Guest bil h Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Lots of mention about dead locks, gas alarms, anti personnel sprays, guard dogs etc. We hear little about actual thieving, is it really that bad, or are we all conditioned into believing we're next ? And why hoard such a lot of clutter, it invites the robber. bil h Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
messerschmitt owner Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 I had my van broken into in Eastleigh - £800 to repair the damage and £200 for the deadlocks that were fitted at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Bill- Some thieves would steal the fillings from your teeth, there are 1000s of thieves at work, mainly young punks who have no respect for other peoples property, and why should they when there is no correct punishment for them. Lock it up and alarm the van and leave it in as secure a place as you can find. Dont try to defend your property yourself, as you will be prosecuted for assult. chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Bil - The low life has no idea what, if anything, you are hoarding - until he breaks in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Hi All, Below is an old posting of mine - but a good reminder to be careful out there. We have been going over to France for 6 years now, almost always stopping on the aires d' service all over France, for two months at a time twice a year. We had no problems until Sept 12th last year. We parked at the Arromanches aire for about the 11th time, its a well lit aire and was full, the car park behind had around 15 camping cars too. At 0230hrs I had just made a cup of hot lemon drink for my wife, we sat down on our sofa beds, occaisionaly chatting and heard the central locking activating. Opening the front cab curtain found the prospective tea leaf looking at me through the cab side window, he turned tail and ran off, I came out of the habitation door with the biggest kitchen knife I could find to give chase. I didn't catch him or even get a really good look at him, but a car reversed out of the car park at high speed, so I guess it was the thieves. It was a good job I didn't catch them as they would have given me a good pasting! My sister who has a van blitz alarm was parked next to us, didn't set it (because she always felt safe on this aires), had just over £1000 lifted from her handbag, which they put back in the camper minus the grand, they sorted through the credit cards but didn't take them. Just to put it in perspective, we were also nearly broken into at the savernake forest nr Marlborough 30 years ago. Always lock the cab doors and don't just rely on the standard cab locks, I have a safety chain fitted to the habitation door and a Fiamma strap on brackets attached to the cab doors, also sensors on all doors (including cab), windows and external lockers will trigger the habitation alarm if they open 0.5". I surveyed all the other campers next morning at 0700hrs, and found several other campers of all nationalities had been broken into , the only common denominator - yes you guessed it ' The Sevel Based' cab chassis, Fords round key, Mercedes and all A class were bypassed. Opening the Sevel cab doors is easy, you just need a flatish blade screwdriver, the locks still work okay afterwards with the proper key afterwards. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globetrotter Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Not all criminals are young, and the young are not all criminals........... *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank Wilkinson Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Globetrotter - 2007-02-02 2:22 PM Not all criminals are young, and the young are not all criminals........... *-) That is what's called a SOTBO.Answers on a postcard please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globetrotter Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Frank And what, pray tell, is a SOTBO ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Well said Globe trotter! I have recently invested in the following equipment: http://www.respirex.co.uk/products_detail.asp?id=118&catID=3 I now sit up in bed armed with a baseball bat, with suit on and air-con on full, to prevent myself passing out.... With spot light scanning motorhome perimeter. Alarm and dead locks activated. Radio on and lights on so miscreants know van is occupied. I also hire in a rockweiler doggy (which has savaged the wife on two occasions) as well for European trips. Problem is I never seem to sleep a wink, what with the children in their suits crying all night “daddy we want to go home” Nonsense, I say we are on holiday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Nice one Eddie - Try counting your money - works for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 It does seem that although break ins are rare, the cab doors are the most vulnerable places on any van, particularly where they have small quarter lights and where the door handle can easily be reached through the hole left when the quarter light is either quietly smashed or the rubber seal cut away with a stanley knife and the window lifted out. There may even be duplicate keys and remotes about I have heard it said although I have my doubts. It therefore makes sense to me to doubly and visibly secure this vulnerable area with both visible and invisible extra locks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bil h Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 With an A class Merc I guess I'm better off then but I always strap the opening doors plus I made an anti window opening frame. And occasionaly I put out the Denis the Doberman's dish, he eats humans! bil h Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Terrytraveller - 2007-02-02 2:22 PM Hi All, Below is an old posting of mine - but a good reminder to be careful out there. We have been going over to France for 6 years now, almost always stopping on the aires d' service all over France, for two months at a time twice a year. We had no problems until Sept 12th last year. We parked at the Arromanches aire for about the 11th time, its a well lit aire and was full, the car park behind had around 15 camping cars too. At 