Service station robbery - not an urban myth

Having been the victim of a service station theft I can fully sympathise with the OP. my ordeal took place at a service station in France. I had parked for a few hours rest after driving for 10 hours and travelling 13 hours in total. I also had a substantial amount of cash stolen, I won't post how much on here to be ridiculed by others. The French police also suggested to me that we may have been the victims of a gas attack however, I never believed this. I rather believe that after such a long drive and ferry crossing we where absolutely shattered. I even remember the vehicle drawing alongside our van and hearing young voices (kids) and thinking they where up late, normally I would have investigated or at least moved on but being so tired I turned over and slept. We were in a fixed bed at the back of the van they entered through the front passenger door and thankfully only took our money leaving credit cards and passports. I dread to think of the outcome if I had awoken to find someone in the van in the early hours. I found the French police less than sympathetic towards our plight and very quick to pass it off as a gas attack , in their view a victimless crime. I awoke with no side effects, bright eyed and bushy tailed only to be brought down to earth with a bump.
 
I'm not going to comment about the gassing bit, but some scoffed on this forum when I told of the security measures I've fitted to my van before going on my 6 month Europe trip. These include: deadlocks to the cab doors, fold-over handle to habitation door, small screech alarms to all windows and roof hatch, sliding dead locks to garage doors, quick release bolts to inside habitation door for when I'm inside. I also have 2 safes, I easy access for a little cash and one that requires me to empty half the van and virtually stand on my head to access for the things I don't need often but can't afford to lose. My breakdown insurance cost me an extra £5 to cover the loss of keys and replacement locks if necessary.

I totally agree its well over the top, the vehicle has a Sigma alarm designed for a Motorhome with Perimeter arming so I can arm it when I'm inside. I also have a carbon monoxide alarm that will go off if I break wind lol.

I'm not a scaredy cat, I'm ex army, but it's bloody inconvenient if these scrotes decide to help themselves to your gear. I believe the visual deterrent is enough to make them move onto easier targets but accept that if someone wants to get in they will. They would have to be pretty stupid to hang around with alarms going off and any small child put in to open a door from the inside would have to get out the same way as he got in if I was not in the van or face me if I was.

I too have put myself in the firing line for insulting comments but I invested too much in my van, my tools and my goodies that I like to carry with me to make it easy to to separate me from them. If you don't have any visible security best not park next to me.

Daiboy
 
I'm also a non-believer in "gassing", but I'd like to offer my sympathy to the OP for his ordeal, and my thanks for the reminder and warning about getting too complacent with security issues.

geebus said:
I've seen plenty of people that have had their tents burgled while they are sleeping in them.
A few the thief has been caught in the act and scampered, many they haven't.
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Please check the facts before making any wild accusations about me. In any case, I have reliable alibis for each of those occasions! :ninja:

Maybe you meant to say "scarpered"?? :idea-007:

"Scampered" indeed!..... I'll be getting accused of "burglary within tent" next!! :):)
 
channa said:
New poster
Silly amount of cashj
The style the alleged story is told

Forgive my sceptism. And gassed

Channa
Click to expand...

Give it a rest channa and co , it seems like no ones safe these days ( and that's on this forum )
 
Diaboy's post (These include: deadlocks to the cab doors, fold-over handle to habitation door, small screech alarms to all windows and roof hatch, sliding dead locks to garage doors, quick release bolts to inside habitation door for when I'm inside.)

I have much the same built in as Diaboy regards security. "Prevention is better as cure" was my thoughts at the time of putting in the safety measures I deemed as necessary. It serves my purpose and gives me the feeling of some sort of safety. Regards Gassing, although it may not be true but reading the op's post, it was the Police who told him it was so, the gentleman took it that was what happened and relayed his story to us folks. I say, each one to his/her own in posting a situation. This post is in my humble opinion. ☺☺
 
Sounds horrendous! :scared:
If they had knives etc probably best you didn't wake up (no matter what the cause of you not waking was)... It sucks you lost the money, but life is worth far more.
 
Greeting all, My ex business partner and his family, always go through France to spain each year.

Three years ago they were also robbed, well to be fare they caught them in the act in their van, (Left the door unlocked)

They soon vanished, and to chase them with nothing on is a bit much in the middle of the night.

The noise woke others up, only to find six in total had been robbed.

They went to wake their daughter who was unconcious and her husband.

The police were called and they said they were gassed especially as the both had stinking headaches.

Whilst I fully believe their vertion having know how straight the are.

Being an engineer by trade, the answer could be this simple?

Tie the two front doors across with a strong rope or cable.

Set up a loaded crossbow on a tripod oppersit the side door.

With a string attached, with a bit of slack to the trigger.

And Iv'e no dought the shouting will wake up even the heaviest sleepers of us up?

Acts like this by parasites stealing the hard earned money off us usually older people, makes my blood boil.

