# Wissant Aire warning



## 2cv

I saw this on fb and copied here just in case anyone is planning to stay there:


“Just a warning to anyone using Wissant aire, we were woken up this morning around 5.10am  to the sound of our bikes being taken off the bike rack of the motorhome. We couldn't immediately get out of the motorhome and we think they'd jammed the door somehow. By the time we managed to get out they were already up the road, possibly 3 of them with a very expensive Giant bike ☹. They had bolt cropped through the locks. Not the best way to end your holiday and quite scary. The French police were useless .  Two very sad people heading home to the UK with a bitter taste of France in their mouths”


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## spigot

2cv said:


> I saw this on fb and copied here just in case anyone is planning to stay there:
> 
> 
> “Just a warning to anyone using Wissant aire, we were woken up this morning around 5.10am  to the sound of our bikes being taken off the bike rack of the motorhome. We couldn't immediately get out of the motorhome and we think they'd jammed the door somehow. By the time we managed to get out they were already up the road, possibly 3 of them with a very expensive Giant bike ☹. They had bolt cropped through the locks. Not the best way to end your holiday and quite scary. The French police were useless .  Two very sad people heading home to the UK with a bitter taste of France in their mouths”




We stayed there mid June & someone had their bikes taken, apparently it's a regular occurrence.


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## carol

This is why I'm reluctant to get a bike - think I'd be lying awake at night waiting for bike thieves.


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## trevskoda

Why did you not start up and reverse over the feckers,i would have done so and let them explain to police why there were in hospital.


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## Haaamster

carol said:


> This is why I'm reluctant to get a bike - think I'd be lying awake at night waiting for bike thieves.



I doubt they would  steal a child's bike Carol, especially If you left the stabilizers on.
:lol-061:


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## Wully

:scared::lol-053::lol-053::lol-053:





Haaamster said:


> I doubt they would  steal a child's bike Carol, especially If you left the stabilizers on.
> :lol-061:


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## Wully

Shame but could have even slammed hand on horn stuck van in reverse the reversing lights alone would have scared them off sounds like there’s a bike shop somewhere dealing in second hand bikes find the local bike shop bike repair shop good chance you’ll find these bikes.


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## Deleted member 52918

Sad to here your holiday was slightly spoilt by the thieving scum.
 I know you thought you had a decent chain but motorcycle type Boron lock & chains are very resistant to bolt cropping, it takes a good while to get through them with an angle grinder too!

They're expensive but give some piece of mind.

Phill


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## Fazerloz

Not a good way to end a hol. But by what I have seen a lot of people lock £1000s of worth of bikes with cheap locks . Buy ABUS GRANIT locks, bolt croppers will not go through them. The fact they used croppers says they were poor locks.
I am not saying it makes them impossible to steal but they might make the thieves move on to a easier target.


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## mistericeman

Best locks in the world aren't going to be much use locked to your average flimsy aluminium bike rack.... Sadly.


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## trevskoda

Fazerloz said:


> Not a good way to end a hol. But by what I have seen a lot of people lock £1000s of worth of bikes with cheap locks . Buy ABUS GRANIT locks, bolt croppers will not go through them. The fact they used croppers says they were poor locks.
> I am not saying it makes them impossible to steal but they might make the thieves move on to a easier target.



Some abus locks in shops have found to be soft copys from you know where.


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## Obanboy666

carol said:


> This is why I'm reluctant to get a bike - think I'd be lying awake at night waiting for bike thieves.



That’s why I’m looking at a new motorhome with a large garage that will take 2 bikes.
Sons race bike cost as much as a small car so no way would I have it on a rack. In a garage with alarmed doors etc. Thinking about it I could bed my dog in there on a night, it would be a brave man who went up against her lol.


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## trevskoda

mistericeman said:


> Best locks in the world aren't going to be much use locked to your average flimsy aluminium bike rack.... Sadly.



Stutter returned again.
doubled up post.


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## yeoblade

carol said:


> This is why I'm reluctant to get a bike - think I'd be lying awake at night waiting for bike thieves.


! ? Really [emoji6]

Sent from my mobile using Tapatalk


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## Wooie1958

Obanboy666 said:


> That’s why I’m looking at a new motorhome with a large garage that will take 2 bikes.
> Sons race bike cost as much as a small car so no way would I have it on a rack. In a garage with alarmed doors etc. Thinking about it I could bed my dog in there on a night, it would be a brave man who went up against her lol. View attachment 66343




A lot of the French motorhomers have their dogs sleep in the garage overnight.


