Four ways to fight unauthorised use and theft

Theft and unauthorised use are all too common among fleets.

A recent ONS report found that one in every seven crimes in the UK is a vehicle theft. When it comes to unauthorised use, UK Government statistics show that around a quarter of all miles travelled by company cars are personal.

And both can prove costly.

Where theft can lead to downtime, increased insurance premiums and potentially the loss of an asset, personal use can lead to unnecessary mileage, additional wear and tear and increased fuel consumption.

While theft and unauthorised use may be difficult to eradicate, with a fleet management solution in place, there is plenty you can do to reduce the risk of both.

Create authorised perimeters

With vehicles on site, and many depots left unattended overnight, it is not always easy to ensure the security of your fleet. With geofences, you get eyes up and down the country, verifying your vehicles are exactly where they should be.

By placing a geofence – a virtual perimeter around a real-world location – you can pen your vehicles into authorised areas. Whenever they are removed from these authorised locations or operated outside of business hours, you’ll receive an alert in near real-time, allowing you to take action. 

Geofences can also be placed around permitted routes so you’ll know as soon as a driver detours to run a personal errand.

Live location data

Visibility is key to fighting both theft and unauthorised use. If you know where your vehicles are at all times, you can check they are operating as they should be.

With live location data, you can pinpoint the exact location of any vehicle in your fleet in near real-time. Search for a vehicle, asset, or group in just a few clicks for peace of mind that everything is in its right place.

In the event of theft or unauthorised use, location data can also be used to track and help recover your vehicles.

Driver Identification

Knowing who is in the cab can go a long way to helping you fight unauthorised use. Implementing Driver ID as part of your fleet management solution allows you to stay in control.

You’ll know exactly who is behind the wheel, and where they are travelling. Should excess or unauthorised personal use take place, you can contact the driver concerned to establish a valid reason or to take corrective action.

Immobilisation

It’s easy to feel helpless when you are sure that unauthorised use of your vehicles is taking place. An immobilisation solution can help you take back control.

With immobilisation in place, you can take steps to stop a vehicle in its tracks, wherever you are. Shut down any vehicle in your fleet in seconds. If the vehicle is in motion, it will be immobilised as soon as it comes to a stop. If necessary, location data can then be used to track down and assist in recovering the vehicle.

Time to go immobile

Whether it's excess personal miles, private jobs, or theft, unauthorised use of your vehicles can cause disruption, inconvenience and financial loss.

To reduce its occurrence, you need to know where your vehicles are and who is driving – and have the means to take direct action if necessary.

A fleet management solution with immobilisation capability is the answer.

Such a solution allows you to send a remote immobilisation request to any of your fleet vehicles. As soon as the ignition is switched off, it is unable to restart – putting you back in control of the situation.

Want to know more? Discover Immobilisation for Reveal.