Motorhome Security Success (1 Viewer)

Mar 29, 2014
16
32
Norfolk
Funster No
30,740
MH
Autotrail
Exp
2
First post on here so - hello everyone!
Drove from Calais to Dijon on Sunday night & ended up desperate for rest on an aire. Woken at 4am by lights coming on in our van. Got up & found drivers door had been unlocked & someone had tried to open it. Lights coming on (or me standing up in my boxers) must have scared them off. Fortunately we had used the good advice given to us when we first had a motorhome & threaded the seat belts through the door handles, over the seats & into their holders. This meant the door couldn't be opened more than an inch & belts would have had to be cut to open the doors. Just thought it was worth mentioning so that any newbies like I was just a few years ago know there is a free & effective way of securing your doors & to be wary of parking up overnight on some motorway Aires.
 
Jan 3, 2008
3,328
5,333
Pakefield, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
Funster No
1,118
MH
Looking
Exp
35
M
First post on here so - hello everyone!
Drove from Calais to Dijon on Sunday night & ended up desperate for rest on an aire. Woken at 4am by lights coming on in our van. Got up & found drivers door had been unlocked & someone had tried to open it. Lights coming on (or me standing up in my boxers) must have scared them off. Fortunately we had used the good advice given to us when we first had a motorhome & threaded the seat belts through the door handles, over the seats & into their holders. This meant the door couldn't be opened more than an inch & belts would have had to be cut to open the doors. Just thought it was worth mentioning so that any newbies like I was just a few years ago know there is a free & effective way of securing your doors & to be wary of parking up overnight on some motorway Aires.
Motorway Aires are a non starter for me either in Europe or UK. Glad they isn't get in and your ok though.
 

SMB

Apr 26, 2013
1,229
1,347
Spain
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25,710
MH
Coachbuild
Exp
Fulltiming since February 2013
A cargo strap across the door handles is also effective though I have now had Milenco door stays fitted, along with a Milenco external bar across the hab door which locks from the inside as well. I have Lock m out fittings on the windows along with Milenco window alarm (no I don't have any affiliation with Milenco!), every little helps. Steering lock always on when I leave the van. But, as mentioned, I also avoid motorway aires.

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tonka

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 2, 2008
10,777
21,400
Cannock, Staffs
Funster No
3,141
MH
A class Burstner 800
Exp
Since 2000
Glad your ok but as been mentioned on here before, some are aware of using the seat belts and can cut them..
So this gives you an added complication of not being able to use the belts, or being stopped for not wearing them. As well as the expense of replacing the belts..

Might be worth investing in a steel wire or chain when you can...

Stay safe..
 

GWAYGWAY

Free Member
Sep 6, 2014
4,213
3,305
Dover
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33,216
MH
Hymer ML I 580
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4 years
I fitted some Yale deadlocks after finding the offered Abus ones were far too expensive, I welded up a fitment that stepped the lock ou to the correct distance and fitted one to each door of the Hymer, The left door is a special the would have been the drivers door and had a place for the lock but just too close to the outer skin to get the lock into it hence the tigwelded alloy tube spacer. The hab door was anther one that needed a wooden block made to space out the lock to catch the edge of the body. These are really good security locks and only cost £14 each for the basic lock with the yale key set. I am going to fit a pair to the rear garage doors for when we are parked up so that we do not depend on the plastic catch variety fitted.

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Aug 7, 2007
669
608
Dundee
Funster No
73
MH
Elddis Autoquest 195
Exp
since 1975
Cheap but very effective option is to do as i did.Went local ship chandlers and had a 6mm dia plastic coated wire strop made up to the correct length c/w a loop/eye at each end .
Thread them through the armrests and padlock them together, job done, doors cannot be opened all for the sum of £15.00
Bonus is that the moho can still be driven away with it on if required !! We have had on in use for past 10 years.
 

Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
11,757
14,563
Mansfield,Notts
Funster No
35
MH
Autotrail Tracker FB
Exp
45 +years with breaks
Cheap but very effective option is to do as i did.Went local ship chandlers and had a 6mm dia plastic coated wire strop made up to the correct length c/w a loop/eye at each end .
Thread them through the armrests and padlock them together, job done, doors cannot be opened all for the sum of £15.00
Bonus is that the moho can still be driven away with it on if required !! We have had on in use for past 10 years.

Your allowed to remove it when your driving:rofl::doh:
 
Feb 17, 2009
359
1,377
Cheltenham
Funster No
5,664
MH
AS Broadway FB
Exp
Since 2006
First post on here so - hello everyone!
Drove from Calais to Dijon on Sunday night & ended up desperate for rest on an aire. Woken at 4am by lights coming on in our van. Got up & found drivers door had been unlocked & someone had tried to open it. Lights coming on (or me standing up in my boxers) must have scared them off. Fortunately we had used the good advice given to us when we first had a motorhome & threaded the seat belts through the door handles, over the seats & into their holders. This meant the door couldn't be opened more than an inch & belts would have had to be cut to open the doors. Just thought it was worth mentioning so that any newbies like I was just a few years ago know there is a free & effective way of securing your doors & to be wary of parking up overnight on some motorway Aires.

Any idea how they opened the doors, any damage?

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OP
OP
M
Mar 29, 2014
16
32
Norfolk
Funster No
30,740
MH
Autotrail
Exp
2
Not certain how but suspect either a skeleton key or some way of triggering the remote - no damage evident & everything working fine

Thanks for all the helpful comments made on here - must say I recommend the lock m out fittings - they seem a simple but effective solution to the vulnerability of the Windows. Have just bought a cable alarm to stretch across from door handle through steering wheel to door handle and back - fits tight & if cut it triggers a very loud alarm

Weather & tranquility in Provence this last few days is making it all worth it
 

irnbru

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 27, 2013
13,501
31,099
Glasgow
Funster No
26,684
MH
Benimar 264
Exp
11 yrs
Have just bought a cable alarm to stretch across from door handle through steering wheel to door handle and back - fits tight & if cut it triggers a very loud alarm
Can you give me a link to where you bought it please.
 
