Do you, like many others, keep a lot of valuables in your van? A lot of builders, plumbers, florists, gardeners, and other van owners keep their livelihood in the back of their vehicles.

Consequently, the theft of the valuables inside your van is a terrible thing, even worse when the van itself gets stolen too. The financial loss that can be incurred from the theft of your vehicle is great - there's the value of the van itself, the tools and materials kept inside, plus the value of the van to your business as a working vehicle.

Luckily there are plenty of things that you can do to help protect your van and valuables against theft, and lots of options when considering van security.

Tips for improving van security

#1 - Be aware of van security. This might sound a little obvious but the first step in securing you van is realising that it needs to be secured.

#2 - Think about the local environment. When out-and-about it is always best to park in busy, well-lit locations, somewhere a potential thief cannot gain uninterrupted access to the vehicle. When parking at home it can be a good idea to have a security light (motion detection) focused on the vehicle to help deter any unwanted interest in your vehicle.

#3 - Think about what your needs are when buying your van. It is great to have a top model van, something new and shiny, with awesome rims and a nice sound system. While that is all true, remember, you are unlikely to be the only person to think like that and could be drawing attention to your vehicle. Furthermore, do you really need such a fancy van to get you from A to B? For instance think, 'do I really need those glazed rear windows?' They let everyone see into the back of your van, so why not go for some blacked out windows instead or perhaps have wire mesh fitted on the rear windows and a mesh bulkhead behind the driver's seat? It might not look 'cool' but it'll make people think twice before they attempt a break-in.

#4 - Keep a record of what is inside your van. Again, this might sound simple but it can be very useful if you ever do suffer a break-in. Keeping a detailed record of all of the items that are inside the van can help when making a van insurance claim. You'll know exactly what was taken. You can also add security tags to the more valuable equipment which can help with the retrieval of your goods by the police.

#5 - Make sure the vehicle is locked. Whenever you are not in the same vicinity as your van, make sure that it is locked, apply any alarms that you may have, apply wheel locks, hand brake locks, lockable fuel caps, locking wheel nuts - they all help to keep your van safe. It is also a good idea to fit a catalytic converter anti-theft device as thieves are now targeting vehicles' catalytic converters and the precious metals they hold inside. As a van is bigger and has larger components than a car, it makes these items sought after by crooks. GPS tracking can also help if your van does get pinched plus it can also help to lower your van insurance which is an added bonus! Also it is a good idea to have stickers fitted onto the vehicle warning of any safety measures that have been fitted and that no tools are left in the vehicle overnight - which leads on to number six.

#6 - Don't leave valuables in you van over night. You should always remove the valuables from you van at night and stow them away somewhere more secure.

While it can be very hard to keep a determined intruder out of a vehicle the safety measures mentioned above will go a great step towards ensuring that your van and possessions remain safe.