Thieving scum

Adam b

Free Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2013
Posts
244
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Location
South queensferry
Funster No
26,783
MH
Auto cruise carrera4
Exp
2003
Parked overnight in the aire before the gotthard tunnel. Janette woke at 2.30 with some scumbag opening the passenger door, I jumped out the van but they were nowhere to be seen.
There is a tiny hole under the lock on the drivers door where they have popped the locks.
We only stopped here as we both have a really bad cold , mines is worse🤫 and we were nackerd.
 
Sorry to hear that, must be really unnerving. Get yourselves a ratchet strap to go across the central through the floor pulls. At least no one can get the doors open then. It's the damage done though that makes it worse.
F#####g scum deserve their fingers to be snapped off.
Hope it doesn't ruin the rest of your trip, but it probably will, with worry.
 
Sorry to hear that, must be really unnerving. Get yourselves a ratchet strap to go across the central through the floor pulls. At least no one can get the doors open then. It's the damage done though that makes it worse.
F#####g scum deserve their fingers to be snapped off.
Hope it doesn't ruin the rest of your trip, but it probably will, with worry.
We won’t let it ruin our trip. This is the first time anything like this has happened to us in over ten years & we have parked in some dodgy places.
 
Hope you can still enjoy the rest of your trip
 
That's good, stay positive, but get a strap round the door or a couple of dog seat belt straps. We saw that idea on here and we use one on the passenger door and one on the hab door when we are I'm bed, as i disarm the alarm interior sensors.
Do a search on here for the dog things, quick, easy and not as cumbersome as a strap across the front of the cab.
Enjoy your trip!(y)

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Adam b. I'm really sorry to read that you have been targeted in your MH. Barstewards. :madder:

It's just as well your Janette woke when she did, and they got disturbed. (y) Try as hard as it might be, to relax and get some rest. Don't forget to report it ASAP, even if it's just to get a crime number.

Good advice above from Paul. (y) We use the alarm and deadlocks every time. Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your trip.

Best wishes,

Jock. :)
 
It’s not possible to use straps on my Mercedes MH as there are no points to attach,however, l have fitted these steel plates that block the hole up.

CF8201FF-D143-43F5-8423-C7DA65680764.jpeg
 
Adam , sorry to hear of your attempted break in , at least they weren’t successful and thank god Janette heard them or it could’ve been a whole lot worse. You need to get an alarm on and straps when you get home.

Enjoy the rest of your trip and we will catch up again one day.
 
Parked overnight in the aire before the gotthard tunnel. Janette woke at 2.30 with some scumbag opening the passenger door, I jumped out the van but they were nowhere to be seen.
There is a tiny hole under the lock on the drivers door where they have popped the locks.
We only stopped here as we both have a really bad cold , mines is worse🤫 and we were nackerd.

As above, when you get back, purchase and fit a pair of ProPlate's which will protect you from this kind of forced entry and will likely also cover the hole the scrotes have made just below your door handle saving the cost of repairing it.
There is a Youtube video showing how to fit the plates which I can post a link to if required.

This is where I purchased my Pro Plate's from.

 
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I had hoped this sort of thing was rare but still took the advice from another thread and bought off Camper Protect - camperprotect.de Haven’t got round to fitting the prickstop yet but was surprised to read how easy such a break in could take place. Am using the door straps though which are a doddle to fit and don’t get in the way.

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I have bought a set of dog seat belt straps, very similar to the branded anti-theft straps but a lot cheaper. Going to use with strong bungee strap as only have hole in door pocket to use, idea is to stop the door opening fully, giving time for dogs to wake up ;)
 
As above, when you get back, purchase and fit a pair of ProPlate's which will protect you from this kind of forced entry and will likely also cover the hole the scrotes have made just below your door handle saving the cost of repairing it.
There is a Youtube video showing how to fit the plates which I can post a link to if required.

This is where I purchased my Pro Plate's from.

I've looked at the deadlocks in the link. There are two sizes and it seems the difference is that the larger lock has a three year guarantee against one year for the smaller lock which costs £130. Has anyone fitted these themselves? Or have a voucher code for a discount?

I'm thinking that the smaller locks should be a good deterrent as externally the lock looks the same on both sizes.
 
