Robberies on French Aires & Insurance Cover.

[Jo_374369218]

Just wanted to share our very recent experience with you which happened on the 30/07/08 and warn everyone no matter how cautious you are French aires are not safe.

We have just returned from spain and as we were travelling through the south of France stayed over at an Aire at Mont Blanc sud on the a9 for the night, we have done this many times always maintaining safety in numbers etc etc. As we slept our caravan was broken into and our cash,credit cards and car keys were stolen and amongst other items our car. We did not hear a thing when they broke in nor when they were preparing to take the caravan off the car, the first thing we knew was when we dropped from the tow ball. My husband gave chase to a guy who was in the process of pushing another guy in our car away from the caravan - presumably so we didnt hear the engine start.My husband must have alarmed them as they threw some of the items they had stolen on the floor to try and deter him in his pursuit - luckily the items were our passports and driving licenses. They did get away and we were left car less. We have had many problems trying to sort out how we were to get home and no one wanted to help us in fact it took us 3 days to sort out as neither, travel car or caravan insurance wanted to take responsibility. The only organisation I can praise was Green Flag as although it was not their responsibility they paid for us towing from the motorway, accomodation on a campsite for 3 days and food, flights home and the repatriation of our caravan from the south of France.

We have been told by the Gendermerie that gangs work the whole of the motorway carrying out these thefts every night and they are proffesional's beleive me. They advised us in future to pull off the motorways and go into a village to stay where it is much safer or better still a campsite.It has been an appaulling experience and one we don't wish to be part of again....so please be careful and make sure you read all your insurance cover as we thought we were more than adequently covered but there are some very ambigous clauses in there.

 

[anotherDavid]

Whilst I don't for one minute disbelieve your account of this dreadful experiance I just wonder where had you left all these valuables that a thief in the dark could find them without disturbing you? I have trouble finding my own stuff in the van and there is no way anyone could find our stuff without waking us. Having said that we stopped using Aires a long time ago and now that we have plenty of time for journeys we always use sites en-route.

Dave

 

[DJM]

Hi Jo,

Sorry to hear of your terrible experience and I hope you are both OK. The same thing happened to some friends of ours a couple of years ago, which put them right off caravanning and they actually sold their van afterwards.

There are a an awful lot of doubters out there, not only this forum but also on others who will not belive you until it happens to them. The police gave you good advice - always pull off the autoroute and find a camp site. We always have done and will continue to do so. Half an hour detour to get to a site is nothing compared to all of the hassle which you have experienced.

Hope everything gets sorted out for you, these scum bags do exist and thanks for sharing your experience with us and highlighting this type of crime is still alive and kicking.

 

[Jo_374369218]

Whilst I don't for one minute disbelieve your account of this dreadful experiance I just wonder where had you left all these valuables that a thief in the dark could find them without disturbing you? I have trouble finding my own stuff in the van and there is no way anyone could find our stuff without waking us. Having said that we stopped using Aires a long time ago and now that we have plenty of time for journeys we always use sites en-route.

Dave

I am glad you dont doubt my experience as I only shared it in hope that someone would read it and learn from it. Just to clarify the reason why our keys credit cards and cash were easily accessable - Its simple, they were in my husband's wallet in his shorts on top of the cooker which is practically adjacent to the door.

Who know's he may have been a really clever theif and had a torch..!

 

[Jo_374369218]

Hi Jo,

Sorry to hear of your terrible experience and I hope you are both OK. The same thing happened to some friends of ours a couple of years ago, which put them right off caravanning and they actually sold their van afterwards.

There are a an awful lot of doubters out there, not only this forum but also on others who will not belive you until it happens to them. The police gave you good advice - always pull off the autoroute and find a camp site. We always have done and will continue to do so. Half an hour detour to get to a site is nothing compared to all of the hassle which you have experienced.

Hope everything gets sorted out for you, these scum bags do exist and thanks for sharing your experience with us and highlighting this type of crime is still alive and kicking.

