Eastbourne business creates free app to tackle van break-in ‘epidemic’

Jeff Scott, director at Sussex Installations in Finmere Road, has created the VaVoid app which allows tradesmen to share and document information about van break-ins in an online forum to help keep their fellow workers’ equipment safe.

The VaVoid app, which stands for Van Crime Avoidance Network, was launched on Friday (June 26) and is a free download from Google Play and Apple’s App Store because Jeff wanted to ‘do some good for UK tradesmen’.

Jeff said, “We hear stories everyday about people’s vans being broken into. It’s a real state we are in.

“It’s an epidemic. It’s a growing trend every year. And with these economic hard times crime shoots up in a recession.”

The two key points Jeff said the app provides is live notifications of break-ins and also historical reports of incidents in certain areas, which can help people make wiser and more safety conscious choices.

The 41-year-old said, “The notification sent to your phone can tell you something is happening right now in your location.

“Also, if traders can see what has been happening historically in the area it’s going to highlight crime hotspots, and they are going to think ‘I don’t want to park my van here’.”

The idea, Jeff said, came from a previous app he created in 2015 which looked at lorry CCTV systems to help protect drivers and migrants, but it was later pulled from the App Store after the government ‘almost certainly’ complained about safety concerns.

Jeff said, “I spent so much time, effort and money to create something good with that app and I later realised I could repurpose the idea.”

Jeff said VaVoid has been well received and it is down to tradesmen to help each other and share information.

He said, “It seems really positive. The comment I was reading on LinkedIn this morning said ‘It’s a great idea and it’s free, what’s not to like?’.

“I am sure tradesmen are going to appreciate the fact we are putting the effort in for them. And if tradesmen share this with others it will help them. The more people who input information, the more effective it will be.”

For more information, visit www.youtube.com/channel/UCNA0yLlJxJDj2Z_-OkBJQAQ or www.sussexinstallations.co.uk