Alarming lack of van security

Van drivers have lost £61.9m in lost tools and other items since 2016, yet still four in 10 vans don’t come with an alarm as standard.

According to an investigation by What Car? Vans, 43,000 vans have been stolen since then, with a further 117,000 broken into.

However, analysis found just 58% of models come with a factory fitted alarm as standard. Another 36.5% were found to offer a factory fitted alarm as an optional extra, while 5.5% of vans on sale today are not available with an alarm at all – though these tend to be older model iterations soon to be replaced.

Other security features, including remote central locking, were better represented with more than 90% of vehicles featuring the tech as standard, while deadlocks – a locking mechanism that doesn’t use a spring, making it harder to pick – are standard in more than 80% of vans on sale.

Jim Holder, editorial director at What Car? Vans, said: “More than four million van drivers rely on their vehicle for work or business needs. The fact that four out of 10 new vans on sale do not feature a factory fitted alarm as standard is a cause for concern – especially as our research found more than 43,000 have been stolen since 2016, with a further 117,000 broken into.

“While newer vans and higher trim specifications now come with many of the security features as standard, it’s concerning to see owners of lower trim levels having to fork out extra for something as simple as an alarm – this is something the industry needs to work on and underlines why van buyers must do careful research before purchasing their next vehicle.”