Advice on fitting a safe please

[Hopesy]

After a couple of trips abroad our major concerns were leaving valuables behind when we went out (you can't carry everything with you). I've thought about fitting one of vehicle safes but don't want to make too much of a mess or drill into metal parts to fix it to. Has anyone any any suggestions (sensible please) on fixing a safe or other security measures.

Thanks in anticipation.

PS I've tried the search feature.

Its a Sunseeker 115 57 plate.

[Brian Kirby]

Probably not what you want to hear, but we met a German a couple of years ago whose van had been broken into in Italy.  He had parked in the street for a couple of hours and returned to find quite a mess, which he proceeded to show me.

His van had a safe, which the thief/ves had tried to open, then to remove.  In the process, they had trashed a substantial part of the van interior.  However, they didn't get into the safe, or remove it.  It was in the bottom of the wardrobe, and was bolted through the floor of the van, so I guess about as secure as you can get!

It made me think, though, about the true worth of a safe.  After all, what do you leave behind in your van?  We take all credit cards and money with us when we go out, plus passports (essential to carry when abroad) and cameras.  All that is left behind is food, drink, clothing, and a laptop.  The laptop is the most valuable single item, and its loss would be very annoying, but I have nothing on it that is personal or sensitive, so apart from the inconvenience, nothing critical would result from its loss.  Everything is replaceable, and all is insured. 

We almost invariably use sites, and seldom leave the van parked elsewhere.  This reduces, though it does not eliminate, the theft risk.  The van cab has deadlocks, and it has a fair habitation door lock.  I try always to place it where the habitation door is clearly visible, so anyone tampering would be noticeable - assuming there is anyone around to notice!  The windows are the most obvious weakness, but cannot really be made secure.  After all they are only plastic, so a bit of leverage will spring them over any lock I've seen, or simply break them.

My conclusion, for what it is worth, is that a safe large enough to take the laptop would be more of a nuisance than a benefit, so I just tuck it away where it is not obvious, but if found, can be taken without demolishing half the van!  For the rest, having our cards and money with us, we can replace it as we go, to whatever extent we have to, and leave the insurance to sort out the rest.

[tonyishuk]

http://www.autosafe.co.uk/in-vehicle.html works for us

 

[vindiboy]

8-) A safe is only a safe if it is secure, so it has to be bolted down to a firm base usually the floor of the vehicle out of obvious sight and the nuts of the bolts should also be in the safe to stop the jolly burgler undoing them. Its fine to say let the Insurance company sort out any losses you have, I wish I had the faith in Insurance companies as some here do. *-)

[snobbyafghan]

Our van came with a "safe" under one of the rear seats. In effect, this is just a metal clad box which the seat is mounted on. It has two locks but I would guess could be opened in short order with a crowbar. However, it does give a feeling of a little extra security. Firstly, our van is not one commonly seen - particularly abroad - so a thief would probably not know where to look immediately so we've already gained some time. Secondly, it makes life just that bit more difficult for the thief (I think that's all that many security measures actually do). The hope is that if there are problems to overcome, the thief may go in search of easier targets.

 

A determined thief who suspects you've got something worth taking and who feels he/they have loads of time will probably nearly always succeed one way or another or, as Brian says, wreck your van in the process. But perhaps the most likely thief is the opportunist looking for a quick and easy "lift" and they are likely to be deterred by anything that makes their life more difficult. So I reckon a safe is probably worth considering.

 

Doug

[Hopesy]

Thanks for the advice. We've considered these points about bolting it to metal and the thief causing damage to break it away from it's fixing points. At the moment we scatter the belongings we don't want to carry among books, dvd cases and clothes and the like. It always causes some amusement when we have to rumage through everything to try to find whatever it was we were looking for and it's a nice surprise to come across some euros rolled up in a sock!

I just wondered if anyone has a "quick fix" solution but it's not looking likely. I'll continue with squirrelling stuff away. At least it's a good game when i'm having a senior moment and can't remember.

[bounty hunter]

We fitted safe in the box underneath the passenger seat held down with a strap. Door can be accessed from the front but seat has to be removed to allow thief to steal.

Before we had the safe friends used to laugh at us as I wrapped the cards/passports/cheque book etc in a poly bag, removed toilet cassette and placed in the slot where extra fluid container goes and replace cassette.

 

John

 

[Cattwg]

Hopesy - 2008-11-11 1:35 PM

I'll continue with squirrelling stuff away. At least it's a good game when i'm having a senior moment and can't remember.

That's what we do - working on Brian's principle of possible extensive damage being done in trying to open a safe. And if it is opened then all your 'valuables' being in one place.

With a little thought it is usually possible to come up with some not too obvious places to hide cash (but not in one place) 'van documents, photo copies of passports etc.

I try to find places that require the thief to hit on two separate hiding places. i.e. Inside a cupboard and then behind a panel - preferably one needing a screwdriver to remove it.

Yes it's a little inconvenient when we need to access the goodies but not much.

Like you we have found Euros that we had forgotton about!!

As a precaution against a prolonged senior moment I put a cryptic note with the hiding places in my wallet.

Cattwg :-D