What a plonker......! and on her way

[AndyPK]

Anyway, there I was, all ready to leave site, engine on and warming up, dog safely stowed, satellite dish in ‘home’ position, hook-up disconnected, time for a last check around the van - I’ll go out of the hab door, and lock it as I step out. Yep, everything ok, so get in to cab and drive off.........oh dear, the cab doors are locked.....the hab door is locked (see above).....both sets of keys are in the ‘van, one in the ignition, the other on the parcel shelf......wife already left in the car with the other three dogs......what to do next?
The least secure part of the van must be the windows - they’re only plastic, I thought, so, borrowing a wire coat-hanger from the Warden, I set adopt pushing it between the window and the rubber seal to see if I could pull the four catches down and open it. It took me nearly three minutes to do as I was being careful, so anyone wishing to break-in would be much quicker!!!
Two lessons learned - carry spare keys in pocket and check all doors before locking the van, and I’ll certainly be making the windows more secure in future!

 

[jollyrodger]

Sorry !

 

[Rob and Val]

Oops! Hope your wife has her phone with her.

 

[TinaLes]

You still there? its getting dark
Sorry couldn't resist, hope you get it sorted soon, I have nearly done the same, I think you wont be the last, as you did your pre departure checks, I guess there are no window or roof lights open either.
Its not a transit based MH is it?
Metal key safe is on my wish list,also
Keep us posted on how you get on, maybe call out the breakdown services?
Les

 

[Northernraider]

One of the reasons I hate vans with caravan style windows.

Way too easy to open from outside

The seitz windows in frames are much harder to open that way

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[AndyPK]

Yes, safely home now, but still feeling foolish.....!
‘van is a Pug/Elddis/Marquis Majestic.

 

[maison]

Having seen how easy it is to open “Caravan style” windows from outside we have the following fitted to ours.

The metal clip slips over the plastic arm and prevents it being turned to the open position. It can be fitted, and removed, in seconds from inside.

Not foolproof but an extra precaution that costs little compared to the added security it provides.

Available on eBay. Discounts are provided on orders of more than one.

 

[suavecarve]

Having seen how easy it is to open “Caravan style” windows from outside we have the following fitted to ours.

View attachment 291016


View attachment 291018

The metal clip slips over the plastic arm and prevents it being turned to the open position. It can be fitted, and removed, in seconds from inside.

Not foolproof but an extra precaution that costs little compared to the added security it provides.

Available on eBay. Discounts are provided on orders of more than one.

How does one get into ones motorhome if these are in place and you have done the plonker thing of the OP (His words)
Look for someone with a tennis ball ?

PS i m ordering some !

 

[GPW]

Great tip, will be ordering, thanks!!

 

[Two on Tour]

Having seen how easy it is to open “Caravan style” windows from outside we have the following fitted to ours.

View attachment 291016


View attachment 291018

The metal clip slips over the plastic arm and prevents it being turned to the open position. It can be fitted, and removed, in seconds from inside.

Not foolproof but an extra precaution that costs little compared to the added security it provides.

Available on eBay. Discounts are provided on orders of more than one.

As they are just slid on, what's to stop the would be thief sliding a thin screwdriver past the rubber window seal and sliding the "Lock M Out" lock off something like is done in the product demonstration video with the bent nail.

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[AndyPK]

An additional deterrent, I guess, as ‘they’ advise fitting to each horizontal window catch (so buy more!). I shall buy some making sure I always have a van key on my person.....somewhere......any suggestions (keep it clean, please......)

 

[Spriddler]

.....both sets of keys are in the ‘van, one in the ignition, the other on the parcel shelf......wife already left in the car with the other three dogs...... It took me nearly three minutes to do as I was being careful, so anyone wishing to break-in would be much quicker!!!
Two lessons learned -

Ahem, no, the third lesson learned is that there was little point in locking the m/h in the first place.

 

[Feltwell]

I have that Polyplastic style of window, and I had to replace all the "glass" - a long story involving delamination and a broken window!

The new acrylic sections came with locking handles as standard on the bottom of the windows - no key required, they have a push button in the middle of the handle that must be pressed in before it will turn. The handles on the sides of the window have no button.

You can buy just the handles - Advanced Glass Products are the UK agents for Polyplastic. Nothing on the website but give them a call, they're very helpful, if interested.

Broken Link Removed

Smug bloke here ordered himself a spare key the other day to be secreted underneath the van for just such emergencies / extreme numpty-ness! It's only a matter of time before I do it...…..

 

[Two on Tour]

An additional deterrent, I guess, as ‘they’ advise fitting to each horizontal window catch (so buy more!).

If they can be slid off then surely it's only slowing the thief down and by the fourth one they will be getting really good at it.

As for keys, I have a full set squirrelled away in a magnet key safe which is a bugger to find as I wanted to add another key to it last weekend and had forgotten where it was.