0230hrs I had just made a cup of hot lemon drink for my wife, we sat down on our sofa beds, occaisionaly chatting and heard the central locking activating. Opening the front cab curtain found the prospective tea leaf looking at me through the cab side window, he turned tail and ran off, I came out of the habitation door with the biggest kitchen knife I could find to give chase. I didn't catch him or even get a really good look at him, but a car reversed out of the car park at high speed, so I guess it was the thieves. It was a good job I didn't catch them as they would have given me a good pasting! My sister who has a van blitz alarm was parked next to us, didn't set it (because she always felt safe on this aires), had just over £1000 lifted from her handbag, which they put back in the camper minus the grand, they sorted through the credit cards but didn't take them. Just to put it in perspective, we were also nearly broken into at the savernake forest nr Marlborough 30 years ago. Always lock the cab doors and don't just rely on the standard cab locks, I have a safety chain fitted to the habitation door and a Fiamma strap on brackets attached to the cab doors, also sensors on all doors (including cab), windows and external lockers will trigger the habitation alarm if they open 0.5". I surveyed all the other campers next morning at 0700hrs, and found several other campers of all nationalities had been broken into , the only common denominator - yes you guessed it ' The Sevel Based' cab chassis, Fords round key, Mercedes and all A class were bypassed. Opening the Sevel cab doors is easy, you just need a flatish blade screwdriver, the locks still work okay afterwards with the proper key afterwards. Regards Terry I'm guessing they didn't know they had been robbed so would have blamed gas if you didn't know better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 At least Sevel van windows are fairly easy to get - unlike 'A' class glass the loss of which can seriously damage both your credit card and your holiday aspirations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Hi Colin, You said - I'm guessing they didn't know they had been robbed so would have blamed gas if you didn't know better. Crikey!!! - you must be physic, that’s just what she said. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 AH! Gas I hear you say! You see that’s the beauty of my system, it offers full biological protection in fact I am going to soon upgrade to full nuclear protection! I have had so many PM’s from interested people that I am going to market the complete kit under a new label, “THE VAN BLING STINGER” Irresistible? (yes I think so) I can see you all rushing for your cheque books! Looking for some likely lads to act as installers while awaiting insurance accreditation…. Mind you it will not be cheap – But hey who cares! PS: guard dog not part of package – as impossible to get insurance cover. But I know a man who can supply (at your own risk) privately… To all those of you who inquired regards my wife. She is doing well and should be out of the wheel chair in next month or so… The physical damage can be repaired. But psychological damage far more difficult. But it was her fault for getting up in the middle of the night in her chemical suit to use the toilet - and scaring the poor creature! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Terrytraveller - 2007-02-02 7:56 PM Hi Colin, You said - I'm guessing they didn't know they had been robbed so would have blamed gas if you didn't know better. Crikey!!! - you must be physic, that’s just what she said. Regards Terry Yet another skill to add to my C.V. (lol) Now if only you had one of those South Afican flame throwers, you wouldn't have needed to chase them, just sweep away the ash's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 colin - 2007-02-02 8:42 PM Now if only you had one of those South Afican flame throwers, you wouldn't have needed to chase them, just sweep away the ash's Have you a link for me Colin for this interesting sounding piece of kit? mind you don't want to singe the dog - his not mine don’t you know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank Wilkinson Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Taking a tip from my late father-in-law, who was a coal miner in Durham, we always take a canary in a cage when we go to France. If the canary drops off its perch we know we're being gassed.It's much cheaper than these complicated gas detectors, although we did have a problem with the first canary that we bought when my daughter, who was only five at the time, killed it by trying to insert two AA batteries up its *rse.PS Has anyone worked out what a SOTBO is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Give us the Answer then clever pant's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bil h Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 A serious subject that deteriorated into hash so my guess was correct, there aint so many break in's. bil h Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Oh come on Bill - get a sense of humour. I think your topic got a fair range of responses first don't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank Wilkinson Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 bil h - 2007-02-03 12:02 AM A serious subject that deteriorated into hash so my guess was correct, there aint so many break in's. bil h In relationship to the number of motorhomes there are very few break-ins but few or many, it's still nice to have a bit of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank Wilkinson Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 michele - 2007-02-02 11:57 PM Give us the Answer then clever pant's Not yet. The answer's in the thread. Read the post that I replied to and read my response. There must be a few more crossword puzzlers and lateral thinkers out there.A clue is that it's one of the many irritating things that we get regularly on this forum (apart from me of course!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 And here's me thinking that the only thing on here more irritating than you Frank is me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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