And yes I would like to see flogging etc bought back.

If they were to risk having their hand chopped off, it sure would deter me !!!

And after the second time, no more problems with them thieving?

On A quieter note, now iv'e probably upset a few do gooders!

Why not fit one of those alarms that pick up movement up to 5 meters away.

Iv'e got one after me honda genny was nicked. Also a lock which also is an alarm.

My friend Alan, also had his van stolen.

He told his family it would be around the corner, which it was with both doors open.

His two german shepards were asleep in the back at the time.

Sorry if Iv'e upset a few, but I believe the do gooders are still living in the past.

After Rob's post this week, the easy targets seem to be the norm.

Probably good defence lawyers and paperwork is why???

And what's all this community service crap. Almost makes it worthwile.

I'll shut the door behind me.

Rgd's Graham.
 
Hi Graham,

If your friends woke up at home with a headache I don't think being gassed would be your diagnosis:lol-053:

I do have to agree with you about the sort of people committing these crimes and what should be done about them. If somebody wakes up and catches them, then gives them a smack in the face with a Rounders bat. They should be given a medal and no fear of being prosecuted.

Richard
 
We can send messages around the world without wires, put a man on the moon, travel faster than sound, but we can not put a person to sleep in a motor home ? ? but one thing we can not do is sharpen a knife on a bar of soap, now that I do believe.


:drive: :drive:
 
Daiboy said:
I'm not going to comment about the gassing bit, but some scoffed on this forum when I told of the security measures I've fitted to my van before going on my 6 month Europe trip. These include: deadlocks to the cab doors, fold-over handle to habitation door, small screech alarms to all windows and roof hatch, sliding dead locks to garage doors, quick release bolts to inside habitation door for when I'm inside. I also have 2 safes, I easy access for a little cash and one that requires me to empty half the van and virtually stand on my head to access for the things I don't need often but can't afford to lose. My breakdown insurance cost me an extra £5 to cover the loss of keys and replacement locks if necessary.

I totally agree its well over the top, the vehicle has a Sigma alarm designed for a Motorhome with Perimeter arming so I can arm it when I'm inside. I also have a carbon monoxide alarm that will go off if I break wind lol.

I'm not a scaredy cat, I'm ex army, but it's bloody inconvenient if these scrotes decide to help themselves to your gear. I believe the visual deterrent is enough to make them move onto easier targets but accept that if someone wants to get in they will. They would have to be pretty stupid to hang around with alarms going off and any small child put in to open a door from the inside would have to get out the same way as he got in if I was not in the van or face me if I was.

I too have put myself in the firing line for insulting comments but I invested too much in my van, my tools and my goodies that I like to carry with me to make it easy to to separate me from them. If you don't have any visible security best not park next to me.

Daiboy
Click to expand...

Daiboy, as someone who is just about to head off to Europe and has zero security (other than a Jack Russell and a wife you really don't want to wake when sleeping) I'd be interested in hearing a bit more about your set up.

Can you link relevant exterior alarm systems or what you have currently? Our van is tiny so more interested in just getting a heads up that someone is approaching when we are wilding/remote.

Thanks,

James
 
dave and mary said:
We can send messages around the world without wires, put a man on the moon, travel faster than sound, but we can not put a person to sleep in a motor home ? ? but one thing we can not do is sharpen a knife on a bar of soap, now that I do believe.


:drive: :drive:
Click to expand...

If you where to take one of those old, crude bricks of brown soap and freeze it hard enough and the knife was made of cheap metal. Then I could believe that you could hone it a little. :) However I cannot imagine how you can anaesthetise someone in a van from the outside, without leaving any evidence or it costing a fortune.

Richard
 
my secret but effective robbery deterrent is to look like the van least worth robbing. the wealthier you look the tastier you are. and don't rely on leaving a dog in your van for security as some do,cs gas soon sorts them out
 
Tbear said:
If you where to take one of those old, crude bricks of brown soap and freeze it hard enough and the knife was made of cheap metal. Then I could believe that you could hone it a little. :) However I cannot imagine how you can anaesthetise someone in a van from the outside, without leaving any evidence or it costing a fortune.

Richard
Click to expand...

Would be good to try the soap thing, on most m/h you can put a small pipe between the window and frame, also there are air vents at various points on the van so getting the gas in is problem at all. The thing is what gas could be used ?

