The short version
- Thieves go for vans that look like they carry tools and show something worth taking. Signage and visible kit both advertise that.
- Branded vans got targeted more in one 2026 survey of tradespeople: 17% against 10% for unbranded.
- If someone looks in, what they can see matters more than the type of van. A concealed load gives them nothing to go on.
- If they get in anyway, time works for you. Opportunist thieves won't spend minutes working out how your storage opens.
- A kombi is harder to protect than a panel van because of the glass. That is a storage problem, and storage is what we make.
Why it matters
In 2024, 25,525 tool thefts were reported to UK police. That is one every 21 minutes, and 49% (12,414) were from vehicles. Direct Line puts the average loss at £1,565 in tools plus £623 in lost work. Thefts fell 18% on 2023. A separate 2026 study by Trade Direct Insurance found 76% of tradespeople have been targeted at some point, though much of that was in workshops and on sites, not just vans.
Whole-van theft is not the main problem for most people. The usual job is a window or door forced, whatever is visible grabbed, and gone in under a minute. It needs opportunity, not skill.
We hear about this from customers constantly. Instead of another generic list of tips, here is what we have actually seen. It comes down to three layers, and most online advice covers only the first.
Layer one: don't look like a target
Signage is the biggest factor. In one 2026 survey by Trade Direct Insurance, 17% of branded vans had been targeted against 10% of unbranded ones. Tempcover's survey of 500 van owners found 70% believe branding raises the risk, and 42% have already removed theirs. A van with a company name and trade on the side is advertising what is probably inside.
Deadlocks are where we differ from the standard advice. Customers who have fitted them tell us they seem to attract attention, because extra locks suggest something worth protecting. A determined thief gets past them anyway, and they are a nuisance to live with every day. This is anecdotal, and we are not telling you to take yours off. Some insurance policies have conditions about locks, so check yours before changing anything.
A plain, unbranded van that does not look like a trade vehicle is, from what customers tell us, one of the more effective things you can do.
Layer two: if they look, give them nothing to see
What is visible through the window matters more than the body style. A panel van hides its load by default. A kombi does not, and that is the main reason tradespeople hesitate over one when they also need the van for family use. If you are weighing that up, our post on putting a kombi through the books covers the business side, and why most campervan conversions don't suit real life covers the rest.
This is the job our Switch does. At its core it is a racking system: an 18mm black phenolic ply drawer rated to 180kg, with stainless hardware. With the bulkhead up and the drawer shut, tools sit behind a solid panel and a drawer front. There is nothing to see through the glass, whatever the van looks like from outside. If a thief cannot see anything worth taking, the quick job opportunist theft relies on is not there.
It also does three things most racking does not. It fits without drilling, so it is lease friendly and comes out in twenty minutes. It works with kombi seats, where a lot of racking is built for panel vans and will not sit alongside them. And it folds out to a full-size double bed when the van needs to do something other than work. The drawer opens with our OneTouch system. We do not sell it as a security product, and a drawer front is not a safe. It conceals. That is the point.
Layer three: if they get in anyway, make it take longer than they will spend
One customer's van was broken into. The van was damaged, but nothing was stolen. His bulkhead was up, and the thief could not work out how to drop it. They gave up and left empty handed.
Our units are not lockable, and we are not claiming they are impenetrable. The point is that unfamiliarity buys time, and time is the one thing opportunist thieves do not want to spend.
Our take
Cover all three layers. Decide what your van signals before you decide what to bolt to it. Keep the load out of sight. Assume the last line of defence is not a lock. It is whatever slows a thief down once they are inside. For tracking, tool marking and recording serial numbers, follow Direct Line's guidance. That is not our field.
Which Switch suits your van
On a T5 or T6, the choice is Switch XL or Switch Narrow. On a T7 or Transit Custom, it is the Switch, or the Crew Cab Storage System if the van has a crew cab bulkhead. Our guide to choosing between them is here, and the full ranges are in the T5 & T6 collection and the T7 & Transit Custom collection. If you are unsure about fitment, talk it through with us.
FAQ
How do thieves choose which van to break into?
In our experience, by what they can see: signage showing the trade, and tools visible through the windows.
Does removing van signage reduce theft risk?
The research points that way: in one 2026 survey, 17% of branded vans had been targeted against 10% of unbranded. It is a trade-off with advertising.
Do deadlocks stop tool theft?
They slow down amateurs but will not stop a determined thief, and customers tell us they can also draw attention. Check your insurance conditions before changing locks.
Is a kombi a bad choice for carrying tools?
It is harder, because of the glass. Concealed storage solves most of that.
Does a Switch make my van secure?
No. It is not lockable and we do not claim it is. It keeps tools out of sight and makes your storage slower to work out.
Does racking have to be drilled into the van?
Not ours. Switch fits without drilling and comes out in twenty minutes.
How common is tool theft from vans?
In 2024, 12,414 thefts from vehicles were reported to UK police.
Sources: Direct Line tool theft report (2024 police data); Trade Direct Insurance research, published June 2026; Tempcover survey of 500 van owners, October 2025.
