Milliemoo said:
Now obviously wishing to make it secure as possible, what are the best door locks to fit plus suggestions on a good alarm system please.
Hi Angie,
there are three different aspects regarding security:
1. Secure your motorhome while you are sleeping in it:
Make sure that any hoodlums can't break in without waking you up. Even better: If they can see from outside that breaking in will wake you up.
2. Secure your motorhome while it is parked and you are absent:
Nearly impossible. If they have time enough and nobody in the neighbourhood cares (and in many locations you can be sure that nobody cares) they can overcome all security measures you could think of.
So you can only reduce the probability that they steal the whole vehicle. Means that an immobilizer is essential.
3. Secure your motorhome while it is parked in front of your home:
See 2. Except if you have either a possibilty to park it on your private ground behind a fence etc. or nosey neighbours who call the police at every other hour.
We have already experienced an assault while sleeping in our motorcaravan. They had already opened one of the cab doors. Luckily I woke up and when I came down to the cab with my big MAG-Lite torch they ran away as fast as they could.
Our conclusions:
- The weakest spots are the cab doors. Especially the Fiat Ducato door locks are just ridiculous. So unless you have an A-class motorhome without cab doors you should secure them in a very visible way. Our solution now is:
- Forget about sleeping gas: That's all urban legend. It is just impossible to achieve anaesthetic concentrations of whatever sleeping gas (below military grade) in a motor home by feeding it in from outside with an aerosol can.
- The best alarm systems are the really big ones on four legs :wink:
- If you don't have an immobilizer, try to have one refitted.
- Try to avoid critical sleeping spots. I am not aware about the situation in the UK, but in "old Europe" you should strictly avoid all motorway lay-bys. Especially on main tourist routes. Also areas close to country borders are always critical.
- When you leave your "rolling home", always take all real valuables (car papers, credit cards etc.) with you. Or build in a real sturdy safe.
Best Regards,
Gerhard