:drive: :drive:
 
I have lived in South Africa for many years. Over here being robbed is almost a way of life so perhaps we are more aware of precautions than the average complacent "first-worlder". But it seems to me that leaving such a large amount of money lying around to be found is rather careless in any country. Just don't do it! Thanks to the original poster for the warnings but I think that a few simple and cheap precautions can prevent most losses of this nature. If I may be indulged:

Don't keep all of your money in one place, spread it in smaller batches around the motorhome/caravan. Hide it from plain sight in places that may not seem obvious. A thief will often find a stash and assume that it's the only one, leaving the rest untouched. Do this when carrying money on your person as well, keep a pouch around your neck for the bulk of it, or a money belt or even stuff it in a sock or bra. Keep the minimum in your wallet/purse and don't "flash the cash", don't show others how much more you have on you when paying for things. A few hundreds pounds may not seem like a lot to you but might be a tempting fortune to others. Keep a wallet with a couple of pounds and some expired credit cards in a less-hidden place, a thief may grab it and leave without looking further. Keep laptops, cellphones, iPads and other valuable gadgets out of sight when you are sleeping, under the bed is a great place.
A hidden safe seems so obvious that I'm surprised that everyone doesn't have one, two even better. Naming it Cyril is a clever idea too. My handgun (legal over here) is named Fred for the same reasons.
Deadbolts on the doors cost practically nothing but make breaking in very difficult to do quietly. Ditto for loud door alarms. Some people put their trust in dogs, they might be a deterrent to a few thieves but I doubt it. I'm even told that a dog bowl filled with water might act as a deterrent, even if you don't actually have a dog. Over here we have a major problem with malicious poisoning of pets which is both traumatic and also renders the dog useless as an alarm system. My own dogs would probably sleep through an earthquake :lol-061:
I think that criminal attacks by gassing are extremely unlikely, if not impossible. I know of no local reports of this occurring here. Gas detectors seem like an obvious addition anyway, if only for detection of dangerous gas leaks related to cooking, heating etc. Good ventilation in your home on wheels should make any fear of gassing negligible.
Some people here use trap guns, bows and booby traps designed to wound and disable. They are illegal here and probably in most countries. They usually end up maiming the home owner, his family or an innocent person. I don't recommend them.

Sorry I've rambled a bit. Don't be too complacent, take a few simple and cheap precautions but don't get paranoid either :)
 
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theredman said:
Having been the victim of a service station theft I can fully sympathise with the OP. my ordeal took place at a service station in France. I had parked for a few hours rest after driving for 10 hours and travelling 13 hours in total. I also had a substantial amount of cash stolen, I won't post how much on here to be ridiculed by others. The French police also suggested to me that we may have been the victims of a gas attack however, I never believed this. I rather believe that after such a long drive and ferry crossing we where absolutely shattered. I even remember the vehicle drawing alongside our van and hearing young voices (kids) and thinking they where up late, normally I would have investigated or at least moved on but being so tired I turned over and slept. We were in a fixed bed at the back of the van they entered through the front passenger door and thankfully only took our money leaving credit cards and passports. I dread to think of the outcome if I had awoken to find someone in the van in the early hours. I found the French police less than sympathetic towards our plight and very quick to pass it off as a gas attack , in their view a victimless crime. I awoke with no side effects, bright eyed and bushy tailed only to be brought down to earth with a bump.
Click to expand...

The Stages of Training | The Royal College of Anaesthetists

Given the years of training for doctors to ensure they don't accidentally kill someone by gassing, I find it remarkable that some oik could turn up in the middle of the night, squirt some noxious gas into your van, just the right amount not to kill you mind, and then rob you blind without ever being caught by the cops. Or am I just a cynic? Or do we have a strain of rogue anaesthetists on the loose. :rolleyes2:
 
NomadicBoo said:


Daiboy, as someone who is just about to head off to Europe and has zero security (other than a Jack Russell and a wife you really don't want to wake when sleeping) I'd be interested in hearing a bit more about your set up.

Can you link relevant exterior alarm systems or what you have currently? Our van is tiny so more interested in just getting a heads up that someone is approaching when we are wilding/remote.

Thanks,

James
Click to expand...

Hi James, I may have used the wrong name for the type of alarm. Mine allows me to set the alarm for the doors etc whilst I'm in the van (disabling the movement sensors inside the van). However my son has an alarm on his car that warns people they are too close and to back away but it's APITA so he never bothers to set it.

Good luck with your Europe trip, I'm setting off in about 5 weeks.

Dai
 
Service station robbery not a myth? I'll say!

£1.53 per litre of diesel on the M11 near Stanstead the other day!
 
dave and mary said:
Would be good to try the soap thing, on most m/h you can put a small pipe between the window and frame, also there are air vents at various points on the van so getting the gas in is problem at all. The thing is what gas could be used ?

:drive: :drive:
Click to expand...

The gas most commonly used to gas to send people off to sleep is Sevoflurane which costs about £85 a 250ml bottle if you can get hold of it. You need to maintain an 8% concentration to get them to sleep and then drop it to 2% to keep them asleep. The kit we use to do this costs about £30 000. It takes an Anaesthetist and a qualified assistant to do this safely. One of the common side effects is you stop breathing, another is that your airway closes off. You think you can do it by wafting something next to a vent.:lol-049:
 
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