jan69c Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 (edited) My service station experience was firsthand, OK, nothing happened but that was through sheer good fortune rather than anything else. Ditto the Calais illegal imigrants crossing the autoroutes. Our experience was first hand too. Such events are rare but it pays to be vigilant. Edited April 28, 2010 by jan69c Quote RegardsIan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulines7 Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 (edited) On our first trip abroad in France with our caravan in 2002, we were flagged down on an N road by a group of people who had two cars parked on a grass verge, one of which had the bonnet raised. My husband didn't stop but slowed down to about 3mph after having locked the car doors and wound down the window about two inches. When we drew level with them they started asking us for money. They said they had broken down, had no money for repairs and were visiting France from Eastern Europe. The woman had long black curly hair, large earrings and a headscarf. We said we didn't have any money and then accelerated away. It did scare us a little, especially as there was very little traffic on this particular road and it was in a remote spot. We tend to stick to motorways now. A couple of years ago we pulled into an Aire about 3pm. We were the only ones there and were soon joined by two cars. The drivers, we thought, were up to no good as they kept driving around. We started eating our sandwiches when we spotted one of the drivers walking towards the rear of our caravan. When he saw us he turned around in his tracks and walked back the way he had come. We wondered if he had been looking to see if we were asleep. His mate wasn't far away either. We very quickly decided to move on as we felt very uneasy. This Aire was on a motorway but not a péage. The lessons we have learnt now are to travel via a péage or motorway and when we pull into an Aire, we make sure there are plenty of other caravanners in there too. We are also very careful in French Supermarkets and watch out for people that get too close or tend to be following us around. Perhaps our two encounters have made us a bit paranoid!! Since the above encounters, we have now fitted an alarm to our caravan door which we put on at night if there are people on the site that we are not happy about or if we are staying overnight on a quayside. We also bought a gas alarm. Edited April 30, 2010 by Paulines7 Quote Lunar Clubman 475EK towed by Vauxhall Zafira Design 1. 9Cdti 150 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBod Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 I think if we were touring in France I would paint a large letter 'S' on each door so people would look and say "Look at that S-Car Go" :D Regards. Col From the film 'Trading Places' if I'm not mistaken!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinj09 Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 These stories must be true, because it happened to someone who knows someone who saw someone on the telly saying it was so. Funny there's never a first hand experience. Perhaps caravan forum users are too worldly wise. But then again, they beleive what somebody told them that happened to someone who knew someone who saw it on the telly. There are first hand experiences. Ten days ago, at 0500, on the Municipal site at Chartres, we were one of 5 caravans seriously burgled by a team of professionals. They slit our awning to get in and smashed a car side window to grab and run as the alarm sounded. The average loss to each unit was over £750. They even managed to use a tool to unlock a van window and a stick to open the door and get in whilst the owners were asleep in the end bedroom. The Police surmise a gang of travellers, or illegal immigrants. Such events are not common, but neither are they rare. We have now recovered and managed to replace all the big things like a computer and all the small things like plug conveters. W ere more fortunate than one guy had to go home because all his medication was stolen. When the sun shines, all will soon be well again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeB Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 Well it happened to us, So it is a first hand experience. And it certainly isn't funny. What is funny is that over 90% of people at one time did not believe that the world was round. & it happened to us in 2002 at the Aire Drace, southbound on the A6 just north of Villefranch sur Soane, they broke into our van whilst we were asleep (this aire is a fully serviced one!) & I can confirm its NOT funny! to loose your cash, credit cards, passports & money! Credit cards & passports recovered by the police at the next aire but not before I'd cancelled all the cards & of course no sign of the cash. Police said that there was a gang of east europeans targeting holiday makers travelling south & advised us in future use the northbound aires to stop over or better still stay on a municipal or other caravan site overnight! Quote GeorgeB Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult When I said I was normal. .....maybe I exaggerated somewhat! Skoda Superb MK3 190ps DSG 4X4 estate closely followed by a Swift Challenger 580 Alde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValA Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 I feel very sorry for anyone who has been robbed - but doesn't anyone take precautions and keep their cash, credit cards, passports, cameras, etc in one of the very many safe and inaccessible places in the caravan? We do - we take great care to tuck everything away before we go to bed - and it would take someone with an inside knowledge of our van, to discover where things are hidden - and without giving anything away, they'd probably have to get OH and myself out of our bed first to access anything of value. We also keep our cash in several different locations so that if any were found (and that in itself is very unlikely) that we'd always have other amounts which were safe. We keep a wallet and purse containing cards (but not useful ones) and a very small amount of cash, and that's all that there is likely to be on view of anyone except my most intimate friends! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W77 Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 (edited) I fitted a safe in one of the seat storage areas, keep every thing in there, credit cards, cash passports, cameras. Cost £25 from Screwfix. Steve W Edited May 9, 2010 by Steve W77 Quote 2015 SorentoKX2 pulling a 2011 Sterling Eccles Moonstone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nidge Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 I fitted a safe in one of the seat storage areas, keep every thing in there, credit cards, cash passports, cameras. Cost £25 from Screwfix. Steve W Same for me. Well worth the money. Regards Nidge Quote BMW X5 Sport, Shogun 3. 2 Elegance, Hymer Nova 570 GL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil1041 Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 I feel very sorry for anyone who has been robbed - but doesn't anyone take precautions and keep their cash, credit cards, passports, cameras, etc in one of the very many safe and inaccessible places in the caravan? We do - we take great care to tuck everything away before we go to bed - and it would take someone with an inside knowledge of our van, to discover where things are hidden - and without giving anything away, they'd probably have to get OH and myself out of our bed first to access anything of value. We also keep our cash in several different locations so that if any were found (and that in itself is very unlikely) that we'd always have other amounts which were safe. We keep a wallet and purse containing cards (but not useful ones) and a very small amount of cash, and that's all that there is likely to be on view of anyone except my most intimate friends! We do all of the above, we have an additional early warning system resident in our van as well, he is called Toby. Phil. Quote Light travels faster than sound, thats why some people appear bright, until you hear them speak. Mine : Mercedes GLC 250d AMG, Lunar Clubman SB, Rockwood 5th Wheel Trailer, La Manga Spain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimd Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 I fitted a safe in one of the seat storage areas, keep every thing in there, credit cards, cash passports, cameras. Cost £25 from Screwfix. Steve W I've done the same. Digital job from Makro - £18. Leave everything in there on site. Even the car keys. It's something the Caravan manufacturer's should consider as standard Quote Volvo XC60 Momentum Pro D4 pulling an Elddis Crusader Mistral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummond Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Oh, yes, I agree- but if the manufacturers put in a safe, it would cost £150, and anyway what would we talk about?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauriceH Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 I put a small safe from B&Q under the seat of our caravan - next to the water heater -- OK I suppose it could be got out with a bar -- but then they would have to open it any way. In the car it has a manufacturers safe box under the front carpet -- most of our stuff goes in these. The main problem is that you might be "Attacked" and that is more frightening than losing stuff. To think that they may have a go at you. . Maurice Quote Volvo S60 D5 (now sold ?) new Vauxall soonHappy to meet, Sorry to part, Happy to meet again48 Year Member of The Caravan Club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beejay Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 (edited) Carry a spare wallet/handbag with some expired cards and a few low value notes. Give it/them up if attacked and they will be away. .....with nothing of value BTW if you fit a safe in the van try to use one of the body mounting bolts through the safe "floor". These bolts pass through the chassis member and the nut is inside the locked safe. Edited May 10, 2010 by beejay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megladon Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 When we were robbed many years back we were in our motorhome traveling to Spain. We had a very good safe fitted into the foot well of the front door with security locks on both front doors, So the door would have to be open before anyone would see the safe. We were very close to the border so our passports were at the ready etc. I decided to fill up with fuel so we pulled into the service area. While I was filling up my wife put the passports into the glove box with the cash that we were to use for that days traveling (all else was in the safe) she then took the children into to the shop to use the toilets. I finished filling up took the cash that I needed to pay, Parked the motorhome up along toward the end of the parking area outside of the shop in full view of everyone outside of the shop. I put on both of the front security locks and went in to pay, When we came out the thieving scum had broken the 1/4 light window so as to open the door but this could not be done due to the security locks, So one of them wound down the window and climbed in through that while someone else must have kept a lookout for our return which could only have been between 5-10 minutes. In that short time they found the passports and a small amount of cash in the glovebox, but the damage they caused was unbelievable. The handles of the cupboards were snapped off where they had trod to get up to the overcab bed area, All of the cupboards had been ransacked and the handle on the rear door had been broken as they tried to get out that way. This was all done within full view of the fuel pumps, within full view of all the other parked cars and not one person noticed anything. If they can do this in the day in full view then what are they upto in the dark of night in the Aires, Please be very vigilant at all times. Quote I believe that political correctness can be a form of linguistic fascism, and it sends shivers down the spine of my generation who went to war against fascism ~ P D James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W77 Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 The main problem is that you might be "Attacked" and that is more frightening than losing stuff. To think that they may have a go at you. . As I am 19 stone and built like the proverbial brick ****house and according to some people "Nasty with it" all I can say is please just give me an excuse. Steve W Quote 2015 SorentoKX2 pulling a 2011 Sterling Eccles Moonstone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonbev Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 getting rather concerned now as we are / were planning on a few hours kip at an aire near orleans, although this would be in the morning and not in darkness. our stuff of value will be well hidden / spread about us, car, caravan and what a great idea about