Whilst we were recently staying at Sheepcote CC site in Brighton a strange thing happened. As we were just about to leave for a day out this chap and a policeman strode up to our pitch. The gentleman pointed to our van and they stood there in conversation. A little anxious, I switched the engine off and got out of the car. The gentleman had had a wastemaster stolen in the night and was leading the policeman around the site looking for his Wastemaster. The policeman had no idea what they looked like and ours fitted the description. The pc asked if the gentleman be allowed to examine ours so that we could be eliminated from further enquiries. The gentleman took the wheels off ours and confirmed that it was not his. Apparently the axle on his was buckled and he would recognise it. The gentleman went on to tell me that he was awoken about 3.a.m. by somebody walking on the gravel of his hardstanding. He didn't think much of it at the time but bothered by it later, he went out at 5.a.m. to find it missing. I said that it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Not very helpful, but realistic. There must have been loads of these being used and not all of them in open view like ours. Also, I had to wonder whether it was worth the time being spent by the police, as I think it was their intention to check as many as possible. Whilst I haven't taken to locking them up yet, our aquarolls and wastemaster now have our postcode permanently marked on them as a result.
Wastemaster theft
- Thread starter butler1
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I find it unbelieveable that something like this is a target for thieves. We have only been caravanning since April this year and have never even entertained the thought that someone might nick our wastemaster.....is nothing blinkin safe these days??
whatever next eh?
whatever next eh?
That's a good idea about security marking your wastemaster. Although I despise criminals, I'm afraid I'm a little dismayed that the police turned out for this.
Lisa
Lisa
Hi George. Sad to say I am not suprised at this theft, we had our jockey wheel stolen from our caravan, and friends of ours came home to find someone had stolen their water pump and left a broken one in exchange, with an aquaroll
I Dont know how true this is but when we were collecting our new van a couple of years ago the salesman was showing us all the bits and pieces on our van and mentioned that we should always lock the door on the cassette toilet as he had several instances of the actual toilet being stolen, one complete with contents!I find it unbelieveable that something like this is a target for thieves. We have only been caravanning since April this year and have never even entertained the thought that someone might nick our wastemaster.....is nothing blinkin safe these days??
whatever next eh?
Just make sure its permanently almost full :O)The lock on my cassette loo door doesn't work, should I worry ?!
As it's my job to empty it, it always seems to be !Just make sure its permanently almost full :O)
Once had the plastic flap covering the outside electric socket stolen. This involved driving the securing hinge pin out before removing the flap. The hinge pin was then replaced intact ! !
Thoughtful or what ?
Thoughtful or what ?
We have a seasonal pitch and at the end of our stay, always remove aqua rolls etc. Even our step, as this cost
I suppose we must be lucky. In over 20 years of caravanning both in the UK and Europe we have only once had anything stolen.
That was at Billing Aquadrome fifteen years ago when some kind person stole our mains lead. Needless to say we haven't been back.
Having spent last winter in Spain where , like most other long stay caravanners, half our stuff was permanently in the awning including TV's, etc. I didn't hear of one incident.
Perhapos we are naive, or perhaps extraordinarily lucky but we have found caravanners, (and motor-caravanners, tenters etc.) almost without exception to be friendly,helpful and in our experience at least honest.
Now I've posted this we'll probably have everything lifted on our next trip....
Nick
That was at Billing Aquadrome fifteen years ago when some kind person stole our mains lead. Needless to say we haven't been back.
Having spent last winter in Spain where , like most other long stay caravanners, half our stuff was permanently in the awning including TV's, etc. I didn't hear of one incident.
Perhapos we are naive, or perhaps extraordinarily lucky but we have found caravanners, (and motor-caravanners, tenters etc.) almost without exception to be friendly,helpful and in our experience at least honest.
Now I've posted this we'll probably have everything lifted on our next trip....
Nick
Call me paranoid, but marking your equipment with your post code potentialy tells prospective criminals where you live, they already know you are away from home!! You could just mark your equipment with you car registration or something that identifies the equipment as yours (such as a middle name).
Get a can of coloured Hammerite and some masking tape and make an easily visible mark or some kind of pattern around your Aquaroll and Wastemaster, that you would recognise at a distance as yours. That's what we did, after reading that someone had theirs stolen whilst on a site. Don't put your post code, for obvious reasons.
