blimey

Cycling Weekly suffers theft: Up to £150,000 of bikes and equipment stolen

why would you leave that much uninsured kit in a van in a carpark?

Gutted for CW and the bike companies.
Comments section makes STW seem a much saner place.

Emptying 3 vans would have needed other vans to shift the stuff.
If the vans were parked “out of sight” it sounds like somebody knew where to find them…

Although nothing is impenetrable, I don’t like how easy it is to open these recent model vans using widely known techniques.

New Transits are a piece of cake to get into if they haven’t had deadlocks fitted. Bang a screwdriver into the door to open the lock to gain entry to the cab then press the unlock button to get into the back. A mate had his done a few weeks ago.

It’ looks to have some degree of organisation and looks scary. Unmarked vans Away from the office but knew where they were. They looked to have some extra locks. Enough men and vehicles to get in with some force and shift 3 vans of stuff. 😯

why would you leave that much uninsured kit in a van in a carpark?

OP you did read the article ?

What are they supposed to do, do a photo shoot on pretend bikes?

Yea, new ford vans are shit. Our work vans have been done over a few times – apparently you just turn the outer bezel of the drivers door lock and the alarm disengages (if fitted) and the central locking opens all the doors! We’ve fitted after market locks that can’t be tampered with/rotated.

Seems very odd to be moving that much stuff around in one go, even for a bike mag?

Must have been spotted by someone. That’s a hell of a speculative break in otherwise. My paranoia would have had the vans parked door to door much closer.

Seems very odd to be moving that much stuff around in one go, even for a bike mag?

They were doing a photoshoot I think.

Pic I saw it looked like one of the vans had been opened up like a tin of sardines.

Something a bit sus about it I agree.

What are they supposed to do

I’d suggest, more appropriate insurance ?

There’s a lot of things that maybe could have been done better in hindsight…but it’s easy to look back after you’ve been robbed and work out what you could have done.

Gutted for everyone involved as that’s a big kick in goolies losing that much in one go 🙁

Wow, that’s awful

They’ve opened the door on the van like a tin of sardines

Can you actually fit that much kit (27 full bikes!) in just 3 vans??

I’d suggest, more appropriate insurance ?

Can you insure bikes that don’t belong to you? Genuine question !

Yea, new ford vans are shit. Our work vans have been done over a few times – apparently you just turn the outer bezel of the drivers door lock and the alarm disengages (if fitted) and the central locking opens all the doors! We’ve fitted after market locks that can’t be tampered with/rotated.

I’ve done the same. Factory locks are shocking. There’s a software security update available that stops the cargo doors from automatically unlocking unless the key is present, too.

This (and other thefts) does get me thinking.. are vans inherently insecure? Or is it a case of option boxes not being ticked when purchasing?

Whereas car security appears to have improved considerably over the last decade or so (ignoring the elephant in the room that is keyless entry etc.) vans seem to be no better?

Only know about Ford but the standard level of security is poor with pathetic locks and no option to upgrade! Also lower spec vans don’t even have a Cat 1 alarm. Easy & cheap though to increase security with aftermarket upgrades, however I suppose short of welding a vault into the back if someone wants in they’ll get in!

POSTED 3 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

dienamic – Member 

Can you actually fit that much kit (27 full bikes!) in just 3 vans??

Not if they are all strapped down by their handlebars 🙂

I think if I had £150k worth of bikes in vans, I would book them in a secure hotel car park or pay a security chap overnight…

I think if I had £150k worth of bikes in vans, I would book them in a secure hotel car park or pay a security chap overnight..

I guess the bikes don’t belong to CW though so they wouldn’t want the upfront cost of a security chap, unless they’ll be required to compensate the bike companies who loaned them the bikes………….

Well you can bet they’ll be more careful next time.

I expect the bike suppliers will have to take it on the chin/use their own insurance.

I think if I had £150k worth of bikes in vans, I would book them in a secure hotel car park or pay a security chap overnight…

You’d certainly do something.

They don’t seem to have made any effort at all, not even parking them right up against each other.

Definitely think something smells a bit – fair amount of manpower and transport to shift that much kit, and conveniently not captured on the CCTV.

It was a gang of token women that did it.

That didn’t work out very well for YT at FoD earlier in the year..

That didn’t work out very well for YT at FoD earlier in the year..

Did they ever recover any of the bikes stolen at FoD?

Those bikes will be in a sea container, on their way to Russia or the FYR by now.

Yes I know I’ve told the story before but I once sat next to a young Serb lad on a flight to Belgrade who saw my cycling mag then began talking about his pal in Novi Sad who sells container-loads of high-end bikes stolen in the UK and Europe. When he saw my expression he clammed up and wouldn’t answer any questions.

It was a gang of token women that did it.

😆

It’s OK guys, they were road bikes. (Just joking. We had a bunch of windsurfing kit nicked on a test trip. Nightmare for all involved.)

Something a bit sus about it I agree.

I assumed it wasnt uncommon for vans to be broken into. Hence all the beefed up locks and “no tools left in van” signs on many commercial vehicles.
Assuming they broke into one (using the doors) by chance and saw all the goodies I would think be a case of calling some mates or emptying them one by one.

Our brand new work van was broken into before it was delivered. Lease company didn’t know untill I pointed out the damaged door lock when I checked it over.

Is there a known way of protecting against peeling the side door?

{{{flippant mode}}} By the sound of it, leaving it unlocked so they can open it without damaging it seems to be an option..

I researched the crap out of it when we needed a van for the wifes business, Fords have glaring security lapses, but all vans are vunerable.
Having never had any trouble with our cars in the village my crew cab transit had the door lock chewed and the 1/4 light put through and the neighbours Vito had the door peeled back on the same night.

There are various external door locks, the original being that big ugly rusty bracket that takes a hockey puck padlocks, but now you can get smart/slimline locks.

Install one of these as high as comfortable on the side door, this will help prevent peeling the door. I’ve seen a van at work where the door of one van was peeled back by attaching a big ratchet to a neighbouring van and just cranked away til it opened up.

I’m not sure what to go for, I don’t want to draw attention to my van by covering it in extra locks (as there isn’t actually much value in there, its more avoiding general effects being stolen from a camper and the damage to the van). There is no point just securing the rear doors as any thief with an ounce of sense will realise there is no bulkhead fitted.

I could go for external locks, or the more expensive stainless armaplates that go around the original locks to prevent them being prised open. Security film on the front windows is on the list to put off opportunist smash and grabs, although I know it will only buy a few seconds for a sustained attempt.