Theft when on site or not

[ericfield]

We had 2 Isabella Comfort chairs stolen from outside the caravan on a Loire campsite 2 years ago....first time in 20 years we had anything stolen. Sign of the times. We now take steps to remove temptation.

 

On a slightly different tack....has there ever been an account of a caravan stolen from a CMC campsite?

 

We tend to use CLs in the UK but the last couple of nights we stayed at a CMC site and were quite surprised the lengths  people go to, clamping hitches and wheels with all manner of devices. This is despite the site having keycard barrier entry/exit. And yet they have open awnings full of removables not to mention aqua roll and wastewater containers there for the taking.

 

I understand that most insurance policies require people to secure their caravans when not in use. I can also understand when the caravan is sat on a drive,  parked unattended in a service station carpark or locked in a (supposedly safe) storage site, it could be vulnerable to theft. But when it’s sat on a secure access campsite in use...just seemed a bit OTT.

 

 

 

 

[Will deBeast]

8 hours ago, ericfield said:

...

On a slightly different tack....has there ever been an account of a caravan stolen from a CMC campsite?

...

 

Two caravans were stolen from a caravan site I was staying on.  There was a big caravan show on nearby, and a couple of people had packed their caravans up ready to leave that morning, but had popped back to the show.  They returned to their caravans missing.

 

8 hours ago, ericfield said:

...were quite surprised the lengths  people go to, clamping hitches and wheels with all manner of devices. ...

 

Probably an insurance requirement.  I know it is for me.

 

If I lost a couple of £100 chairs that would be a pain, but if I lost my caravan I'd have nowhere to sleep that night!

[DeeTee]

16 hours ago, Nanamel said:

We had a toilet cassette stolen when our van was on our drive at home, but discovered before anyone used the loo.

 

I guess that there is a balance to be struck between being conscious that things can and sometimes do get nicked while on site, and relaxing and enjoying the freedoms that we are seeking.  I wouldn’t chain up an aqua roll; but appreciate that others may think it important to do so.  

Nanamel

Many years ago one contributor to the CT forum reported the theft of the toilet cassette from his caravan, parked on the drive of his home. He traced the cassette to a well known online auction site together with many others alledgedly stolen from caravans somewhere in the Midlands.

If I remember correctly the contributor was alleging that the thefts were related to drug abuse.

[svimes]

We've been lucky so far, nothing stolen in 7 years. No way would I be emptying an awning each night, if we had such a thing. We chain up the bikes but not the aquaroll

 

Maybe it helps that most of our stuff is fairly old. 

 

At home, we've never been burgled but we have had some strange goings on with items of Lady Vimes "smalls" on the washing line. 

[marchie1053]

29 minutes ago, svimes said:

At home, we've never been burgled but we have had some strange goings on with items of Lady Vimes "smalls" on the washing line. 

Thefts of this nature are most likely to occur as the evening light fades. There's a song about it ... 'Just A Thong at Twilight ...'

Steve

[svimes]

34 minutes ago, marchie1053 said:

Thefts of this nature are most likely to occur as the evening light fades. There's a song about it ... 'Just A Thong at Twilight ...'

Steve

 

Lol, there's no thongs been hung here, nor songs been sung.

 

The weirdest bit is when the items are returned several months later. I kid you not.

Edited July 15, 2019 by svimes

[rovinmad]

11 hours ago, ericfield said:

We had 2 Isabella Comfort chairs stolen from outside the caravan on a Loire campsite 2 years ago....first time in 20 years we had anything stolen. Sign of the times. We now take steps to remove temptation.

 

On a slightly different tack....has there ever been an account of a caravan stolen from a CMC campsite?

 

We tend to use CLs in the UK but the last couple of nights we stayed at a CMC site and were quite surprised the lengths  people go to, clamping hitches and wheels with all manner of devices. This is despite the site having keycard barrier entry/exit. And yet they have open awnings full of removables not to mention aqua roll and wastewater containers there for the taking.

 

I understand that most insurance policies require people to secure their caravans when not in use. I can also understand when the caravan is sat on a drive,  parked unattended in a service station carpark or locked in a (supposedly safe) storage site, it could be vulnerable to theft. But when it’s sat on a secure access campsite in use...just seemed a bit OTT.

 

 

 

 

I'm one of those who put hitch lock and wheel lock on when using a CMC site.  But it is not because I like doing it, especially the Al-Ko wheel lock.  It is a requirement of my insurance cover.  Isn't yours the same?

[Wunny]

2 hours ago, svimes said:

 

 

At home, we've never been burgled but we have had some strange goings on with items of Lady Vimes "smalls" on the washing line. 

I had a neighbour who got caught stealing ladies knickers off washing lines. When questioned by the police, they asked what he did with them, he said he just stashed them under the back seat of his car.  When they looked they found hundreds of pairs of knickers - The Knicker nicker was nicked!

[Durbanite]

Woke up one morning with a massive hangover to find that all my beers had been stolen during the night?    BTW loads of people who have been gassed have always had very valuable items stolen plus loads of cash.   

[GaryB1969]

34 minutes ago, rovinmad said:

I'm one of those who put hitch lock and wheel lock on when using a CMC site.  But it is not because I like doing it, especially the Al-Ko wheel lock.  It is a requirement of my insurance cover.  Isn't yours the same?

 

I'm with CMC and on my policy it just states a hitch lock when away from home. Some people's policies have other requirements if they are claiming a discount for them.

[iansoady]

1 minute ago, GaryB1969 said:

 

I'm with CMC and on my policy it just states a hitch lock when away from home. Some people's policies have other requirements if they are claiming a discount for them.

It's the same for ours. It only takes a minute to put the lock on or remove it so seems daft not to.

