vicwo Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 Met a couple yesterday on Norfolk Line midnight ferry who had money, laptop and other items taken from their R reg Ducato camper van towing a box trailer to carry a disability scooter. They were sleeping at the time somewhere near Nimes on an Aire. I belive it was on the Autoroute and they called it Margareta or something like that. Alarm wire cut and door forced open. They never heard a thing. The gent is reliant on a constant flow of oxygen and was in his seventys. Wife who did everything for him had driven all the way down on Sunday and was so upset they came straight home. They looked shattered. You hear these stories but to be told to your face is some wake up call. Vicwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 What a terrible experience for them. There is an aire on the autoroute called Marguerittes, just north of Nimes. What I find amazing is that they found the alarm wire. The installers of my alarm refused to tell even me where it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicwo Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 Thanks for that Patricia, Marguerittes sounds about right. I suppose it depends on what you pay for an alarm and who fitted it. I did question the need for the bigger than normal disability badge on the the back of the trailer. The door swung down to make a ramp and they needed lots of room to load the scooter but the sign told the robbers that they were no threat. Vicwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 vicwo - 2008-09-21 4:50 PM The door swung down to make a ramp and they needed lots of room to load the scooter but the sign told the robbers that they were no threat. Vicwo Well, they should not be stopping on aires if at all vunerable..... This is happening everywhere all the time, theives have worked out that tired motorhome owners are easy prey and rich pickings. Never stop on a motoraway aire to sleep is the answer, but loads seem not to get the message *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 Grrr..... double post *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirage Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 We have stopped outside the resturant in a service area a few times as they are open all night or at least until a few years ago when we pulled up near Caen at about one in the morning. Just about to jump into bed and the resturant lights went out, the staff went home and we spent the night alone in a wooded ervice area. No thanks, after £40K on a camper I can afford and enjoy an enroute campsite and from my experience of waking or trying to wake people at 4a.m. to go on duty I would not rely on waking if a thief enters. This mith of gassing etc is just a mith you simply don`t wake up and if you do you might never wake up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 I think most motorhomers would prefer to sleep on a site but this is not always available e.g. most French sites are closed by the end of August or September, certainly along the route I have to take this is the case. Sudden tiredness can overcome the driver or there can be unforseen delays and any sites are closed for the night. I don't think it is the site fees which are the problem for most people. If it was tiredness which overcame this lady then what should she have done? Continued driving and risk killing her husband and herself not to mention other road users? Tiredness can be very unpredictable and unexpected, even after just a short drive. I also get quite incensed that people pass judgements on innocent victims and not put the blame where it belongs - on the thieves. I love my area of France where I can leave the house door and car unlocked. I am sick and tired of the onus being put on people to guard their own things and not on punishing the thieves. The autoroutes provide these service areas, partly as a service (French campingcaristes are a powerful fraternity) and partly to make profits. Many French cars also spend the night on these aires as well as caravans, lorries, furniture removers etc. Toll charges are high now so perhaps it is time for autoroute companies to think about providing some security at night as many campsites now have to do. I am not convinced that campsites are any more safe than aires. They might have barriers but thieves are not interested in stealing the 'vans, only the easily portable contents i.e. British passports, money, cameras etc. Even on a site with night guards I had my electric cable removed one night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I don't want to sound harsh and my heart goes out to people attacked in this way. But if you stick your head in a lion’s mouth don't then be surprised if you get bitten. The message must get across to the general public that motorway Aires are not safe to overnight on. There were two English families on the site we were on this summer in Italy who seemed totally shocked to be ransacked while they slept... Whilst sympathetic, I was not surprised once they told be where they stopped, incidentally the same Aire on the A2. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Of course it is the criminals to blame not the victims BUT crime happens and just because you are on holiday doesn't mean it isn't going to happen.You shouldn't suspend common sense.The other thing is PLAN your journeys.If you have small children, are older or in poor health this matters more.My husband and I can't drive the distances we used to but the up side is we have more time and have learned to enjoy the journey. You are then far less likely to end up tired and vulnerable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapido-lass Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I certainly feel for this couple, but unfortunately this is an ongoing problem that we are all aware of. By the nature of us having GB plates on our motorhomes, we are a more targetable van purely for the passports that we carry whether it be day or night. In addition to the alarm system on the motorhome, we have installed a narcotic gas detector, this gives you 'peace of mind' which helps you get a good nights sleep, as well as acting as an early warning and wakes you prior to being overcome by the gas, but the noise also act as a deterant to the would be theives as they would know you are alerted and defeats their use of gas! We also keep all documents and passports in a small safe. We have stayed on many French aires, Stellplatz in Germany and laybys in Scandinavia with no trouble at all. We would not stop on motorway aires as these are notorious places. Only twice have we stopped at an aires and felt uneasy, so we moved straight on. The only trouble we have experienced is on a Spanish campsite where someone tried to get in the motorhome one morning thinking we were both in the shower block - how wrong they were!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Stopping en-route when the French sites are closed is covered by the Camping and Caravanning Club Winter Sun book @ £5. This gives recommended En-route and all year French sites "definitive guide to winter camping" plus usefull information. Also if you book through them you get your £5 refunded. This way a safer route can be planned. Off to Spain soon Yippee!!! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvynT Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Thieves operate everywhere, if we has Aires in the UK, we'd have the problem. Parking under a light, away from bushes, near someone else, near a used area, in a patrolled area, common sense, will all help, but they're no guarantee of security; it is a start but that's all it is. When you stop, check the area, if it doesn't feel safe, it probably isn't. Good journey planning will definitely help. You have to wonder if the disability signs highlight a van for easy pickings. I know of a couple who have been attacked in their own house, in daylight. The thieves just kicked the door down and threatened dire consequences if they caused any interferrence. As touched on briefly, they may have escaped more serious consequences by not waking up. At least it's goods rather than violence. The problem then becomes by the time you've checked the area, locked the bonnet down, set all the alarms, locked and barred all the doors, the settled back to ease your way into sleep, it's time to get up. It all takes the enjoyment away, that's really what thieves do, you don't feel safe so you're never at ease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klyne Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 When we were at work we always planned to have a 3 week break. This allowed us extra time to plan our journey and also to make the journey part of the holiday. Now that we are retired we plan for even more relaxed chucks of a journey with 200 miles being about the top end for a days travel so we have plenty of time to get settled onto a campsite. It seems that many people who stay on Aires travel long distances and only stop when they can't drive anymore. Now I don't call that a holiday. On all the various camping forums there are stories of people being robbed although I am sure it is only a tiny minority of the people that travel abroad. One common thread is that valueables and passports always seem to be left where the thief has relatively easy access. Might be better for people to think about securing these things under the bunks so as not to make the life of the thief easy. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Klyne - 2008-09-22 2:33 PM One common thread is that valueables and passports always seem to be left where the thief has relatively easy access. Might be better for people to think about securing these things under the bunks so as not to make the life of the thief easy. David My son-in-law only ever did this once and ???s law that was the night that they struck! A better idea still is to have a safe (which he has!) and make the key very difficult to find. I was once told that a GB passport is worth £3000 but not sure that this is true. It must be worth their trouble and risk though. I only ever have a small amount of money and one credit card out at any one time and my passport remains in the safe all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 To put it in perspective my friends have just been robbed on the Camp Site with security . If its going to happen it will all we can do is taken as many precaustions as possible . Se La Vie 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 michele - 2008-09-22 3:01 PM To put it in perspective my friends have just been robbed on the Camp Site with security . If its going to happen it will all we can do is taken as many precaustions as possible . Se La Vie 8-) It may be an idea to name the site...as theives tend to be local/lasy and repeat offenders. at leat if people still visit site they will be prepared *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Hi we only hear about those that were robbed, what about the thousands who stay on the M/Way aire's without any trouble? Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klyne Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 michele - 2008-09-22 3:01 PM To put it in perspective my friends have just been robbed on the Camp Site with security . If its going to happen it will all we can do is taken as many precaustions as possible . Se La Vie 8-) Were they in the van/motorhome at the time? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Rapido Lass, "Gas Alarm"? you've wasted your money girl! There is no evidence anywhere of anybody being robbed in a motorhome or lorry or car by someone using "narcotic gas" It is impossible to do and even the Royal college of Aneathestists has said so. Why on earth people still repeats this rubbish is beyond me, all it does is frighten people for no good reason. Of course you should take personal safety as a priority but with a realistic view of the facts please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob b Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Well ! you're obviously not a Daily Star Sunday reader Tomo.Read my post on Gas Attacks for further info. Note: I found the paper on a restaurant table when I stopped for breakfast....honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Gordon Bennet, we have a forum member who believes in newspapers! Whatever next, Motohomes with oval wheels perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Bob this topic has a thread all of its own! But if anything WAS going to convince me it has a grain of truth it sure wouldn't be the Daily Star! But just think of the layout of your van. Now imagine how much narcotic gas it would take to fill it sufficiently to knock out the occupants. Where is somebody who will probably be a "low level" opportunist thief going to get his hands on what could be a tanker load of this gas. If you are sleeping in the "Luton bed" the gas would have to be inputted at that height to have any effect. So now the thieves need a ladder and something to go through the vans skin or window. If you are on a low level bad, and how do they now which end of the van you are sleeping, they would have to virtually fill the van with the stuff! Then they have to balance the levels of gas and oxygen to an exact level to be able to knock you to sleep and not kill you. (Because THAT would have made the news!) So now they need a tanker of oxygen to go with the gas tanker. But let's suppose you sleep through all the noise of tankers being driven next to your van, a hole drilled though the window or skin, a hissing pipe inserted and your nose, one of the best noxious gas detectors ever invented, doesn't make you cough or splutter enough to wake you or your travelling companion, not to mention the possibility of you having a dog or two aboard, don't you think another van or lorry parked next door just might notice something? Not happened, never will! (!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE SHEPHERD Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 My two rotties Love burglars,especially with a light sauce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.