Hi, we have just bought a twin axle superstorm and are aware of twin axles being more of a target for stealing. Would appreciate any advice and/or recommended products to buy to reduce the risk.
Cheers
Cheers
Security Measures?
- Thread starter Steve_374475901
- Start date
Hi Steve,
A Tracker seems to be the best option. People who have a Tracker fitted seem to get their caravans back after they are stolen!
A good wheel clamp is a must, as is a good hitchlock - your insurance company will insist on those.
Corner steady locks will also help to slow down a potential thief.
A Tracker seems to be the best option. People who have a Tracker fitted seem to get their caravans back after they are stolen!
A good wheel clamp is a must, as is a good hitchlock - your insurance company will insist on those.
Corner steady locks will also help to slow down a potential thief.
hello steve
if you are storing your van on the drive and you have a mover fitted, put the van in with hitch facing the house and a good quality wheelclamp, like the milenco, then if it is likely to be a target it certainly make it awkward to steal.
if you are storing your van on the drive and you have a mover fitted, put the van in with hitch facing the house and a good quality wheelclamp, like the milenco, then if it is likely to be a target it certainly make it awkward to steal.
Hi Steve.
Having had caravans for over 25 years I've developed quite an intensive but not expensive method of protecting my asset.
Here's my list:-
1/ fit more than one wheel clamp, in your case you have 4 to use. Also fit a hitch lock.
2/ fit guide tubes over the corner steady drivers and cross drill them to fit paddlocks across the appeture.
3/ park the caravan front on to the drive , so that you have to reverse it off the patch.
4/ install security posts at the back of the van and either side of the tow bar at the front.
5/ besides the caravan alarm put a couple of personal attack alarms designed to guard hand bags, under the van and using fishing line for less visability, attatch the cord trigger to the ground.
These are just a few things you can do to foil a thief, but you won't stop the determined so do remember to insure the van. At best you will slow down progress enough to persuade the thief to move on to easier pickings.
Finally even with all the security described fitted, I can unlock and have the van ready to roll in under half an hour with the correct keys.
Just think like a thief and you will get the idea of just how much grinding or hammering you would not want to do to get the locks off. Oh don't forget they have refined their tool kits to include oxy acetylene gas torches that cut much quieter than an angle grinder. You only have to look at the web sites for screwfix and machine mart to get an idea or two of what portable non mains electric tooling is available.
Regards.
Steve L.
Having had caravans for over 25 years I've developed quite an intensive but not expensive method of protecting my asset.
Here's my list:-
1/ fit more than one wheel clamp, in your case you have 4 to use. Also fit a hitch lock.
2/ fit guide tubes over the corner steady drivers and cross drill them to fit paddlocks across the appeture.
3/ park the caravan front on to the drive , so that you have to reverse it off the patch.
4/ install security posts at the back of the van and either side of the tow bar at the front.
5/ besides the caravan alarm put a couple of personal attack alarms designed to guard hand bags, under the van and using fishing line for less visability, attatch the cord trigger to the ground.
These are just a few things you can do to foil a thief, but you won't stop the determined so do remember to insure the van. At best you will slow down progress enough to persuade the thief to move on to easier pickings.
Finally even with all the security described fitted, I can unlock and have the van ready to roll in under half an hour with the correct keys.
Just think like a thief and you will get the idea of just how much grinding or hammering you would not want to do to get the locks off. Oh don't forget they have refined their tool kits to include oxy acetylene gas torches that cut much quieter than an angle grinder. You only have to look at the web sites for screwfix and machine mart to get an idea or two of what portable non mains electric tooling is available.
Regards.
Steve L.
We had our beloved 8-week old caravan stolen about 4 years ago, it had been fitted with an expensive, gold standard, hitch lock and wheel clamp which the thieves had, seemingly, very little trouble in getting off. The Police told us at the time that professional thieves buy (or should I say, obtain!) every new lock or clamp that comes on the market and play with them for hours, practising how to get them off as quickly as possible.
In my opinion, if the professional thieves want your van, they'll have it, no matter what. We don't worry about it anymore, it's pointless. My advice is to have whatever security devices your insurance specifies (or it will be invalid otherwise), but above all make sure you have really good insurance - and read the small print!
In my opinion, if the professional thieves want your van, they'll have it, no matter what. We don't worry about it anymore, it's pointless. My advice is to have whatever security devices your insurance specifies (or it will be invalid otherwise), but above all make sure you have really good insurance - and read the small print!
Oh, and another thing, don't keep in your van anything (like personal photos, things of sentimental value) that you would be devastated to lose, because if your van is stolen, the chances of you getting them back are very slim indeed!
I have my van behind a locked gate, under a security camera (recorded), under automatic lights, importantly connected to the house alarm!.
Wheel clamped, hitch locked, rope to the conifer tree.
And i am quite sure if the travellers what it, my van will disappear like magic.
But the house alarm will make the get away interesting?
Wheel clamped, hitch locked, rope to the conifer tree.
And i am quite sure if the travellers what it, my van will disappear like magic.
But the house alarm will make the get away interesting?
I don't know if it can happen with caravans but I know of a car that was stolen quite simply by it being lifted onto the back of a tow truck, you know the sort of thing the wheel clampers use in the cities.
I know it is unlikely as it would look very suspicious somebody using one on somebodies drive, but the cheek, nerve and determination of thieves never surprises me.
