Stolen camper conversion project

Gasdave

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I hope it’s ok to share this here on behalf of a friend. Their conversion project was taken from outside their home about 2 days ago:

Morning all. Our van has been stolen from Portobello, Edinburgh.

Registration GM18 KXU.

If you see it please contact the police. It’s mid conversion with flares, part built bed and single passenger seat swivel. (No reflective strip down the side as in some pics here). They broke into the house and stole the keys in the middle of the night so we’ve clearly been scoped out.

EDIT: The van also had our daughters defibrillator in it, so even more reason to try and find it and the arseholes who nicked it.
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Hope they get it back.

Just as an aside, if you keep any valuable/desirable vehicle outside the house your making the house a target for those who desire such.

Therefore you should take extra precautions, keys are an obvious issue, as was the case here.
 
The scrotes will have to do a quick paint job on it, that orange stands out a country mile.
Good luck to your friends on its return undamaged.
 
Boris7 said:
Hope they get it back.

Just as an aside, if you keep any valuable/desirable vehicle outside the house your making the house a target for those who desire such.

Therefore you should take extra precautions, keys are an obvious issue, as was the case here.
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Yes, I always take the motorhome keys with me when it's parked outside or may put them in the safe. Aftermarket immobiliser operated using mobile phone can also be useful if keys could be taken.
 
TJBi said:
Not much use, Trev, if they steal the vehicle keys, as in this instance; most people are going to keep all the keys together. But for general security, an excellent idea.
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Yes I use a pedal lock and a Disklok, but the keys are with the ignition key. The keys are quite well hidden in the house though.

If they really want to steal a van though they will just take an angle grinder to any locks you have and if you try to stop them you could end up getting seriously hurt. They know the Police won't be arriving anytime soon.

Still worth doing though as it may deter them and they move on in search of an easier target.
 
Robmac said:
Yes I use a pedal lock and a Disklok, but the keys are with the ignition key. The keys are quite well hidden in the house though.

If they really want to steal a van though they will just take an angle grinder to any locks you have and if you try to stop them you could end up getting seriously hurt.
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Not so sure about that.
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When I used to do quotes for burglar alarms I was shocked at the amount of people who would leave their car keys hanging up in the hall, or left in full view downstairs when they went to bed at night. The burglars would not only steal their valuables but put them into their car and drive it away.
Another problem is keyless vehicles. It’s important that if you have such a system that you place your keys into a faraday container, and well hidden. I decided against the pack which included this, as I don’t see much advantage, and I think it’s just an additional risk, then there’s the cost.

I keep my car keys well hidden, my van keys well hidden elsewhere, and the keys to my wheel lock and steering lock well hidden but again elsewhere.

I have a ring system which monitors my driveway warning me if anyone is near the van. I also found it useful in the winter when coming back from the Lake District. I knew it had been snowing where we live and I could check to see how much snow there was before leaving. We decided to extend our stay and left next day after I had a look at the situation. Also I can answer the door when away.

Better to either hide your keys or take them to bed with you.
I hope the van gets back to the owners, terrible situation.
 
Good luck on finding it I'll be looking.
Out of interest is it an ex RAC fleet van?
 
Gasdave said:
I hope it’s ok to share this here on behalf of a friend. Their conversion project was taken from outside their home about 2 days ago:

Morning all. Our van has been stolen from Portobello, Edinburgh.

Registration GM18 KXU.

If you see it please contact the police. It’s mid conversion with flares, part built bed and single passenger seat swivel. (No reflective strip down the side as in some pics here). They broke into the house and stole the keys in the middle of the night so we’ve clearly been scoped out.

EDIT: The van also had our daughters defibrillator in it, so even more reason to try and find it and the arseholes who nicked it.
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Be good to get some feedback on whether the van was recovered?
 
Found this on facebook looks to have been found .

UPDATE: Our van has been found!! In Pathhead, just south of Edinburgh. Thank you so so much to everyone who shared this post. The person who found it and phoned the police was several shares removed from us, which shows the power of social media for this sort of thing. Keeping fingers crossed it’s all in tact, it’s off to forensics for now.
 
Fisherman said:
<snip

Better to either hide your keys or take them to bed with you.
<snip>
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I seem to recall having received advice from the police (through an email subscription) not to take car keys to bed with you. I think that the logic was that you didn't want the thieves coming to your bedroom to get them - risk of violence.
 
TJBi said:
I seem to recall having received advice from the police (through an email subscription) not to take car keys to bed with you. I think that the logic was that you didn't want the thieves coming to your bedroom to get them - risk of violence.
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Thieves first priority is not to get caught, and very rarely head upstairs where people are sleeping. Some even carry door wedges to stop you getting to them if you hear them. Most of the time they don’t break in to steal your car, it’s your belongings they are after, but if you leave your keys downstairs in plain view, then guess what happens. Also over 90% of break ins happen when your home is empty. But if you wish to leave your keys were they can get them, then so be it.
 
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