For plenty of Birmingham trades, the Sprinter is the business. The van, the tools in the back and next week's jobs all travel together, so protecting it is about more than the vehicle itself. Good van security does three things: it stops the van being driven away, it warns you if someone gets into it, and it helps you find it if the worst happens.
The picture in and around Birmingham
Vehicle crime is concentrated in busy places. Between August 2025 and July 2026, 1,355 vehicle crimes were recorded within a mile of Birmingham city centre (police.uk). That figure covers thefts of vehicles, thefts from vehicles and vehicle interference, so it isn't a count of stolen vans, but it shows how much of the problem is people getting into vehicles rather than driving them off.
For trades, what's inside matters as much as the van. Police forces recorded 30,848 tool theft offences in 2025, worth almost £19m and up 16% on 2024, with an average loss of £610 where a value was recorded (Insight DIY, reporting Monster-Mesh FOI data). That's a national figure from the 26 forces that replied, not a Birmingham one, but anyone who has lost a van-load of kit knows the real cost is the lost work.
How vans like the Sprinter are targeted
At a high level, the same methods used on cars are used on vans: relaying the signal from a keyless key, programming a new key through the diagnostic port, or sending false messages into the vehicle's wiring. Alongside that, the load area itself is a target, which is where an alarm earns its place.
What we'd fit on a Sprinter
Every option below is matched to your exact Sprinter, by model and year, before we quote.
| Layer | What it does | Options we fit |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm | Warns you and deters tampering | Scorpion S37 or S32 |
| Immobiliser | Stops the engine starting without authorisation | CAN-Phantom CP24 or Scorpion X-Series |
| Tracker | Monitored recovery if it's taken | ScorpionTrack S5-VTS or S7-ALS |
| All in one | Tracker, alarm and tag-to-start together | Scorpion Defender S5 |
Alarm
The Scorpion S37 CAN-Bus Alarm is Thatcham Category 2-1 and listed by Scorpion for cars, vans and motorhomes. It has a built-in receiver for wireless sensors, which means protection can reach beyond the cab. The Scorpion S32, also Category 2-1, works with the van's original remotes and adds perimeter protection and ultrasonic interior sensing.
Immobiliser
The CAN-Phantom CP24 is a good fit for commercial vehicles: it works on 12 V and 24 V systems, the engine won't start until a PIN is entered on the van's own buttons, and a valet PIN lets a garage move it without you sharing your own. The Scorpion X-Series arms itself every time the ignition goes off. Scorpion lists it for cars and motorhomes and asks for every vehicle to be checked first, so for a Sprinter panel van we confirm it before recommending it. Neither is Thatcham-approved, so tell us if your insurer has asked for a Thatcham immobiliser.
Tracker
The ScorpionTrack S5-VTS is a Thatcham S5 tracker for cars and vans, with two driver-recognition tags; paired with an X-Series, one tag disarms both. The ScorpionTrack S7-ALS is Thatcham S7 with no tags to carry, which suits vans with several drivers. If you'd rather do it in one fit, the Scorpion Defender S5 package combines the S5 tracker with a Thatcham Category 2-1 alarm, and the engine starts only with a driver tag present.
Our guide to S5 and S7 trackers explains which category your insurer is likely to mean.
Sprinter security questions
Can you fit it at our yard?
Yes. We come to the van, whether it's at your yard, a site or your driveway. All the equipment travels with us, and you'll get a time estimate with your quote.
Will this stop tools being taken?
No single system can promise that. An alarm deters and alerts, an immobiliser stops the van being driven away, and a tracker helps get it back. Together they make the van a much harder target, which is why it can be worth fitting more than one.
Do the Scorpion trackers carry a subscription?
Yes. The S5-VTS starts at £155 a year and the S7-ALS at £139 a year, at Scorpion's published prices, with longer terms and monthly options available.
Protect your Sprinter
Send us the model, year and how the van is used, plus any tracker wording from your insurer, and we'll recommend a set-up with a fixed quote. Get a quote, see our coverage across Birmingham, or read more about immobilisers and security systems.
