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Original Sussex Installations video

What Is a Van Deadlock?

The video that began Jeff Scott’s public van-security education.

What Is a Van Deadlock? YouTube video thumbnail
Video ID: sYkkXR0UBnw

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Jeff Scott’s retrospective context — 2026

This video from 2009 was (as far as I know) the very 1st video on the internet that showed van owners what a manual key operated van deadlock is, how a van deadlock operates and who it’s aimed at. It would be years before anyone else would put content online about van deadlocks and it would make me the OG Van Security YouTuber.

It’s been an incredible and crazy journey for the last 17 years keeping the UK and the rest of the world up to date on the changes in van security and how thieves have adapted over the years to different security measures. I have also been very pleased to introduce multi-layer security strategies and cost effective products to help van owners to keep their vans as secure as they can be, at a reasonable price. We have also designed and manufactured many new security product innovations in our factory / workshop in Easbourne, which have evolved massively during this time and will continue to evolve as we innovate for the next 17+ years!

It would be years before anyone else would put content online about van deadlocks and it would make me the OG Van Security YouTuber.

Our YouTube channel has built a great loyal following with nearly 10K subscribers and I’m very proud of the channel, our van owner community and my team here at Sussex Installations in Eastbourne for sharing and embracing my values, to give great honest and real advice, top quality workmanship and the very best customer service that we can.

I would very much appreciate if you give me a like for any of my videos that you watch on YouTube (or other social media) and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and turn on notifications so that I can keep you up to date with the latest in van security as things change.

Original description

Deadlocks fitted to a VW Transporter Van, see what you can do to secure your van and your contents. Don't be a victim of crime in these hard times you cannot afford to loose your tools!

What is a deadlock? Watch this video to find out and view a demonstration of locks 4 vans T Series van locks (Van Deadlocks) fitted to a Volkswagen T4 Transporter Van.

Van Deadlock installation in Sussex, London and the South East area - Contact us via our website at http://www.sussexinstallations.co.uk or call the team directly on 01323 638999.

Subscribe to both our YouTube channel and website newsletter to keep up to date with van security products and advice; as things are constantly changing as we respond and adapt to new attack techniques as we see them.

Note: Whilst we take great care in selecting products and techniques that we believe are effective to increase your van's security, we can never guarantee that any van is safe from a break in, please see our website for full terms and conditions.

Historical context: This video records the advice, products and attack methods relevant when it was published. Current recommendations may have changed as vehicles, products and criminal methods evolved.

Common questions

What actually is a van deadlock, and how is it different from the van's original lock?

A deadlock is a separate, aftermarket key-operated lock fitted in addition to your van's original locks. As I show on the T4 Transporter in this video, each deadlock has its own purpose-designed, vehicle-specific steel bracket riveted into the body, and the latch shuts firmly into that reinforcement. So even if a thief gets past the factory locking on your van, then the door still won't open because the deadlock is holding it shut independently.

Do I have to activate the deadlocks every single time I lock the van?

No. Locking the deadlocks is an extra step on top of your normal locking routine. It's not something you need to do every time you leave your van, but with the way thieves operate ruthlessly in broad daylight in the modern time as I publish this page, it's worth putting the deadlocks on for extra security whenever you are away from your van.

Why was compressed air such an important part of how you developed your fitting process?

Working closely with Chris Batterbee and Locks 4 Vans in this period, I found compressed air became central to the standard I wanted to reach. It didn't just power air tools, it also let us blow metal swarf out of doors, seams and cavities after drilling and cutting, which matters for a clean, rust-free finish. That's part of why I moved from simply fitting a deadlock to building a proper, repeatable installation standard.

