History Main / SpiesInAVan

* In the ''SamAndMax'' episode, ''Reality 2.0.'', because Max became president last episode and moved the Oval Office to the corner of Straight & Narrow, the Secret Service is staked outside in a truck marked [[PaperThinDisguise "Secret Serv Ice Cream"]].

* A sketch on ''[[Creator/BillBailey Is It Bill Bailey?]] involves two cops surveilling a couple of criminals meeting for a drugs buy using this method and a hidden wire. Unfortunately for the cops, the two criminals get distracted by a burgeoning friendship based on their mutual ridiculous interests, and they get so caught up in spending hours discussing fatuous nonsense that eventually the cops have to knock on their door and ''beg'' them to shut up.

* An episode of ''Series/FatherTed'' involves Father Ted and Father Dougal, trying to catch out a philandering local milkman who's been knocking up all the women on his route, engaging in this with a truly ''ridiculous'' amount of surveillance equipment for two Catholic priests.

* ''VideoGame/{{Poptropica}}''[='=]s Virus Hunter Island has the Poptropican Disease Control (a Poptropican version of the CDC) driving around the island in a van trying to find and spy on Patient Zero. Their cover is that they're a pizza delivery company, covering up the agency's name on their van with the PaperThinDisguise, '''P''izza '''D'''elivery '''C'''ompany.

* ''VideoGame/{{Poptropica}}'''s Virus Hunter Island has the Poptropican Disease Control (a Poptropican version of the CDC) driving around the island in a van trying to find and spy on Patient Zero. Their cover is that they're a pizza delivery company, covering up the agency's name on their van with the PaperThinDisguise, '''P''izza '''D'''elivery '''C'''ompany.

* The van used by the bank robbers in ''InsideMan''.

* The Zap 'Em Pest Control van in ''Film/MenInBlack'' ironically serves as transportation for a [[BigCreepyCrawlies big bad bug]]. Somewhat {{Lampshaded}} because half of his spaceship stuck out of the back and top.
* Played for laughs in ''Film/OldSchool'', when the protagonists use one of these to kidnap their fraternity pledges, complete with Metallica soundtrack.
* ''Film/BestSeller'' (1987) opens with a long sequence of the robbers driving through the streets of Los Angeles in a black van. However they're not trying to be inconspicuous at all, [[HiddenInPlainSight as the van is fitted with loudspeakers broadcasting political slogans]].

* In ''Film/TheSiege'', it's the ''FBI'' protagonists who get themselves bugged by military intelligence officers hiding in a van (New York's placed under martial law at that time). The FBI promptly turns tables and arrests the officers for obstructing a federal investigation.

* TheHero's coworkers in ''Film/TrueLies'' operate one for the "Omega Sector". The film features the van as MissionControl and kidnapping vehicle as well. The movie ends with Gib griping how he's stuck in the van while his partner does all the exciting stuff.
-->'''Gib:''' You know what? I'm sick of being in the van. You guys gotta be in the van next time. I've been in the van for fifteen goddamn years, Harry.
* ''Film/{{Sneakers}}'' has a van like this. Whistler ends up having to drive it across a parking lot despite being blind.
* The NSA van in ''Film/EnemyOfTheState''. The problem with doing this is shown when Robbert is able to spot them and call the police on them, claiming they are drug dealers.

* The expository opening scene of ''Film/SmokinAces'' features FBI agents in a van.

* DEA agents are stationed in one in the opening of ''Film/DeltaForce2TheColombianConnection''. Then the BigBad's men show up and shoots the thing into kingdom come.
* The heroes of the first ''Film/AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes'' movie drive around in a car with "FIA Unmarked Car" stenciled on the side.

* In ''Film/GoodNeighborSam'', a midcentury domestic comedy starring Jack Lemmon, a woman stands to inherit a fortune conditional on her being married, and circumstances have Sam (married to her friend) masquerading as her husband. Suspicious relatives hire a private eye to spy on them in a vacuum cleaner repair truck parked on the street for days - everyone involved is wise to him and struggle to keep up the ruse.

* ''Film/TheFourthProtocol''. The MI-5 Watchers have one outside the flat of a British politician who is stealing NATO secrets. They listen to a wiretap of the politician cancelling a date with his mistress, then watch him walking to the subway where he dodges various people in case they are following him...all of whom are shown sitting in the van after he reaches his rendezvous with TheHandler.
* The 'submarine' is a police surveillance van in the French movie ''L.627''. At the start of the movie the protagonist gets into a conflict with his superior who keeps requisitioning it to drive home each night, even though it's being used for a stakeout.

