Stolen Festool

What van is best for security then with it's standard locks?

Sorry to hear about your loss of tools mate, some scum bags out there!

~WW
 
I've got a 2011 transit and I was told they used a tibbe key to gain access to mine. It's akin to using a normal key in as much as there is no damage but it doesn't have the chip to switch the ignition on. I was told that once they have used the tibbe key to unlock and therefor copy your barrel code they return with a genuine ford key and a laptop and tell your vehicle to accept the new key!!
All my doors now have addition deadbolt locks fitted inc the cab and the ecu is now housed in a lock box secured to the bulkhead!
The security company have said that apart from wiring it to the mains (which is tempting!) there isn't really anything else I can do :-/
 
It's a merc sprinter. A lock pick wouldn't explain how all my remote gizmos in the house have unpaired themselves tho.
 
Roadkilled said:
It's a merc sprinter. A lock pick wouldn't explain how all my remote gizmos in the house have unpaired themselves tho.
True Roadkilled but it was also meant to warn others on here that have similar vans that haven't got additional security measures.
As I said before Festool were great in replacing tools of mine including out of warranty ones which makes me want to keep buying their product but if my comments stir up some thought to others that may prevent another theft then that's good  [smile]
 
Hi, it wasn't a direct reply to you so sorry if it came across that way. I'm a logical kind of guy that needs answers to how things are done so I can draw a line under it and start to get over it.

I don't want to put on here the security measures I'm thinking and have already taken but things are going to be very different.

The more Ive thought about it I think I have been targeted. They knew not to take sortainer and didn't even look in them. They took a ct midi and what theif would know to take a vac. I do have pics of the inside of my van online and I'm not sure if that's a coincidence or not but they're coming down never to be shown again.
 
Roadkilled, sorry to hear about the theft.
It's my worst "business" nightmare and I would be devastated.
I hope they get caught and you get your kit back asap, and/or the replacement from Festool come through quickly and you can get back to earning.
It's not the main reason I purchase Festool but it was a big factor when weighing up the pros and cons. In a perfect world the insurance company will pay out the £100 for each tool and Festool will replace them all asap.
I'm sure JMB has been working all this weekend on replacing your tranny.  [drooling]
Good luck.
 
See some fantastic racked out vans, always tempted to do mine but worry about security. Keep my systainers stacked on roll boards and take them out every night, it's a hassle but would be devastated if my kit got stolen.
 
A guy who works with me had his 13plate transit broken into last Saturday night in Norwich Norfolk, he couldn't work it out as he was sure he locked it. But no sign of forced entry, they took about 6k worth, but left systainers with hand tools in and just took the ones with power tools, he lost a ts55r about 6 months old but had only used it twice, silly bugger didn't register it though so no theft insurance on that unfortunately and no tool insurance
 
You cannot rely on the factory locks as they are junk. Open one door by punching lock etc and central locking/unlocking opens the rest. Fit aftermarket slam locks or deadbolts. Cost about £500 diy ( not difficult but does improve measuring skills [eek]) or £900 fitted. I also have a motion sensor lighting and a motion sensor in the van that links wirelessly to the house alarm.  If I could legally wire it to 220v I would.
Customers of mine woke up Friday morning to find their electricly operated 7foot gates had been stolen. Solid oak about £2500. Police understood where they had gone locally but would not be investigating it and handed out a crime number. Not worth it as no result likely  [mad] [mad] [mad]
 
Roadkilled said:
Hi, it wasn't a direct reply to you so sorry if it came across that way. I'm a logical kind of guy that needs answers to how things are done so I can draw a line under it and start to get over it.

I don't want to put on here the security measures I'm thinking and have already taken but things are going to be very different.

The more Ive thought about it I think I have been targeted. They knew not to take sortainer and didn't even look in them. They took a ct midi and what theif would know to take a vac. I do have pics of the inside of my van online and I'm not sure if that's a coincidence or not but they're coming down never to be shown again.

Never really understood the logic of people on this website bragging in their signature of all the expensive tools that they have and also having links to their website which in all likelihood has their contact details on it. Almost an open invitation to the light fingered.
 
My neighbour across the street had an argument and a scuffle outside his house one night. Nothing much just handbags really. But because of that he went and got a full CCTV system installed. I thought he was being a bit OTT and I didn't like the idea of his cameras pointing at me but recently the next door to him was broken into and it was all on camera. So the two douchebags that done it got caught red handed. His camera points straight at my driveway too so I'm glad it's there now. I noticed that Costco are selling a kit with 4 cameras for £200 online.
 
I do have CCTV and obviously I've watched them in the act. The only problem is they're wearing hoodies and never look at the cameras.

No damage to the van at all. They got in through the back doors. The van was backed up to the garage but on this occasion I'd left a 3 inch gap to the step this has never happened before as it's normally touching. This makes me feel it was probably looked at on a regular basis and they had tried before. The side door has a plate screwed on the inside as I don't use it. This plate was unscrew by them to open the side door to unload all the tools.
 
As I posted in the stolen kapex thread, when I drove into a general parking lot serving a garden condo complex really only to deliver something to my daughter who was visiting friends there it was the first time I had driven into a place like that with these threads tumbling around in my head and I immediately realized how vulnerable the panel vans are in that environment. In your case, I guess your van is parked in its own driveway. But the street outside your driveway I guess is the equivalent of the entrance drive into the parking lot.

I agree with you. You were very likely targeted. Although it might not be more complicated than "panel van of a working man". I am inclined to think that they are considered prime targets with the culprits just waiting and hoping that the owner lets his guard down one night. They probably make their rounds much like a guy working a ten hour shift might. In their case, this is just as much a job to them as the guy with the legit job. So what else are they going to do? Time is on their side. They can afford to wait and they will have noted every security measure you usually take. So its not like they have to do a thorough reexamination every time they come by. They just have to look for a difference....maybe like those three inches.

