Britain’s delivery drivers are under increasing threat. Vehicle security specialist, HH Driveright, highlights a 42% increase in delivery van theft incidents in non-high-risk areas and says the likelihood is that the threat could be double this in the worst theft areas of the UK.
The creators of the GM 2020 device, which will automatically immobilise a delivery vehicle in which the keys have been left by the driver, drew its figures from a report prepared by what could be Britain’s best-known parcel delivery operation. The client did not fit the GM 2020 on its vans in lower risk areas, where a 42% increase was seen. In high risk areas, where it did fit the device, van theft incidents dropped by 82%, despite the higher risk profile.
The endorsement for the deterrent could not be greater. The exercise demonstrated the degree to which van thefts result from failure to secure the vehicle whilst delivering. It also showed how quickly such behaviour can be improved, after just one or two vehicle immobilisations. The driver soon gets the message to lock their van.
If immobilised the van can be remobilised with just a quick call, if all is safe. If the vehicle is compatible, the GM 2020 can also auto-lock the doors, if the driver fails to lock the van. This can be a massive help in reducing theft of goods. Both theft of van and theft of goods from vans are crimes ready to peak between Black Friday and Christmas.
This capacity to auto-lock a van and immobilise it, if necessary, is also great news for Britain’s tradespeople, who are suffering a hike in tool theft – another crime that preys on drivers who fail to lock their vehicle whilst working or whilst it is parked up at home. Should they have remembered to take the keys, but still have a locked van stolen, the device can also immobilise it remotely, before identifying where the thief exited the vehicle. This pinpoints its immobilised location.
Official vehicle theft statistics offer little clarity over the actual number of vans stolen, as such thefts are hidden within general theft statistics. Using its own data and insight, HH Driveright says Britain is facing an epidemic at present. Its concern is that more violence is now being used within van theft scenarios and it wants to empower drivers to have a means of staying safer, through the technological solution it can provide.
“If a driver can highlight that their van is auto-immobilised or auto-locked, thieves will be less inclined to target it,” says Rebecca Hall of HH Driveright. “Having seen our client’s theft figures, which highlight how effective our award-winning GM 2020 device is as a van theft deterrent, we shall now be producing decals, which drivers can use on their vehicle, to highlight how they have GM 2020 protection. We hope this will help keep them and their van safer.”
Any delivery firm, driver or tradesperson wanting to have details of the GM 2020, which can keep a vehicle safe for a cost of just £10 per month, can call HH Driveright on 01937 830 144.