* Milgrim from Creator/WilliamGibson's ''Literature/SpookCountry'' serves as a translator in an ordinary one of these. Late in ''Literature/ZeroHistory'' he gets to ride in a cooler one for a different reason.
* ''Literature/TheBadPlace'' begins with the Dakotas staking out the Decodyne Corporation, waiting for a crooked night watchman to steal the company's latest program for a competitor. Julie is well behind the building in a car to provide backup for her husband--Bobby is in a van filled with surveillance equipment doing the actual watching and recording of the crime. Unfortunately, the thief spotted Bobby despite the Dakotas using multiple vans and trucks for the stake-out and hired goons to try and kill him.

* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'' does this sometimes--Hardison ([[HollywoodHacking The Hacker]]) is often in the van. He even [[ICallItVera named his van Lucille]].
** In the episode "Two Horse Job", Parker and Hardison are using a van to carry out surveillance on Sterling.
** The FBI themselves have a fairly obvious van as well.
* ''Series/TheWire'' does this a lot, both by the cops and by Omar (a stick-up artist - he only uses a ''van'' in season one and briefly in season four, though). Featuring such antics as Detective Sydnor complaining that the van is full of Detective Carver's empties, and the fact that Carver is eating such a variety of junk food while on stakeout outside a mini-mart, Omar looking out the van window and watching for hints of where the stash-house is (and Bailey taking notes based on what Omar observed, on a sheet of notebook paper on which they were clearly playing hangman before), Omar and Renaldo watching a convenience store they suspect is a drug front, and getting distracted watching Detective Kima Greggs watching the same convenience store from her own vehicle, and so on. And though no one's actually in it, season 2 features a subplot where the Stevedores Union steals the valuable surveillance van from Commander Valcheck as part of their [[EscalatingWar series of petty revenges on each other]] and begin shipping it around the world, sending Valcheck taunting photos of it from each new location, which continues even after [[spoiler:Sobotka is killed]].

* The Bug Van from ''Series/MiamiVice'', complete with an enormous model roach on top for extra inconspicuousness.
* Done occasionally in Season 1 of ''Series/WhiteCollar'', and OnceAnEpisode in Season 2.
* Spoofed in ''Series/{{Life On Mars|2006}}''. Sam Tyler convinces a dubious Gene Hunt to use a bug to gather information on the bad guys, saying "One day this stuff will bring down Richard Nixon." Gene is sitting in the van [[BrickJoke when he suddenly says]], "Wouldn't they notice a great big van parked outside the White House?"
* One sketch in ''Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook'' features a spoof variation: two people, in a van, keeping an eye on the field agent and advising him. The only difference is that their advice is about what quips and [[DoubleEntendre double entendres]] to use.[[spoiler: That and providing the same service for the villain.]]
* On ''{{Series/Dollhouse}}'', the agents follow and monitor the Actives in surveillance vans, just to make sure everything goes well.

* On ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', Leslie and Tom use a van to spy on the community garden to see who has been planting marijuana in it. Leslie decides instead to spy on her friend Ann who lives next to the garden and is going on a date with Leslie's ex-boyfriend.

* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' does this a lot. Usually with [[HollywoodNerd McGee]] in the van.

* ''Series/{{Alias}}'': Many missions begin with the field agent (usually Sydney) finalizing her disguise in a van (or appropriate local equivalent) while going over the plan with MissionControl. Then she hops out of the back of the van and heads around the corner to the office/bunker/party while her backup waits inside.

* One of these shows up on ''Series/HillStreetBlues'' of all shows, tailing Hill and Renko's cruiser. (Does that count as an inversion?) When Renko finally confronts the occupants they turn out to be a local TV news crew who've been doing a report on police activity, and are less than impressed with [[DonutMessWithACop Andy's doughnut habit.]]
* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': The Trio set up a stake-out van to monitor Buffy's activities and coordinate their attacks. There is a brief dispute over whether the very conspicuous Death Star decal added by Andrew really is appropriate on a vehicle that's supposed to be low-key.