Thank you for your kind words we are ok and more determined to get back out there. We just won't stay on aires and we will be increasing security on our van just as soon as it arrives back from the south of France. Jo

 

[ShadySadie]

"As we slept our caravan was broken into and our cash,credit cards and car keys were stolen and amongst other items our car"

All these items were in easy reach of the thieves? Nothing under pillows or bedding or tucked away in an under bed locker! The caravan could be broken in to and entered from the outside without alerting anyone?

We were on a French service area on the same night! Car attached to the caravan and locked to it with the steadies down, the same as we've seen most others at night on services.

How was the car detached from the car without disturbing anyone earlier? I'm sorry but I dont believe that anyone could unlock our caravan and retract the steadies without disturbing us before they could detach the car!

We and some other British, Dutch, German and Danish Caravanners and motorhomers spoke with French police two weeks ago. Their angle on these reports was a little different to the Gendarmerie comment posted here.

If these thefts are a nightly occurence, would the autoroutes not be bristling with gendarmes awaiting easy catches and improved detection rates.

On a nightly basis would there not be at least 365 confirmed reports a year, and outraged caravan and motorhome groups demanding action from the French Police.

Could we also be told who these failing uninterested insurers are?

As sisters travelling with two young girls who have made many stops on continental routes, we will stop again and again when we want.

 

[ValA.]

But Jo, you must admit this sounds an incredible story! With the benefit of hindsight, it must have occurred to you to put anything of value out of anyone's reach and to not keep 'all your eggs in one basket'? It seems incredible that ALL your cards, keys, and apparently all your cash were in your husband's shorts pocket. We stay on Aires at the beginning of our holiday, but we leave NOTHING within reach of anyone - not even if they have a torch!!! There are so many safe hiding places in a caravan where anything of value can be safely stowed away that it is almost incredible that people are still leaving keys, cards, and so on out in the open.

It also sounds incredible that you managed to sleep through the caravan being 'detached' from the car. How did they do this without moving the caravan as it would have had to be raised off the towball? What about a hitchlock? Didn't you have one fitted? Didn't you wind your steadies down when staying the night? It would be extremely difficult to unhitch without any noise, vibration, or other indicators. I'm very sorry to hear about what happened - and it should be a warning to others, that if you do have to stay on an Aire, then to make sure that absolutely nothing of value is left where it could be stolen.

We'll continue to stay on Aires, because we have to - but we'll continue to take the same precautions we always do.

 

[Robert_374242026]

"As we slept our caravan was broken into and our cash,credit cards and car keys were stolen and amongst other items our car"

All these items were in easy reach of the thieves? Nothing under pillows or bedding or tucked away in an under bed locker! The caravan could be broken in to and entered from the outside without alerting anyone?

We were on a French service area on the same night! Car attached to the caravan and locked to it with the steadies down, the same as we've seen most others at night on services.

How was the car detached from the car without disturbing anyone earlier? I'm sorry but I dont believe that anyone could unlock our caravan and retract the steadies without disturbing us before they could detach the car!

We and some other British, Dutch, German and Danish Caravanners and motorhomers spoke with French police two weeks ago. Their angle on these reports was a little different to the Gendarmerie comment posted here.

If these thefts are a nightly occurence, would the autoroutes not be bristling with gendarmes awaiting easy catches and improved detection rates.

On a nightly basis would there not be at least 365 confirmed reports a year, and outraged caravan and motorhome groups demanding action from the French Police.

Could we also be told who these failing uninterested insurers are?

As sisters travelling with two young girls who have made many stops on continental routes, we will stop again and again when we want.

Well said Sadie,i totally agree that apart from being on drugs etc you would be aware of this to be happening.Plus the insurance comments lead me to believe this is impossible.

 

[Robtel]

Jo, sorry to hear about your experience and thank you for sharing it with us (although after some of the comments received you may be regretting posting!)

