Take care! It can happen.

[magbrin]

Briefly this is a warning, not so much for those who think it won't happen to them, but more for those who just don't think!
Taking all the usual precautions is not always enough. A couple of weeks into a six week trip our van (08 Renault Master PVC) was broken into. We were parked (locked and alarmed) in a village car park in the lower French Alps and were out in our inflatable boat on a small lake. Presumably we had been watched. Without going in to the details - it still hurts - we were left with no passports, cash, credit cards, the better of our two cameras, my bag, glasses, telephone, computers etc. etc. etc. And everything that went was hidden.
We had taken all the usual precautions, hidden cash (but only €15 was left after raiding it and not replacing it), hidden cards (but with joint accounts they were useless as with one of a pair cancelled the other was automatically cancelled), copies of driving licences, vehicle reg. document, passports which were fine, but a month later we were held up at UK passport control at Calais while the officials checked we were who we said we were. Normally I would have had my bag with me, when not in the van - but when in the boat I tend to leave it behind
Allthough it caused considerable disruption, within a few days we had sorted ourselves out enough to to continue. We opted to stay in France, which we might not otherwise have done, and spent 2 weeks in Corsica, before making our way home.
Now back we are working through the insurance and replacemnts for the stolen items.
The holiday itself was amazing and despite the incident we had a wonderful time, and coped the best we could without things like passports, driving licences, money etc!

 

[kimbowbill]

Wow, how awful, i know this is no consultation, at least you weren't in the van, who knows what the B******s would have done, thank god your home safe and able to tell the story.

 

[Amethyst]

What can you do?

That was an awful thing to happen......but it begs the question what can you do if you have someone determined to break in?

Apart from staying near to the van all the time how can you prevent it happening to you?

Glad you managed to carry on....I was only reading your thread tonight too about the highland games...is there a date yet?

Rob

 

[n brown]

sorry to hear what happened,a salutory lesson for all,and good on you for carrying on with the trip.this kind of thing can happen anywhere any country.motorhome owners should be more aware of just how rich they appear! not only do you have a house ,you have a large expensive van full of goodies and the money and leisure time to enjoy it.this is the perception. you need to have a strongbox, or keep your stuff with you or make sure that people you trust are looking out for you. this is basic !.please try to think like a thief. is stuff on show,can they get in,where would they hide it ,how long have i got before the owners return.if theres a dog how can i neutralise it. and the consequences of taking your eye off the ball ,as shown,are a gigantic pain in the arse to say the least.never get complacent,they're waiting

 

[georgert1]

Thieves.

Hello Magbrin, just noticed your posting , it must have been a terrible experience I can imagine the utter shock
When you returned to the camper, glad you managed to carry on ,it makes you sick doesn't it.Carol and I send
our best regards to you both ,

 

[Deleted member 3011]

parked locked and alarmed

So how did they do it?
Not locked?? Not alarmed?? Very smart thieves?? Alarm blaring away and nobody bothered to check??

 

[barryd]

So sorry to hear about this. Im sure we all will symathise as its everyones worst nightmare. We also do a lot of dinghying but always take cameras, wallets etc with us. The only thing ever left in our van when we are out is this laptop which is not worth that much.

 

[dave and mary]

Hi magbrin

We know how you felt we were robbed this year in Sete souther france, they were watching us when we went out at 4.30 in the afternoon they struck. The toilet window was forced ( on a m/h this is not much trouble as you know ) then a kid was put through to open the door alarms went of but nobody about so when we got back they had reset, we lost computer plus lots of other stuff but with the hidden safe cash an passports et ok. I am concerneded that things will get worse in europe with all the unemployment and we are easy pickings :drive:

We have out of date c/c in an old purse
dog bowle by the door
leave radio playing
presser pads under carpet
alarms on all windows
hidden safe
electronic dog barking

i think it is just down to luck

 

[snowbirds]

