Alarms that send text messages

[Braunston]

Hi,

There is a discussion on another forum regarding the possibility of using some method for warning you that you vehicle is being tampered with and some of the suggestions are centered around the use of an alarm that sends you a text message if the alarm is triggered

While I have heard of this idea before and know it is possible I was wondering just how long it takes from the triggering to you receiving the text and how you will deal with the situation when you receive the message.

I would be interested in any replies, are they really a practical proposal would you have time to respond to actually stop anything.

Thanks

Braunston

 

[Jim]

This is an excellent addition to an alarm. It will not stop your vehicle being stolen, but it does give you peace of mind to know that it is OK. If I stored my motorhome I would definitely have that option.

 

[Brisey]

Hi Braunston

We have this facilty on our VanBitz Strikeback alarm. We receive a text message within seconds of the alarm being triggered.

 

[Braunston]

Hi,

While I can understand if it is stored away from home etc. that it would keep you informed if something had happened.

I should have explained a little more the thread had started due to someone being concerned that when they leave there van unattended/parked while they go and have a meal or perhaps shopping etc, and my question was really in that sort of circumstance what would the text allow you to do

I was wondering just how long it takes from the triggering to you receiving the text and how you will deal with the situation when you receive the message.

I would be interested in any replies, are they really a practical proposal would you have time to respond to actually stop anything.

This is an excellent addition to an alarm. It will not stop your vehicle being stolen, but it does give you peace of mind to know that it is OK. If I stored my motorhome I would definitely have that option.

 

[hilldweller]

Hi, have a meal or perhaps shopping etc, and my question was really in that sort of circumstance what would the text allow you to do

Order an extra pudding ?

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[navman]

Hi,

I was wondering just how long it takes from the triggering to you receiving the text and how you will deal with the situation when you receive the message.

I would be interested in any replies, are they really a practical proposal would you have time to respond to actually stop anything.

Providing you have mobile coverage mine takes seconds... you can also send text messages to the 'system' in the van to do a few things ranging from setting the alarm off... canceling it ...or testing the strength of the signal..

I would not have an alarm on the van without one...

 

[pappajohn]

Hi,


I was wondering just how long it takes from the triggering to you receiving the text and how you will deal with the situation when you receive the message.
.

what you gonna do?
Panic!...that does nothing useful , ring the police....takes too long.....run back to the van....too late.
no one takes any notice of alarms anymore, car or house.....too many false alarms, and the scroats know it.

by the time you return its too late anyway....its either gone or empty.oh:

 

[navman]

what you gonna do?
Panic!...that does nothing useful , ring the police....takes too long.....run back to the van....too late.
no one takes any notice of alarms anymore, car or house.....too many false alarms, and the scroats know it.

by the time you return its too late anyway....its either gone or empty.oh:

Panic?... I doubt it..... However I will be able to inform the police in minutes rather than hours... and then with the Tracking system I have installed be able to tell them what street it is in:thumb:

 

[pappajohn]

Panic?... I doubt it..... However I will be able to inform the police in minutes rather than hours... and then with the Tracking system I have installed be able to tell them what street it is in:thumb:

fine if you have a tracker....
you must have a more efficient force than us......ring the call center and report it, then if they think its important enough they connect you to the local nick control room to go through the whole rigmarole again then they send a snot-nosed kid who'se just old enough to drive to check it out.

a short tale....

local village, house being burgled, neighbour rang police, 1/2 hour later still no plod,
rang back and told them she thinks she saw a gun......every police car in scarborough turned up in minutes.

i reckon the plod cant be bothered as the scroat would be long gone before they got there.

 

[navman]

fine if you have a tracker....
you must have a more efficient force than us......ring the call center and report it, then if they think its important enough they connect you to the local nick control room to go through the whole rigmarole again then they send a snot-nosed kid who'se just old enough to drive to check it out.

a short tale....

local village, house being burgled, neighbour rang police, 1/2 hour later still no plod,
rang back and told them she thinks she saw a gun......every police car in scarborough turned up in minutes.

A short tale II

Last week I was involved in recovery of over £20,000 worth of stolen motorcycles.... with a tracking device.... I am regularly involved in recovery of stolen motor vehicles, my unit recovers about £2 millions worth of stolen vehicles each year... maybe I have a little more confidence than some

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[Braunston]

Hi, pappajohn

I must admit that was my thinking also, I can see the idea if its in storage perhaps as without it the vehicle could have been broken into or stolen several day ago without you knowing, but for the normal visiting, shopping or eating out type situation i really can't see the benefits,

fine if you have a tracker....
you must have a more efficient force than us......ring the call center and report it, then if they think its important enough they connect you to the local nick control room to go through the whole rigmarole again then they send a snot-nosed kid who'se just old enough to drive to check it out.

a short tale....

local village, house being burgled, neighbour rang police, 1/2 hour later still no plod,
rang back and told them she thinks she saw a gun......every police car in scarborough turned up in minutes.

i reckon the plod cant be bothered as the scroat would be long gone before they got there.

