I use 4mm stainless steel cable and a padlock. I just wrap it around the gas bottles and the a frame.
I also use the same size cable 5 mts long with a padlock to secure my portable Solar Panel to the Avan. I actually wrap it around the solar panel 6B&S cable which is also 5 mts long so that is safe as well. I never set it up as a portable to go off wondering around without me. I also have my Baby Q locked the same way.
I know if someone want's things that bad they will have the appropriate cutters but it would stop kids just walking off with them or the honest thief. I HOPE.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Friday 22nd of March 2013 07:17:12 PM
Grams said
01:29 AM Mar 23, 2013
Or do you even have too?
Hi,
Les and I were talking about this, Les wanted to make a cover of some kind with vents so he could padlock them in. I was hoping...that there was not going to be people around the places we go to. that would steal everything not locked and bolted down
So what do you think?
Are there thieves out there, everywhere?
carry1 said
01:48 AM Mar 23, 2013
Yes yes yes we had a cheap $5.00 rake taken from the van a-frame while staying at a CP. If they can stoop to taking that nothing is safe. We have a chain and padlock around the bottles for peace of mind. Outdoor furniture / bbq also chained up to the van overnight as have seen so any people wandering around at night especially if CP has a lot of permanents.
Rita & Michael
Kiwi-as said
01:59 AM Mar 23, 2013
Just put padlock on the clamp that holds the gas bottles. We had an aerial unscrewed and taken, and a petrol container pinched off the roof rack, while parked on the grass outside a GN home.
GaryKelly said
02:36 AM Mar 23, 2013
My gas bottle is in a lockable compartment (from the outside) and I'm glad it is. Too many crooks about to take a risk.
Grams said
02:42 AM Mar 23, 2013
It's so sad that nothing is safe...
Ok, so what isn't locked and bolted down, has to be put out of sight. I will remember never to leave anything lying around when we are not there.....
So sad :(
pauline said
03:04 AM Mar 23, 2013
Never even thought about doing it.............maybe we have just been lucky.
Bravehearts said
03:42 AM Mar 23, 2013
We have padlocks on our gas bottles and a lock on the pin that holds our tow ball. I hate paying insurance premiums, but a bit of prevention helps.
hako said
03:47 AM Mar 23, 2013
I hope no one allows fear of theft to interfere with their enjoyment when camping. The chance of theft is really pretty remote and statistics show that it is no worse now than 50 or 100 years ago. As others have suggested above, take precautions but don't go overboard. The vast majority of people are honest so just believe in the majority. Good Luck.
Roving-Dutchy said
03:47 AM Mar 23, 2013
Why bother they only cost about 30 bucks and Iv'e never heard about one being pinched, solar panels and Engels are a different kettle of fish they seem to grow legs and just walk away on their own accord. David
ROWDYRABBIT1 said
05:04 AM Mar 23, 2013
Well i had a dual tap fitting stolen while i was up the hospital by one of those respected wingiebago owners when they packed up and left. Its not the cost ,its just one more thing to replace , YES LOCK IT UP. ROD
Cruising Cruze said
05:15 AM Mar 23, 2013
I would say put an lock on everything it's more for not having to go to all the trouble when things are missing
better safe than sorry
John
Grams said
06:03 AM Mar 23, 2013
I agree with locking everything...after all you don't want to find they took something and its important, like the caravans wheels lol
herbie said
06:23 AM Mar 23, 2013
It is a sad situatian to be miles from any major city/ town and things can go missing ,but it is a fact of the times we live in. c/van parks are probably worse for gear to be stolen.They say it has not got any worse in the last 50/ 100 years, i beg to differ on that, i recon people today just do not report it, as they know they will never get their gear back.So YES Lock Every Thing Up.as in a lot of in situations the thief if he comes along and your gear is locked up, he will just go on to the next poor bugger who has not got his gear secured.
tonyd said
08:45 AM Mar 23, 2013
Lock 'em up. I have had a cable lock on the 9kg gas bottle (chaining it to the towbar) after a former Jayco worker who serviced my wheel bearings said he was surprised that the (then unlocked) bottle on the van parked in my driveway had not been nicked. I also lock up outdoor furniture when staying in CPs.