I've never stopped overnight at any of the aires in France, due mainly to warnings such as yours on various forums. Last year on our journey from Zeebrugge down to Northern Spain we stopped overnight at a Municipal Site and then made an early start the next day. At around 9a.m. we pulled into a fully serviced aire (fuel, restaurant etc) for some breakfast. As soon as we had parked we were approached by a family, (parents and two children), from Cumbria who had stopped there overnight in their motorhome. They had awoken to find they had been robbed. Mobile phones, credit cards and some cash taken and they also never heard a thing. Similar to you the credit cards had been taken from the gentleman's trouser pocket which had been left in open sight and easily accessible from a door. They asked to borrow a phone so they could cancel their cards and phones. Another motor home parked nearby had also been broken into that same night, again its occupants never heard a thing.

I posted that info on here at the time for similar reasons as you i.e to alert others of the possibility of theft but must admit the posting was met with a lot of doubt and scepticism.

I can't remember what auto route that was on but do recall the services were somewhat aptly called Chateau de villain.

The experience made me review my own security in the van at night even on a site. Cards and cash removed from pocket and planked away somewhere, same with mobile phone. I also fitted one of those cheap magnetic alarms to the door so that if anyone did enter I would be alerted.

I believe, as you said, some of these thieves are professional and very good at what they do. Gaining entry to a caravan is not exactly difficult,and these guys are experts at getting in and out quietly.

Hope the experience hasn't put you completely off caravanning.

Robert

 

[SteveW77]

I fitted a small safe under the bed, cost less than

 

[EvansofSprot]

In my opinion anyone who normally uses aires to camp on is foolhardy.

Would you do it at home in the UK; I doubt it!

There are nearly 12000 campsites in France - use them!

 

[Litespeed]

I fitted a small safe under the bed, cost less than

 

[Litespeed]

I have stayed on a few Aires overnight, ussually for a quick nap of about 5 hours or so. Whilst I can appreciate the sfaety of a campsite, most campsites dont re-open there gates until 7.00am which means your stuck there until then.

I tend to stop around 10 - 11pm and then try to get going again at 4am to beat the morning rush and cover as much distance as possible.

I admit I never sleep well in an Aire and am always alone, but I dont hide all my belongings apart from my passport. I prefer to leave it all laid out on the shelf. I think if a determined thief broke in and couldnt find something quickly you are more likely to get in to a 'situation' if you've hidden everything and confront him (or her!)I do apply a hitchlock.

This year I stopped near Bourg en Bresse and stayed next to a white van that was towing a trailer with a Maserati in full view on the back, I figured they would rather nick that than my credit cards or caravan

I will continue to use Aires as its the only way to get from Brittany to the Alpes in 1 day and in time to pick up my family from the airport who prefer to fly down to avoid the long hours in the car!!

 

[Guest]

For somebody who lives in France I find it strange that I never hear reports on all these thefts and can find nlittle or no evidence.

I'd also like to know why thieves in France would want to risk stealing a British right hand drive car and credit and bank cards from foreign banks. thet are of little use without a pin or without scimming when swiped!

A RH drive car is going to stand out and be of limited worth to a French or any continental thief, why take the risk when they could take any left hand drive car and their home areas cards?

Stopping at road side stops is common practice and I and plenty of others do it in the UK as well. I know of factual thefts from French camp sites and in some areas Municipal and Commercial sites have been seen as easy targets. We take the same safety precautions with keys and valuables anywhere we decide to stop. When inside our caravan nobody can enter it without damaging it and making a lot of noise.

Sorry but I find these stories very sceptical.

I also see no reason to question others freedom of choice.

 

[DavidKlyne]

We don't use Aires and I can't see that we would. OK so we are fortunate that we now have more time. Even when we worked we always planned journeys to saty on campsites. However lots of people do stay on Aires and will continue to stay on Aires so I am not about to try and change their minds. Those that do use Aires don't usually do the odd hundred miles and then stop they usually get a full days travelling in so they can stop late and start early. I would imagine that this is very tiring and so it does not surprise me that someone can get into a van unheard. I would have thought that if you intend to stay on an Aire then you should be prepared to take some extra precautions like putting valueables under the seat you are sleeping on.

Jo, you mention Green Flag, I assume it was Green Flag and not the CC Red Pennant?

Just as a aside I can just see my wife letting me leave my shorts on top of the cooker overnight!

David

 

[smiley]

Sorry to hear your bad news.

