Cargo Work Van: What is a good system?

VEHICLE

I recently purchased a cargo van that I use for construction work and I want to have a security system installed in. I put a CD player in it and it was stolen a week later at night by breaking a vent window and opening the door. It is a 1995 Dodge Ram extended van with rear windows, no side windows, and a sliding side door. It is old but has low milage so I may hang on to it for a couple of years.

I put American round locks on it now at night so I doubt anyone is going to get in any of the doors at night again. Someone told me there is a way to defeat those locks, but I don't think the casual punk thief knows how or will go to the trouble.

I put bars on the rear windows that are screwed in place with hex head screws . I'd like to get some security or odd drive screws. Anyone know where I can get some of them for sheet metal, size 10 or 12 x 1"? I could weld the screw heads too, but I think I may want to be able to take the bars off sometime.

I put a single horizontal bar across the two front windows. I only put one bar as I didn't want to feel like I was driving in a prison cell. A small person could slip under the bar, but it makes the window a little less inviting.

The passenger doors turn on the dome lights when they open. The side and rear doors do not.

NIGHTIME

I would like to get some basic security for nighttime parking. I want two stage stuff that will warn before alarming. I would want a prominately displayed blinking LED, of course. Is it a good idea to put alarm company stickers on the windows, or does that just help the thieves know which system they are dealing with and thus make it easier to defeat?

I'm figuring on putting a c**kpit keyed hood lock on it or a chain and padlock on the hood.

At night I park the van approximately 1100-1200 ft from where I live. There are two rows of 2 story brick buildings and a row of 2 story frame buildings between the van and my frame house. Is there a pager that will reach that far? A few installers I brought this up with around here felt they couldn't supply a pager that they were confident would work in this situation.

DAYTIME OPERATION

During the day, I do roofing and usually have the van parked in front of the house or pretty close. I work in Brooklyn, so parking exactly in front of the house can not always be found, but usually it is close. I like to leave the van unlocked as it is a hassle to lock and unlock it repeatedly during the day as we need tools and/or supplies. Also, sometimes I park for a 5 -10 minute stop somewhere and don't want to hassle with locking everything. I may leave my cell phone visible on the engine. I know this is may be tempting someone to reach in and grab, but I am tired of hiding and retrieving things every 10 minutes if I have a few errands to run. I'm thinking a two stage proximity sensor might be the ticket to alert me if anyone sticks there hand in the window or comes in. The first stage chirp will hopefully make them change their mind about going into the van. If the door opens I would want an immediate alarm.

Would I need one proximity sensor or two? The van interior is about 12' long. Would I have to worry about the prox sensor wires being cut? It may be hard to hide the wires in the cargo area. Are there any particular brands or types that would work best for this application?

I don't have power windows or door locks, but the next van I get may have them and I might try to swap out the security system to it. Remote door lock control control would be nice. I don't care about remote power window control. I can't use remote start now because the engine is carbaurated, but again, that feature might be usable in the future. If I have to spend more than a few bucks just for remote start feature though, I'd rather do without it.

Any suggestions on a good system for this vehicle?

I have a Panther pager alarm that I bought on E-Bay for like $120. It is fully featured with r/s, 2-way pager and a 1-way transmitter. It may not be the top-of-the-line brand, but it works for me. It also has an outstanding range on the pager (it states one mile, but that is totally clear line of sight. It usually works up to about two blocks in downtown Seattle before loosing reception). You can easiely install power locks for keyless entry on any vehicle. As for the proximity sensor,door locks, or many other accessories, DEI makes outstanding products. Just one proxity sensor should be sufficient as they adjust for different size vehicles, and the wires would be in the headliner (or somewhere hidden inside the van as teh sensor is placed in the middle of the cab). It has a very bright LED but more can always be purchased. DEI also makes a hood pin with a lock on it (I believe it works with the door locks). And finally, screws. A "different" style head that is a bit more uncommon are square drive tapping screws (sheet metal screws). You can pick them up at any hardware store. Hope this helps.5.25" Components & 5x7 Coax Kappas w/Power Acoustik OV4-800

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