suem
In Training
Posts: 46 
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Post by suem on Mar 4, 2016 14:06:50 GMT 10
A question on security for your vans.
Does anyone do anything to protect the van from being hitched and towed away when they are away from their van?
If so, what security do you all use to prevent that?
Are there any other points of security we should be aware of?
Sue
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2016 15:35:26 GMT 10
Hi
Bottom of the page are some wheel locks. And about hallway down the page you will see locks for your hitch so they cannot hook up. caravansplus.com.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=256_969
If your wheel have large holes within them a chain or heavy steel cable and padlock it to the chassis
Cheers
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suem
In Training
Posts: 46
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Post by suem on Mar 4, 2016 16:16:49 GMT 10
Thank you lockyer - very helpful!
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Post by Mustang on Mar 5, 2016 5:12:37 GMT 10
Most BCF type stores have coupling locks & wheel braces.
A family was at Inskip Point Qld a couple of years ago , they set their camper up , just a box trailer type, went down to the beach,
Returned to find nothing, grubs are out there & usually well organised.
You have just prompted me to go shopping.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2016 14:04:18 GMT 10
Yeah last time we went camping we had a similar story with a guys boat. Down the Murray river. Just makes you think. Maybe you can do some shopping for me too mustang
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Post by tim on Mar 7, 2016 13:14:42 GMT 10
Both our family vans spend their time parked on a block in an isolated area. The parent's van ('80s windsor pop-top) has one of these on the coupling:  Our modern has a coupling that prevents one of those fitting over it so we use a Trailer Cop:  The trailer cop would be pretty tricky to get out without serious power tools, but I guess either could be defeated if the thief was determined enough. They offer a little bit of peace of mind. Tim |
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Post by doublechevron on Mar 7, 2016 14:13:16 GMT 10
hitch locks are a waste of time. If I wanted to steal your caravan and it had a hitch lock. I'd back the old rangie up, lower the 'van onto the rear step and wrap the safety chains around the step.......... and I'm gone  With cheap, very good cordless angle grinders and saber saws, there is nothing that can't be defeated given 2 or 3 minutes |
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Post by planner on Mar 7, 2016 14:52:23 GMT 10
Yeah last time we went camping we had a similar story with a guys boat. Down the Murray river. Just makes you think. Maybe you can do some shopping for me too mustang Similar thing happened to a mate a few years ago. Went fishing on the Murray, when he got back his boat trailer had been pinched. He left the boat on the water, drove away in the ute to get another trailer and returned to find boat gone as well (presumably on his own trailer). With the new cordless tools, its difficult to stop a determined thief. I do fit a coupling lock to any trailers I leave unattended, but more to make me and SWMBO feel better. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2016 14:57:42 GMT 10
Wow I'm going to have to get one of those locks as well. Would be devastated if someone stole my first van. Did your mate ever find the boat?
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Post by Mustang on Mar 7, 2016 17:03:36 GMT 10
hitch locks are a waste of time. If I wanted to steal your caravan and it had a hitch lock. I'd back the old rangie up, lower the 'van onto the rear step and wrap the safety chains around the step.......... and I'm gone With cheap, very good cordless angle grinders and saber saws, there is nothing that can't be defeated given 2 or 3 minutes What is the answer ? |
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Post by bobt on Mar 7, 2016 20:10:15 GMT 10
Options are endless, coupling locks, wheel locks, gps positioning gizmos. The best you can do is try and make it hard for someone to take it, if they are determined it will go.
I know a caravan dealer that chained their caravans up and put coupling locks on. Came in one day to discover a caravan missing. The high tensile chain was cut and 2 caravans moved to get the one out that they wanted. That dealership lost quite a few new vans over a 12 month period.
The real important one is to make sure you have it adequately insured.
bobt
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Post by planner on Mar 8, 2016 8:39:16 GMT 10
Did your mate ever find the boat? Never seen boat or trailer again. It was only 10ft tinny, but still his pride & joy. I'm with bobt, make it harder to pinch and have adequate insurance. |
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Post by doublechevron on Mar 8, 2016 10:20:33 GMT 10
I don't think htere is really a way of stopping someone that wants a caravan/trailer taking it. You could slow down the spur of the moment thefts, but anyone that has driven past and seen what your theft deterents are will return to steal it with anything they need to get around them. Think a battery operated saber saw/angle grinders have made life very easy.
Take my old car trailer, these things are worth a lot of money, regardless of how crappy they are. I have a hitch lock on it and it chained to the carport it's in. Now pretend your going to steel it yourself. Even if I had no tools with me.... I reckon a good kick into one of the sheds rollerdoors will blow it out of it's tracks and leave it flapping uselessly.... If your feeling lazy, jsut nose the car you have turned up into it ... to pop it out of it's tracks. ( we are down about 30seconds including driving down my drive). maybe 2 minutes to find a grinder and extension lead in the shed.... another 3 minutes to roll the extension leads out and chop through the chains and hitch locks. Throw as many tools into your car as you can lay your hands on given a 30second dash around the shed.
Now the slowest part, backing up cleanly to the car trailer to hook the heavy b@stard on. If you have a rear camera. 30seconds. If not ..... upto 5minutes of getting out and checking where you are in relation of the hitch.
I reckon ... I could take quite a few tools and the car trailer (or caravan ... whatever same difference) in less than 5minutes even arriving with no tools to circumvent the security.
If you have an onboard battery, you could try one of the (very cheap) trackers you can get these days. You can set them up to SMS you as soon as they sense movement. I'd turn up with the 5 biggest mates I could get hold of in a hurry, smash my way into the place and take my stuff back. Not in a million years would you call the police, it will take them days to get a warrant approved to enter the premises (even if your caravan/trailer is clearly visible over the fences) by which time the assholes that stole it will be well aware of what is going on and will move it again .... after disconnecting all batteries this time. I'm not exagerating, I know someone this happened too when there expensive camper trailer was stolen. They actually found it. The police refused to enter the premises .... it took them 2days to get a warrant so they could legally go and check the ID on the trailer.......... By which time it was obviously very long gone. If it was me they would just heard the angry snarl of a v8 howling through low range box and I'm smashed through the fences .... Hooked up my trailer and left again by another part of the fence. You think THEY are going to ring the police ?
seeya,
Shane L.
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