But under your car insurance as it was stolen, you would have been covered anyway I would have thought.

 

[smiley]

Question for Val A.

Why have you got to stay on the French Aires, can you not stay on campsites, or do they refuse you because of your van??

 

[ValA.]

We stay on an aire on our first night (only) because we set off from home after work on Friday afternoon and get a late night ferry from Dover. We could go Saturday morning, but choose not to. We do a couple of hours driving, and then stay on an aire in northern France - along with many other caravanners, in an area designed to cope with caravans staying overnight, and with showers, and even hook-ups available on a meter. We've done it for many years without any problems at all.

Sorry, why should any campsite refuse us because of our van?

 

[nick_374224697]

Val, I imagine Smiley meant because of the length possibly, some longer vans are refused on some French sites.

And as a message to Jo, sorry to hear of your experiences that must have been awful. But I am more sorry for the way you have been treated on this forum - Euro, Val A and Shady Sadie you should be ashamed of yourselves suggesting Jo is making these things up. Where is your compassion?? I only hope you get the same treatment as you dole out elsewhere. My very worst to all three of you.

Nick

 

[ShadySadie]

Que sera sera Nick.

Sypathy is fine if you are blameless in your precautions. Having re read both the threads on the subject I think Val, Euro and my own and others supporting comments are quite reasonable.

This is just not a case of well greased slick corner stays, but of a vans movement going undetected as well as the entry in to the caravan.

In Jo's reply to all she say's "We took every precaution we could and it still happened".

That is a bold statement from people who clearly did not take every precaution!

I've made the sort of stops Jo describes for many years. Others may not like it but Jo and family according to her descriptions did not go about conducting their nights stop in a security minded way!

With that in mind, surely I and others have every right to raise questions re the decribed actions and object to being told what is wise or unwise.

 

[ShadySadie]

ps

We've also never had problems getting long caravans of ours, families or friends on to any french site and no problems with 4 wheeled vans!

So is this length thing fact or fiction ;/)

 

[ValA.]

I wouldn't wish 'my worst' on anyone Nick - but I have a thick skin.

I replied on another posting why I expressed doubts about this - but I also expressed in the posting in this thread that I was sorry to read about what had happened to Joanne.

I share Sadie's view that anyone who camps or caravans anywhere ought to know what basic precautions to take to safeguard themselves and their valuables - and quite obviously Joanne and her family did not do that - though she states they have stayed on Aires many times before. If they had taken the simplest precautions none of this would have happened.

These sorts of forums exercise freedom of speech (or writing)and often it's the posting which promotes another point of view which makes people sit up and think.

 

[EvansofSprot]

Exactly right Val.

I seem to be stalking you today!!

 

[KeithJ]

This topic must be nearly exhausted - but just thought I would add my two penceworth.

Firstly I feel sorry for Jo, not only because of the incident, but because of the reception she got when she only tried to warn people. She may have made mistakes with basic security, but she doesn't sound completely inexperienced.

I take all the security measures mentioned here - in fact my wife thinks I am way over the top with the measures I take. But I am still aware that there is no way I can stop a determined thief from breaking into the van. There are many devises on the market, but I know of none that would stand up to brute force. And hiding valuables away (as I do) would have no effect on this. So the best safeguard must be to avoid sleeping in vulnerable places.

I know this is easier for retired people like myself, who have more time, and I well remember when my circumstances were different. In fact in my younger days (before caravaning) I have slept in a sleeping bag by the side of the road or in a corn field in various parts of Europe, but I wouldn't do that now.

I don't agree with scare mongering, but the world is more dangerous now, and I don't think it is a bad thing to have warnings like Jo's, and I hope she has not been turned away by all this

Keith

 

[Guest]

KeithJ = "but the world is more dangerous now"

I doubt that very much, you just have wider media coverage and technology enabling the wider spread of stories. Media that thrives on shocking people and societies inspired by hollywood, shock music and celebrities who've no idea of example setting, manners or calling time on their excess.

Media and soap opera driven society that seem to take stories in the public eye as a norm and example of how to lead their lives.

This site can also be as guilty!