Transcript

Show transcript
0:09 -hello my name is Jeffrey Scott and I'm
0:11 -here to talk to you today about
0:12 -deadlocks for your van
0:14 -basically bed locks are probably the
0:17 -single most effective piece of security
0:19 -to a van to stop your tools going
0:21 -missing alarms the the good idea to have
0:25 -as well trackers yeah but basically a
0:28 -good set of aftermarket deadlocks
0:30 -like the ones that I'll fit for you
0:31 -locks for vans ones and you're going to
0:34 -really sleep a lot better at night
0:37 -knowing that your van is more secure
0:38 -here we have our t4 transporter
0:42 -Volkswagen demonstration vehicle this
0:44 -vehicle is fitted with t-series
0:46 -deadlocks all-round is got locks on the
0:48 -front two doors locks on the rear
0:51 -tailgate and the side load door just
0:53 -demonstrating for at4 basically I don't
0:56 -know if you've seen them but quite
0:58 -commonly the way that they are broken
1:00 -into is by having a screwdriver poked
1:01 -through just above the handle on any
1:05 -door which gains quick access by the
1:07 -thief by having the dead locks on the
1:09 -vehicle it means that even if they do
1:11 -manage to break through the original
1:13 -manufacturer's locks then the door still
1:15 -won't open as the latch shuts firmly
1:18 -into the reinforcement that's fitted
1:20 -into the body of the vehicle here's the
1:23 -tailgate the tailgate vehicle needs to
1:26 -have two locks one on either side
1:27 -obviously they have the same key which
1:29 -operates all five of the locks on this
1:31 -particular vehicle you can see the worn
1:33 -away sticker there which is not
1:35 -available for purchase separately it
1:37 -will only come with locks that we've
1:39 -fitted ourselves and you can have it
1:40 -fitted to your vehicle free of charge if
1:42 -you wish to have it I now open up their
1:44 -bed locks here from either side of the
1:47 -tailgate and open up the tailgate so you
1:49 -can see that basically these locks come
1:51 -with a purpose-designed vehicle-specific
1:53 -bracket which is fitted to either side
1:56 -there which is a steel reinforcement
1:58 -that is riveted to the vehicle which the
2:01 -lock latch strike go straight into and
2:04 -lock securely preventing the door from
2:06 -opened even if your original locks are
2:08 -forced
2:15 -I'll now lock up the tailgate using the
2:17 -original lock and operate the dead locks
2:20 -the one on the right turns clockwise in
2:22 -the key one through 360 degrees and the
2:26 -lock on the left turns anti clockwise to
2:29 -lock 360 degrees again now found at the
2:33 -side load door the deadlock is operated
2:36 -and is engaged so as I try to pull on
2:38 -the side load door you'll see the door
2:40 -only opens barely one or two millimeters
2:43 -before it starts by the deadlock if I
2:46 -just release a dead lock now you can see
2:47 -from the fitting of it inside of the
2:50 -door
2:54 -and that latch goes into the body of the
2:57 -vehicle straight into the reinforcement
2:59 -plate which is again the
3:00 -vehicle-specific bracket which is
3:03 -tailored and measured to go on that
3:05 -particular vehicle
3:08 -passenger front door is very much like
3:10 -the driver's door if I just disengaged a
3:14 -deadlock and I'll be able to open up the
3:16 -door straightaway no problem
3:18 -and you can see the latch fitted in the
3:20 -inside of the door and the same as a
3:22 -side load door that latch comes out
3:24 -approximately one in
3:29 -very close tight fit on this Volkswagen
3:31 -t4 transporter and into the
3:34 -reinforcement bracket if the strike goes
3:36 -and it goes in with good depth now as I
3:41 -go through the final lock up procedure
3:43 -of the van locking up the original locks
3:45 -and locking up the dead locks I mean it
3:48 -is something extra that you've got to do
3:49 -when locking up your van you know it
3:52 -does physically take you to activate
3:53 -these dead lock but at the same time
3:55 -it's probably not something you need to
3:57 -do every five minutes like if you're
3:59 -nipping into the shops or during the day
4:00 -you probably won't necessarily need to
4:03 -activate the dead locks not an issue in
4:05 -a particularly bad area but it's just
4:08 -nice to be able to do it overnight and
4:10 -to be able to just feel like your van is
4:13 -more secure your tools are secure and
4:14 -you can just sleep just so much better
4:16 -at night just knowing that your van is
4:18 -safe and it's the last door here we just
4:20 -activate the deadlock and in fact this
4:27 -vehicle does actually have a
4:29 -remote-controlled central locking so
4:32 -central locking is in fact operated by
4:34 -the remote control and by the alarm
4:36 -system turning the alarm on now as well
4:39 -I can see the flashing LED is on the
4:41 -dashboard and I'm good to go now check
4:45 -the website for more details it's a ww6
4:49 -installation team code of UK go to the
4:53 -van section and then you can click on
4:56 -the links from the right menu you can
4:58 -click on deadlock slam locks electronic
5:00 -deadlocks tracking alarms immobilizes
5:04 -and more
5:27 -you

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.

Page details

Author
Jeff Scott
Publisher
Sussex Installation Team Ltd
Updated
2026-08-27
Primary focus
Foundations
Date
13 March 2009
Jeff Scott, founder of Sussex Installation Team Ltd
About the author

Jeff Scott — Van Security Specialist and Industry Educator

Jeff Scott is the founder of Sussex Installation Team Ltd (Sussex Installations). He has fitted vehicle-security systems since 1997, started Sussex Installations in 2003 and has specialised in van security since 2008. His work combines installation, vulnerability research, product design, UK manufacturing and long-term public education.

In 2009, Jeff published the first known YouTube video explaining mechanical key-operated van deadlocks. He has continued documenting van-security products, installation standards, vehicle vulnerabilities and changing attack methods ever since – earning his description as "The OG Van Security YouTuber."

Jeff has supported thousands of professional vehicle aftermarket technicians across the UK and beyond with access to technical information, while actively promoting higher quality installation standards through his trade community ifitstuff.com since 2006.

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