The van was taken from the car park of the flats where John Jacques lives in Rawtenstall and he has been unable to perform his Punch and Judy act since, costing him thousands of pounds in lost earnings.

Jacques said:

“For the sake of a few hundred pounds in scrap metal, these thieves have put me on the brink of bankruptcy because I can’t perform anymore.

“I don’t make a fortune, I make a crust, and now I am struggling even more. To call these people scum is more than they deserve but that is the way the world works nowadays.”

Among the items inside the van were a puppet booth, barriers, mats, signs, a sound system and a total of 24 puppets.

Unfortunately, Jacques’ van insurance only covers him for accidents, so he will not be able to claim for the items within the van.

The van has not been seen since, but Jacques points out that the contents are of no use to anyone else.

Van owners should note that in all cases, the keys were left in the ignition. Not only is this an open invitation to potential thieves, it may also invalidate your van insurance.

Police are advising commercial vehicle drivers to take care and follow basic security tips, such as never leaving their vehicle unlocked when they are away from it and keeping valuables out of sight.

Speaking on behalf of Blackpool police, Detective Constable James Weatherby said:

“We are investigating these incidents and are doing all we can to trace those responsible, but it is timely to remind drivers of some basic crime prevention advice.

“I would encourage all drivers to remember to remove their keys from the ignition and secure their doors.

“I would also advise motorists to try and park their vehicles in well-lit areas and not leave anything of value such as tools, sat navs and cash inside.”

Vans are often targeted as they are more likely to contain tools or industrial equipment. Van insurance is vital, but can do little to deter opportunistic thieves.

Speaking on behalf of Wiltshire police, detective constable Andrew Morley said:

“It would appear that the majority of these thefts were opportunistic whereby the offender/s noticed that the vehicles were insecure and targeted them.

“Thieves are aware that vans are often used for work purposes and may contain valuable tools which they can sell on. I would therefore advise van owners to ensure that they always lock their vans and take the key with them, even if they are just leaving their vehicle for a couple of minutes.

“They should also not leave any valuable items on display and ensure that they remove all the tools from their vehicle each night.”

Morley went on to ask that anyone with any information regarding the thefts get in touch as well as anyone who had recently been offered industrial tools or goods.

Vans are more likely to be targeted at certain times of year as well. In the winter, it is common for all vehicle owners to leave cars running while they try and defrost the windscreen and this is when many opportunistic thefts take place.

Van insurance offers vital protection for anyone who relies on their vehicle for work. However, if your van is stolen or tools are taken from within it, you are not covered for the disruption that you will suffer and this is why you must take every measure to minimise the chances that you might fall victim to thieves. Insurance may cover the value of the vehicle or goods, but it will not cover you for loss of earnings that might ensue.

Of the 15 vans that have been stolen during August, all were left with the keys in the ignition. Police are emphasising that not only should keys be removed, vans should also be locked, even if the owner is only getting out for a couple of minutes.

It is also recommended that vehicles should be parked in well-lit places at night and preferably off the road. If you cannot put your van in a garage, remove tools overnight and add a sign to say that you do so. This alone can be sufficient to deter potential thieves who target vans knowing that they are likely to contain valuable goods.

It is also worth noting that in many cases van insurance will be invalidated if the vehicle is taken after the owner left the vehicle unattended with the keys in the ignition. Take every care with your van to help combat crime.

When your van insurance renewal premium arrives through the post, you might be disheartened by the price you have to pay to continue with the same van insurance provider. Most insurance companies offer new customers a great deal when they sign up, but at the time of the renewal the premium goes up and the customer has to pay more.

It can be frustrating to change van insurance provider every year, but this is the way you can find the best deals. If you use a van insurance price comparison website, you will be able to look at quotes from many different van insurance providers and choose the most cost effective quote.

It’s important to make sure that you don’t just choose the cheapest level of van insurance available. If you buy the cheapest cover, it will most likely not include things that you should have on a van insurance policy such as vehicle theft cover or a comprehensive level of vehicle contents cover.

Save money using satellite navigation systems

If you drive a van you can save a considerable amount of money otherwise spent on fuel if you use a satellite navigation (Sat Nav) device.

The latest satellite navigation devices use GPS technology so your van’s position can be located on a digital map within a few feet. This means that using the mapping system that comes with the Sat Nav device you can map out a route to your destination. So how can you save duel? If travel by the shortest route you can save fuel and hence money. And you should not get lost and waste fuel driving around to find your destination.

Some satellite navigation devices also have the option of traffic alerts so can warn you if there is a traffic jam ahead. You can thus change route and not waste fuel sat in a queue.

There are quite a few ways by which you can save some money spent on fuel if you drive a van. In this two part article we will look at some of the easiest and cost-efficient ways.

Driving style

If you drive your van erratically you will use an excessive amount of fuel. So what can the van driver do?

• Don’t speed – this uses excessive fuel
• Don’t brake heavily – you use more fuel when you have to pull away
• Try to drive consistently – if you accelerate rapidly you will use more fuel

If you throw the van around when you drive, you will use more fuel than if you are careful. You might even avoid potential accidents so won’t have to make a claim on your van insurance. In the next article we will discuss Sat Nav systems and how they can save you fuel.

Grampian Police are looking for the vehicle that has ‘Bruce Hendry, Turriff’ written on the side. It is a green VW transporter and anyone who has any information regarding its whereabouts should contact the police.

The tools stored inside the vehicle were estimated to be worth a large sum of money and were needed by the owner for his day-to-day business activities.

It can be distressing when your possessions are stolen, but when you use those possessions for your livelihood, it can cause further monetary problems. That’s why it’s so important that you make sure you have at least Third Party Fire and Theft van insurance that will cover you if your van is stolen. And have contents cover that will provide adequate monetary compensation if the tools inside your van are also stolen.

If your van insurance is due for renewal, why not have a look online and use a price comparison website?

This week there has been further thefts from vans. £5,000 worth of electric goods were taken from a van on Warwick Road early on Tuesday morning. In a separate incident tools and equipment in excess of £700 were taken from a vehicle that was parked at the Toby Carvery at around the same time.

On Tuesady items worth £3,000 were taken from a Volkswagen transit that was in the car park of the local Travellodge. Then on the Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, £2,000 worth of power tolls were taken from a white Fiat van. Other items were stolen from a white Citroen van at around the same time and in the early hours of Wednesday morning a power drill and jigsaw were stolen from a white Fiat van.

Sue Jameson, Hertsmere Chief Inspector stated:

“Vans containing high value power tools have specifically been targeted.

“We are thoroughly investigating these offences but need van owners help as well as eagle-eyed drivers and pedestrians who may have seen anything suspicious on Tuesday night.

“If you use your tools for your work, it would be very inconvenient if they are stolen but you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim by removing these items, or anything else of value from your vehicle.

“That way, if thieves break in, there is nothing for them to steal. It seems common sense advice but it is amazing how many people become complacent and leave these items in their vans.”

There were two more attempted van break-ins this week but in both cases the alarm on the van deterred the thieves.