booboo Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 hiya everybody. could anybody advise me on motorhome security please ,ive got a new rollerteam 600 and some off you will already no very new to this game ,the caravan door of the vehicle i feel is quite flimsy feeling and ive no alarm as standard ,ive a smoke alarm and a carbon minoxide alarm and thats it apart from the engine immobiliser ,i suppose the question im asking is what would you regard as a reasonable amount of security without going a bit OTT,i hear people metioning dead locks for the caravan door but not quite sure what they mean,not quite sure about makes of alarms either costs and are they fitted to windows doors and vents ect. sorry i know theres a few questions in this one post, any advice would be helpful ,thanks alot. CHEERS KEITH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickt Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Hi booboo, first of all i would have an alarm fitted , i had to for insurance.This can be made to operate on all doors, hatches, bonnet ect.If you wish extra locks these can be dead locks or shoot bolt type for the cab doors. The alarm should be able to work when you are inside.If you look in the Fiamma catalogue you will see a type of lock called SAFE DOOR. There a various types all of which are easy DIY fitting. Remember though if you are inside always leave a way of quick exit. You can always go to your local DIY shop and get window/door alarms for about £2.00 each.You could also fit a frame guard lock ,ie Screwfix catalogue 47802-85, these can be made to fit the cab doors for when you are inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Have a look here it might help you decide which you want,just click on blue link bellow. http://www.fiammastore.com/security_shop_page1.htm http://www.harrisonlocks.co.uk/heosafelocks.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minstrel Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I agree you need an alarm, peace of mind comes with it! We have a Brightlock - Brightlock.com, you can still get out as if the lock isn't there, also a strap to go across the cab doors is a good deterrent. Other than that, I think be aware of where is likely to unsafe to park eg Spanish towns - I heard of someone who parked by a friends apartment in Spain, they went out to lunch and when they returned the motorhome was still there but gutted completely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booboo Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 thanks for that information guys CHEERS KEITH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I would talk to Paul Harrison at Harrison locks.he is very reasonable to deal with.have a look at his website lots of pictures and idea's on there. You have a Ford Chassis which has reasonable door locks, all you nead is Heosafe dead locks which are a DIY job. then a lock on caravan door and probably two on garage..... Plus a Cat 1 alarm that protects all exterior lockers with a PIR in caravan area (use a local accredited commercial fitter for this, much cheaper then dedicated "motorhome" exspurts *-) ) Important that interior can be disabled and exterior left on so protected whilst sleeping.... *-) Fiamma locks do not have a good reputation and can in some cases cause damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booboo Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 thanks judge mental for your help , is PIR an abbreviation for something mate ? told you i was new to this mate or maybe just stupid still working on that theory :-D CHEERS KEITH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 You will have problems getting decent insurance without a decent alarm fitted, they usually ask for Thatched 1 or equiv: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 The safe door locks take 10 minutes to fit. I've got one on top and bottom of habitation door and one on rear locker over the original lock to stop someone getting in and pushing up the bed base as a means of entry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 booboo - 2008-02-20 9:55 PM thanks judge mental for your help , is PIR an abbreviation for something mate ? told you i was new to this mate or maybe just stupid still working on that theory :-D CHEERS KEITH PIR (passive infra red) sensors same as in a domestic alarm installation - they sense movement and sound the alarm*-) Come on man get a grip! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cronkle Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Has your habitation door got those turn-buckle type twisty things on the top and bottom. Mine hasn't but I noticed yesterday at the NEC that the current ones have. We are probably going to get the inner door skin changed on ours to accommodate them. Our old van had them and when parking anywhere remotely dodgy we would turn them and get out of the cab doors. Locking at three points would mean that the habitation door would be a lot more secure; in practice I would suggest that any thief getting in that way would be doing serious damage to the coachwork with them fitted which, lets face it, can never be that sturdy. Have you thought about adapting one of those cheap diy shed alarms for doors and lockers? With my Autoroller I was told that the Cat 2 which you have fitted to your For bit was all that they would insist on. Therefore anything else can be to your spec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Peters Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 hi booboo, i myself have fitted fiamma safe door locks, i bought a pack of 3 with 2 keys that fit all locks, it saves time time looking for individul keys. i have fitted 2 to the garage door and the third to the motorhome entrance door. i aslo have a ratchet strap< bought from screwfix that goes between front cab doors. this strap is purely a deterent as i have heard of some thefts in which the quarter light glass was removed and the strap cut. i also have a friedland alarm which is the pir type and directed at the front of the