Caravan Security

[John G]

It's our first time over the water with the caravan this year and we were none to pleased to see that one of our chosen sites featured in this month CC Magazine letters, page 34, as having had nine units broken into in one night. I was surprised to read that it was possible to get into eight caravans and a tent and get away with the occupants possessions without waking them.

 

Our 'van is a Sterling Eccles Topaz is coming up for four years old. It has an aluminum framed door and windows and concertina blinds. I would think our week points from the intruder point of view are the door and perhaps the end toilet window. The door has the normal Swift one key fits all lock which from the article looks as if it could be opened by a screwdriver forced into the lock. A replacement more secure lock may prevent this but the screwdriver between the door and frame would easily force the latch from the keep. A magnetic audible alarm between the door and frame would soon awake you to the door having been opened but wouldn't prevent the damage done in gaining entry. Fitting an alarm between the toilet window and frame would not be easy as space between the window and blind is limited.

 

What precautions do you hardened Euro tourers take please?

 

John G

[couiza]

**

Edited July 8, 2009 by couiza

[Gordon]

What precautions do you hardened Euro tourers take please?

Our caravan has an alarm fitted, but this is really only usable when the caravan is unoccupied, and even then I have little confidence that anyone would help if it was triggered. As suggested, the "personal attack" alarms could be employed to warn you of any attempted entry, but I think the best advice is to only park in "safe" areas. That is to say, only use official camp sites. Never stay overnight in rest areas, or on the docks, and preferably well away from a port or industrial areas.

Security is really down to common sense. Think of your caravan as being no more secure than a tent, and never leave unattended valuables on view. Be aware of possible thefts when positioning your caravan on site, and where you have a choice it's probably better to be in the middle of a campsite (but away from natural thoroughfares) than at the edge.

Be aware, but don't worry unnecessarily as the overall risk is still very low. I've been taking tents and tourers abroad most of my adult life and have never experienced any problems with security.

Regards,

Gordon.

[FM02MZO]

Our van is fitted with an Autowatch alarm as standard, which just consisted of a PIR and rear leg sensor, I myself have added a tilt sensor and a magnetic switch on the door, when we are ready for bed etc. , we set the alarm in its At Home Mode. which disables the PIR and the rear leg sensor. In addition to the alarms I have also fitted a security chain to the door.

I purchased the extra alarm parts that I used direct from Autowatch.

[Scales]

Hi

 

Our caravan has an alarm fitted (d-i-y)

 

I fitted the control panel just inside the caravan door where it can be seen through the window in the door. The l. e. d. is on whether or not the alarm is set and is I suspect a deterrent.

 

As I see it the door is the most likely place for breaking in, especially if the thief believes the caravan to be occupied - he'll want a quick exit.

 

We go abroad regularly, occasionally using m/way services and regularly the dockside. I fit a small shed type alarm that makes a lot of noise if somebody forces the door. I don't think an intruder will hang around if it goes off.

 

Valuables (handbag, wallet etc) are either under our bed or in the car boot which is also alarmed.

 

We've been going abroad for many years and have never been bothered, but we don't show off our valuables - in fact I don't have expensive cameras, camcorders or jewellery etc.

 

Scales

[John G]

Many thanks for your replies.

 

The site where these burglaries took place is an 150 pitch commercial site 30 minutes from Calais, listed by the Caravan Club and Camping Cheques. http://www. caravancampingsites. co. uk/franc. ..ugandspette. htm

 

I would have thought this as safe as any. Perhaps that is why it was picked for this attack.

 

I will take your advice and fit some form of loud audible alarm to the door and rear window for peace of mind.

 

John G

[mack100]

Perhaps I'm a bit paranoid about security but this thread interests me. Ive just had a look around for simple door alarms and Maplin do some that work by breaking a magnetic contact.

 

http://www. maplin. co. uk/Module. aspx?Module. ..14&doy=27m2

 

It looks very simple and appears to deal with night-time intrusion. I'd be grateful for any comments.

[ian dunning]

Hi John,

Unfortunately all your windows are vulnerable to, even silent, attack as they're so easy to open. So the only way to go, I would have thought, is to have some form of alarm which sounds when they're opened, with a visual deterrent such as signs in the windows saying that an alarm is fitted,

Regards,

Ian.

Edited February 27, 2009 by ian dunning

[Scales]

Perhaps I'm a bit paranoid about security but this thread interests me. Ive just had a look around for simple door alarms and Maplin do some that work by breaking a magnetic contact.

 

http://www. maplin. co. uk/Module. aspx?Module. ..14&doy=27m2

 

It looks very simple and appears to deal with night-time intrusion. I'd be grateful for any comments.

 

Hi Mack

 

The ones I use are these

 

http://www. maplin. co. uk/Module. aspx?Module. ..14&doy=27m2

 

I managed to get a pack of 4 from Aldis for about £10, but of course they don't keep them in all year. You can easily switch them on and off.

 

They are a bit of a pain to fit. The magnetic contact needs to be fairly close to the alarm. I fit the alarm on the door panel and then have to pack the magnetic contact on the door with a piece of wood approx 2cms thick to bring them to the same level.

 

Scales

[MauriceH]

We have a "hand-bag alarm" which fits on the door -- if the door is opened by as much as 2" it pulls out a pin and sets of the alarm. and it is quite noisy. . and goes on for at least 5 mins. .. with a flashing light as well !!!

 

Dead easy to fit, and all you do is hook the string over the door catch when you go to bed. ..

 

I supose that you could if you were realy paranoid -- fit one to each of the windows too. .

