Door Security

[pensioner]

The more we use our caravan the more anxious I am becoming when we stop at rest stops or similar places for a comfort break or food and drink.
I fit the towhitch lock to ensure the van cannot be taken from the car (and remove it before continuing ) but I still worry about it being broken into through the door.
Would members recommend a door lock such as those sold by Milenco and are they easy to fit or do I leave it to the service center to do
I accept that the simple solution is to use the onboard facilities in the caravan.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

My wife and I take it in turns to use the facilities such that one person is always with the van. Is that something you can do or is one disabled and needs help from the other?

 

[Sproket]

I fitted One of these it covers both half's of the door.

 

[paws]

Hi pensioner,
I can well understand that many folks are concerned about the risks associated with theives breaking into their property. The large amount of security devices, alarms, trackers, locks and bolts and all the rest of the stuff that is advertised so frequently and extensively is testament to the actual or perceived needs of a lot of people.

That would especially be the case for those unlucky souls who have personally experienced the unwelcome attentions of the criminals and my sympathies are certainly with them.

For my own part it has never worried me unduly, I take what I feel are sensible precautions, lock the door and make sure windows are latched properly, I have invested in a hitchlock, for the van ( the stipulation from the van insurer..... )but otherwise I am happy with the level of security provided by the builders of both car and caravan, and so are the insurers.

I don't use caravan wheel locks/clamps and the like for securing the van and neither do I use a wheel lock/clamp when parking the car whether towing or solo.... however I do appreciate that the makers of the car (unlike the builders of the caravan) included an alarm as part of the basic design.!

Other folks will feel quite differently and it's up to each of us to make the best decisions that suit ourselves and our famililies taking all the factors that are relevant into account..

I am well over retirement age myself so can appreciate as one gets older one can tend to have feelings of increased caution or even anxiety that perhaps we would not have experienced 40 or so years ago!

Anyway pensioner, please do whatever you feel most comfortable with......but more important perhaps.... enjoy your van and your trips......that's what I do anyway!
All best and
Happy Caravanning
Regards
paws

 

[Gabsgrandad]

No matter what security you put on it will only deter the casual, but you can't stop the determined (pros?) and perhaps the more security put on the more damage caused? We don't leave the van unattended in service areas. And I must confess that all the people I have met caravanning in nearly 40 years I can't recall 1 having their van broken into on site. Only in storage. (One exception, just remembered, and it wasn't the van that was broken into but the awning. This guy had his TV. and other bits taken out of his awning when they were asleep inside. Thieves didn't undo the zips, because of the noise, but just sliced down his awning front window with a Stanley knife and stepped in & out!)

 

[Dustydog]

:Hi Pensioner
1.We never ever leave the caravan unattended at a motorway services .
2. Whatever you or anyone else does be certain you are fully compliant with your Insurers security requirements.
3 .If taking a comfort break we find a quiet lay by , use our own toilet, and relax. As the others say a determined thief will have your caravan no matter what. They tour the motorway sites looking for a target.

 

[pensioner]

Thanks all for the replies, very helpful.

Sproket,,that one is far more substantial than any I've yet seen,,but I guarantee my wife will take one look and say s** off I'm not disabled, even though I do have trouble on occasion getting in

Paws,,I think you've hit the nail on the head my friend,,I have noticed as I get older I do tend to worry more, ( need to take more relaxing breaks in the caravan ).

Yes I have read the small print on my insurance and I do comply,,if they are anything like car insurers they'll go to any lengths to cop out of paying up.

 

[Phil.Q]

Hi pensioner,

For my own part it has never worried me unduly, I take what I feel are sensible precautions, lock the door and make sure windows are latched properly, I have invested in a hitchlock, for the van ( the stipulation from the van insurer..... )but otherwise I am happy with the level of security provided by the builders of both car and caravan, and so are the insurers.

I don't use caravan wheel locks/clamps and the like for securing the van and neither do I use a wheel lock/clamp when parking the car whether towing or solo.... however I do appreciate that the makers of the car (unlike the builders of the caravan) included an alarm as part of the basic design.!
Regards
paws

Hi,

My parents got assaulted during the night on the docks in Calais waiting for the ferry home, in that case the "people" were banging on the caravan door as though they needed help, when my dad (a pensioner at the time) answered the door they pushed him back inside with a knife at his stomach and robbed them. Very traumatic.

On this topic we too are conscious of security but would like to know how you can comply with the insurance needs with what you said above?

We have insured our van this week and they require both the alko wheel locks fitted and the hitch lock and the alarm on ALL the time we not actually in transit. When I questioned if this applied to when we were on holiday they said yes. I think this is a bit excessive on a campsite. what do you guys think?

Cheers
Phil

 

[paws]

Hi Phil,
I was so sorry to hear of the dreadful experience of your parents. It must have been terrifying for them. Hopefully the passage of time will help deaden the memories somewhat but the experience will live with them forever.

I think the security level demanded by van insurers may depend to a certain extent to the amounts at risk...

An expensive highly desirable caravan may give cause for far more extensive security than for a less expensive, less desirable and older van.

