Theft from motorhome

David, it's not just the 'have-nots' that are the problem....scum is scum no matter how much they have in their pockets/bank accounts!
 
FULL TIMER said:
After having the lock drilled on my car in the lake district a few years back I was told by the local police that the more out of the way National Trust car parks at that time were specifically being targeted by known gangs that were coming into the area from Liverpool, they watched you park up, and had a rough idea of how long you would be gone depending on the local walks etc, they must have been bloody quick in my case as I was only gone for around half an hour.
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Once again an oxy moron-'Police intelligence' that must be the British police version of 'gassing'. why not Manchester or Leeds,a lot nearer than Liverpoll,also Hebden bridge is en route to Appleby,go figure!
 
I do have some agreement with David's reasoning about what they see. For this reason, we are happy to keep our old Hymer, usually with 2 old bikes on the back and no fancy stuff! We hope it gives the message that we have not much worth taking and so far so good. However, we were burgled for the first time in our lives last year by opportunist thieves who took my wife's jewellery including her wedding ring. They just "popped" the back patio double glazed window, which made an awful mess and headed straight for the bedroom - they knew what they were looking for! It is really quite traumatizing and continues to live with you for a very long time! Every time we go away we get nervous about what we might find when we get back - but it's not going to stop us going away! If it happens again, then it does. Any amount of security is nor going to deter them - they will find a way. The question, "why us" is always on your mind. Well, we were in the wrong place at the wrong time - fate or whatever!! In the case of our break-in, it happened on a Wednesday evening between 7 and 9 pm. We are never out on Wednesday's usually, but on this particular Wednesday, we were and there is a long story why, and it happened. You just have to put it behind you and try not to change your lives so much because of it. It will be someone else next time!
 
Sorry to hear about this you must be gutted, one question - did you close all the blinds or could passerby see that the van was empty?
We always make a point of closing blinds or curtains/fly screens (they cant see through), plus a curtain we have fitted between the cab and hab area. If we feel a bit unsure of the area (as you sometimes do), if its dark we leave a light on, and through the day occasionally a radio, and we usually have a look round to see who's about. As its usually opportunists they don't want to risk being confronted. Obviously this doesn't work if they have been watching you. :( Oh and I usually have a big enough bag to take my tablet/phone purse, everything that I would hate to 'lose', as leaving it in a safe is ok, but what if the van gets nicked - don't want to put you off, but prevention is better than cure.
 
Sorry to hear about the theft and now you may be considering security devices to prevent doors and windows opening but in reality it is a waste of time. if you are a low life you don't care what damage you cause so they will get in even through the wall with a Stanley knife, saw, axe, crowbar or similar and whatever device you fit it can only be screwed to the frame of the motor-home so not a really solid base. An alarm is best as these scum don't like attention and it will make them at least hurry up out.
Dave
 
After reading this I have been thinking of getting a couple of ear piercing sirens and fit them inside the van. Either connected to the main alarm or make something up with a pir or beam sensor. I don't think they would hang about looking for stuff if they have there hands over their ears.

Mike
 
Man, I remember when we used to camp at LeMans in tents - getting robbed wasthe least of our concerns compared to getting run over whilst asleep (ok - passed out) in the tent by the drunk drivers racing round the camping area. It was standard practice, if near one of the access roads on the site, to park several vehicles butted right up to each other in order to act as safety barriers.
 
Sorry to hear about your break in, I to think the the manufacturers should have been designing better windows years ago. I do have an alarm in mine but thought about upgrading it to one of those with ear piercing sound, like the growler system?
 
MacBook?

You mention you had a MacBook in the safe, did you not install "find my phone" on it? , it,s a free app and allows you to track it with your iPhone, bit late to be of any use to you but worth bearing in mind.
 
Sorry to hear you got broken into ....

We got burgled a few years ago at home. It has taken SWMBO ages to get over it. I fitted 50mm x 25mm timber to the top of all the garden fence panels with plasterboard screws every 25mm. It keeps the cats off as well. Any that do jump on the fence jump off again quickly. Also fitted over side gates. Alarm Fitted and we have electric shutters on the back downstairs windows that we use every time we go out. Bit like locking the stable door but we do feel safe at night and lots of other houses around that are a far easier target than ours is.

