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I went up to our place of caravan storage recently and was told that there had been a recent spate of thefts ....... 3 caravans had been stolen !

Now we have security but this prompted my wife and I to review our current set up.

I realise that if they are determined then there is little you can do but I am a big beliver in the deterent aspect ......the longer it takes etc

Our current set now goes something like this this -

2 x Bulldog wheel clamps

1 x bulldog hitch lock

2 x steady locks

1 x IDM4 Alarm

Are we being a little OTT or do is the norm ?

They had the hitchlock off ours when it was pinched march last year. All they did was put something like a pinch bar under the cover & snap the lug off the hitch head, the makers need to make the hood deeper to cover this lug to make it harder to remove.

We had a wheel lamp on it, different make to yours, ours was bright yellow. It got removed & dumped in a neighbours hedge resembling a twisted pipecleaner. Looking at it I'd say they put a pair of stilsons on it & levered it away from the tyre with a length of steel tube like a scaffolding pudlock.

They got over the leg locks by lowing the front of the van using the jockey wheel, this raised the rear feet taking the weight off the stabilisers. All tey had to do then was reach under the van & wind the locked legs up using the threaded bar. I recovered the van with both locks still in place.

We got the van back but couldn't take to it again after those filthy swines had been in it, we sold it last year & have just had a new one delivered.

What I do with the new one is fit an Al-Ko wheel lock, concrete a length of RSJ in the ground & bolt a bll hitch to it with nuts welded in place. The van's got leg locks as well but I remove the jockey wheel & clamp.

I don't think you can go over the top with security as long as you don't mind putting it all on. They'll have to work to get another van away from here if I can help it.

BB

What no German shepherd????????lol

I think you sound pretty well set up, anyone who gets through that must have the surname Hudini!

Hi

There was a caravan on our seasonal site that was taken by removing a fence, 2 wheel clamps, a hitchlock and a chain over the axle concreted into the ground.

All within 30 metres of the office and 100m from the wardens bungalow.

The caravan was brand new, and even had all brand new accessories inside still boxed as the owners had gone on a cruise.

If they want it, they'll get it.

Paul

Quote: Originally posted by beatfreakz on 13/8/2009

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I went up to our place of caravan storage recently and was told that there had been a recent spate of thefts ....... 3 caravans had been stolen !

Now we have security but this prompted my wife and I to review our current set up.

I realise that if they are determined then there is little you can do but I am a big beliver in the deterent aspect ......the longer it takes etc

Our current set now goes something like this this -

2 x Bulldog wheel clamps

1 x bulldog hitch lock

2 x steady locks

1 x IDM4 Alarm

Are we being a little OTT or do is the norm ?

 

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My caravan (brand new Pageant Bordeaux) was stolen last week together with  3 others from our CaSSOA Silver Award storage site. Video shows it was a well organised gang possibly stealing to order and doing damage to a number of vans that they didn't remove.

We had all the usual (sold secure - means nothing but seems to satisfy the insurers) sucurity gadgets fitted but nothing will stop a determined thief, precautions will deter only amateurs. The key item that saved my van was the tracker. I have a Metis tracker fitted (www.metis-products.co.uk/tracking/getmycaravanback.php) which is self-operated without subscription charge and I can't recommend this product enough. Easy to fit, it did its job perfectly but my error was not to have it activated at the time of theft, only afterwards. The tracker located my van and it was recovered by the police within 6 hours of it being taken, not surprisingly found in a travellers site.

So my advice is invest in a tracker.

andy1kenobe,

Thanks for the ref to Wizards site - I checked it out and there's some useful stuff there but the fact is I did all the right things except have the tracker on.

The gang of pros that attacked the site knew exactly what they were doing and were video'd doing it. I have few qualms about having the van back as nothing was touched or damaged inside apart from carpets/bulkheads (mess probably made by the forensice team) and the tracker external aerial which they niaively thought would disable it. I'll know exactly how the better half feels as we're out in it this weekend. As a brand new and popular van the intention was clearly to sell it on so they weren't going to wreck it. In any case they hardly had time - it was found before they had much chance.

My tracker is v discretely located with hidden wiring (apart from the aerial) as I fitted it myself.  I understand that other makes of tracker may be easier to locate.

The manufacturers could act and we should be lobbying them at the shows - look what a difference has been achieved in car security over the years. OK a 10p tin opener could make a new door in the side of a van but there's no excuse for the standard of locks fitted to vans IMHO.