Does anybody have a good suggestion for the best way of securing my caravan from theft, while parked in a back paddock that doesn't have a padlock on the gate towards the road?
i.e. gate-padlock is not feasible, because owner drives in and out of that gate nearly every day.
Wheel clamp?
Towbar locking gadget?
I do have a locking gadget that sits over the towbar/towball while the caravan is hitched up to the car. Is that good enough to use when parked, too?
If you decide on wheel clamps get the ones with full plate cover over the wheel nuts. Also remove anything that would be easily pilfered (e.g. gas cyl's)
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Cheers,
Tony
"Opinion is the medium between ignorance and knowledge" - Plato
insurance. if they think they need it they will get it.
it is usually the smaller things that go missing as mentioned earlier (wheels .gas bottles ect) that cause the biggest pain
Wheel clamps, one each side, Tow ball fitting lock, Tracker with a Telstra Sim( provided Van is in a Telstra signal area) and set Tracker to Geo Fence so if the van moves say up to 100m, you are sent an SMS with the GPS Location to your smart phone and the Location is shown on Google Maps.
My van is in a similar situation being in a paddock but mine cannot be seen from the road . I have a DO 35 hitch which a mate modified a tow ball lock so a pin now goes through the ring just wide enough for the chains to be looped through it thus stopping the throw over the towball method of theft. I have 2 car stands a metre of 25ml square tube which I rest the A froame on and take the jockey wheel home . So far so good I believe its more stopping the opportunist thief a pro will have your van if they real want it .
All good ideas, but they will only stop the honest thief. If the want it they will take it.
We live in a secured estate with a check in security point and 6 security guards on roster. Cost about $1600 per annum but worth the security blanket. I never lock our cars or the van and most night a house door may not be locked. The state has never had a major security breach.
On the road all we have is a tow ball lock.
Maybe we are a little laid back in regards to our security.
But great to have, when we are out and about or on the road for weeks at a time.
Yes, all any of us can do is make it too difficult for the opportunist thief. Obviously a more determined scumbag will get it regardless, but the more measures you have in place the better. Do most if not all the things suggested in here and you'll have done your best.
__________________
Cheers,
Tony
"Opinion is the medium between ignorance and knowledge" - Plato
we have an alko wheel clamp, kovix alarmed towball lock, chains and locks for the gas bottles plus spare wheel, trail-a-mate jockey wheel lock, GPS tracking system, and still considering $900 plus WiTi system. none of which will stop your professional thief, but will possibly deter and at least slow him/her down. remember that it takes about two minutes to remove and replace your towball cup and drive away with the van. some guys just have doggies - best unless baited I guess. we also have a locking pin on our tow vehicle after someone simply removed an earlier pin that wasn't lockable (left the ball and shank mind you).