van (argos) you can also buy a more sofisticated alarm that sends you a message on your phone that it has been activated (maplins). when parked on my drive i have a bulldog security bar through my steering wheel and a lockable drive post in front of my van on my drive. my van is also fitted with a tracker so if the blighters do get through all my defences then at least i know where they are taking it. i hope this info helps. brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booboo Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 Thanks once again everybody for your advice i appreciate it, The answer to cronkles question about they twisty locks is ive got them on the external locker doors but the habitation door didnt come wi them ,to be honest cronkle i think a 5 year old could break open the standard habitation door lock.I think its time to open the wallet again guys mind you ive never been able to close it since gettin the motorhome,mind u theres no cashline machines in the big graveyard in the sky so what the heck!CHEERS KEITH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Well, to start at the beginning, you have your van, and I assume it is insured, so presumably your insurer didn't insist you had an alarm fitted.How secure is your van when parked "at home"? Is it by your house, or in storage? Are you concerned that it may be stolen while in either location. If it is in storage, then are you satisfied with their security arrangements? If not, is there an alternative, more secure storage facility you could use. My point here, is if the storage is remote no alarm on earth will make the slightest difference. You will need a tracker device that silently registers the vehicle being moved and notifies you by phone this is happening. You then tell the police and (if you're lucky!) they lock on to the signal from the van, and nab the thieves as they drive it along. If it is stored at your home, is there much vandalism/theft of/from vehicles in your area, or are you reasonably comfortable parking the van, cars, etc where you live? If car etc theft is rare, simply monitor that situation for changes and rely upon your existing locks. However, just don't leave anything of value in the van, and keep it as discreet as possible. If your neighbourhood is prone to car theft/vandalism, I'd say get an alarm fitted. However, alarms permanently draw current from one or other of the batteries, so you'll need to be able to keep these topped up. A solar panel will do this at a price, far cheaper and simpler is to put the van on hook-up, either permanently or at least weekly.If that deals with the "at home" bit, the next question is where do you intend going? If you intend touring the UK, you're almost bound to use camp sites as there is so little opportunity for stopping elsewhere. If you accept this, are you concerned your van may be broken into on a site? If this is a concern, get an alarm fitted. At least on a site there is likely to be someone else around most of the time to notice the alarm, so they may call the police. However, you do need a good and reliable alarm because one that goes off spontaneously on a campsite can lose you an awful lot of friends very quickly!If you intend going abroad with the van, much the same applies. If you expect to wild camp, or use some of the overnight stopovers (aires, etc), you may be happier with an alarm. If you intend using campsites, and stick to reputable ones with reasonable full time guardians, your van should be safe. If you tend to just pitch up wherever you are, you can run into large groups of itinerants, who can make you feel ill at ease. Personally, I doubt this feeling is justified since they know they'll be the first under suspicion if anything happens, and most of them are totally straight and not a few seriously wealthy. However, there's always the odd rotten apple.If you expect to take your van sightseeing, again you may be happier with an alarm, since this can involve parking in odd locations, as many regular car parks can't/won't accept vans.Do you need to reinforce door locks etc? Well, no van is impregnable, and if a determined thief wants in, they'll get in. To some extent, therefore, the harder you make them work, the more damage they'll do trying. The golden rule, in my opinion, is to travel with a little of value as you possibly can, and to leave absolutely nothing visible inside the van. This should apply even if you pull down all the blinds while parked, since cab windows are easily (and quietly) broken for a look see before deciding whether it is worth the hassle of getting inside.If you use campsites, and are otherwise careful where you leave the van unattended, on the proviso the van has reasonable door locks already, I don't really see a great need to augment security. The Mk7 Ford Transit cab has deadlocks (I think common to all versions), meaning that even with a window broken the cab doors cannot be unlocked. The bonnet has to be unlocked with the key to be released. The weakest link therefore seems to be the habitation door. If this has only a plastic lock, as above, seek out supplementary locks.I do not know the locking arrangements of any of the other base vehicle cabs so if yours is on a Fiat, as seems likely, have a good rummage through the Fiat handbook and see what it says about locking.If you go for an alarm, look at the Van Bitz Strikeback alarm, which seems the best of the breed and is specifically designed for motorhome use. It is not cheap, but has a very loyal following of satisfied customers.Re insurance, it is not necessary, as stated above, to have an alarm fitted to get good insurance. Indeed, the companies that insist on this have a habit of insisting the alarm must be used whenever the van is left unattended, and may not be inclined to settle if it is admitted the alarm was not used. How one can prove either escapes me. However, if you have reputable insurance that does not require the alarm, you have a choice as to whether or not you declare it to the insurer, and so maintain the right to chose whether