 

[navman]

Hi, pappajohn

I must admit that was my thinking also, I can see the idea if its in storage perhaps as without it the vehicle could have been broken into or stolen several day ago without you knowing, but for the normal visiting, shopping or eating out type situation i really can't see the benefits,

The point is, as one who goes looking for these things, is to tell the old bill as soon as possible... if I pick one up as it comes in on our patch, often I will go looking straight away ...motorhomes stick out a bit more than a blue ford escort... if it comes in an hour or two later then where do you start....

 

[Braunston]

Hi,

No one would suggest that you delay in informing the Police, the point was what benefit would the alarm sending the text message make directly to the owner, all it appears it would do is tell them a little bit earlier that their MH had either been broken into or that it had been stolen ? and as pappajohn has pointed out the Police are so under staffed that they can't respond immediately to many minor crimes, albeit when it affects us personally we may see them differently.

The point is, as one who goes looking for these things, is to tell the old bill as soon as possible... if I pick one up as it comes in on our patch, often I will go looking straight away ...motorhomes stick out a bit more than a blue ford escort... if it comes in an hour or two later then where do you start....

 

[pappajohn]

The point is, as one who goes looking for these things, is to tell the old bill as soon as possible... if I pick one up as it comes in on our patch, often I will go looking straight away ...motorhomes stick out a bit more than a blue ford escort... if it comes in an hour or two later then where do you start....

my point is not all break-ins are to steal the van......the scroat can be in and out with your goods long before the police arrive.

yes the police can be informed in good time but the only other advantage i can see is you already know what to expect on your return. at the least you've been robbed, at worst its gone.

no offence meant by my comments on plod not giving a stuff......im sure that doesnt apply to all police officers....it just appears that way.

 

[navman]

my point is not all break-ins are to steal the van......the scroat can be in and out with your goods long before the police arrive.

no offence meant by my comments on plod not giving a stuff......im sure that doesnt apply to all police officers....it just appears that way.

No offence taken... I see the poor bobbie on the street run ragged every day....oh:

My point is that I think my text kit cost under £100.... and I get that back in peace of mind know that it has not been attacked and don't have to wonder what I am coming back to. Lets remember break in / thefts of MHs are still out of the norm.....

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[0zzy]

hello navman where did you buy your gsm text alarm thing ?????????

 

[navman]

hello navman where did you buy your gsm text alarm thing ?????????

Hi mate.

On the current one it was a local chap from the Oxford area. Previously I had Eddie of VanBitz do it... Next time I would use Eddie again. On my alarm ( not a VanBitz) it had a trigger output that was connected to the texting unit

HTH

 

[eddie]

what you gonna do?
Panic!...that does nothing useful , ring the police....takes too long.....run back to the van....too late.
no one takes any notice of alarms anymore, car or house.....too many false alarms, and the scroats know it.

by the time you return its too late anyway....its either gone or empty.oh:

I take it then that you never bother to lock doors either? as everyone knows that thieves can pick locks!

As for what would I do? Panic? no, I would go back and deal with the situation in a nice "friendly" way.

Sorry Pappajohn your wrong. Vehicle crime is falling quite quickly due to the implementation of decent locks, immobilisers, tracking systems and alarm systems. This is not my opinion, but that of the Insurers the Home Office and the Police.

These people actualy deal with crime and the advice from all of them is to get the best security device you can fitted.

Thieves do take notice of security systems, and move on, thats how they work in the first instance.

Eddie

 

[kkclassic]

Security

Hi All

We have Eddies system fitted and it gives us peace of mind both when the bus is in store or when we leave it to go site seeing/shopping.

Security is like an onion the more layers that you have the more protection that is afforded. Most forms are physical like the alarm, tracker, and wheel clamps, chains and the like. You must also consider the psychological side as well, The thief will go for the easy option so if it is more difficult to break in or steal they will avoid that one as it gives them a greater chance of being detected or arrested. If you can, use stickers to say their is an alarm fitted and I have also heard about a barking dog alarm fitted internally. I was looking into buying a quad and that had a talking alarm fitted that warned the intruder that it was alarmed and if they didn't stop the alarm would go off and it would call the police (pity it doesn't spray them with CS Gas). These types draw attention to a thief so they will avoid it. You also have to consider the area you are parking in and when you leave the unit make a big show of setting the alarm and maybe setting it off by accident and resetting it.

Kevin and Tricia

 

[Sweet Chariot]

Mine has a pager system which works up to around a mile away, you could say time is the consideration if you can report your vehicle as being stolen within 20 minutes or 6 hours later when you return to it.

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[paulharrison]

GSM texting alarms are good but check the network, and get one which dials about 6 different numbers and keeps going unit you text it to stop they are, a add on unit you just need a negative trigger off your alarm,
Paul