Cheers, Tony
kesue said
02:18 PM Mar 23, 2013
Treat your caravan the same as you would your house, you dont go away and leave it unlocked with gear everywhere, but dont be too paranoid about theft. It happens in every street, carpark, caravan park and free camps but the people stealing usually look for the easy items to take. Unfortunately we live in that sort of society today, but dont let it spoil your caravanning. Keith
Grams said
03:05 PM Mar 23, 2013
Thank you,
I live in a small town, and most times don't even lock the doors, everything is left outside, even the shed door is unlocked (can't remember where we put the key). Here people are trustworthy, they ask questions if you know someone is not home and a strange car pulls up. We tell each other when we go away for a few days and they look after the place and feed the animals...
I am really going to miss that when we sell :(
But I agree, don't take anything for granted, if its not protected it can walk. I think the only times we will be leaving the van is when we visit a CP, but they are not like they used to be, so we will put everything away if we are not there to watch them.
Hylda&Jon said
05:22 PM Mar 23, 2013
pauline wrote:
Never even thought about doing it.............maybe we have just been lucky.
I use 4mm stainless steel cable and a padlock. I just wrap it around the gas bottles and the a frame.
I also use the same size cable 5 mts long with a padlock to secure my portable Solar Panel to the Avan. I actually wrap it around the solar panel 6B&S cable which is also 5 mts long so that is safe as well. I never set it up as a portable to go off wondering around without me. I also have my Baby Q locked the same way.
I know if someone want's things that bad they will have the appropriate cutters but it would stop kids just walking off with them or the honest thief. I HOPE.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Friday 22nd of March 2013 07:17:12 PM
Or do you even have too?
Hi,
Les and I were talking about this, Les wanted to make a cover of some kind with vents so he could padlock them in. I was hoping...that there was not going to be people around the places we go to. that would steal everything not locked and bolted down
So what do you think?
Are there thieves out there, everywhere?
Rita & Michael
We had an aerial unscrewed and taken, and a petrol container pinched off the roof rack, while parked on the grass outside a GN home.
Ok, so what isn't locked and bolted down, has to be put out of sight. I will remember never to leave anything lying around when we are not there.....
So sad :(
We have padlocks on our gas bottles and a lock on the pin that holds our tow ball. I hate paying insurance premiums, but a bit of prevention helps.
Good Luck.
David
Well i had a dual tap fitting stolen while i was up the hospital by one of those respected wingiebago owners when they packed up and left. Its not the cost ,its just one more thing to replace , YES LOCK IT UP. ROD
it's more for not having to go to all the trouble when things are missing
better safe than sorry
John
It is a sad situatian to be miles from any major city/ town and things can go missing ,but it is a fact of the times we live in. c/van parks are probably worse for gear to be stolen.They say it has not got any worse in the last 50/ 100 years, i beg to differ on that, i recon people today just do not report it, as they know they will never get their gear back.So YES Lock Every Thing Up.as in a lot of in situations the thief if he comes along and your gear is locked up, he will just go on to the next poor bugger who has not got his gear secured.
Lock 'em up. I have had a cable lock on the 9kg gas bottle (chaining it to the towbar) after a former Jayco worker who serviced my wheel bearings said he was surprised that the (then unlocked) bottle on the van parked in my driveway had not been nicked. I also lock up outdoor furniture when staying in CPs.
Cheers, Tony
I live in a small town, and most times don't even lock the doors, everything is left outside, even the shed door is unlocked (can't remember where we put the key). Here people are trustworthy, they ask questions if you know someone is not home and a strange car pulls up. We tell each other when we go away for a few days and they look after the place and feed the animals...
I am really going to miss that when we sell :(
But I agree, don't take anything for granted, if its not protected it can walk. I think the only times we will be leaving the van is when we visit a CP, but they are not like they used to be, so we will put everything away if we are not there to watch them.
Us too.