or not to arm it. That, to me, is the best of both worlds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassavantgarde Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Hi I have just fitted a C-Vanlock to my Hymer B584.This gives a deadlock on the habitation door as well as extra security when unoccupied.At a cost of around £35 it makes me better.These can be abtained from"security@garalok.co.uk" or item 110113055949 on ebay. Regards Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booboo Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 thanks alot brian and also kevin for your posts,brian i appreciate the detail you put into your responce and i do agree with what your saying ,the motorhome is on a 2008 ford transit cab so does have double locks on the cab doors ,i do keep the van at home its kept in a car park that is shared with other residents which is supposed to be private but through the day allsorts just park in it due to its location of near the town centre,however at night its fairly quiet and private,my neighbour has had two motorcycles stolen in the last 6 years by teenagers to scramble we think but touch wood no cars or my work van has been damaged or stolen .I did get insurance through the caravan club without an alarm no problem at all and was delighted with the quote, i suppose the main reason i started to think about alarms was i did the unfortunate thing of reading the 9 page posting off the gas attacks in france or what ever the attacks/theft are who knows but as a novice who was planning to go to france this summer for two weeks with wife and 3 children it did rattle me a wee bit ,dont get me wrong it hasnt put me off just couldnt beleive what i was reading and now wife thinks we should get an alarm, personaly i think a base ball bats alot cheaper :-D ,anyway sorry folks for metioning the gas thing i get the feeling its a wee bit off a sore subject but im just being honest on what made me think about an alarm. CHEERS KEITH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 KeithFrance will be fine, but don't stay overnight on any of the autoroute (motorway) aires, whether of the picnic type or the refuelling type. These are where the great majority of the break-ins take place, whether gas assisted or not. I'd also add to stay clear of the main "N" road holiday routes. If you can do that, you'll be avoiding the areas that attract most of the scallywags, and you should be able to just relax and enjoy the trip. Despite the stories the French are in the majority friendly and honest, more so, I'm tempted to say, than the British.You can get a break in anywhere, if you are unlucky. There are no magic potions to prevent this. The only tip I can add, from experience, is that if you can see glass granules apparently from broken windscreens on the ground in a place you consider parking, don't! The granules will be from door windows, and indicate the area has its share of break-ins. Park somewhere else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Cole Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hi We always park on french aires and campsites there are lots to chose from and have never yet felt uneasy. The municipal aires are usually fine for one night stops, we found a super one at Martel liked it so much and stayed for 3 nights. I fitted a safe in a locker to keep things like vehicle docs passports, boat tickets etc. We also carry an old hand bag with old mobile phone old credit cards(made useless) and bits and pieces, we leave this out of sight from the out side but easy to find in the hope that should we be unfortunate enough to be broken into they would take this and not trash the van. Ours is fitted with an alarm with PIR's that can be disabled when inside and also a panic button that sets it off we also have a doggy that would probably lick an intruder to death! As Brian says if you feel uneasy then move on,however I am sure you will enjoy your camper you are obviously aware of taking precautions, there are always easier targets and thieves will walk away if you make your vehicle uattractive to them so do not worry unduly and enjoy the experience. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 We fitted a strong box in a semi hidden location but we don't put anything much of value in it as there are better hiding places! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booboo Posted February 22, 2008 Author Share Posted February 22, 2008 THANKS ALOT GUYS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hi booboo, the hand rail that locks across the door is a good secure system, as for the cab doors I have a good shiney steel chain through the two internal door handles passing through the steering wheel and padlocked in a possition where it can easily be seen from outside. If some one really wants to get in "THEY WILL" no matter what you do. Sky lights are an easy way in and out, and some windows are not very secure either. Where do you draw the line????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I had The SafeDoor locks fitted to cover both external locker doors and the habitation door. Have removed them all. The gap around the habitation door, which the lock is fitted in, was insufficient and caused the door to jam as was the case with the locker doors. (The locks were well fitted, totally in accordance with manufactures instructions) One lock also had to be removed and tightened up as it was falling to pieces. Overall the were a total waste of money. Extra security measures are required with these type of locks, as entry is very simple without additional measures being taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddievanbitz Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 JudgeMental - 2008-02-21 12:37 AM PIR (passive infra red) sensors same as in a domestic alarm installation - they sense movement and sound the alarm*-) Come on man get a grip! :-D They detect heat! not movement! (y'know Infra Red!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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