of master key and took the lot, so now opted for extra locks on all doors .

 

[m25maintenance]

purley,my mate had his van done over there too a few weeks ago. scum bags. lads i know its painfull but if ur gona leave ur van outa site get a hasp and staple on inside if side door and put lock on from the passengers side door. then beef up rear doors with them big locks u c out there. my van is sign written, sick animal transport. hu gona rob that

 

[m25maintenance]

o yea there is a famous tool market in vauxhall each sunday selling hot tools

 

[jaresquire]

Wonder if my laptop went that way, stolen when I was in Vauxhall area in the 5 mins I was away from the car?

 

[Marvo]

Sorry to hear about you losing your tools. I've spent decades amassing my tools I'm heartbroken if I lose a single screwdriver I can't imagine the feeling if I was to lose all my tools. I think stealing a guys tools is about as low as you can get. I hope against all odds you get them back.

 

[millwall ken]

Wonder if my laptop went that way, stolen when I was in Vauxhall area in the 5 mins I was away from the car?

That must have been done by crack heads then! There is no way a professional tea leaf would of nicked a laptop from a car in Vauxhall; they'd be to worried that it was a Peeler 'bait car.'

 

[MNR]

Dads van got done cold chisel under door lock only took his jacket and phone. This is the best bit done on clapham high street opposite sainsberrys middle of the afternoon, there are chancers about.

 

[pennywise]

Remember there is a weak spot on old shape Sprinters and Vitos ..... My old boss got done that way, his van was so messy they didn't manage to get anything lol. We came out a job once went to drive off heard a scrapping sound got out and found the spare tire cage dragging along the floor behind us bloody staines!

 

[millwall ken]

Dads van got done cold chisel under door lock only took his jacket and phone. This is the best bit done on clapham high street opposite sainsberrys middle of the afternoon, there are chancers about.

Would anyone on this dear here forum accuse me of being a fascist; if I was to suggest that any scroat who nicks a man's tools should be burned at the stake and their ashes ****** on? I've still got an untouched (by my hand) 110v DeWalt multi-speed drill in the cupboard under the stairs; that my missus - in all good faith (in her defence) bought me from a boot fair in Orpington. She couldn't understand why i was so annoyed at her when she gave it to me. She thought that she was doing me a favour; by buying (to me, anyway) a stolen drill. Then again, this is the same 'educated' woman, who thought that us Sparkies just walk around all day with a terminal driver in our pockets. Doing a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. It was like trying to explain the off-side rule to her; when I asked her, how, she imagined the cables got into the wall in the first place!!!
Oh and for the critics out there, waiting to slate me for still having the drill; I phoned the old bill and reported it (YES, I swear to God, I did) and they wasn't interested, and thought that I was some sort of bloody crank...

 

[jaresquire]

I once made few holes at home installing intruder alarm, easily filled - Mrs never lets it drop, even though a family friend fitted our new front door and drilled the bolts into the front room!

 

[millwall ken]

I once made few holes at home installing intruder alarm, easily filled - Mrs never lets it drop, even though a family friend fitted our new front door and drilled the bolts into the front room!

Surprise surprise NOT... They spend all day, every day nagging us to do all these little jobs around the house, then moan when it's not up to scratch!!! My missus once (well, last summer actually) had the right hump with me because I wouldn't attempt to knock down the supporting wall between the front room and the kitchen/dining room. I **** you not boys, she said to me 'you work on a building site, don't you? So you must know how to do it.' Needless to say fellas, the men in white coats were called!