Jimbo
I know it is unlikely as it would look very suspicious somebody using one on somebodies drive, but the cheek, nerve and determination of thieves never surprises me.
Jimbo
Does your van have the autowatch alarm with the wireless sensors?
Add another sensor to the from leg as this is not std,they get under the van then take the rear sensor off then wind the legs up and no alarm goes off,its just a warning really as when mine was stolen the leavered off the hitchlock(robstop) bulldog titan wheelclamp and cut the abus bike chain off with ease.
I have a tracker now,not many agree etc but its saved my van once already its a personal choice.
Add another sensor to the from leg as this is not std,they get under the van then take the rear sensor off then wind the legs up and no alarm goes off,its just a warning really as when mine was stolen the leavered off the hitchlock(robstop) bulldog titan wheelclamp and cut the abus bike chain off with ease.
I have a tracker now,not many agree etc but its saved my van once already its a personal choice.
the best way is to take hitch off i know some one that dose this its time comsuming but it works
Nice thought taking the hitch off, but there are a couple of things to bear in mind.
First of all most insurance companies insist on a hitch lock being in place and being used. So by removing the hitch I could well see the insurance company using that technicality to avoid their obligation to cough up.
Second. As the retaining bolts are what is known as single use only, being of a shake proof, self locking nature, there is a significant cost in keeping a stock of new nuts and bolts. Also here, just remember the insurance policy again.
Finally. Do you realy think that the proffessional criminal is not going to have a spare. After all, 80% of caravans have Aalco hitches and as far as Im aware, they all share the same hole layout and pitch between mounting holes. One could arguably say that by taking the hitch off and not being able to put a locking device in place, then one has just made the thief's job easier.
You have to remember that a thief goes equipped to do his/her job efficiently with minimal fuss. I saw a typical example of this the other day. I was in a carpark when a Transit pick up with high sides drove in, nicely painted with a yellow cab simlar to most local authority roadworks vehicles. There was a black tipper body on the back and as mentioned before a sheet of plywood attatched to make a high sides body. Then i noticed a rather odd attatchment, a skip loader was also fitted to the back of the tipper body and the high sides were cut to blend in with the profile of the skip loader arm. Also it had the customary tow bar fitted too.
Not that unusual I hear folks say, but just think like a thief. The truck to all intensive purposes looks like a local roadworks contract vehicle. It has capability to lift loads quickly and quietly onto it. It also has the facility to dump the contents quickly should it need to!
To me, a security conscious person, it was the perfect tool to lift generators for instance up and into that high sided hideaway of a body and if I was rumbled just back into a field a tip the loot, to go back to Mr innocent.
Steve L.
First of all most insurance companies insist on a hitch lock being in place and being used. So by removing the hitch I could well see the insurance company using that technicality to avoid their obligation to cough up.
Second. As the retaining bolts are what is known as single use only, being of a shake proof, self locking nature, there is a significant cost in keeping a stock of new nuts and bolts. Also here, just remember the insurance policy again.
Finally. Do you realy think that the proffessional criminal is not going to have a spare. After all, 80% of caravans have Aalco hitches and as far as Im aware, they all share the same hole layout and pitch between mounting holes. One could arguably say that by taking the hitch off and not being able to put a locking device in place, then one has just made the thief's job easier.
You have to remember that a thief goes equipped to do his/her job efficiently with minimal fuss. I saw a typical example of this the other day. I was in a carpark when a Transit pick up with high sides drove in, nicely painted with a yellow cab simlar to most local authority roadworks vehicles. There was a black tipper body on the back and as mentioned before a sheet of plywood attatched to make a high sides body. Then i noticed a rather odd attatchment, a skip loader was also fitted to the back of the tipper body and the high sides were cut to blend in with the profile of the skip loader arm. Also it had the customary tow bar fitted too.
Not that unusual I hear folks say, but just think like a thief. The truck to all intensive purposes looks like a local roadworks contract vehicle. It has capability to lift loads quickly and quietly onto it. It also has the facility to dump the contents quickly should it need to!
To me, a security conscious person, it was the perfect tool to lift generators for instance up and into that high sided hideaway of a body and if I was rumbled just back into a field a tip the loot, to go back to Mr innocent.
Steve L.
yes on air craft on road going vehicals bolt plus nut on end can be re used if it is not stessed
nylok nut can be re used if not only nylok nut needs to be replaced
we use these nuts and bolts on all our heavy traliors up to 175 tons again and again in with vosa
be it they are stgo 3 and 2 they still go for mot even though they do not need one they seem to pass with these bolts been re used.
nylok nut can be re used if not only nylok nut needs to be replaced
we use these nuts and bolts on all our heavy traliors up to 175 tons again and again in with vosa
be it they are stgo 3 and 2 they still go for mot even though they do not need one they seem to pass with these bolts been re used.
Hi when we purchased our twin axle to get insurance the min reqirement was two alco wheel locks and a hitch lock or two gold standard wheel clamps and a hitch lock.
other insurance companies also required a tracker or wouldnt insure.
Shop around and make sure you at least have enough security to cover the insurance company requirements.
Personally i have gone for two alco locks alco hitch lock then on other two wheels a nemesis wheel clamp and a bulldog qd.
If they get passed this lot I dont want a tracker as I dont think I would want the van back let the insurance company cover new for old and move on.
cheers
john
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