As for the MH. Got a small safe that you attach to something strong. Did not use it in the SWIFT :raofl: but have found something nice and strong in the new MH. As for windows I always thought that the ones on the Swift were vulnerable as you could get something under the edge of the window and just pull. New MH has recessed windows. At the end of the day if they want to get in they will so you just have to be careful where you leave it. We stopped at one NT site which was just a car park and a walk to a small house. BIG Signs all over THIEVES Operate in this area so we had lunch, I took the dog for a quick walk and we left.

..
 
We were shopping in a large Hypermarket in St. Nazaire a few weeks ago, we felt very safe leaving the van there because of the amount of cars around us and we try to park where we are visible from the shop, I usually wander out a few times if we are in there a long time and I saw a white van parked very close, I heard Pepper bark then the van sped off and left the car park, I have extra locks fitted and on the drivers door I have a 'brightlock' fitted because we have been broken into through that door while we were sleeping, they must have tried getting the lock off and woke Pepper up but fortunately the lock held, a fresh coat of paint and it will be as good as knew


If they want to get in they will but I try to make mine more difficult than the others around me, they had parked close to obscure the view but didn't know I had a dog in there until they hit the lock, he sleeps under the dashboard and you cannot see him but he lets you know he is there when you bang on the doors, I am looking at fitting sensors that trigger an alarm that sounds like a door knocking, either that or a dog who doesn't sleep all day:D
 
i've often thought that a tape of a large dog growling could be a deterrent
 
Here you go

Alf

Barking dog alarm | Clifford James
BARKING GUARD DOG INTRUDER RADAR BURGLAR MOTION DETECTOR SECURITY ALARM | eBay

tezza33 said:
We were shopping in a large Hypermarket in St. Nazaire a few weeks ago, we felt very safe leaving the van there because of the amount of cars around us and we try to park where we are visible from the shop, I usually wander out a few times if we are in there a long time and I saw a white van parked very close, I heard Pepper bark then the van sped off and left the car park, I have extra locks fitted and on the drivers door I have a 'brightlock' fitted because we have been broken into through that door while we were sleeping, they must have tried getting the lock off and woke Pepper up but fortunately the lock held, a fresh coat of paint and it will be as good as knew


If they want to get in they will but I try to make mine more difficult than the others around me, they had parked close to obscure the view but didn't know I had a dog in there until they hit the lock, he sleeps under the dashboard and you cannot see him but he lets you know he is there when you bang on the doors, I am looking at fitting sensors that trigger an alarm that sounds like a door knocking, either that or a dog who doesn't sleep all day:D
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Sorry to hear your news.it must feel horrible. We have a brightlock fitted but I think they only fit on the older style handles.they are pretty strong though. Thanks to OP for a timely reminder about security, I think I get a bit lax sometimes about leaving stuff easy to get at. I will have to try and find a few hidey holes, and remember to use them.
 
guerdeval said:
You mention you had a MacBook in the safe, did you not install "find my phone" on it? , it,s a free app and allows you to track it with your iPhone, bit late to be of any use to you but worth bearing in mind.
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I did have that on it, luckily enough. So I've remotely locked it and put a message on that I won't type in full here as I use a word I never normally use and then stated that the webcam has taken a photo and sent it to the police. The AP only works if they go online with my MacBook abd currently it's off line. I keep checking it, though, as if it goes online it will pinpoint the exact location.
 
yorkslass said:
Sorry to hear your news.it must feel horrible. We have a brightlock fitted but I think they only fit on the older style handles.they are pretty strong though. Thanks to OP for a timely reminder about security, I think I get a bit lax sometimes about leaving stuff easy to get at. I will have to try and find a few hidey holes, and remember to use them.
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Nothing was on display. We had a safe but they took the safe. The blinds in the bedroom were closed which just means they were destroyed when the scum broke in.
 
Thanks for all these ideas. I think some sort of alarm will be in order, so advice is welcome.
In other news because it's a Eura Mobil, the repair place has said it will take two to three months just to order the parts, not including fitting.
It's going to take a long time before I feel safe again. My home was burgled 14 years ago and I still feel anxious every time I lock my back door.
 
There are mobile alarm fitting companies - this may be the cheapest option.

Where are you based?
 
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