Robbery in France (1 Viewer)

[PHD]

OK, it's getting late so we shouldn't labour the point too much. But......a couple of things to think about.

"some evidence to support the theory". I have not heard of any evidence except people saying it was a gas attack. However unlikely it seems that someone's motor-home was broken into while they slept it may be true. It is after all the facts we have to hand: They were asleep and were broken into. To then speculate as to why they didn't wake up is just that: speculation. My theory about alien abduction is just as valid as knock out gas. There is no proof for or against either. I don't believe in those too.

If there have been numerous attacks and the number of reports would suggest there have been. Why haven't we seen an accidental death? This is most likely with amateurs handling anesthetics. The Russian Government ended a siege in a theatre using this technique and 20% of the occupants of that building were killed. You would have expected to see at least one death in all the gas attacks.

The experts may well be wrong but once again I would say we need proof. No one knows everything, but guessing is no substitute. The level of understanding we currently have would suggest that this is not possible. Until that is proved wrong it's the best we have.

I tend to avoid conspiracy theories as they are usually based on speculation. Things like "why wouldn't they investigate?" is an open question which presents no new facts. There are thousands of conspiracy theories all over the internet. Most of them are misguided and once the come up against hard evidence they evaporate.

So you haven't convinced me and I think it is a myth. You are of course entitled to your opinion and I have enjoyed the argument.

 

[Chockswahay]

I just believe what my son says......

 

[Gorse Hill]

Can you please point me in the direct of these credible individuals? I appreciate that YOU believe it is pretty much impossible for someone to break into a MH and rob it with the occupants fast asleep but this has been happening for yonks, and many years before anyone suggested 'gassing' ... if people can be robbed in their own home with intruders taking stuff from their bedroom they are sleeping in then I don't understand why you can't believe this is possible in a MH?

To give you an example of how easy it is to move around near to someone without waking them, my husband has been working this week registering students for their University courses, quite intense work but just a normal length working day (approx 7 hours). Last night at around 8.00 pm he'd went to bed with the bedroom door open, and despite me pottering around, the dogs jumping up/down off the same bed, the TV being on in the lounge with the door open occasionally, and me then finally going to bed, he slept soundly, not stirring once - he had only had ONE can of low alcohol beer, so by your 'thoughts' this shouldn't have been possible ... but it was and as I said previously I can do the same in our camper and actually have to climb over him to get in/out of the bed! Now, do you believe this me when I tell you this happened or not?

Like I've said anything possible, including gassing
So yes to your question minx

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[cruiser]

perhaps they passed wind and knocked themselves out.

 

[Mousy]

A friend was at an awards dinner in London recently, he went outside for a smoke and a very attractive lady came over and asked him for a light, he leant over with his lighter, she held his hand steady, said thanks and walked off.

He went inside and immediately took his wallet out...yup you've guessed it £200 missing. He didn't feel a thing. She hadn't taken his wallet only the money from it, in seconds. If professional thieves (cos that's obviously what she was) can do that, of course they can get into your van and rob you whilst your asleep. No gass needed, they are just bloody good at what they do.

And no he hadn't been drinking, but I think he needed a stiff one after.

 

[Bebe]

We were travelling back to our home in spain winter 2005. Just through french border into spain. Stopped for fuel and then parked up with 20 odd motorhomes in a brightly floodlit carpark next to the restaurant. We decided to lay down for half hour break and then travel on. A chap was stood outside, nothing unusual as many people walking around. Unknown to us he picked our passenger cab door lock whilst we were talking. Half hour later as we half dozed he was in the cab seat and going through our glove compartment. Nothing in there for him but he was fast. All alarms going off, people shouting, screaming out. We watched as the gang drove off in their old motorhome. Very clever. They went round the motorhomes and picked the locks and later returned for the goods. A large gang of men. Quick as a flash and away.

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[Deleted member 29692]

A couple of weeks ago there was a road accident at night outside our house. Speeding car hit another one and flipped. Blue lights and all the drama. I only know because my next door neighbour told me the next day. I didn't hear a thing, once I'm asleep that's it, nothing wakes me. I know I wouldn't wake up if someone broke into the motorhome (I can think of at least one way of breaking into most MHs pretty silently) The dogs however might have something to say.

 

[Scottyboy]

Just a thought, Have the Police ever searched or caught anyone and found empty or not canisters in their vehicles? Or empty canisters dumped at the crime scene? Or any damage to vents or skylights where a hose has been forced through?