I would try to avoid overnight parking in any touristy type Aires, motorway ones included. They are the obvious target for thieving scum.
Must be horrible to experience that.
Phil
 
Sort to hear about this.
Off all the places I wouldn’t expect any problems are in the alpine areas. Very safe!

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I've looked at the deadlocks in the link. There are two sizes and it seems the difference is that the larger lock has a three year guarantee against one year for the smaller lock which costs £130. Has anyone fitted these themselves? Or have a voucher code for a discount?

I'm thinking that the smaller locks should be a good deterrent as externally the lock looks the same on both sizes.

I fitted these external deadlocks and Heosafe internal deadlock for night-time to the cab doors and a Heosafe deadlock that can be locked from both the inside and outside to our hab door.

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And yet ….


 
eBay has dummy deadlocks. Some show key position as horizontal and some vertical. There's clearly no benefit in having a lock that looks unlocked!

Which key position is normally locked please?
 
eBay has dummy deadlocks. Some show key position as horizontal and some vertical. There's clearly no benefit in having a lock that looks unlocked!

Which key position is normally locked please?

Mine are horizontal in both the locked and unlocked positions although other manufacturers may be different.
 
Having fitted an external gas point I now realise I could cut through the wall of many coachbuilt vans with a Stanley knife. The same could be said for many house UPVC doors. You are never truly secure.

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The problem with using rachet straps between the cab doors is if the,vehicle was left unattended a thief could smash the glass and cut the strap to gain entry so I fitted a pair of these Thule door locks. Other makes are available.

Screenshot_20230408-105117_eBay.jpg
 
For a very temporary peace of mind measure if you currently have nothing else, you can use the vans own seat belts as a security device.Seat belt trick 1.jpgSeat belt trick 2.jpg
I have just tried this.Pull all the slack out off the seat belt reel. Centre the buckle insert on belt loop you've created. Going under the handle first, wind it around a couple of times. Wind any remaining slack around the belt strap from the bottom fixing point up to the underside of the handle until there is just enough slack for a connection to the seat belt buckle, or put several twist in the remaining loop to take out any excess slack. As said, this is just a very temporary fix, but it may deter the more casual scroats as they will need to smash the glass window to actually gain entry.
Mike.
 
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It’s ok fitting all that stuff but if they want in they will do some serious damage.
I think a visible deterrent like the stainless plate to stop them popping the locks if they see them chances are they won’t bother you. If I had set my alarm they would have seen it flashing & moved on. I hope if there is a next time I can catch one of them certainlmake me feel good
 
Parked overnight in the aire before the gotthard tunnel. Janette woke at 2.30 with some scumbag opening the passenger door, I jumped out the van but they were nowhere to be seen.
There is a tiny hole under the lock on the drivers door where they have popped the locks.
We only stopped here as we both have a really bad cold , mines is worse🤫 and we were nackerd.
Exactly same experience in a French motorway services overnight. Very poor that Fiat still haven't addressed that known weakness on the Ducato door locks. I've now got Heosafe all round plus a chain on the inside of the sliding door. My dog also needs some retraining in her role as guard dog.......
 
I think you can buy pepper spray in France.
 
I have a similar sad storey…I have reason to believe someone pinched my Gaslo cap which I inadvertently left on the top of Pump No. 2 in a Teruel petrol station next to the Aire… Lenny HB and DBK promised me they would try and retrieve it but both let me down at the last moment ☹️.
I didn’t get much sympathy from any Funsters…well maybe Minxy …can’t remember.

Anyway I feel your pain…and I too am trying not to let it spoil my trip/life.

If anyone knows someone going that way over the next 6 months please let me know.
 
Parked overnight in the aire before the gotthard tunnel. Janette woke at 2.30 with some scumbag opening the passenger door, I jumped out the van but they were nowhere to be seen.
There is a tiny hole under the lock on the drivers door where they have popped the locks.
We only stopped here as we both have a really bad cold , mines is worse🤫 and we were nackerd.
Did your alarm wake you?
 
I hadn’t set the alarm, but the Mrs was right at them screaming & swearing like a mad Scottish woman. She heard the central locking open
Are all Scottish women mad..? Just asking for a friend..😎

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