R

Robert Clark

Deleted User
Good job you were awake
A good deterrant may be less stressful in future
Safe travels !

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DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,961
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Plympton, Devon
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24,219
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PVC, Murvi Morocco
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2013
Not certain how but suspect either a skeleton key or some way of triggering the remote - no damage evident & everything working fine.
Have a look around the bottom of the door locks, that is along the bottom edge of the big black plastic thing which has the door handle. They may have pushed something sharp in, either through the plastic itself or perhaps under it. Assuming it's a Fiat this is a known way of getting in. You can get metal plates which fit underneath the handle to defeat this type of attack.
 
Nov 25, 2013
1,107
1,737
kent
Funster No
29,170
MH
Swift Kontiki 669
Exp
Since April 2013
I ratchet strap the doors together, and of course avoid most toll motorways, too expensive for class 4, always pick a small village aire or somewhere from France Passion, for the cost of a bottle du vin.

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DuxDeluxe

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 10, 2008
14,605
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Planet Zog
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3,243
MH
A woosh bang van
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since 2008
I assume you turn the internal alarm off when you go to bed, or do you wear earplugs? :)
What? .........what? .....

.....did you say something?

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Nov 6, 2013
3,201
226,533
East Sussex
Funster No
28,906
MH
Hymer B574DL
Exp
Since 2011 (tugger for 20 before that)
I assume you turn the internal alarm off when you go to bed, or do you wear earplugs? :)
We always set our Strike Back at night but as you say DBK we disarm the internal sensors. (y)
 

DuxDeluxe

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 10, 2008
14,605
71,924
Planet Zog
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A woosh bang van
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since 2008
Including you I would not to be inside if it goes off.
Good alarm system - one of our dogs had parked himself inside the van once and went to sleep without us realising he was in there. Woke up and all hell broke loose - one rather shocked looking dog.......
 
Feb 22, 2008
12,249
44,837
Norfolk
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1,575
MH
Nearly Tugging
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Since 2004
I always keep my Fenix Cree torch under my pillow , enough to near blind any intruder, as well as alarm set.
 

fred flintstone

Free Member
Jul 12, 2016
139
75
lincoln
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44,055
MH
Pilote P690
Exp
Since 2007 on and off
I ratchet strap the doors together, and of course avoid most toll motorways, too expensive for class 4, always pick a small village aire or somewhere from France Passion, for the cost of a bottle du vin.
Me too, cheap and easy

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OP
OP
M
Mar 29, 2014
16
32
Norfolk
Funster No
30,740
MH
Autotrail
Exp
2
Have a look around the bottom of the door locks, that is along the bottom edge of the big black plastic thing which has the door handle. They may have pushed something sharp in, either through the plastic itself or perhaps under it. Assuming it's a Fiat this is a known way of getting in. You can get metal plates which fit underneath the handle to defeat this type of attack.
Just checked this morning - definitely what has happened - something like a knife has pushed into the plastic as I can see the hole & plastic burrs from the entry point. Thanks for the info on that
 
D

DL42846

Deleted User
I ratchet strap the doors together, and of course avoid most toll motorways, too expensive for class 4, always pick a small village aire or somewhere from France Passion, for the cost of a bottle du vin.

I used to have a bar lock before in my old camper but it was always in the way when not being used. I now also use a ratchet strap at night. It also has other uses, one of which is to hold the main door open in strong winds. And it holds my scooter in place in the boot.
 
Feb 27, 2011
14,622
74,504
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
I did look into using a strap but it wasn't practical for my van as I have a separate living/cab area separated by a bulkhead.

I ended up fitting my own deadlocks which I bought from http://www.van-locked.co.uk

For me physical prevention and making it as inconvenient and as risky as possible comes before alarms. Followed by Alarms, followed by clever gadgets.

Here is how I fitted them on my van.
https://www.fulltiming.info/self-build-motorhome/fitting-deadlocks

On the Alarm front I have one of these to fit. (£20 ish) But don't let the low price put you off.
http://amzn.to/2ccSeQd
It has;
remote immobiliser,
GPS Tracker
Remote mike so you can listen in.
Alarm
Geo Fencing

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DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,961
47,778
Plympton, Devon
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24,219
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PVC, Murvi Morocco
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2013
Just checked this morning - definitely what has happened - something like a knife has pushed into the plastic as I can see the hole & plastic burrs from the entry point. Thanks for the info on that
These are the plates - not cheap but apparently not too difficult to fit.
 

Deneb

Free Member
Oct 20, 2015
1,598
2,334
Europe
Funster No
39,680
MH
PVC
These are the plates - not cheap but apparently not too difficult to fit.

Just fitted a set to my van, but I got them from Trade Vehicle Locks. They're a modified version with an extension to the stainless steel plate under the lower edge of the plastic handle and the lock mechanism is also boxed in inside of the doorskin.

Broken Link Removed
 

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,961
47,778
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
Just fitted a set to my van, but I got them from Trade Vehicle Locks. They're a modified version with an extension to the stainless steel plate under the lower edge of the plastic handle and the lock mechanism is also boxed in inside of the doorskin.

Broken Link Removed
Thanks. How much were they? The website won't tell me unless I register for an account! Very odd.

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