 

[iandsm]

Just a thought, Have the Police ever searched or caught anyone and found empty or not canisters in their vehicles? Or empty canisters dumped at the crime scene? Or any damage to vents or skylights where a hose has been forced through?

I don't know but I very much doubt it, it would be evidence and there is a severe lack of that.

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[teddybard]

does this alleged gas affect co alarms?

 

[Scattycat]

I wouldn't use a ratchet strap just in case of requiring emergency exit but I did fit sash jammers.

As posted on another thread recently, there was an alarm fitted to the van when we bought it so I checked that the alarm contacts on cab and habitation doors worked properly and replaced the hab door one. Just as a belt & braces I also fitted cheap window alarms - 2 for 99p shown on this page - after reading a thread on here. Probably not needed for the type of camping we do but you never know

How did you fix the window alarms? 8 bought some for our van but now can't see how to fit them as the frame is recessed from the window and I can't get a good contact

 

[GJH]

How did you fix the window alarms? 8 bought some for our van but now can't see how to fit them as the frame is recessed from the window and I can't get a good contact

The main body is stuck to the window with the magnet part in the frame, as per the photo (Seitz windows).

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[Scattycat]

The main body is stuck to the window with the magnet part in the frame, as per the photo (Seitz windows).

Thanks, I did just offer mine up to the window in the position you show but the alarm just kept going off.
May be I'll try again

Thanks


So, to get back on topic
Hey, great thread this
Next it will be handbags at dawn

Given his son's occupation, I'm with "chockswahay"

 

[GJH]

Thanks, I did just offer mine up to the window in the position you show but the alarm just kept going off.

It's worth checking that they work properly by just holding the two pieces together and then parting them. Of three packs of two I bought, 5 work fine but one kept going off all the time (probably a faulty magnet).

 

[stcyr]

Just a thought, Have the Police ever searched or caught anyone and found empty or not canisters in their vehicles? Or empty canisters dumped at the crime scene? Or any damage to vents or skylights where a hose has been forced through?

Yes

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[Roryboys Dad]

I told Rover to be gently but you know what dogs are like .........

 

[Vincemacca]

thanks to all who have contributed to this argument regarding gassing. I have to be honest, and thought it was a menace on the continent, but after reading all replies I'm fairly confident this is not the case - I can sleep well - but not too well.
The sleeping thing does remind me of a sick joke a group of us played on my brother (of which I now know was not ideal - although it seemed funny at the time). Returning on the Britany ferry (4ish hours) from a school trip to france my brother fell asleep and a few of us thought it a good idea to apply copious amounts of make up and shave his eyebrows (blame the girls for that). Needless to say although he stirred from time to time -he never awoke and was unaware of his predicament, even after descending the stairs to the car deck and being laughed at by all and sundry ! It was only the teachers who put him right - although the eyebrows took some time to grow back and he suffered quite a bad time of it until they did.
AS you can imagine - I realise this was not a good thing to do but at 14 - all seems fair game. To his credit (not mine) he is still my best friend. But it does show you can sleep through anything !

 

[DavidG58]

Yes

Just a thought, Have the Police ever searched or caught anyone and found empty or not canisters in their vehicles? Or empty canisters dumped at the crime scene? Or any damage to vents or skylights where a hose has been forced through?

Whilst not wanting to extend this thread too far, you really can not just reply to such a debate as this with a one word answer

particularly when this word opens up so many questions

Pray tell us more

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[Scottyboy]

Yes please do explain

 

[stcyr]

I have enlarged on this previously on here & other forums but no-one has any time for real experiences, hence my earlier comment on 'ostrich syndrome'. Roger 'Wildman' will back me up on this, as he indeed did a couple of weeks ago....

 

[DuxDeluxe]

A link would be a lot more helpful, wouldn't it?

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[Scottyboy]

I have enlarged on this previously on here & other forums but no-one has any time for real experiences, hence my earlier comment on 'ostrich syndrome'. Roger 'Wildman' will back me up on this, as he indeed did a couple of weeks ago....

I want to believe this is possible but need evidence to convince myself so please do share

 

[iandsm]

I have enlarged on this previously on here & other forums but no-one has any time for real experiences, hence my earlier comment on 'ostrich syndrome'. Roger 'Wildman' will back me up on this, as he indeed did a couple of weeks ago....

Point us to it then please.