What always hits me over the head like a sledgehammer at times like this is that there is an alternate reality out there that lives side by side with mine. In that alternate reality things that I just pass by everyday without giving them much notice are looked at through a different set of eyes. I am likely looked at through a different set of eyes for that matter. The other thing that hits home here I think is the different layers of capability that are brought to bear. You have the thieves that just case neighborhoods looking for the easiest targets of opportunity but unwilling to take their time or to bring any particular expertise to the task at hand. Rifle the car, take what you can and get out. You have the guys that robbed from your van that appear to bring a higher degree of expertise with them and a willingness to take more risk in the form of time at the robbery scene.

Can I ask how long the robbery took to complete? Since you have the tape I guess you at least now know how long it took for them to get in work on the truck, take the goods and take off. I am inclined to think the whole thing, all of our security measured combined take far less time to overcome than we contemplate.
 
My son had never locked his truck.  (I guess he learned from his teacher  ???). One day he went into Lowes for only one item.  When he came out, he found no truck.  He went back into the store and got together with security.  They had the truck on camera as it was being driven away.  Cops found the truck just around the corner with motor still running, but all his tools were gone.  They could see on the TV camera that a person just got into the truck and drove off.  My son had left his keys in the ignition.  the thief just drove around the corner out of range of the cameras, unloaded and was gone.  The tools, some very expensive and brand new, were never found.  Son now always locks his truck and all tool boxes whenever he parks.  even for a few minutes.

For that matter, so does his father.

Years ago,  had gone into a store, parking my car at curb out front.  When i came out of the store, i got into "the car" and drove off.  As I headed away down the street, I began to realize the iside of the car was different.  I relized the back seat was empty of the tools i had been carrying.  For that matter, the whole inside of the car was spotlessly clean.  No cement/lime dust on the seats.  I realized it was not even my car.  I drove around the bock and the parking space i had just backed out of was still empty.  A man was standing in front of MY CAR, scratching his head in puzzlement.  His car was exactly the same model and year of the brand as mine.  The only difference was that his car, which I was now driving, was very clean.  Mine, not so much.  I drove into the empty space and got out saying, "Is this what you are looking for?"

I explained that the car he was standing in front of was my car.  we ended up chatting for a little and comparing keys.  My key actually fit his locks and ignition, but his keys would not work in my car.  Neither one of us had locked our cars, so access was very easy for me even tho he had not locked.  We did end up in our proper vehicles with nothing lost from either.  I wonder how many cars and trucks have matching keys --- even today.

I guess now that we are supposedly protected electronically, it is actually even worse. 

back in the '40's, during WWII, i had a friend who lived back in the woods at nd of a long driveway.  with rationing, there were a lot of cars that had been relieved of the gasoline from there tanks.  all it took was and empty can and a short hose.  My friend's house was in center of a clearing at the end of the driveway.  As one got out into the cleared opening, he/she was greated with a large, hand painted sign with the words: KEEP OUT YA DAMNED GAS THIEVES    OR TAKE LEAD POISONING    Not a bad warning in those days. 
Tinker
 
They really did take their time I'd say 25 mins in total as some wasn't on camera. There were 2 of them and probably 1 in the van.

They even knew how slowly to walk to not turn the security lighting on!! Well for the first few minutes anyway. I'm coming to terms with it now but I just need to get things sorted. They couldn't have picked a worst time to do it as it's the long weekend. Not sure if that's a coincidence or not. Can't wait to get the ball rolling with the insurance company and access them to how low ball they're going to go :(

 
Roadkilled said:
They really did take their time I'd say 25 mins in total as some wasn't on camera. There were 2 of them and probably 1 in the van.

They even knew how slowly to walk to not turn the security lighting on!! Well for the first few minutes anyway. I'm coming to terms with it now but I just need to get things sorted. They couldn't have picked a worst time to do it as it's the long weekend. Not sure if that's a coincidence or not. Can't wait to get the ball rolling with the insurance company and access them to how low ball they're going to go :(
I would say doing it on the long weekend wasn't a coincidence. Holidays are usually busy times for theft. I have had tools a ne audio stolen a few times over the years. Tools hurt the most. I have never had a problem with insurance looking after me though. No low balling. Only problem was that I had to purchase the replacement tools, provide the receipts and then they refund me.  Pretty painless process. The biggest lot stolen actually happened within a month of me getting contractors insurance. Tools bought and the cut me a cheque within a week. 
 
There seems to be a "thing" at one of the Borg stores in this area in which a contractor pulls in, gets out and locks his truck.  He is then followed into the store by some miscreant talking on a cell phone.  This clown on the phone follows the contractor around the store, seemingly innocuously.  In reality, he's talking to his accomplices who are emptying the contractor's truck.  When the contractor checks out to leave, the clown warns his accomplices who skedaddle with all the loot.  The clown walks out and drives off and never goes near the contractor's truck.  Be aware of this kind of thing. 
 
Sorry roadkill I feel for you my cell phone was stolen last week cost me a grand to fix since it's my business phone I have insurance on it now that's for sure.  I put a loud alarm on my trailer hooked up to a solar panel works amazingly well no ones tried to break in yet but I will hear them if they try. My little 4 year old always makes me feel better.
 
Thanks,

Spoke to the insurance company yesterday. They are sending a lose adjuster to see me. They say it's because its a high value claim with no damage to the vehicle. They also told me I was underinsured. I just don't see how that can be right tho as I took out their maximum amount and although the tools are worst more than the maximum amount using the Festool insurance I'm claiming less!!

Just more hassles I don't need at the moment.
 
Back
Top