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## Byronic

From time to time thread title ; "Overnight at Calais"

Question; Can someone suggest somewhere safe to stay near the Calais Ferry Terminal, 
               don't want to stay at Cite Europe heard it's unsafe.

Typical ;  Try Wissant aire you'll have a peaceful night, we always do.
Answer


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## Nabsim

Fazerloz said:


> Not a good way to end a hol. But by what I have seen a lot of people lock £1000s of worth of bikes with cheap locks . Buy ABUS GRANIT locks, bolt croppers will not go through them. The fact they used croppers says they were poor locks.
> I am not saying it makes them impossible to steal but they might make the thieves move on to a easier target.



I do agree but if they wanted them it wouldn’t be hard to cut through an alli bike rack

Edit: opps, didn’t realise there was a second page when I made this post on my phone. Others have already said what I thought


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## runnach

The reality is Giant , Marin Cannondale and a few more are expensive pieces of kit that can cost thousands the theifs know that unlikely opportunists.

A lot get broken for spares Any security is only as strong as its weakest link some are suggesting the rack I agree


You shouldn't have to, but its like leaving your wallet outside the door with the pin numbers for your cards...a garage does make sense

Channa


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## Wully

Seen a van in Holland with a motorised bike rack on back lifted bikes a fair hight of deck wish ide got the make looked a sturdy piece of kit.


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## Byronic

An alarmed m/bike D or U lock or 2 is probably as good as anything for overnight use but you've 
got to be prepared to confront  potentially violent miscreant(s) if it sounds off. 
I wonder if these most probably frightened people robbed of their bikes in Wissant really
tried or made efforts to confront the 3 thieves?
Thieves armed with boltcroppers or battery angle grinders aren't opportunists.
When you're well away from the van what do you do then, even with a garage they'll
no doubt have a good idea that they'll strike lucky, 10 seconds to jemmy most
garage doors on the hinge jamb if your Honda generator is in their that might go 
along with your expensive bikes. If your bike is externally racked they might be
brazen enough to angle grind the rack or an alarmed D lock in broad daylight 
they certainly do in London town! 

The best you can do is have nothing you value too much, ultimately you can't win
because good insurance only comes at a price


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## Byronic

Just a chance the RO thought you looked dodgy not getting out of your van, and decided he'd
better drive off ! :idea:


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## carol

Haaamster said:


> I doubt they would  steal a child's bike Carol, especially If you left the stabilizers on.
> :lol-061:



Excuse me, is this a heightist joke?


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## Haaamster

No, it's a shorty joke Carol, ones about Lee are highty ones.


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## carol

Haaamster said:


> No, it's a shorty joke Carol, ones about Lee are highty ones.



That's ok then :lol-049:


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## Tezza33

carol said:


> Excuse me, is this a *heightist* joke?


Is this the ex school teacher misspelling something?


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## Fazerloz

mistericeman said:


> Best locks in the world aren't going to be much use locked to your average flimsy aluminium bike rack.... Sadly.





trevskoda said:


> Some abus locks in shops have found to be soft copys from you know where.



Then they are not Abus Granit locks. Make sure you buy the genuine article.



***** said:


> If they are hung on the back of an aluminium rack, the rack itself is so easy to cut through!
> The cycles need a good lock to the chassis.
> To be honest we just used two cheap plastic covered locks with a solid anti theft chain and security pad lock and every wheel had two heavy duty cable ties to the rack and a few cable ties fastening each bike together.
> This would have made it not a case of a couple of snips, and I would imaging they would miss a couple of ties and make lots of noise!
> The way of my thinking is that they would move to an easier target!
> Incidentally, we have used Wissant many times, and no problems,  but not for the last three years!





Nabsim said:


> I do agree but if they wanted them it wouldn’t be hard to cut through an alli bike rack
> 
> Edit: opps, didn’t realise there was a second page when I made this post on my phone. Others have already said what I thought



I did say it wouldn't make them impossible to steal. Obviously any ali rack can be cut through. Its about making it more awkward so they will move on. They want speed on their side one cut and away. Whilst the rack is soft it doesn't lend itself to going into the jaws of croppers unless they are very large ones.
It doesn't alter the fact many use cheap locks on the bikes. How many times have you heard of the racks been chopped to get a bike. it seems to me always the locks.


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## carol

Tezza33 said:


> Is this the ex school teacher misspelling something?



Erm, don't think so! Please enlighten me ...


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## iampatman

1) Insure Bike
2) buy Sold Secure Gold Bike Lock
3) Lock bike to bike rack
4) Take photo
5) Sleep well.