Watch your back

Hi magbrin,


We feel for you we were robbed in Italy last year after coming out of a supermarket to a flat tyre, and while changing it had our bag lifted from the front of the van, we didn't think to put the bag away as it just seemed to be a flat tyre,we found later it had been Knifed.When we checked the Insurance it did not cover theft as the van was unlocked and we were with it,as for the rest of the small print the Insurance did not cover Passports and offered to send £300 to get you by,we had great problems contacting them and in the end emailed our camping club to contact our family who sent us money by Western Union. It took a week to sort it all out and had to divert to Milan for temporary passports at great expense and the British Consulate wanted to return to the UK with in two weeks,we were one and a half weeks into a three month trip.I now check the cover very closely and don't rely on cover taken with the camping clubs own big named company's.We have just returned from a 3,700 mile trip to Europe over two months with no problems, but it is always in the back of your mind.

Regards Snowbirds.

Briefly this is a warning, not so much for those who think it won't happen to them, but more for those who just don't think!
Taking all the usual precautions is not always enough. A couple of weeks into a six week trip our van (08 Renault Master PVC) was broken into. We were parked (locked and alarmed) in a village car park in the lower French Alps and were out in our inflatable boat on a small lake. Presumably we had been watched. Without going in to the details - it still hurts - we were left with no passports, cash, credit cards, the better of our two cameras, my bag, glasses, telephone, computers etc. etc. etc. And everything that went was hidden.
We had taken all the usual precautions, hidden cash (but only €15 was left after raiding it and not replacing it), hidden cards (but with joint accounts they were useless as with one of a pair cancelled the other was automatically cancelled), copies of driving licences, vehicle reg. document, passports which were fine, but a month later we were held up at UK passport control at Calais while the officials checked we were who we said we were. Normally I would have had my bag with me, when not in the van - but when in the boat I tend to leave it behind
Allthough it caused considerable disruption, within a few days we had sorted ourselves out enough to to continue. We opted to stay in France, which we might not otherwise have done, and spent 2 weeks in Corsica, before making our way home.
Now back we are working through the insurance and replacemnts for the stolen items.
The holiday itself was amazing and despite the incident we had a wonderful time, and coped the best we could without things like passports, driving licences, money etc!

 

[maingate]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Margaret.

These incidents are quite rare but that is no consolation to you both. We hope you put it behind you quickly.

 

[magbrin]

€20

Thanks to you all! As Maingate says it is a rare occurrance, but unfortunately it does happen, but better not to dwell on it for long - just be warned, particularly as it can happen to any van - ours, as some of you will know, is not the plushest on the planet!

And here's a final thought to consider:
Soon after we returned to the camper a German motorhome pulled into the car park. (It was a small car park in a very small village, with I guess about 10-15 other vehicles in it, no other vans.) Determined that they be warned about the theft we tried to explain the situation. As there was a distinct language barrier (they did not even understand our basic French) they hung around while we cleared the broken glass, phoned to cancel credit cards, report stolen passports, speak to family etc etc. They appeared to want to help, but really there was nothing they could do. Finally, as their concern seemed so great I suggested that the only thing that would be really helpful would be if they could lend us, say €20. We would take their address, and send it as soon as we could. Their response was - "anything but money!"
I know that we are all wary of giving money to strangers, but as they had been watching us for about half an hour it must have been painfully obvious what had happened................... and €20? Even if they did not get it back ..................... To be honest I don't know how I would have reacted if I had been in their position - I hope I would have given it - but I know now that I certainly would, and probably more!

 

[n brown]

amazing how inflexible some people can be ! i put it down to a type of thickness.i've helped out many a traveller,and been helped by others,just a bad luck day all round for you to meet prats like that

 

[MancK9]

We keep our documents and money etc in a small day sack. If we go out for a walk etc then one of us puts it on.
The only thing we leave in the van of any value is perhaps a cheap ish camera, and a laptop thats worth maybe £50.

I know its not easy when on long trips etc but its the only way to make sure.

