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A theoretical Scam/Theft of vehicles. Warning!
So here’s a thought I’ve had a few times.
Scenario: Customer drops of a van with you, leaves you the keys, and goes off doing their thing. Later in the day one of their collegues calls in to collect the completed van. The vehicle’s checked over, the keys are handed over, and they’re on their way.
I’ve often thought, that it could be quite easy for someone to know we’re installing a van, call up to check it’s done, pop in later in the day, claiming to collect that van once it’s done.
Whilst unlikely, it’s not impossible, and relatively straight forward, compared to aggrevated burglaries to obtain keys.
Anyone else considered this? Or have just uncovered a perfect crime 😆
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19 Replies
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You’ve hit the nail on the head.
There’s been many a time I have handed keys over to a driver who has called in to collect a van. As they have driven off into the distance a mild panic has entered my head when I have thought "how do I know he’s really from that company and not some random opportunist that has decided to chance his arm.. 😆
But then I reassure myself by thinking how would he have known the van was ready?
Good point though :thumbsup:
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We’re going to try the following:
Printed off some cards, each with a 4 digit random number, drilled a hole in them.
When the customer drops off their key, we exchange the key for a card, an identical card goes onto their key.
Whoever picks up the vehicle must know the 4 digit number, don’t even need the card.
We’ve some adloop keyrings we put on the key, so we can detach the card when they collect leaving a free keyring attached.
Simples, takes 2 mins.
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Sometimes I think you over think things… :awkward:
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I probably do.
We had two brand spanking new Caddy Maxi vans in yesterday, and I just dished the keys out to two guy’s, on their word that they worked for the company.
Granted you’d have to know there’s a vehicle worth knicking in for signage.
Could pop in under the guise of wanting a quote, needing a photocopy, see it’s nearly done. Ring up and ask if it’s done then advice their ‘brother’ will pick it up in 10mins?
In theory it’s not that difficult, bit of time and effort?
Would your insurance, or the customers insurance cover it, if you handed over the key?
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What happens if someone loses the chitty – or the person collecting the vehicle hasn’t been able to get aforesaid chitty from the person that dropped it off in the morning. Say their mother was taken ill and they had to rush off to hospital with the chitty in their pocket. Do you stick to your guns and refuse to hand the van back without the chitty. Or do you cave in and meekly hand the keys over when their boss phones to ask what the hell do you think you’re playing at?
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Don’t need the chitty, only the 4 numbers, which could be text or emailed, scribbled in a postit note.
Granted in your scenario the key for the van will be last thing on their mind. But is better to have something than not?
You could forget to lock your unit up one evening and not get robbed… but would you do it every evening?
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I recognise the potential problem but would it not just be as easy / quick to ring the contact telephone number and ask them to confirm who has come for the vehicle ?
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That’s a possibility, unless they’re busy and don’t answer?
The chances of someone nicking a van this was are nearing zero, it seem’s easy, and not impossible.
Wasn’t there someone on the boards who had someone come and pick their van up, ask for the key to get their wallet out the van, and drive off without paying?
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quote David Hammond:You could forget to lock your unit up one evening and not get robbed… but would you do it every evening?
Granted that has happened to me before….which is why every day after I leave work I often end up driving back to check I have locked the door even though deep in side i’m pretty sure I did lock it – I have to go back and check anyway. :awkward:
The customer that drove off without paying..that happened to Peter Normington BTW
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We had our alarm serviced, and they didn’t shut the fire exit properly.
Of course the alarm went off, and they rang my dad, he looked on the cameras, thought it was all OK and it had just not being polling properly… he even opened up the next morning and didn’t notice the error flashing on the screen. :bangshead: Fire exit had been blowing open and shut all night long that leads out onto the foot path :yikes:
I doubt it’s likely that someone will have a van away like that, but like you Phil, I have those moments when I think, that could’ve been anyone.
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You realise of course that now that the issue has been raised – it’s bound to happen to one of us :yikes:
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Yes, let’s hope that the dark underworld don’t frequent the forum :blushing:
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This has happened a client of mine.
Customer A comes to lift his new black van. Pays half the money & asks for a towbar fitted says he will be back the next day to collect it & pay balance. The next morning a guy lands for his black van pays the balance & leaves with the van. A hour later a man comes in with his receipt to collect his black van with Tow Bar. The brothers left the garage that day with 2 black vans for the price of one!! As the garage accepted both payments & handed over keys the transaction were legal!! -
quote Phill Fenton:quote David Hammond:You could forget to lock your unit up one evening and not get robbed… but would you do it every evening?
Granted that has happened to me before….which is why every day after I leave work I often end up driving back to check I have locked the door even though deep in side i’m pretty sure I did lock it – I have to go back and check anyway. :awkward:
The customer that drove off without paying..that happened to Peter Normington BTW
And me. We had ones turn up with a spare key. Aww looks great chris.. BYE BYE
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And that’s why we have insurance.
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I doubt insurance will cover you if you willingly hand the keys over.
Bit like if you leave your van key on your desk and someone walks in and picks it up… something like not taking reasonable care. Different if they force entry.
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From their point of view we could just be a scammer that is pretending to be a signwriter!
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quote Simon Worrall:From their point of view we could just be a scammer that is pretending to be a signwriter!LOL. There’s probably some of those around too! :shocked:
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I have thought this. We have just had a few vans in from Arnold Clarke, Crew cab transits. Lady turns up in a Merc with a couple of lads to collect. Didn’t know if the vans were with us or another sign maker on the estate, didn’t know the company name, contact who ordered. Other than two vans needed collecting didn’t know anything. I took the reg of the Merc (no guarantee there and called my contact. My contact was in a meeting and didn’t respond for two hours. Does make me worry.
Like to code idea. You could simplify slightly and have a collection code random numbers emailed with the original booking email and write them on the job sheet. Or just request the invoice number on collection. So much to do and so little time!
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