Pat


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## Tezza33

carol said:


> Erm, don't think so! Please enlighten me ...


I would love to enlighten you as I have told you many times but unfortunately you were right (again) and I was wrong, sorry


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## Tezza33

My bike is so crap they would steal the lock and leave the bike:lol-061:


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## carol

Tezza33 said:


> I would love to enlighten you as I have told you many times but unfortunately you were right (again) and I was wrong, sorry



Actually, you might have been right as my spelling has deterioralated since I stopped working!


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## Byronic

Fazerloz said:


> I did say it wouldn't make them impossible to steal. Obviously any ali rack can be cut through. Its about making it more awkward so they will move on. They want speed on their side one cut and away. Whilst the rack is soft it doesn't lend itself to going into the jaws of croppers unless they are very large ones.
> It doesn't alter the fact many use cheap locks on the bikes. How many times have you heard of the racks been chopped to get a bike. it seems to me always the locks.




I have spoken to someone who was beating himself up over his stupidity
in locking his bike only to the typical Fiamma rack cross bar, the thieves  
must have just used an 8mm ring spanner to unfasten the nyloc and slide the 
bike off with the expensive lock!

A discretely positioned IR alarm wired or remote, focussed over the rack area might
be effective, an adjustable range and experimentation needed, you wouldn't want
every passer by or cocked legged hot dog setting it off! 
Or the cheap alternative just a tin of gravel in the van tied to the bike lock chain, or
possibly the bike itself, the thief will probably grab the chain first for an appraisal and set 
the gravel alarm off without noticing the fishing line....that's the hope!


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## Val54

If anyone is looking for a Sold Secure Gold lock these are worth checking out............

Litelok vs bike thieves - Caught on camera! Watch now. | LITELOK(R)

Another idea we use is to screw the towing eye in and put the lock through that.

Dave



iampatman said:


> 1) Insure Bike
> 2) buy Sold Secure Gold Bike Lock
> 3) Lock bike to bike rack
> 4) Take photo
> 5) Sleep well.
> 
> Pat


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## Jeff G

To be honest,those Liteloks are easily defeated.The Abus are a better bet


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## iampatman

Val54 said:


> If anyone is looking for a Sold Secure Gold lock these are worth checking out............
> 
> Litelok vs bike thieves - Caught on camera! Watch now. | LITELOK(R)
> 
> Another idea we use is to screw the towing eye in and put the lock through that.
> 
> Dave



I’ve bought a Litelok and I’m impressed. There are a few other videos on their website showing folk trying to cut/chop them off without success. 

Pat


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## iampatman

Jeff G said:


> To be honest,those Liteloks are easily defeated.The Abus are a better bet



Oh, I bought one and was impressed. Do you have a video or report of them being defeated?

Abus do a range of bike locks, which one do you recommend?

Pat


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## Jeff G

iampatman said:


> Oh, I bought one and was impressed. Do you have a video or report of them being defeated?
> 
> Abus do a range of bike locks, which one do you recommend?
> 
> Pat



The problem is,ask five people for a recommendation and likely as not get five different opinions.The Granit mentioned earlier was top pick when i was last looking

There was a YouTube vid of the Litelok being twisted off,the weak spot being the fixing of the clasp to the collar.When Likelok show tests against it,they always have the bar a far as poss away from the lock.

The problem these days of course is the angle grinder.


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## Fazerloz

If they are coming armed with a angle grinder just hope the battery is knackered.


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## Deleted member 58330

Angle Grinder makes one hell of a racket though - would wake up the whole aire.


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## Val54

Jeff G said:


> The problem is,ask five people for a recommendation and likely as not get five different opinions.The Granit mentioned earlier was top pick when i was last looking
> 
> There was a YouTube vid of the Litelok being twisted off,the weak spot being the fixing of the clasp to the collar.When Likelok show tests against it,they always have the bar a far as poss away from the lock.
> 
> The problem these days of course is the angle grinder.



Angle grinders are the nemesis, we have acquired 3 Gold standard locks over the years,  Abu D shackle, Granit motorbike chain and latterly a Litelok. We normally use a combination of two, making sure that the bikes are locked together as well so that they can't just ride off on them!! To be honest it is often down to whether your insurance company specify a Sold Secure standard and the type of lock.

Dave


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## mistericeman

All you can do is buy yourself Time....

Same with vehicle security... Layers on layers is the answer. 

