Dec 10, 2012 · 37,369 recorded views
This video, published on 10 December 2012, was important for two reasons. One was installation standards for deadlocks, and two, it introduced video content on multi-strategy van security using layers of security — something that is still just as important today.
It marked the beginning of my public education on installation standards: showing what goes on behind the scenes of deadlock fitting, the drilling and cutting involved, temporarily installing the deadlocks, then removing them for a clean-down of all the metal debris and filings, rust protecting the exposed metal, and only then refitting the locks. My passion has always been installing locks to the highest standard, and then sharing that standard with the world through YouTube so that other installers might follow it, and so that van owners know there is a real difference in installation standards and should not just shop on price alone.
This video shows deadlocks, Armaplate and a Thatcham-approved alarm fitted together to the same Mercedes Vito, rather than any one product being sold as the whole answer. That combination established a principle that still guides my work today: the best security solution is a strategy, not a single product. Armaplate reinforces the handle area against the screwdriver attack that was common on Vitos at the time, and the alarm adds detection in case a thief breaks a window on the van and gives an alert if any of the doors or bonnet are opened and the deadlocks add an additional layer of mechanical security that is completely separate from the manufacturer's remote control, in case the factory locking is bypassed by thieves — each layer covering a different stage of an attack.
The best security solution is a strategy, not a single product.
The alarm shown here operating from the original Mercedes remote control was also a deliberate choice: security that requires the owner to carry an extra fob or remember an extra step tends to get used inconsistently. Building security around equipment the customer already carries and already understands was as important to me as the strength of the products themselves. If we were doing this again now, we would suggest to add a PIR detector in case a thief entered the load area by cutting a hole in the roof or the side of the van and we may add high position switches to the side load doors in case of a peel and steal type of attack. We would also consider if the van owner should have Bluetooth authorisation tags with the alarm to provide secure disarm (only disarm if a tag is also present with the owner when they unlock the van).
This is an installation of SECURITY equipment including DEADLOCKS, ARMAPLATES and a THATCHAM Approved Alarm System to a MERCEDES VITO VAN in Sussex by Sussex Installation Team.
Secure your van, by going to http://www.sussexinstallations.co.uk for more details on vehicle security.
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Jeff Scott from Sussex Installations demonstrates the process of enhancing van security. See how deadlocks, armor plates, and alarm systems are professionally installed to protect valuable tools and equipment from potential theft, ensuring peace of mind for tradespeople.
A multi-strategy approach is important in van security, 1) secure the weak point and most popular break in method(s) to your specific van make / model. 2) Add an additional layer of mechanical security in case the manufacturer's locking is bypassed. 3) Have an audible alarm warning in case the van is broken into.
Security that needs an extra remote or an extra step tends to get used inconsistently. Building the alarm around equipment the customer already carries and understands makes it far more likely to actually be used every time.
Yes. The interior ultrasonic sensors that detect movement inside the van can be switched off with the remote while keeping the door-entry alarm active, so a window can be left cracked without triggering a false alarm.
Because how the locks are fitted is as important as which locks are fitted. A proper installation means drilling and cutting carefully, temporarily fitting the locks, removing them again for a full clean-down of metal debris and filings, rust-protecting the exposed metal, and only then refitting the locks permanently. Skipping those steps to save time can leave a van looking secure while being poorly protected against rust and premature failure — which is why van owners should not judge security work on price alone.
Transcript source: the YouTube transcript supplied for this project with minor corrections. Automated transcripts can contain recognition errors and should be checked against the original video.