My van is over 18 years old ( young or practically brand new compared with some folks' caravans.... ) and whilst it suits us just fine, it may not be a particularly attractive target for a potential thief. ( I don't really want to get a new or newer one as all I seem to read about on the forums is the terrible state of today's caravan industry and problem after problem with new or newish vans..... ( I am aware though that more folks complain than praise)

My van may be an older one, but it doesn't leak, everything works, it was built of good quality materials by folks who knew their job and with satisfactory quality controls measures in force) However it's probably worth next to nothing on the open market, so maybe that's why the insurers are happy just with a hitchlock...

I hope I don't regret making this post as we are away again shortly (as soon as the schools reopen) for another 3 weeks in the van and I don't want to come back to the forum having to recount a tale of woe!

All best and of course
Happy Caravanning
Regards
paws

 

[Phil.Q]

Hi Paws,

Thank you, and they are now both 83 and have given up their van to their granddaughter so the bug lives on in yet another generation.
You may be correct with the desirability affecting the stringent security,
However we too are waiting tor the schools to go back though we can't lol. We are off again on Tuesday.
Happy days
Phil

 

[Sproket]

Sproket,,that one is far more substantial than any I've yet seen,,but I guarantee my wife will take one look and say s** off I'm not disabled, even though I do have trouble on occasion getting in

You don't need to be disabled to have one fitted, but if you fall awkwardly off of a wet caravan step one dark night and end up in A&E you might wish that you had got one fitted ....

 

[pensioner]

I agree with you my friend every inch of the way,,,,try telling her that.

 

[Jules_ht]

It's not a handle to get in and out with, it's a door security lock. The fact it happens to be strong enough to use as a handle is neither here nor there.

My wife will kill me if she reads this, but I've found that in occasional minor matters such as this, it can be easier to obtain forgiveness than permission.

 

[pensioner]

Ah Jules_ht, you've never met my wife,,there'd be no forgiveness believe me,,she'd actually never use the caravan again and I'd be living in it.
She uses a gym for post op; bi-pass patients and because she doesn't like this idea and because 2 guys in there Poo hoo the idea of security, it's case closed. It's what you pay insurance for, is their argument.

 

[airsiggy]

Normally my wife and I are always in attendance with our van, here or abroad. However if we have to leave it I do put the hitchlock on to cover the hitch and ball. Our tow ball is a bolted on or detachable type. Note the word detachable. Its no good locking your hitch to the ball if they can unscrew the bolts and take your towball as well.
What I do is use one slightly longer bolt, drill a hole in it and put a padlock through the hole to permanently secure the nut from being unscrewed. Not completely thief proof but it is another obstacle to overcome.

As for knocking on a caravan door at night, I would only open the top half, keeping the bottom part shut - it stops a person rushing in.

 

[PaulT]

I'm not so much worried about someone breaking into the 'van whilst I'm away (upsetting though it would be), I worry more about someone breaking into the 'van whilst I'm asleep. Are there any products available specifically to "beefup" the door locks? I'm assuming that, because of the nature of the caravan's construction, a simple bolt would not be sufficient.

 

[Sproket]

I'm not so much worried about someone breaking into the 'van whilst I'm away (upsetting though it would be), I worry more about someone breaking into the 'van whilst I'm asleep. Are there any products available specifically to "beefup" the door locks? I'm assuming that, because of the nature of the caravan's construction, a simple bolt would not be sufficient.

Have a look here

 

[PaulT]

The link just takes me to Fiamma's site that deals with motorhome security. The locks seem to be specific to certain motorhome chassis'. It does mention caravans but isn't very forthcoming on how it would be fitted to a caravan with (relatively) flimsy doors.

 

[Craigyoung]

I'm with woodlands , we never leave the caravan unattended at servives stations for meal stops , me or my wife , one will go for food , normally her as I'll get the food order wrong which leads to arguments ! Then dine in the van itself . And leave the toilet accesable to to save time , as for security on site , as soon as I arrive on site , 3 things straight away , cold beer , then hitch lock and wheel lock straight on !!

 

[Sproket]

Paul
Click on the user's manual, that seems to be all that's about ..

 

[mealsonwheels]

We agree with Woodlands Camper & Dustydog on this one, in that we too never leave our caravan on it's own when we stop for a break at a Motorway Service Area.
We take it in turns to stretch our legs by walking across to the main building to use the facilities. If we haven't brought food with us and it happens to have a Waitrose or M&S shop, so much the better, as we buy something nice to eat and get a paper to read later and eat back at the car, with a brew made from the flasks of boiling water we always take with us. Quite often we meet fellow caravanners doing the same and it's nice to have a mardle with them about all things caravanning.

Mardle: Great Norfolk word for a chat

 

[Raywood]

It is not true that older caravans do not get stolen as I have seen claims for a few although they were left unattended in vulnerable areas. Most at risk are larger caravans that can be lived in but thieves will take anything they think will turn a profit.
For a quick to lock security device I think you will find the Nemisis Ultra hard to beat as it is light, very strong and fits in seconds although the advertised ten is to my mind a little optimistic.