Fuel cut off, electrical cut off and as many physical methods as you can. 
Scrotes hate spending time and effort as it means, more chance of aggro... 
So multiple visible layers means they will hopefully look for an easier target. 
Obviously IF they want it then they will be taking it end of. 

I'm a big believer in Disklok steering wheel locks (especially with a few welded mods) 
As well as cutting fuel off and disabling electric.... Etc... 

Trackers are fab BUT cheap to search/find and remove or block. 

We have had high end vehicles go round here after owners being woken with something sharp in their face... 
But again layers of physical security mean them spending lots of time removing or unlocking stuff.


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## Jeff G

MidAgeTraveller said:


> Angle Grinder makes one hell of a racket though - would wake up the whole aire.



On an aire yes,but they only make a noise if someone is there to hear it lol.


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## Jeff G

Val54 said:


> Angle grinders are the nemesis, we have acquired 3 Gold standard locks over the years,  Abu D shackle, Granit motorbike chain and latterly a Litelok. We normally use a combination of two, making sure that the bikes are locked together as well so that they can't just ride off on them!! To be honest it is often down to whether your insurance company specify a Sold Secure standard and the type of lock.
> 
> Dave



I will have to check with insurance regards Sold Secure.The weight I saved on the bike has been more than lost on the security needed to try and keep hold of it.


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## Kontiki

Friends of ours were on a campsite (this was an expensive 5 star one) & had their very expensive road bikes stolen. They cut through the lock which was wired into vans alarm. So if the bikes are on show you will always be taking a chance. Ours are old cheap mountain bikes & they would do me a favour if they took them, save me having to get new tyres as a couple of them are perishing through age & lack of use. When we take electric bikes I shove them in the garage.


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## Wooie1958

***** said:


> Someone mentioned the buses were not parking at Wissant. Have they returned? Or are they parking elsewhere due to increased crime at the aire?




They haven`t been there the last 2 times ( May this year and October last year ) we`ve spent the night before catching the ferry back.

No sign either of the cones they used to use to protect their parking bays.


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## Wooie1958

***** said:


> Maybe they have moved due to security issues




Possibly but in all the years we`ve been using it as a last night stop over we`ve never had or seen any bother.

The closest thing to naughtiness has been the local youngsters coming in their cars and hiding behind the buses whilst they had a crafty smoke        :lol-049:

Even they used to say    .....................    Bonsoir Monsieur, Bobsoir Madame       and not thrust as knife at you asking for money or your phone like over here   :scared:


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## bobj808

Sold Secure, Police Approved etc are meaningless mumbo jumbo. Abus Granit etc are just a load of crap which can be cropped in less than a minute. I know because loads of my circle have had motocross bikes stolen. The longest (42") Record croppers can easily crop up to 12mm chains, albeit 12mm really need to have one leg of the croppers on the ground or other solid surface. 8mm and 10mm chains should be treated as ornaments to deter your casual junkie thief. So at the very minimum  a 12mm chain is required. The best (affordable) padlock in the world is the Squire SS65CS which cannot be cropped or bumped. The Abloy 362 is very good as well. The problem now is battery grinders and the twats are putting them in bags of sawdust to try and mask the noise. Only thing with them is they are only 115 blades and would need a few blades to cut through both sides of a boron alloy 22mm chain. As pointed out though the weak point on an mh is the attachment point. Anyone who thinks they have good security have a look at Almax Security video of cutting all those Sold Secure products. Bob


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## Nabsim

bobj808 said:


> Sold Secure, Police Approved etc are meaningless mumbo jumbo. Abus Granit etc are just a load of crap which can be cropped in less than a minute. I know because loads of my circle have had motocross bikes stolen. The longest (42") Record croppers can easily crop up to 12mm chains, albeit 12mm really need to have one leg of the croppers on the ground or other solid surface. 8mm and 10mm chains should be treated as ornaments to deter your casual junkie thief. So at the very minimum  a 12mm chain is required. The best (affordable) padlock in the world is the Squire SS65CS which cannot be cropped or bumped. The Abloy 362 is very good as well. The problem now is battery grinders and the twats are putting them in bags of sawdust to try and mask the noise. Only thing with them is they are only 115 blades and would need a few blades to cut through both sides of a boron alloy 22mm chain. As pointed out though the weak point on an mh is the attachment point. Anyone who thinks they have good security have a look at Almax Security video of cutting all those Sold Secure products. Bob



But you only need a half decent blade to cut an opening through a motorhome so presumably the panel whatever they wanted was attached to could be removed if they can’t just pop the locks?

