Tradespeople, van drivers and business fleets who fall victim to crime across Essex, are being urged to contribute to a new police-backed national online database launched by van security specialists TVL Security.
Data from a 2022 study found that tradespeople in the South East are the most vulnerable to tool theft, with the region accounting for 18% of reported incidents across the UK1. In Essex specifically, around 300 vans are stolen each year, with more than 450 additional incidents of content theft, at an average cost of over £815 per vehicle2.
To fight back against the criminals, Brentwood-based business TVL Security has launched a new ‘Tell TVL’ initiative, asking those who have had their vans or tools stolen to report full details, including images, at www.tellTVL.co.uk, in addition to reporting the crime to police.
By securely recording detailed data, as agreed with the National Business Crime Centre, Tell TVL will create the UK’s first real-time national database capturing the true scale and nature of van crime. All data will be collated and shared with police in support of central efforts to crackdown on van crime.
In addition, registered users will be able to get free anonymised data reports highlighting crime hotspots and receive targeted crime prevention advice based on trends in entry methods so drivers can be alert to all potential risks.
TVL Security’s Managing Director, Laura Moran, says: “According to recent research, 78% of tradespeople have found themselves a victim of tool theft1. Unfortunately, those based in our home county appear most vulnerable.
“Often, we are the first port of call for drivers and fleets looking to increase security after falling victim to theft. That means on a daily basis we see how much these crimes impact hard-working employees, sole traders and business owners.
“But because police databases are organised regionally, there isn’t a true national picture of the scale of the problem. And because there isn’t a standard way to capture details of van crime including methods used to gain entry, drivers and owners don’t currently know what to look out for.
“We think it’s about time drivers and fleet owners were given a chance to join forces against the criminals who cause them so much damage, financially and emotionally. That’s why we’ve created Tell TVL. It’s a way for businesses to fight back. Thieves thrive on silence, so we want to make some noise.”
Tell TVL is hosted in partnership with the International Security Register (ISR) and guarantees data provided won’t be shared with anyone except the police.
Website users, who aren’t obliged to give their contact details, will also be able to access the latest vehicle crime prevention advice from the National Business Crime Centre.
Moran says: “Our hope is that by putting the spotlight on this very real issue affecting thousands of British businesses every week, together we will be able to prevent even more from becoming victims. The more reports we get the stronger our community will become and the more impact we will be able to have.”
TVL Security is a leading player in the van security sector, designing and manufacturing a range of leading additional security products for both vehicle manufacturers and the aftermarket.
1 Statistics from On the Tools ‘Tradespeople Against Tool Theft’ whitepaper in 2022
2 Statistics from 2019 Logistics UK Van Security Survey
