If the thieves had broken in? (1 Viewer)

[KeithChesterfield]

A recent post of a Motorhome owner being targetted by thieves at a Service Station abroad highlighted the possibility of robbery.

Sympathy to the OP for the experience but, in my opinion, staying overnight on Service areas is not a good idea.

Taking it a step further and inmagining the theives had managed to break in and not disturb the owners while they were onboard and abroad – what would they have taken?

I imagined the thief breaking open the habitation door or drivers door in our Motorhome during the night and what would they see?

In our MH they would have faced a sink covered in wine/brandy glasses, a dog on the floor or looking at them from the lounge seat, my shorts/trousers and shirt drapped over an armrest, a waste bag hanging from a bracket, dog bowl and water bowl on the floor and a couple of pairs of well worn holiday footwear.

Getting through the driver or passenger door the only easily reached objects would be a map of France on the floor, All the Aires book likewise, some Chocolate Eclairs and Mint Imperials in a drop down drawer and possibly the receipts from fuel and shopping on a shelf.

Our passport, and dogs, and other importent documents (driving license, travel and insurance documents, etc) are deep down in a compartment under the seats (which would all need moving and are a pain in the *rse at the best of times to remove when we do need the passports), our phones are under our pillows so we can check the time for getting up in a morning and the Ipad may be on charge behind the drivers seat but is certainly not in direct view from any access point.

Despite those who were 'gassed' a year or two back who claimed on insurance for a couple of grand, suitcases, mobile phones, jewellery, ipads and credit cards we don't have £2000 in cash (Pounds or Euros) on board, or expensive watches or jewellery and credit cards (as I understand) are not much use without a card number.

If we have a maximum of €100 in notes, a dozen or so €1 and €2 euro coins and a pot full of 'brass' coins that's all the money they're likely to get.

What would your potential thief find to take away if they came through the doors?

 

[Lenny HB]

Similar to you except we don't have a dog, never carry much cash prefer to draw it out as we need it. No valuable items left near doors & windows and always set the alarm.
And of course we would never stop on a motorway aire for the night

 

[filopastry]

Surely, you are not suggesting that thee are those who may take a breakin and elevate the insurance claims to cover bling and brass, I'm a Yorkshireman. I have stopped so many times on motorway services in France I truly could not count, and thank god, have had no problems. Interestingly I read on another posting that one Mh'er was told that it is usually the UK plates that are being targeted. It is easy for me to state, cos it didn't happen to me, but it's a numbers game and the percentage of MH'ers who experience these horrendous acts are small. I have stayed in 5 star hotels and experienced theft, not whilst in the room true. Maybe the clue of the UK plates targeted is that the thief believes that you are less able to make an emergency call to the police.

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[jockaneezer]

The wife leaves a pair of her knickers 'sunny side up' in the doorway, more effective than any bear trap

 

[Steve and Denise]

Simple buy a Hobby put some IRL plates on they wont come near you

 

[DavidG58]

@KeithChesterfield

what - no dash cam

I guess a drop down front bed is good in these situations, covering tom toms, cameras etc in our case

although we don't use the front drop down, so all of ours is there for the taking

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[JJ]

I am one of those who have parked up on motorway service aires many, many times over the last few decades, the latest time being in Spain on the way to Toulouse last July, and have not been robbed yet.

If some desperate, unfortunate person was to gain entry whilst I was asleep, the first thing he would come across would be one of my naked feet near his face, as I often stick one out from under my duvet on my drop down bed.

Were he to survive this aromatic ordeal and venture further into my batchelor paradise, he would spot a pile of unwashed dishes and cutlery and various socks and underwear lying about.

Finding anything worth stealing from me would be a pretty difficult mission, unless there is a blackmarket in Fray Bentos pies and Carte Noire coffee which I don't know about.

(Obviously my bundles of tightly rolled up, large denomination notes are hidden beyond the wit of any man under the loose floorboard behind the kitchen dresser...)


JJ