If we are going to pop into a shop or supermarket etc then we leave our dog in the van - a GSD is a good way of putting them off - and those who make the mistake of trying it on will find out the hard way her bite is worse than her bark!:tongue:

 

[Yogihughes]

So sorry to hear about your experience Margaret.
It is a gut-wrenching feeling of course but at least you and your hubby were not attacked.
As for fellow Motorhomers refusing to loan 20 Euros to an obviously distressed couple, well I really cannot comprehend that.
On a couple of occasions I have met people who, for one reason or another have been short of ready cash and I assisted them with amounts up to £40 but I have always received the cash back after a few days. Some will say I am too trusting but I think that I am a good judge of character.
Anyway, chin up fight hard with the insurance companies and Marie and I hope to pop in to see you on our future travels.
John.

 

[Deleted member 32]

I fell for a sob story from a German motorhomer near Dunkirk, can't remember the details but it was something to do with the ATM eating his card & desperately needing to get back home for some family emergency, probably only 10 - 15€ & he gave me his business card to email him my address. When I did the email didn't exist & nothing else on the card was true. So I can understand why they might be reluctant to give you any cash.
I remember being stuck on a car park at midnight in Germany after visiting an exhibition, I had flattened my battery & blown the fuse of my power pack trying to start it. He went off & found a garage bought a pack of fuses, he refused to take anything except the cost of the fuses & waited until we got the van started. I can recall many occasions where I have been helped by motorhomers of all nationalities & have also helped the odd few when I could, I would though still be reluctant to give cash to anybody.

 

[magbrin]

All in all if this thread has alerted just one or two people to the possibility of what could happen, and made them more aware of how to keep their important belongings safe, while travelling, it has been worthwhile.
I, for one, will be more careful with the essentials, and will be leaving unnecessary gagets at home next time. The question is what is unncessary? Camera - no, telephone .......? laptop.....? kindle .......?? Still, There is time to work that one out as I don't know when our next trip will be.

 

[n brown]

years ago on a beach in the algarve a couple were befriended by a charming foreign couple ,who on the second night invited the for dinner,which was great.going back to their van a bit drunk they discovered it had been comprehensively stripped of everything ,clothes documents bedding, some fittings cutlery EVERYTHING ! as they were looking at the mess left in horror,they heard their new friends driving off,yup, a set up ,and what could they tell the cops? no number plate,false names,they weren't even sure what make van it was.all travellers have stories like this and should be heeded and lessons learnt

 

[northernspirit2001]

Humanity

It can be destroying to have this happen to you and fortunately as has been said it is very rare.

It's an opportunity turning it flip-side to see there is hope for our race when someone is a "Good Samaritan" to us.

This year in Poole we parked up and went in the water in canoes, only realising when we beached the canoes for lunch after nearly an hour that i was missing motorhome keys. Rushed back to find keys in the outside of the door, phone on the table, my macbook, sons laptop, wallet, 2 iphones all intact (all hidden from outside view but visible for anyone entering the van). Maybe nobody noticed (had i seen someone else had done that i would have taken keys out the door, put them just inside door and closed it). Maybe people aren't all scum as it sometimes seems!

 

[Deleted member 3011]

All in all if this thread has alerted just one or two people to the possibility of what could happen, and made them more aware of how to keep their important belongings safe, while travelling, it has been worthwhile.

We would learn more if we did have a few details. How exactly did they get in. Locks were mentioned, alarm was mentioned but obviously they all failed. How did they fail. Entry point? Egress point?

 

[magbrin]

We would learn more if we did have a few details. How exactly did they get in. Locks were mentioned, alarm was mentioned but obviously they all failed. How did they fail. Entry point? Egress point?

I really don't want to dwell on it. I thought I had made it clear in the OP that the van was locked and alarmed. The way the theives broke in is not really relevent, brute force is brute force.
We have moved on and are looking forward to a couple of nights out at the end of the week in the safe (???) Highlands, probably along the Moray coast.