I really do think the Police cant do right for wrong sometimes. The reason they would have turned out was because a Crime had been reported to them ie. Theft. If there was any likelihood of detecting an offender, what else are they supposed to do but turn out?That's a good idea about security marking your wastemaster. Although I despise criminals, I'm afraid I'm a little dismayed that the police turned out for this.
Lisa
We Had a windbreak stolen one night in Cornwall last year. Neither we, or the couple in a tent on the next pitch, heard a thing.
Needless to say every thing is now marked with our registration No. ( an alternative could be your Pin No. or even your CC membership No.)
Incidentally on a recent visit to my local caraven dealers he did say that there has recently been an increase in the theft of cassette toilets, so that will be marked next!
Needless to say every thing is now marked with our registration No. ( an alternative could be your Pin No. or even your CC membership No.)
Incidentally on a recent visit to my local caraven dealers he did say that there has recently been an increase in the theft of cassette toilets, so that will be marked next!
Personally, I wouldn't dream of calling a crime in for an item that cost aroundThat's a good idea about security marking your wastemaster. Although I despise criminals, I'm afraid I'm a little dismayed that the police turned out for this.
Lisa
Your PIN number ???????????????????We Had a windbreak stolen one night in Cornwall last year. Neither we, or the couple in a tent on the next pitch, heard a thing.
Needless to say every thing is now marked with our registration No. ( an alternative could be your Pin No. or even your CC membership No.)
Incidentally on a recent visit to my local caraven dealers he did say that there has recently been an increase in the theft of cassette toilets, so that will be marked next!
Personally, I wouldn't dream of calling a crime in for an item that cost around
Hi George,
I have always marked my waste master on the underside with my car reg with a waterproof marker pen, must admit only use cc sites.
Had reservations when staying at clumber park with all the police notices about thieves operating within the area, stealing mainly bykes, even when they where attached to the steel posts proved with each pitch with chains,glad to say our stay passed without incidents.Sad really as it is a wonderfull site .
Royston
I have always marked my waste master on the underside with my car reg with a waterproof marker pen, must admit only use cc sites.
Had reservations when staying at clumber park with all the police notices about thieves operating within the area, stealing mainly bykes, even when they where attached to the steel posts proved with each pitch with chains,glad to say our stay passed without incidents.Sad really as it is a wonderfull site .
Royston
Yuk,...the mind boggles eh?I Dont know how true this is but when we were collecting our new van a couple of years ago the salesman was showing us all the bits and pieces on our van and mentioned that we should always lock the door on the cassette toilet as he had several instances of the actual toilet being stolen, one complete with contents!
*note to self - must remember to consume Vindaloo every nite whilst in the caravan* !!!!!!
Good thinking John!Call me paranoid, but marking your equipment with your post code potentialy tells prospective criminals where you live, they already know you are away from home!! You could just mark your equipment with you car registration or something that identifies the equipment as yours (such as a middle name).
Personally I always chain both the water container and the waste container to the corner steadies of the caravan. You will never stop a determined thief but they will always go for the easy option (which would be someone elses!). I have also been known to chain table/chairs to a wheel in the awning when we have gone out for the day.
I'm not sure if your insurance (if you wanted to claim) would cover it either if you made no attempt to secure items that were stolen.
I'm not sure if your insurance (if you wanted to claim) would cover it either if you made no attempt to secure items that were stolen.
I wonder if there is a car boot sale somewhere where all the missing aquarolls & wastemasters turn up??
Just take a look on Ebay, loads up for sale there.
Quick and easy way to make a few bob, I had not considered marking my kit but will do so now.
I guess its naive but I thought campsites were the last bastion of an unlocked door society.
What next Campsite neighbourhood watch?
In response to George's original question as to the police wasting their time, hats off to them I say. My local police dont resource vehicle break ins anymore, I can just imagine their response if we reported a wastemaster theft.
Quick and easy way to make a few bob, I had not considered marking my kit but will do so now.
I guess its naive but I thought campsites were the last bastion of an unlocked door society.
What next Campsite neighbourhood watch?
In response to George's original question as to the police wasting their time, hats off to them I say. My local police dont resource vehicle break ins anymore, I can just imagine their response if we reported a wastemaster theft.
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