 

[TCG]

Spare set of keys in key safe, under van with combination lock

Going to order some window locks though

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[maison]

As they are just slid on, what's to stop the would be thief sliding a thin screwdriver past the rubber window seal and sliding the "Lock M Out" lock off something like is done in the product demonstration video with the bent nail.

They are a pretty tight fit and if pushed fully into place there is little room to get anything between the end of the clip and the pivot point of window catch.

Nothing will stop a determined thief. We can only make it as awkward for them as we can.

 

[maison]

If they can be slid off then surely it's only slowing the thief down and by the fourth one they will be getting really good at it.

As for keys, I have a full set squirrelled away in a magnet key safe which is a bugger to find as I wanted to add another key to it last weekend and had forgotten where it was.

They slide off easily from the inside.

See my reply #16.

 

[Two on Tour]

Nothing will stop a determined thief. We can only make it as awkward for them as we can.

Totally agree.

I'm in a mind to buy one "Lock M Out" device at present to see if I can defeat it, if it beats me then I'll fit a pair to each of the other windows.

I already have Milenco window alarms fitted to each of the hab windows as a deterrent.

 

[maison]

Totally agree.

I'm in a mind to buy one "Lock M Out" device at present to see if I can defeat it, if it beats me then I'll fit a pair to each of the other windows.

I already have Milenco window alarms fitted to each of the hab windows as a deterrent.

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[Neckender]

On our last van I hid a magnetic key holder and I could never find it when I came to part ex the van, I either hid it well or the magnetic box fell off.

John.

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[Zigisla]

Just be careful which type you buy. Mine are 2015 sietz handles with buttons and they do not do locks to fit mine. They were very kind enough to “lend” me one to fit, but unfortunately it didn’t. Be mindful as well that they are “sided”.

 

[thebriars]

Can I ask, why start the engine to let it warm up? Surely that is the worst thing for any engine. Plenty of info on-line to say this is not good for the engine.

 

[joe and sue]

Something I was once told by a local copper, "locks only keep honest people out"
Joe

 

[thebriars]

View attachment 291056
Just be careful which type you buy. Mine are 2015 sietz handles with buttons and they do not do locks to fit mine. They were very kind enough to “lend” me one to fit, but unfortunately it didn’t. Be mindful as well that they are “sided”.

The whole point of the buttons is that you don't need further locks.

 

[PeteH]

Something I read, quite a few years ago. The writer had had his caravan cleaned out. the Perps; got in by using a Propane torch of the type used by plumbers and simply cut around each lock melting the plastic with the flame. I suspect the only thing that just might deter could be a really bloody noisy alarm?. But then many have been ignored in the past too.

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[AndyPK]

Sorry, thebriars, just a figure of speech (engine warming up) - I can’t check that the indicators are working unless the engine is turned-on..........

 

[maison]

Something I read, quite a few years ago. The writer had had his caravan cleaned out. the Perps; got in by using a Propane torch of the type used by plumbers and simply cut around each lock melting the plastic with the flame. I suspect the only thing that just might deter could be a really bloody noisy alarm?. But then many have been ignored in the past too.

Some years ago we returned to our motorhome, parked on the seafront, only to find that the battery had failed in the alarm fob.

Knowing we had a spare in the m/h we opened the door with the key only, setting off the alarm.

On entering the m/h we couldn’t remember exactly where we had hidden the spare alarm fob as we had hidden it three years earlier.

With the alarm sounding, in a busy area, we proceeded to ransack the cupboards in order to find the fob. It took us about 3 or 4 minutes to find it with the alarm sounding. Although the “ransackers” were clearly visible through the windows no-one paid the slightest attention.

 

[thebriars]

Sorry, thebriars, just a figure of speech (engine warming up) - I can’t check that the indicators are working unless the engine is turned-on..........

OK I'll let you off! but yes you can check the indicators without the engine on. Press the hazard button, they work whether the engine is on or not, and you can check them all at once.


BTW isn't there a bulb failure warning system fitted to your Pug?

 

[Northernraider]

Some years ago we returned to our motorhome, parked on the seafront, only to find that the battery had failed in the alarm fob.

Knowing we had a spare in the m/h we opened the door with the key only, setting off the alarm.

On entering the m/h we couldn’t remember exactly where we had hidden the spare alarm fob as we had hidden it three years earlier.

With the alarm sounding, in a busy area, we proceeded to ransack the cupboards in order to find the fob. It took us about 3 or 4 minutes to find it with the alarm sounding. Although the “ransackers” were clearly visible through the windows no-one paid the slightest attention.

Folk probably knew you were the owners

Motorhomers stick out a mile from your average looking burglar


The matching beige anoraks etc

 

[busbuddy]

OK I'll let you off! but yes you can check the indicators without the engine on. Press the hazard button, they work whether the engine is on or not, and you can check them all at once.


BTW isn't there a bulb failure warning system fitted to your Pug?

that only checks the bulbs and hazard circuit, any faults in the individual sided indicator circuits wont show

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