if the worst happening presenting the thieving lowlife scum with some expired cards and 30 euros in low value notes. There will also be a long trolley jack handle in the car somewhere not that i condone violence other than self defence. .... Quote ex-alutech owner - now rehabilitated and happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansoady Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Personally I wouldn't stay in an Aire despite the apparent risk being low. There are plenty of Municipals for €10 or so near all the motorways and you'd have a much better night, as well as access to boulangerie etc in the morning. And talk of using violence makes me very uneasy. You may be up against people who have little fear of getting hurt and someone could end up seriously injured or even dead - and that someone could be you or one of your family. Alternatively you may end up in a French gaol. Not worth the risk for less than a tenner AFAIC. Quote Ian. 2013 Freelander 2 SD4 Auto / 2005 Bailey Pageant Vendée; 1952 Norton ES2, 1986 Honda XBR500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W77 Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Personally I wouldn't stay in an Aire despite the apparent risk being low. There are plenty of Municipals for €10 or so near all the motorways and you'd have a much better night, as well as access to boulangerie etc in the morning. And talk of using violence makes me very uneasy. You may be up against people who have little fear of getting hurt and someone could end up seriously injured or even dead - and that someone could be you or one of your family. Alternatively you may end up in a French gaol. Not worth the risk for less than a tenner AFAIC. I quite agree, and I only stop on campsites, as you say it is less than a tenner. However, there comes a time when you have to stand up for yourself and what you believe in or you will end up unable to lead the lifestyle you choose. These people exist, learn to live your life despite them, or give in and do nothing except worry about being threatened or hurt. As someone once said, "Better to live one day as a lion than a lifetime as a lamb". I will not spend my life avoiding "Risky" places or people. Steve W Quote 2015 SorentoKX2 pulling a 2011 Sterling Eccles Moonstone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beejay Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Personally I wouldn't stay in an Aire despite the apparent risk being low. There are plenty of Municipals for €10 or so near all the motorways and you'd have a much better night, as well as access to boulangerie etc in the morning. And talk of using violence makes me very uneasy. You may be up against people who have little fear of getting hurt and someone could end up seriously injured or even dead - and that someone could be you or one of your family. Alternatively you may end up in a French gaol. Not worth the risk for less than a tenner AFAIC. Robberies do not take place on municipal camp sites? They do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansoady Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Robberies do not take place on municipal camp sites? They do! Of course they can occur anywhere. However, I feel happier on a municipal than I would on an Aire, where there is a constant flow of vehicles and people. However, there comes a time when you have to stand up for yourself and what you believe in or you will end up unable to lead the lifestyle you choose. These people exist, learn to live your life despite them, or give in and do nothing except worry about being threatened or hurt. I entirely agree otherwise I wouldn't go anywhere, and I wasn't suggesting I was worried about it - merely taking sensible precautions. People who know me wouldn't consider me timid. What I am concerned about is a "gung-ho" attitude that is almost looking for trouble. There is a very tiny minority of people who have no thought for others' welfare and as far as I'm concerned the loss of cash, passports etc isn't enough of an excuse to attack someone. Quote Ian. 2013 Freelander 2 SD4 Auto / 2005 Bailey Pageant Vendée; 1952 Norton ES2, 1986 Honda XBR500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanM Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Disturbing how many of us have experienced events at servcies during daytime, when we probably wouldn't think twice about stopping. I still stand by not leaving outfits unattended if at all practical. Quote "Scars are souvenirs you never loose" 2010 Swift Charisma Freestyle 550 + 2007 Nissan Pathfinder Aventura. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W77 Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Of course they can occur anywhere. However, I feel happier on a municipal than I would on an Aire, where there is a constant flow of vehicles and people. I entirely agree otherwise I wouldn't go anywhere, and I wasn't suggesting I was worried about it - merely taking sensible precautions. People who know me wouldn't consider me timid. What I am concerned about is a "gung-ho" attitude that is almost looking for trouble. There is a very tiny minority of people who have no thought for others' welfare and as far as I'm concerned the loss of cash, passports etc isn't enough of an excuse to attack someone. I sorry, but anyone who wants to take my money or passport is going to have to bloody well fight for it, I won't meekly hand it over. Steve W Quote 2015 SorentoKX2 pulling a 2011 Sterling Eccles Moonstone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsfly Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 I sorry, but anyone who wants to take my money or passport is going to have to bloody well fight for it, I won't meekly hand it over. Steve W with you all the way on that one. if people leave me and mine alone they will not have anything to fear from me at all pigs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimd Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I sorry, but anyone who wants to take my money or passport is going to have to bloody well fight for it, I won't meekly hand it over. Steve W Absolutely Quote Volvo XC60 Momentum Pro D4 pulling an Elddis Crusader Mistral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marksimonpowell Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 what is something "handy" to have in the car that doesnt look too offensive, but could be if needed - if you get my drift? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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