lancepar Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Just heard from a mate about his recent experience with his new purchace. It was on his drive for one night and gone the next morning, didn't see or hear anything. Luckily someone mentioned before he picked it up they were fitted with a tracked but the supplying dealer hadn't mentioned it!! So matey got it sorted before he collected it. Tracker people found it the same day and reported its location to the Police who found it with false plates on about 10 miles away, no damage just waiting to see if it was "Trackered". Polices adviced him to fit visual devises to slow thieves or make noise removing them as electronic devises like imobilisers can be defeated too easily these days, even alarms. "Evenin all" B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Lance, Was this a brand new MH and what base vehicle info do you have please? Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancepar Posted November 13, 2019 Author Share Posted November 13, 2019 Hello Keith, New Ducato/Swift PVC got his Cherished reg' plates from his old Chasuson on now so don't appear new and keys in a shielded box in the house. Just like as seen on TV with a device off the interweb positioned between the vehicle and the house unlocking and disarming is done then once inside starting with a computer device so I believe. Bye Lance B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 They can't use a relay device because it's not keyless start, so no pont in putting the keys in a metal box. Just keep them somewhere safe. Door lock is easily opened but ProPlates can prevent the most common method of opening them without a key. A small electronic box is then plugged into the diagnostic port and fools the immobiliser system into believing thatc he correct key is present. The ignition lock would need to be forced though. If there's no damage to the steering lock they would have had to obtain a key cut to the correct profile. Either a previous visit to use a tool to decode the door or fuel cap lock, or a security breach at the dealer. I would recommend an OBD port lock and either a Disklok or Pedal Box. Alarms are also useful because they make noise which hopefully limits the amount of time that a thief is prepared to spend overcoming physical deterrents or in conjunction with other visible measures dissuades them altogether. It's all about layered security. Don't just rely on one single measure. The aim should be to make them think it easier to look elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Had to do a bit of hunting around to insure our Ford Transit based M/H when we bought it last March, some wouldn't insure because no alarm, others said it was an easy van to break into. Got insured, but then splashed out on a hefty steering wheel lock and extra Fiamma door locks for garage and habitation doors. Maybe need to look at an alarm as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickVanBitz Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Deneb - 2019-11-13 4:11 PM They can't use a relay device because it's not keyless start, so no pont in putting the keys in a metal box. Just keep them somewhere safe. Door lock is easily opened but ProPlates can prevent the most common method of opening them without a key. A small electronic box is then plugged into the diagnostic port and fools the immobiliser system into believing thatc he correct key is present. The ignition lock would need to be forced though. If there's no damage to the steering lock they would have had to obtain a key cut to the correct profile. Either a previous visit to use a tool to decode the door or fuel cap lock, or a security breach at the dealer. I would recommend an OBD port lock and either a Disklok or Pedal Box. Alarms are also useful because they make noise which hopefully limits the amount of time that a thief is prepared to spend overcoming physical deterrents or in conjunction with other visible measures dissuades them altogether. It's all about layered security. Don't just rely on one single measure. The aim should be to make them think it easier to look elsewhere. Everything said in this post is pretty bang on (no like button on here Deneb) ! A nice little device purchased on the open market in Eastern Europe for about 900 Euros will have most modern motorcaravan's factory Immobilisers and OBD controlled devices by-passed in a couple of mins. Independent hard-wired systems that DO NOT use the Can-Bus/OBD to control them is sensibly the only way to go in terms of alarm/immobilisation product when done electronically. Also for about £89.00 you can go on that well known internet auction site and purchase a GPS Blocker that can block a tracking system and £48.00 will buy a RF/WiFi Signal Blocker stopping wireless alarm products from triggering. We have currently been having this conversation with 2 of the country's leading motorhome insurance brokers, with photos of products they are approving that are being fitted by 3 party/dealers and we have removed/by-passed in seconds!! Mechanical based products whilst acting as prevention still can be by-passed by Battery powered Power Tools, so whilst they will make a noise in using these tools, if the circumstances are there that noise isn't a problem, they will get past them no matter what. I'm reluctant to recommend deadlocks, only due to some of the damage we have seen over the years either through break-ins or the deadlocks being seized or corroded due to the weather damaging the locks and mechanisms (also bearing in mind that most motorcaravans have a softer plastic windows that the Thieves will use instead - which are harder to replace on older vans). It is down to the individual how far they wish to go in protecting their investment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 NickVanBitz - 2019-11-15 12:46 PM Everything said in this post is pretty bang on (no like button on here Deneb) ! Thanks Nick. It should be as it was a large part of my job for many years ;-) When I mentioned a security breach at the dealer, of course the majority of dealers are completely trustworthy, but never discount the possibility of an odd bad apple, the same as in any other aspect of society. Years ago, I bought a new caravan from a fairly local dealer for a specific brand. A few years later they shut down after several staff members from the top down were prosecuted and sentenced for conspiracy to steal. They had been passing on the details of their customers to an organised gang who were visiting customers addresses at their leisure and stealing the vans. It may only be the fact that my van was kept at a different address not known to the dealership that saved me. On another occasion, my colleagues dealt with a car dealer for a particular brand of car. It was discovered that cars sold to customers were being modified by a rogue member of staff in such a way that they could be stolen at any later time without the need for the original key, after which they were being rung and resold to unsuspecting customers. Whenever I buy a vehicle, if it doesn't come with the correct number of keys I want to know why, and I always check how many keys are programmed to the vehicle and that they correspond with what I have in my possession. If they differed, I would arrange to delete the keys I didn't have from the vehicle's ECU. There have been instances of car washes where customers hand over their key or leave the car unlocked whilst they go off shopping. Again, the majority are trying to make an honest living, but with small machines sourced similarly to those Nick mentioned it is very easy to clone a customer's key and either find their address from something left in the vehicle, or secrete a magnetic tracker that will lead back to the customer's address at some future time, where the car can be taken. Again, an OBD lock and a good alarm system (not canbus installed or a basic manufacturer installed system operated by the car key or door locks) would prevent or deter many of those thefts. Hopefully that makes you more aware of the type of things that can happen, although rare. Don't become paranoid, but think through possibilities. So many times I have seen devastated victims who relied on an anti-theft measure that was in fact anything but, simply because as honest law-abiding people they don't think like a thief and fail to comprehend the lengths they might go to and how easy it might be to overcome some devices when causing damage to do so is not their concern. But forewarned is forearmed and as Nick said, it is up to all of us how far we want to go to protect our property. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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