Securing your off roader while free camping

ronjons · Member

Securing your off roader while free camping

Possum3 · Guru

I use a Herc-alloy chain and padlocks remember to chain all-wheels to suspension including spare, I always totally remove jockey wheel from vehicle and carry in tug, they are harder to steal when light fingered thief has to bring own jack to lift van onto their vehicle. Distinctive van markings and name on back also are deterrents.
Whilst ever there are 12volt four inch grinders there is no way you can be totally secure. Just make sure you have your insurance up to date for an agreed value.

hako · Guru

Personally I would fit a GPS tracking device hidden on the roof of the caravan (powered by it's inbuilt battery backed up by caravan battery) - they are available for about $100 and enable you to locate the vehicle if stolen via your mobile phone. They can be setup to send you a SMS if the vehicle is moved and will track it's movements/location.

Good Luck.

mullpadd · Veteran Member

Hi Hako, That's a great idea. Can you point me to where One get these tracking devices? Thanks,Tony

Goldfinger · Senior Member

..... Police Cars have their identification painted on the roof of their vehicles....can be seen by searching aircraft...or even folk standing on higher ground....perhaps we should all have our Registration or similar identification on the roof of our Vans.....the last place a thief would look as he' takes off' with his stolen goods...gives those looking for a stolen Van a small window of opportunity to spot it's whereabouts?.....Hoo Roo

macka17 · Guru

Hi.

After a lot of yrs vanning.

If I'm going bush camp for a while.

The ONLY place I leave my van for ANY period of time.

Is IN a Van park.

Either in Storage area, with coupla wheels off.
or on a site. paid for. With locks and a tracker in it.

Roll out half out. mat down. Maybe an old pr of sandals. and a light on inside.

looking lived in.

Read the news. Caravans go missing from your yard at home.

And you going to leave in strange place.

Another possible. is in a lockup storage area in nearest town.

30\40 yrs ago. it was fine leaving most places.
Honesty and morals (to a point) still existed.

Nowadays. they'll thieve a dead match if it laying around.

ALSO.

GOOD INSURANCE is a given.

Enjoy the life. It is great.

Just use a little sensibility on the way round.
and trust nobody with their hands outside their pockets.

-- Edited by macka17 on Wednesday 9th of August 2017 11:33:32 AM

PeterD · Guru

ronjons wrote:
We have just bought a Hitchmaster lock

Ronnie

Ronnie, I would suggest you take it back and get your money back. They would have to be one of the most useless pieces of gear around. All a tea leaf needs to do is use a piece of chain and a couple of shackles. The chain goes around his hitch and the two ends are shackled to the chains on your drawbar. He then takes the van down the road where he can cut off any so called protection you have installed or replaces the coupling and he is away.

hako · Guru

mullpadd wrote:
Hi Hako, That's a great idea. Can you point me to where One get these tracking devices? Thanks,Tony

Just go to Ebay and search for "caravan tracking device"

Good Luck.

macka17 · Guru

Bloke I knew yrs ago.
Went bush with his Troopie.

Had one of those folding drawbars made up.
with M\F plugs for wiring to van.

When he left van anywhere.
Up on axle jacks.
Drawbar on ute tray. and away.
His mate with him. Also Single axle.
Took bar and wheels . Just left the box on axle stands.
Both had a rooftop tent for bush.

If it can move. They'll thieve it.

Bolt on hitch. Remove it.

The harder you make it.
The more the chance they'll go to someone easier.

NOT good for him. But definitely better for you hey.

RustyD · Guru

Unfortunately if someone want something of yours then that's it. I always grin when I see all the rolls of chain in Bunnings. They are just cut to length by bolt cutters sold in another aisle. A thief determined to nick your van will come prepared with all the required kit; spare jockey wheel, bolt cutters, 12v angle grinder, 12v drill/driver, wheel brace etc.

At home, I use a motorcycle ground anchor, heavy duty plastic covered stranded wire (also motorbike shop sourced) wrapped around the a-frame and a good sized padlock. It's all ultimately breakable but I'm hoping the noise made breaking this all up would wake up a few neighbours.

