Following on from our last blog which looked at the increase in property thefts from vans, it probably won't come as too much of a surprise that the number of vans being stolen in the UK is also increasing. 

From annual DVLA figures, research suggests that 12 vans were stolen every day in 2015 (4,380 in total). This had risen to 22 vans per day by 2019 (8,030) and some clever statistical boffins have predicted that by 2030, 56 vans per day will be taken without the owners' consent. 

Van thefts by region 

Not unsurprisingly, Greater London is where most van thefts occur. The figures for 2019 showed that 1,504 vans were stolen from in and around the capital, with estimates for 2022 and 2030 suggesting that this total could rise to 2,232, then 3,827 per year respectively. 

The next most prolific region for van thefts in 2019 was East Midlands (188 van thefts) then Yorkshire and Humberside (145 van thefts). North England had the fewest van thefts in 2019, (59) but the predictions still see a rise up to 149 in this area by 2030. 

Is your van a target for thieves?

According to statistics provided by DVLA following a Freedom of Information request, in 2019 the most frequently stolen van in the UK was the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. The Sprinter 313 CDI and 314 CDI models ranked number 1 and 2 in the list of most stolen vans in 2019. 

Of all the vans reported stolen in 2019, 2,595 were Sprinters. The estimate for 2022 rises to 2,928. 

Of course, all vans are potential targets and you should follow some basic rules to make breaking into or stealing your van less attractive to thieves.

Make your van as safe as possible

Various studies have revealed that van drivers can be a bit offhand about van safety. Research published by iCompario in July 2022 suggested that 77% of van drivers don't have an alarm or immobiliser fitted in their van and around 45% even admitted to not locking their van when they leave the cab. 

We can't stress enough the importance of removing tools and property from a van, but 64% of van drivers admitted to leaving tools and valuables inside. 

A common piece of advice given to van owners is to park the van in a well-lit area so that it's highly visible to lots of people or to park it against a wall to prevent thieves from being able to break the lock open. However, 81% of the van drivers polled said they didn't park their van using such advice. And just 24% said they parked their van in a secure parking place at night. 

However, parking a van in a secure compound, workplace car park or locked garage at home may not be as safe as you would think, as 32% said they had previously suffered a van break-in or van theft when their van was parked in one of these places. 

It seems that the determined van thief will make an attempt to steal a van whatever the measures taken to secure it, so other methods, such as tracking devices, are becoming necessary pieces of kit (although van owners are urged not to track a stolen vehicle themselves using a GPS device, but to inform the police of any known whereabouts and let them attempt recovery of the vehicle).

Van insurance and peace of mind

Lastly, having good quality business van insurance in place for your van is possibly the best way to make sure you won't be out of pocket if your van is stolen.

Talk to iVan today about the options for your vehicle, including any driver van insurance, fleet van insurance and electric van insurance.