All most folk can hope for is to deter the casual/opportunist so they look for something else. Anything can be stolen just about so no point getting too paranoid. I remember one year at the Bol a group of brits turned up and one had a sporty Honda that had just come out, real rare expensive job by but can’t remember model. They parked their bikes in a ring around the Honda and chained them all together then arranged their tents around the bikes. Next morning the Honda was gone and nobody saw or heard anything.

A lot of alcohol is involved at these events and they would probably attract more skilled miscreants due to the likelihood of exotica but it just goes to show it never safe


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## Fazerloz

bobj808 said:


> Sold Secure, Police Approved etc are meaningless mumbo jumbo. Abus Granit etc are just a load of crap which can be cropped in less than a minute. I know because loads of my circle have had motocross bikes stolen. The longest (42") Record croppers can easily crop up to 12mm chains, albeit 12mm really need to have one leg of the croppers on the ground or other solid surface. 8mm and 10mm chains should be treated as ornaments to deter your casual junkie thief. So at the very minimum  a 12mm chain is required. The best (affordable) padlock in the world is the Squire SS65CS which cannot be cropped or bumped. The Abloy 362 is very good as well. The problem now is battery grinders and the twats are putting them in bags of sawdust to try and mask the noise. Only thing with them is they are only 115 blades and would need a few blades to cut through both sides of a boron alloy 22mm chain. As pointed out though the weak point on an mh is the attachment point. Anyone who thinks they have good security have a look at Almax Security video of cutting all those Sold Secure products. Bob



Let's all save our money then and not bther doing anything and may as well just get a sign saying please take whatever you want . In various languages of course. At leaßt then nobodies sleep will be disturbed.


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## bobj808

Wow I thought I was a cynic. I was just passing on my knowledge. Lots of people, because they are not crims, see a heavy chain and padlock  with Thatchams or Sold Secure approval and couldn't imagine overcoming it themselves. That's because they are not crims. Suppose lesser quality chains/cables are better than nothing but as I said they tend to deter only the casual thief.


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## runnach

I  find myself agreeing with Bob , On one of my caravan sites I have seen pictures of vans stolen including motorhomes with the sold secure etc kitemarks.

As suggested the favoured method is an angle grinder and frankly like slicing through butter

The opportunist theifs it may deter which is the best you can hope for the more focussed crooks and lets face it the cost of some mhs are thousands and come tooled to do the job

Only yesterday someone filmed in Manchester scumbags nicking a motorbike with a chain and disc lock off with an angle grinder in 30 secs most , The scary thing it was broad daylight people milling about etc I don't think there is an answer when they are that brazen except a bullet

On motorhomes there is still a lot to be said for a fuel pump isolation switch secreted away 

Channa


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## Snapster

You can do two things to keep your bikes secure. 
1. High quality locks, preferably one locking the bikes together and another locking bikes to the rack. Make sure bikes are front wheel to back wheel.
2. Cheap or old bikes that no one will want to steal.

If you have expensive bikes on display, every miscreant will want them

We have two bikes we take on the back of the van. Great bikes but bought second hand for less than £120 for both. 

Nobody would want to waste time cutting through two locks for bikes they wouldn’t be able to sell for a decent profit.


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## GWAYGWAY

A simple Poacher alarm screwed on with a cable around the bikes,  12 bore blank, fired when the cable is tugged  the firing pin is pulled out and BANG!   it is really loud and tealeaves do not like it at all if they haven't done the job will scarper into the night. To keep the alarm dry you must put it in a sealed plastic bag..


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## Wooie1958

***** said:


> Well we are here, been parked on perimeter but could not get level without blocks! We go to ferry about 0700 hrs from here, so unlike selfish inconsiderate people, we moved to the bus bays as they are leveller and we can get away without making noise! Well that’s the idea and no buses or bus drivers cars. The Police have driven past and have not bothered with us and we are sat outside  in the sun





Don`t bother coming back, turn around and go south again, it`s bleeding horrible here, cold, wet and blowing a gale     :scared:


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## The laird

***** said:


> Not one bus parked overnight!
> All OK except, now  back in the UK and in the rain!



Welcome home g


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## Deleted member 58330

I do not bother with wissant anymore - overated and always packed with Brits!  I use Auchan at Bolgougne Sur Mere - park by McDonlalds End - always a few motorhomes. Last return I used was Citi Europe.  No bother at all.  Did not see a single immigrant, and there were at least 20 MHs there overnight, and you in the port or tunnel within minutes.  Some do the Mallerie Sur Seine Aire if you have dogs then Calais in one hit - too far IMHO, esp with 80Km limits now. Takes ages.


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