 

[Minxy]

I have enlarged on this previously on here & other forums but no-one has any time for real experiences, hence my earlier comment on 'ostrich syndrome'. Roger 'Wildman' will back me up on this, as he indeed did a couple of weeks ago....

Really? When ... I've had a quick shuftie and come up with your posting (no 51) on this thread, doesn't say much though! It is interesting however to read the response by 'Eddievanbitz' (no 54) on the subject on the same page.

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum...k-first-hand-account.78848/page-3#post-927168

So ... instead of making little digs at us, why not give details of precisely what you're talking about, if you want to be 'believed' you need to feed us more than breadcrumbs.

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[stcyr]

I'm not 'making digs' at anyone on here. I'm not particularly bothered what people believe about 'gassing' incidents. What bothers me - but not losing sleep over it - is categorical denials that it happens. Nobody can actually prove that it does or doesn't happen. Some years ago, 2000/2, I was travelling up from the south of Spain in convoy with another truck from the same company. We had to park up in a large layby just north of Barcelona. Although there were very large hoardings, in this and other laybys in the area, warning of possible robberies we had no choice but to stop there for legal driving-time reasons. I was parked behind the other truck. After a couple of hours or so I was woken up by loud banging on the door. The copper was wanting me to confirm the identity of the other driver. They said he had been robbed. When I came to enough to get dressed and walk along to mate's cab 2 other cops were there with a 'swarthy looking' male lying on the ground in handcuffs. They pointed out a steel gas cylinder under the truck. Pale green, steel, about 50cms.long with a (rubber?)tube and a flattened metal pipe. According to Plod this was to push up through the rubber seal at the base of the door. They said it was a not unknown event along that stretch of road and they'd been parked up at the far end of the layby, on surveillance. Apparently they were concentrating more on the happenings in the layby on the opposite side of the road, but were suspicious of the van when they saw it pull out from behind our trucks. Anyway, after ensuring that we weren't able to move off for another 9 hours or so they disappeared off with the crim and the gas canister, after returning mate's wallet, mobile phones and a few other bits & bobs.
Mate was groggy and had the famous splitting headache. He said he had actually woken up when he heard the lock being forced but could not react at all. He saw the hand actually take his things from on top of his fridge in front of the bunk but was unable to move ...
There were a couple of other examples, both in the UK, but those times the perpetrators got away.
And also the time (blush) when I gassed myself with the ether coldstart system on an old Seddon Atkinson - but that's another story

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Thanks but it was 2002 - that was 12 years ago. Nothing since then? The aires and services must be littered with empty nitrous oxide cylinders...........

 

[mta]

If the cylinder used was pure "industrial / medical / scientific" gas then, unless repainted by said "crim" (but why would someone do that ?), then the colour code should inform as to what gas is inside. I would suspect that it isn't as above and so could be dangerous as it's effects upon the human body would be unknown - so if it is taking place why hasn't the general public or professional bodies been informed by Police forensic or other such. If it's a serious problem (medically, not necessarily thro numbers), why haven't further tests been organised by relevant people, I am a biologist and agree with the college of anaesthetists but don't deny that there may be some attempts by unscrupulous people to try to commit this crime but we need testable proof of the captured cylinders, why hasn't this taken place ?

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[DuxDeluxe]

If the cylinder used was pure "industrial / medical / scientific" gas then, unless repainted by said "crim" (but why would someone do that ?), then the colour code should inform as to what gas is inside. I would suspect that it isn't as above and so could be dangerous as it's effects upon the human body would be unknown - so if it is taking place why hasn't the general public or professional bodies been informed by Police forensic or other such. If it's a serious problem (medically, not necessarily thro numbers), why haven't further tests been organised by relevant people, I am a biologist and agree with the college of anaesthetists but don't deny that there may be some attempts by unscrupulous people to try to commit this crime but we need testable proof of the captured cylinders, why hasn't this taken place ?

"Why hasn't this taken place?"
Because it doesn't happen

Cylinder colours denote the contents and green is generally an inert gas, such as Argon, commonly used in welding and in ICP chemical analysis as a carrier gas.

 

[stcyr]

Well, there yer go .... it happened, it was in Spain ... and 12 years ago ... and the bloke they caught was Bulgarian apparently. And whatever the gas was, it did the job.

 

[stcyr]

Thanks but it was 2002 - that was 12 years ago. Nothing since then? The aires and services must be littered with empty nitrous oxide cylinders...........

Nothing that I have been involved with because I gave up messing around with trucks in 2002 ... and we were talking about personal experiences ...

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