* Used in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' Stan and a fellow agent camp out in a van, spying on a house full of terrorists. Unfortunately, the terrorists notice the van parked ''right outside'' and take them both hostage.

* Mr. Crocker in ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' used a fairy-tracking van disguised as an ice cream truck at least once. This proved horribly ineffective since he was immediately mobbed by kids. To drive them away, he converted the van into a spinach truck... and was immediately mobbed by [[ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} sailors]] instead.

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'': The Beagle Boys use the "Spies in A Van" technique in "The Bride Wore Stripes" and "My Mother the Psychic".

* The 'submarine' is a police surveillance van equipped with a periscope in the French movie ''L.627''. At the start of the movie the protagonist gets into a conflict with his superior who keeps requisitioning it to drive home each night.

* ''Film/TheFourthProtocol''. The MI-5 Watchers have one outside the flat of a British politician who is stealing NATO secrets. Creator/MichaelCaine's character listen to a wiretap of the politician cancelling a date with his mistress, then watch him walking to the subway where he dodges various people in case they are following him...all of whom are shown sitting in the van after he reaches his rendezvous with TheHandler.

* The Bug Van from ''Series/MiamiVice''.

* TheHero's coworkers in ''Film/TrueLies'' operate one for the "Omega Sector". The film features the van as MissionControl and kidnapping vehicle as well.

* In ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Peter uses such a van to spy on Lois.

* 1973/74 ''{{WesternAnimation/Superfriends}}'' episode "The Balloon People". Dr. Noah Tall and Twisty use one called the "Snoop Wagon" to spy on the title characters. Bonus points for having an exterior radar dish and extendable telescope.
* Crocker in ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' used a fairy tracking van disguised as an ice cream truck at least once. This proved horribly ineffective since he was immediately mobbed by kids. To drive them away, he converted the van into a spinach truck... and was immediately mobbed by [[{{Popeye}} sailors]] instead.

* Milgrim from WilliamGibson's ''Spook Country'' serves as a translator in an ordinary one of these. Late in ''Zero History'' he gets to ride in a cooler one for a different reason.

* In ''GunsmithCats'', ATF agent Bill Collins uses one of these to spy on Rally. The girls aren't fooled.
* In ''PokemonSpecial'', the Shadow Triad has one decked with spy equipment.

* Used in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''. Stan and a fellow agent camp out in a van, spying on a house full of terrorists. Unfortunately, the terrorists notice the van parked ''right outside'' and take them both hostage.

* ''Series/TheWire'' does this a lot, both by the cops and by Omar (a stick-up artist - he only uses a ''van'' in season one and briefly in season four, though). Featuring such antics as Detective Sydnor complaining that the van is full of Detective Carver's empties, and the fact that Carver is eating such a variety of junk food while on stakeout outside a mini-mart, Omar looking out the van window and watching for hints of where the stash-house is (and Bailey taking notes based on what Omar observed, on a sheet of notebook paper on which they were clearly playing hangman before), Omar and Renaldo watching a convenience store they suspect is a drug front, and getting distracted watching Detective Kima Greggs watching the same convenience store from her own vehicle, and so on. And though no one's actually in it, season 2 features a subplot where the Stevedores Union steals the valuable surveillance van from Commander Valcheck as part of their [[EscalatingWar series of petty revenges on each other]] and begin shipping it around the world, sending Valcheck taunting photos of it from each new location.

* ''TheWire'' does this a lot, both by the cops and by Omar (a stick-up artist - he only uses a ''van'' in season one and briefly in season four, though). Featuring such antics as Detective Sydnor complaining that the van is full of Detective Carver's empties, and the fact that Carver is eating such a variety of junk food while on stakeout outside a mini-mart, Omar looking out the van window and watching for hints of where the stash-house is (and Bailey taking notes based on what Omar observed, on a sheet of notebook paper on which they were clearly playing hangman before), Omar and Renaldo watching a convenience store they suspect is a drug front, and getting distracted watching Detective Kima Greggs watching the same convenience store from her own vehicle, and so on. And though no one's actually in it, season 2 features a subplot where the Stevedores Union steals the valuable surveillance van from Commander Valcheck as part of their [[EscalatingWar series of petty revenges on each other]] and begin shipping it around the world, sending Valcheck taunting photos of it from each new location.

* Done occasionally in Season 1 of ''WhiteCollar'', and OnceAnEpisode in Season 2.