[GaryB1969]

5 minutes ago, iansoady said:

It's the same for ours. It only takes a minute to put the lock on or remove it so seems daft not to.

 

Agreed. I also use a Milenco wheel clamp as it's a lot easier to fit than the Alko wheel lock even though it's not an insurance requirement. At home i use a lot more!

[Townie]

2 minutes ago, iansoady said:

It's the same for ours. It only takes a minute to put the lock on or remove it so seems daft not to.

Alko hitchlock, 30 seconds to fit. Nemesis Ultra wheel lock 30 seconds. Insurance requirements complied with. If I don't fit them, they're only rattling around in the back of the car. (I would have bought the Alko wheel lozenge, (receiver fitted), but the lozenge was £250 and it had a 3 month waiting list and the Nemesis was half the price plus the dealer fitted the receiver during the pre sale inspection.)

[Borussia 1900]

Touch wood, in over 20 years I've never had anything stolen from my pitch. I have a couple of Tern Folding Bikes, a Weber Baby Q, Lafuma Chairs, non of it gets locked.

I do lock my expensive Road and/or Mountain Bikes on my Thule Bike Carrier though.

I only use a wheel lock if I'm visiting the UK, in the rest of the EU I don't bother.

[SteveMilner]

Nothing has ever been stolen from my pitch.

 

My daughter had a pair of trainers stolen from a site in France - They were stolen from the pool changing room - Lockers weren't big enough to fit shoes. Campsite staff unhelpful. Lots of permanent residents on site. It was the last night abroad and left a bitter taste at the end of the holiday.

 

I've had the caravan broken into twice while in storage.

Edited July 15, 2019 by SteveMilner

[David P]

In a previous post, I stated the many moons ago we were on CMC Cheshire Oaks, not us , but a number of caravans had their Aqua roll & waste master, go walkies. We were on Ferry Meadows 2 weeks ago. On the print off from CMC, it commented about cycle theft. On the Friday evening a police motor cyclist, road around the campsite (not on a BMW, but a Triumph trail bike, a first ever for us to see such an event, on a UK campsite?)I did not take my eBike to Ferry Meadows!  

[Orange]

A gnome on Orkney. I loved that gnome!

[svimes]

3 hours ago, Wunny said:

I had a neighbour who got caught stealing ladies knickers off washing lines. When questioned by the police, they asked what he did with them, he said he just stashed them under the back seat of his car.  When they looked they found hundreds of pairs of knickers - The Knicker nicker was nicked!

 

It's a strange world, isn't it. I sincerely hope it's not a neighbour but we are hoping to find out!

[staffordshirechina]

There are some sites that you need to use but can be risky. A few years ago, we were in the public camping area at Dorset steam fair. I had put a bike lock around the aquaroll and wastemaster and left it at that. However, on leaving the caravan next morning, I nearly broke my neck stepping out as the plastic step had been pinched!

Edited July 15, 2019 by staffordshirechina

[ancell]

6 hours ago, rovinmad said:

I'm one of those who put hitch lock and wheel lock on when using a CMC site.  But it is not because I like doing it, especially the Al-Ko wheel lock.  It is a requirement of my insurance cover.  Isn't yours the same?

 

Nope!

My £25000 caravan is insured by C&MH for under £300 no contents £500 excess.

Two security methods employed including alarm stored CASSOA Gold driveway cover three consecutive nights any one visit.

No Alko wheel lock required.

[Lutz]

10 hours ago, Borussia 1900 said:

Touch wood, in over 20 years I've never had anything stolen from my pitch. I have a couple of Tern Folding Bikes, a Weber Baby Q, Lafuma Chairs, non of it gets locked.

I do lock my expensive Road and/or Mountain Bikes on my Thule Bike Carrier though.

I only use a wheel lock if I'm visiting the UK, in the rest of the EU I don't bother.

 

In over 30 years of caravanning I've never used a wheel lock, even in the UK, nor have I ever possessed one. I guess that less than 1 in 10 of the caravans at the storage facility where I keep mine have any form of lock.

[macafee2]

When it comes to caravan wheel and hitch locks are easy to fit easy to bypass?  Al -ko's take on their wheel lock is difficult to fit, difficult to remove.

 

macafee2

[Mr Plodd]

7 hours ago, staffordshirechina said:

There are some sites that you need to use but can be risky. A few years ago, we were in the public camping area at Dorset steam fair. 

 

Oh I could give you  a huge list of “stuff” that has been nicked from the Steam Fair site over the years (including entire caravans) 

 

There is a certain “group” of people who tend to frequent such sites due to their “heritage” Sadly part of that heritage seems to be an inbuilt requirement for taking things that are not theirs. “Wasn’t me thur!” Being an oft heard phrase. 

 

Andy

44 minutes ago, macafee2 said:

When it comes to caravan wheel and hitch locks are easy to fit easy to bypass?  Al -ko's take on their wheel lock is difficult to fit, difficult to remove.

 

macafee2

 

I would amend “difficult” to read virtually impossible unless you have access to some pretty heavy duty cutting equipment and a fair amount of time. That’s probably why insurance companies offer decent discounts if you use one.

 

I fully appreciate that some on here don’t see the need for such things. That’s good news to my ears because it makes THEIR caravan much more appealing because it’s easier/quicker to steal   than mine, which always has its Alko wheel & hitch lock fitted when unattended. (And before some pedant asks, no of course I don’t fit the wheel lock if stopping for lunch etc but the hitch lock goes on at the start of the journey. Let’s not get into that discussion again eh?) 

 

Andy

[GaryB1969]

I find that the general mess my teenage daughter leaves in the caravan and awning makes it undesirable to any thief unless they have exceptionally low standards.

[Babstreefern]

A piece of cake which was left on the table in the awning of our then tent.  It was back in the mid-1980s, and when we were on holiday near Bridport in Dorset