Prepare for Festive Spikes in Van and Goods Thefts

-       How to keep your show on the road at a key time

Van security specialist, HH Driveright, is warning couriers to get their vehicle security house in order, before Christmas theft peaks impact operations.

Even before the economic crisis, thefts of vehicles soared. Now, theft of all kinds is predicted to rocket,, due to inflation and energy bills causing economic hardship.

These impacts coincide with vans being full of high-value festive gifts.  Organised gangs will be tracking couriers as always, but opportunistic theft is also likely to increase. An unlocked delivery vehicle, with the keys in the ignition, is a temptation.

Whilst normal trackers have their uses, a delivery driver has a pressure to stay on the road whilst delivering, to avoid losing contracts due to delays or theft. The immediacy of the delivery world, needs to be reflected in the anti-theft solution.

HH Driveright recently won the AA-sponsored, ‘Keeping Your Show on the Road’ award at the Logistics UK Van Awards, for solutions including its GM2020, which addresses the fact that around 80% of drivers leave a vehicle unlocked whilst delivering.Many drivers believe securing a vehicle eats into their time.Hopping out quickly, finding the right parcel and rushing to a door to deliver it, dominates thinking.

The GM2020 corrects the behaviour.  If the driver leaves the van unlocked, with the keys inside, it issues an audible signal after 10 seconds and then immobilises the vehicle.  That prevents a thief driving off with both van and goods.  If the vehicle is compatible, the device can also auto-lock the doors, preventing a thief from pinching parcels. Remobilisation is swift.

Should the thief steal a vehicle left running, the device tracks the thief’s location and views the vehicle’s status.  Immobilisation, via manual means from the HH Driveright control room, can then take place.  The driver can be advised of the vehicle’s location and notify the police.

Full tracking capabilities are provided with the technology but the real benefit is the instant reaction to a driver’s failure to secure the van, at the point of delivery.

Identifying insider help

With some organised thefts of goods involving an element of ‘insider’ help, the GM2020 device is also a godsend because of its reporting functionality.  It can detect whether a van has been deliberately left open, following parking up and whether the handbrake has been disengaged.

Other advantages are the reports generated, reviewing how the vehicle is driven and where safer driving behaviours and better fuel economy could be introduced. This might be through reduced speeds, better braking and cornering, or cutting out idling.

HH Driveright’s managing director, Rebecca Hall, says, “We literally help delivery drivers keep their show on the road and never more so than around this time of year.  Now is when to get a GM2020 device fitted, to protect vehicles, goods in transit, livelihoods and reputations.  For a very small cost, the pain of theft can be avoided.”

For more information about the device, for which pricing starts at £10.25 per vehicle per month, plus a fitting fee, contact HH Driveright on 01937 830144 or visit www.hhdriveright.com   With no evasive cuts required for installation, warranties are unaffected by this device.                                                                                                       

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Editors notes

HH Driveright is a van security and courier fleet compliance specialist, with exciting and advanced solutions for van drivers wishing to protect their vehicles, livelihood and reputation. It is launching a variety of exciting new options for van fleets in 2022, with relevance for all offering delivery and courier services.