PeterInSa · Guru

Re (Unfortunately if someone wants something of yours then that's it. )

Agree...But if you make it harder for them to steal your van, they could very well give up or steal somebody else's van. And if your New van is the best looking of 3 or 4 parked in a freedom camp and you are all away for the day, guess who's van they will try for first. Insurance... Its great if you have a new van and have not made any changes, just get the van replaced after a 4 months wait or buy a second hand unit. My insurance will not cover a new van and definitely not the personal changes I have made, so I replace the van, add $XX,XXX then spend another XX hours putting in my personal touches....

We have a towball lock, A 2G tracker system that needs to be replaced with a 3G system and the wheel clamps (below)

www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Heavy-Duty-13-15-Steel-Car-Van-Wheel-Clamp-Safety-Lock-for-caravan-Trailer-/122466674638

Safe Travels

Peter

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Wednesday 9th of August 2017 06:43:34 PM

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Wednesday 9th of August 2017 06:56:02 PM

elliemike · Guru

I wonder how many are actually Stolen each year and what is the risk ?

Below taken from Caravan World: see link

While the idea of someone stealing the caravan youve worked hard to buy is concerning, the statistics show the risk is actually quite low. In the 2013/14 financial year, those five companies mentioned above reported 263 caravan theft claims between them, with an average claim value of $19,450. That number reduced to 250 theft claims in 14/15, and currently sits at 211 to the end of May 2016.

In that time, there was a simultaneous reduction in the average value of those claims, dropping to $16,644 from 13/14.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the total number of claims involving caravan theft, as well as theft from caravans, reduced over the same three year period from 312 claims in the 2013/14 financial year to 273 for the 2015/16 financial year up to May 2016.

https://www.caravanworld.com.au/features/1607/is-caravan-theft-on-the-rise

PeterInSa · Guru

Mike the OP intends to be on the road full time so to me more opportunity for the van to be stolen. And the low risk... Tell that the owners of a van that has been stolen.

Peter

macka17 · Guru

$40 to 100plusK of mobile box on wheels.
Dead easy to steal when nobody looking.

Leave it in secure storage \park area and spend the extra on fuel
for the extra dis, to\from storage to explore.

You KNOW it'll still be there when you return then. 99.5% of the time.

That folding
emovable drawbar system sounds a real good idea to me though.

Tony Bev · Guru

Locks will only deter the opportunist thief
The professional thief, will soon get through locks

When I pull into a camp, I introduce myself to some of the people parked around me

When I was towing a caravan, and leaving it for a quite a few hours, I always asked at least three other sets of travelers, to keep their eye on it

I always started the conversation, by asking if they wanted anything picked up in town

This always gave me peace of mind, but I will admit, that my old caravan was probably not worth stealing

Edit to say

I forgot my manners, welcome to the forum

-- Edited by Tony Bev on Sunday 13th of August 2017 05:48:45 PM

Coyote · Veteran Member

Looking at these tracking devices it appears they need telephone coverage, what do they do when there is no phone network?

Mike Harding · Guru

Coyote wrote:
Looking at these tracking devices it appears they need telephone coverage, what do they do when there is no phone network?

Don't work.

hako · Guru

Coyote wrote:
Looking at these tracking devices it appears they need telephone coverage, what do they do when there is no phone network?

Rest assured that if your van is stolen and it has a tracking device fitted it will at sometime enter an area that has mobile phone coverage and when they do you will know because it will be logged.

The market for stolen caravans is where the people are, and where the people are there is mobile coverage.

Good Luck.

Coyote · Veteran Member

Thanks for that

so in fitting these thy obviously have to be on the outside to get the GPS Signal if they are that obvious wouldn't a thief just remove it?? Or are they small enough to hide ???

hako · Guru

Coyote wrote:
Thanks for that

so in fitting these thy obviously have to be on the outside to get the GPS Signal if they are that obvious wouldn't a thief just remove it?? Or are they small enough to hide ???

Look at what's on top of the average caravan - solar panels, airconditioner, vents, roll out awning etc.....easy enough to disguise it up there and you can hide them behind a cover.

If your mobile phone works inside your caravan (which it generally does if near a town), then you could have the tracker inside the van.

They use them in them in the construction industry when leaving graders, cranes etc parked overnight etc. See link.

https://gpstrackit.com/tracking-solutions/heavy-equipment-tracking/