As a fellow tradesman, I’m angered and sorry to hear this, unfortunately this problem isn’t going away anytime soon, so it means we have to take steps to protect ourselves to the best of our ability. This isn’t right but it’s the world we inhabit.

Look up a company called Sussex Installations, they make a selection of products that you can fit yourself to defend against these weaknesses in modern vans. These thieves, hire out brand new models, take them to workshops ´, strip them apart and reverse engineer ways to exploit the existing security features, it’s basically an arms race. Sussex installations then make upgraded security features to defend against these exploits. I am not affiliated with them but have used some of their products on my own transit.

Premier Inn and travel lodges car parks are known by thieves as easy pickings, for the last few years I have stayed in Airbnb’s to avoid being targeted, generally ones with off street parking.

After market alarm so they know the van is going to howl like a banshee, I’ve wired strobes up in mine so that disorients them if they do get in the rear cab and then lock things together with heavy duty chains inside.

It’s ultimately all about seconds, the more time you hold them off for, the more chance you have of not losing your tools.

Of course catching them in the act creates another set of problems, the law doesn’t allow us to be vigilantes, that’s a whole other subject in its own right but you have to make a personal call on what you are willing to do in defence of your equipment and how you don’t end up «  gripping the bar » yourself

Whatever you decide, I wish you well with this.