 

or have a sort of "trip wire" stringin the awning. .

dead cheap and effective. .

 

they cost about £6 I think -- we have had ours for years. .

 

 

this is what it looks like

 

alarm

and it is tested to -- GOLD Standard Sold Secure

 

Maurice

Edited February 27, 2009 by MauriceH

[mack100]

We have a "hand-bag alarm" which fits on the door -- if the door is opened by as much as 2" it pulls out a pin and sets of the alarm. and it is quite noisy. . and goes on for at least 5 mins. .. with a flashing light as well !!!

 

Dead easy to fit, and all you do is hook the string over the door catch when you go to bed. ..

 

I supose that you could if you were realy paranoid -- fit one to each of the windows too. .

 

or have a sort of "trip wire" stringin the awning. .

dead cheap and effective. .

 

they cost about £6 I think -- we have had ours for years. .

this is what it looks like

 

alarm

and it is tested to -- GOLD Standard Sold Secure

 

Maurice

 

that one looks good,is it easy to turn off if the siren sounds?

[MauriceH]

You just put the pin back in --- but I don't think a tow-rag would wait to see if they could do it -- they would be well legging it down the site. .

 

we do change the batteries each year -- even though they may not have been activated -- just for peace of mind. .

 

Just read in the blurb that it goes on for four hours --- we have never been able to stand ours for as long as five mins ---

 

Maurice

Edited February 27, 2009 by MauriceH

[John G]

You have convinced me Maurice.

 

I have ordered two Defender 111Ts from eBay, £5 for the pair including postage.

 

Many thanks

 

John G

[mack100]

You have convinced me Maurice.

 

I have ordered two Defender 111Ts from eBay, £5 for the pair including postage.

 

Many thanks

 

John G

 

Exactly what I did

[Yossa]

Perhaps I'm a bit paranoid about security but this thread interests me. Ive just had a look around for simple door alarms and Maplin do some that work by breaking a magnetic contact.

 

http://www. maplin. co. uk/Module. aspx?Module. ..14&doy=27m2

 

It looks very simple and appears to deal with night-time intrusion. I'd be grateful for any comments.

 

Bought one from Maplin today, put batteries in didn't work, changed the batteries, still didn't work.

 

Returned it to Maplin and got my money back.

 

Yossa

[paulus]

You have convinced me Maurice.

 

I have ordered two Defender 111Ts from eBay, £5 for the pair including postage.

 

Many thanks

 

John G

 

Me too, I will probably use one to attach to the beer fridge in the awning, give the light-fingered brigade a surprise if they try to nab the Guinness!

[mack100]

Me too, I will probably use one to attach to the beer fridge in the awning, give the light-fingered brigade a surprise if they try to nab the Guinness!

 

Glad to see where your priorities lie.

[colger23]

I have a proximity alarm pointing across the doorway - switched on/off remotely from the bedroom. I guess this can only work if you have a seperate bedroom.

 

Gerry

[phil1041]

I have a proximity alarm pointing across the doorway - switched on/off remotely from the bedroom. I guess this can only work if you have a seperate bedroom.

 

Gerry

 

 

I have a proximity alarm that doesn't take batteries, mind you, you can't switch him off and i have to walk him three times a day, but he is the best alarm there is.

 

Phil.

Edited March 2, 2009 by phil1041

[swiftie71]

I have a very cheap way to secure a caravan from the inside. I was shown this by a gentleman this weekend. He had simply drilled a small

hole through the catch on the vans door and then you insert a pin into it the door could not be opened from the outside, a good idea I thought

if your thinking of travelling over seas and sleeping in the services. He said that he'd helped out a policeman who had been gassed while sleeping by doing

this to his lock.

 

Hope this helps Ill certainly be doing this next time I venture abroad.

 

Swiftie.

[John G]

I have a very cheap way to secure a caravan from the inside. I was shown this by a gentleman this weekend. He had simply drilled a small

hole through the catch on the vans door and then you insert a pin into it the door could not be opened from the outside, a good idea I thought

if your thinking of travelling over seas and sleeping in the services. He said that he'd helped out a policeman who had been gassed while sleeping by doing

this to his lock.

 

Hope this helps Ill certainly be doing this next time I venture abroad.

 

Swiftie.

 

 

That sounds a brilliant idea.

 

Where is the hole through the lock bolt into the door frame?

 

John G

[paulus]

That sounds a brilliant idea.

 

Where is the hole through the lock bolt into the door frame?

 

John G

 

I think the idea is to drill a small (i. e. 2-3mm) hole in the part of the lock that retracts into the body/handle close to the body/handle itself and insert a small pin to stop it from being levered open from the outside. A picture would help here but I don't have one!

[swiftie71]

Ill try to add a pic tomorrow. This is best idea ive come across.

[TD 42]

I have a standard caravan door lock on my Bailey, at night I "lift" the handle to the up position "opposite to down for opening" I was informed that in this position the door was dead locked and cannot be opened from outside,I have not tried to open the door from outside when the handle is in this position so do not know if this is correct. Perhaps some one out there knows better

[John G]

I have a standard caravan door lock on my Bailey, at night I "lift" the handle to the up position "opposite to down for opening" I was informed that in this position the door was dead locked and cannot be opened from outside,I have not tried to open the door from outside when the handle is in this position so do not know if this is correct. Perhaps some one out there knows better

If your Bailey is the same as my Swift you will find that if you turn the lock with the key, with the handle raised, the handle drops and the door opens in the normal way.

 

John G