Thieving Scumbags

[Damian]

We are soooooooooo annoyed.

loaded the van a week ago ready for the easter break, and going away.

Went to collect the aquaroll and wastemaster to sterilise, opened the van and NO Aquaroll!!, looked further into the van, NO step, NO TV, No digibox, NO Solar panel, Radio removed from within its cupboard home, Microwave gone, fire blanket and extibnguisher,gone, water pump gone, bedding , mover controller and box of 5 kitchen knives,all GONE.

Rang the Police, and spent the last two hours with them, making statements, checking the van in minute detail.

Seems thieves have used some kind of thing to slide in between the door and frame to spring the lock, and bent the door in the process.

WHY oh WHY are the doors such a weak link on vans,and what can I do to stop it happening again ?

 

[Lutz]

Because caravan manufacturers have to keep the weight down, the doors are relatively flimsy designs and without resorting to very expensive and exotic materials, there is no way to ensure adequate strength to prevent a break in.

Whenever I bring my caravan home from storage and have it standing in the street for a couple of days, I park it so close to a fence that one cannot open the door without moving the caravan (or removing the fence). Even that doesn't provide 100% security but it's about the best I can do.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

It's probably already sold Damian to pay for their next fix. Scum is too nice a description for them.

 

[TripHazard]

Happened to me twice in the last storage site have moved to another and so far no problems (keeping my fingers crossed)police thought it might be an inside job as there was cctv and 24 guard who saw nothing heard nothing scumbags aint the right word

 

[colin(bridgend)]

I have a motor home and have attached to the side of the van body a hinged lock which when open acts as a hand rail for entering/leaving the van. When closed it hinges 90 degree and locks over the door. It is gauranteed to be hardened metal and will take some time to saw through and the lock cannot be drilled. Although I have never seen one fitted to a caravan surely as the construction of the van is the same there should be no reason why one could not be fitted.

 

[KentMike]

Don't know much about them but Fiamma make something called the safe door and safe door frame

have a look at

http://partners.fiamma.it/en/products/dettprod_en.asp?codice=04688-01-
and

http://partners.fiamma.it/en/products/dettprod_en.asp?codice=04688A01-

 

[Tony A.]

Damian, Sorry to hear about your theft, you haven`t said where the van was at the time. I have fitted one of thoe personnel alarms with a pull cord, the alarm is fitted to the cabinet just inside the door and the pull cord loops over the door handle, when the door opens the alarm is right in your face, and its very loud.

I`ve always thought that we should cut off a digit or two for each offence I think that might cut the crime rate, THIEVING B-------S.

Tony A.

 

[cris_408518]

I have some very loud additional systems fitted to the van and my cars. And I mean LOUD. Without ear defenders you would not stay in the cars or van

 

[SteveW77]

All these devices are useless when they come through the windows.

The window fastenings are pathetic and this was the way they broke into mine and thirteen other at my storage site.

Steve w77

 

[ericcaravanning4u]

Its terrible and heartbreaking when this happens , only this morning I had a email and am at the moment trying to get the iinformation out to as many people as possible this is what it said

We've had a 2002 avondale rialto 640/6 stolen in the early hours of 07/04/06 from rotherham, south yorkshire, we have only had it 2 weeks and just come back off a weeks holiday so it was fully packed up everything you could imagine, please help me find it, i can email the vin no. if required, i carn't send a picture as my camera was in aswell.

This is the serial number if you see it let me know sgat000av20001922

I feel so sad for people that go through this

 

[Tom_5073611]

Sorry also Damien to hear the bad news but you can rest assured that when and a big IF they catch the theiving toe rags you can safely say that after a fair trial they will be severely punished with 20 hours community service, just to balance the crime..Not!

Bring back the birch !!

Tom

 

[Damian]

Just an update. the van is kept in storage, and the owners of the farm (its a farm and camping/caravan site) were aware that some vans had been tampered with a few nights ago, and walked around the vans to visually check for any obvious indications, but my van "looked" perfectly ok, which it did, as even I did not think anything was wrong until I opened it up.

Anyway, after spending a couple of hours with police last night, today SOCO came and dusted the van for prints, and took quite a few good prints to check, obviously after ensuring they are not mine or my wifes!!!

having checked the van in good light, it appears that the top corner of the door was pulled out to get some kind of implement inside, and hook the latch intothe unlock position, and open the door.

No real damage, and when the dor was shut, looked as if all was ok.

The local Police now think it may be someone who is doing a caravan up, or a boat owner, as very specific items were taken, and some very desirable clothing left untouched.

Am loking at getting the Fiamma door block locks, and will get the pack of 3, and put one top, one mid and one low on the door.

Also seriosuly thinking of a cover, although I personally dont like them, but at least it will disguise the make of van, and provide just another barrier to easy theft.

As has been said, even if the thief is caught, the punishment will be derisory, and even the SOCO was pessimistic about being able to catch anyone ,even with the prints.

 

[mcghee]

As Steve W infers, there is no way you can make a caravan secure. By the nature of their design they are very easy to get in to. The best you can do is not have anything in it worth taking, which isn't always handy. There's always an up side Damian, at least you still have your relatively undamaged 'van.

 

[SteveW77]

Just as a matter of interest, The " Traveller" that broke into my van and 12 others caused

 

[Guest]

Damian,

Like everyone else I sympathise with your loss. It is not just the theft, although that is bad enough, it is the fact that some stranger has rummaged through your personal belongings. I hope the insurance will recompense for all the items missing.

I agree with the other comments that caravan doors/locks seem to be made on the flimsy side. However, as has also been stated it is usally the windows that provide the weakest point of entry. A tyre lever in at the bottom, a good heave and it is open. Toss in a small boy and the place is their's. At least that is how my motorhome was 'attacked' in the 80's. It is the downside from swopping from glass and aluminium frames in the 70's to the new plastic styles I suppose.

I don't have a good answer to the problem, apart from empathising with the views expressed by the 'hang 'em and flog 'em' brigade. Alarms are not going to be much use in a storage area, and how often does anyone take interest when a car alarm goes off? You could fit bars locking opposite windows together, but it then gets too complicated for normal use.

Possibly the comment already given, that you don't leave anything of value in the van, is the best option in the current world.

 

[Tony_5068498]

How about a new idea ???

The criminal when/if caught gets a fair trial . If found guilty the victim and family then decide the punishment . The liberal left can slap them on the wrist and tell them not to do it again . The rest can really start to reduce crime

 

[Lol1]

How about a new idea ???

The criminal when/if caught gets a fair trial . If found guilty the victim and family then decide the punishment . The liberal left can slap them on the wrist and tell them not to do it again . The rest can really start to reduce crime

Does punishment include guns or the National Grid?

 

[Tony_5068498]

Does punishment include guns or the National Grid?

I Dont't see why not afterall the thieves seem to be able to use anything they want so it only seems fair that the victims have the same rights

 

[clickuk]

Yes but where would we bury them all

 

[colin(bridgend)]

At sea as food for the fish, etc.

 

[mikeE]

The general opinion seems to be that if they are determined they will get in - ours has been broken into twice whilst in storage. Now I have fitted two flashing red L.E.D.s where they can be seen through the door window in the hope that any casual chancer hoping to enter might have doubts and move on elsewhere. ( Just remember not to draw the window blind down. )I have also fitted a movement triggered alarm inside the 'van. Neither will prevent a break in but might just be sufficiently off putting.

A previous thread on this theme included the comment that a " Beware of the snake " notice was effective ! !

Mike E