How to protect your ladders from theft

Whether you’re a contractor or a trade business owner it’s a popular time of year for tools, ladders, and other valuable trade items to go missing. Recently, there’s been quite a few reports of ladders being stolen from vans hitting the local papers. 

And if ladders are part and parcel to you doing your job, you might be wondering how to protect your ladders from vandalism and theft. We’re here to help! 

Store in a secure place

One of the most important things to remember with vandalism and theft of property is to try and make your goods as inaccessible and inconvenient for thieves as possible.

The best thing you can do to protect your property from vandalism and theft is to store them in a secure location. This could mean storing your items in an office, work garage, home garage, large shed, or even in a place with security like a gated community, or gated driveway. 

Almost anything you can do to make your items more difficult to reach is better than nothing. 

Use a lockable ladder clamp

If you’ve got a work van and your ladders are secured to the roof rack for easy transportation from job-to-job the best thing you can do is have a lockable ladder clamp. Lockable ladder clamps and other mechanisms come in many forms but primary come in a padlock or lock and key version.

While these items aren’t going to deter every potential threat they will present a level of inconvenience in which case many opportunists will simply move on. 

Think about where you park 

Where you decide to park can have a large impact on the likelihood of a potential break-in or theft of your property. When overnight parking try to leave your van and ladders in secure and well lit areas with CCTV or security cameras. 

If you park at home on an open street, it might be worth investing in a motion activated security camera synced with lights for your property. Many home security systems come with an App or other alert system and may only record once activated. Be sure to keep a backup and check your cameras regularly to be aware of any possible threats, or equipment issues. 

Keep a record of your ladders

Another important part of protecting your ladders from vandalism and theft is to be prepared incase your items are taken. You can do this by keeping the receipts or purchase orders associated with the ladders because if you need to make a claim you’ll need to provide images of what it looks like and associated values.  

Depending on where the item is when it’s taken you might have to claim against one of your insurance policies. You might have to make a claim against your homeowners policy, vehicle insurance policy, or business insurance policy. 

Be sure to consult all of your insurance rules and regulations before trying to make a claim.

If you need a new ladder to get the job done properly, we’ve got plenty for you to choose from! You can explore our range of extension ladders and stepladders right here at Browns Ladders, and if you have any questions, or you need any help or advice, we’re always happy to help – just give us a call on 01282 615517!