Security when free camping

dorian · Guru

Security when free camping

dorian · Guru

Google's search engine is much better:

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=%22free+camping%22+safety+OR+security+site:thegreynomads.activeboard.com

-- Edited by dorian on Wednesday 7th of August 2013 04:23:18 PM

GypsyBob · Veteran Member

G'day

I was just wondering about security of my stuff when free camping (or in a caravan park). If I want to go for a walk should I take all my wordly posessions with me? or limit my walks to just going round and round my van?

Cheers
Bob

allinone · Senior Member

hi and welcome GypsyBob
Have free camped and stayed at CPs, friends and also on the street and have lived in houses in suburbia, have locked and also left doors and windows wide open at all types of places.
When walking I take my phone in case I fall over and remain conscious and my wallet in case someone finds me and I am unconscious. Life is too short to worry about these things. Enjoy :)

Gerty Dancer · Guru

This has been discussed before, Gypsy Bob... here are some links which should be helpful.

http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t52187336/safety-on-free-camping/

http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t53569104/personal-safety-whilst-free-camping/

These days it seems there are more dishonest people around, so it pays to be careful.

GypsyBob · Veteran Member

Gerty Dancer wrote:
This has been discussed before, Gypsy Bob... here are some links which should be helpful.

Thanks for that. I've searched for a search function - but failed :(

GaryKelly · Guru

My advice is to treat your valuables on the road just the same as you would at home. When you're away, lock 'em up. Some blokes do that with the missus as well.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin GaryKelly is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

freehazzas · Senior Member

Ha ha ha please do not give my hubby any ideas.

Happywanderer · The Master

Welcome Bob. The search function is up the top about half way along the dark blue line, after Home and List all users.

herbie · Guru

Just take precautions as you would living in a house.Best to have a chain and padlock of some type to securer your out side gear to your caravan/motor home if leaving it for any length of time. Just do what we do and except that their is thieves all over the place no matter where you are, they never take a holiday.Never leave your wallet or keys near a window if it is open or sitting around under the awning .

Nelly · Guru

I am pleased to think that some blokes think enough of their 'missus'!!!! to lock them up!!!

Oxley · Veteran Member

Bunnings has some cheap safes that can be bolted down, I have fitted two small ones in the camper and one that has a cable lock in the car, under the seat.

Also one thing I learn't living in some rough areas in Sydney, don't store anything in the glovebox, and just leave it open when away from the car, its one less reason for them to break in.

Just don't do what someone I know did, purchased a very expensive car safe (goes under the seat) but couldn't be bothered to bolt it down, guess what happened?

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Good idea about a safe Oxley, also a good idea to have one in your house if you leave it empty while you are away. The Bunnings ones are much cheaper than the specialist locksmith's, its on our shopping list.

Oxley · Veteran Member

I'm firm believer in the decoy method, as most thieves are opportunist, so I leave things lying around like a broken laptop, dead iphone etc and even an locked empty safe that's not bolted down.

Sometimes I remember a sales pitch that was given to our company on some computer security product, and my bosses response:

Salesman: It has triple AES256 encryption with a 6144bit random key, not even the NSA could crack it in a million years, it the most secure product ever.

Boss: so how does the user access their data?

Salesman: With a password.

Boss: So if I took you down to the basement with 5 blokes armed with pipes and other heavy blunt instruments, and asked for the password, how secure is it now?

GypsyBob · Veteran Member

Nelly wrote:
I am pleased to think that some blokes think enough of their 'missus'!!!! to lock them up!!!

I am concerned to think that some blokes think so badly of their missus that they need to lock her up.

the rocket · Guru

Oxley wrote:
I'm firm believer in the decoy method, as most thieves are opportunist, so I leave things lying around like a broken laptop, dead iphone etc and even an locked empty safe that's not bolted down.

Sometimes I remember a sales pitch that was given to our company on some computer security product, and my bosses response:

Salesman: It has triple AES256 encryption with a 6144bit random key, not even the NSA could crack it in a million years, it the most secure product ever.
Boss: so how does the user access their data?
Salesman: With a password.

Boss: So if I took you down to the basement with 5 blokes armed with pipes and other heavy blunt instruments, and asked for the password, how secure is it now?

hi, I like the decoy method.

-- Edited by the rocket on Friday 9th of August 2013 02:55:05 PM

Bent Axle Bob · Senior Member

smile Bunnings......have a simple security system available, $49. Consists of magnetic reed switch for the door annnnd a PIR detector, plus a 105 decibel screamer, all 9v battery powered, plus two remotes. Obviously not much good when you're 3 kms from the next guy, but in a van park.... gotta be the bees knees. Bonus... DIY. Bought mine today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Edited by Bent Axle Bob on Friday 9th of August 2013 09:46:37 PM

-- Edited by Bent Axle Bob on Friday 9th of August 2013 09:47:37 PM

Dunmowin · Guru

the rocket wrote:
Oxley wrote:
I'm firm believer in the decoy method, as most thieves are opportunist, so I leave things lying around like a broken laptop, dead iphone etc and even an locked empty safe that's not bolted down.

hi, I like the decoy method.

-- Edited by the rocket on Friday 9th of August 2013 02:55:05 PM

Well done. Now the potential "would be opportunists" know our careful and cunning plan.

Shogun · Senior Member

Not sure about the decoy method. If they can't see anything laying around, then there is less chance of them breaking in. How do they know its broken until they break in?

A broken iPhone is still worth stealing even just to cash it in for $20.

My opinion is lock everything away so it can't be seen. Thieves are definitely opportunistic.

Brett

Oxley · Veteran Member

My experience is that they want to get in and out quickly (especially if your home), so if there is a laptop and iphone sitting on the hallway stand, they are less likely to spend time ransacking the place.

I learn't this from a company I worked for that a ground floor office in an industrial estate that seem to be broken into monthly, we did work out they would wait 4 to 6 weeks for equipment they stole previously to be replaced, and come back and steal that, or sometimes throw a rock through a windows to see if there was any change in reaction times etc.

But what they did was any equipment, such as laptops that were getting a bit old and due for replacement, would be left out in the open, they would take these as a matter of course, company gets the replacement partial funded by the insurance company.

Yeah, I don't work for them anymore, some business practices were a bit off.

VKPORTABLE · Senior Member

Oxley wrote:
Bunnings has some cheap safes that can be bolted down

I got one of the fire and waterproof models, although after having it awhile now I am not 100% convinced on it's waterproofing abilities, no I haven't dropped into a 44 drum to test it. There does (visually on outside) appear to be a slight gap where water could find it's way in.

It isn't a 'bolt-down' job, although it is rather large and heavy, so anyone walking away with it would look a bit odd. I do have a chain that is secured to the vehicle that I wrap around the handle (it appears sturdy enough) and secured with a padlock that can't be cut with bolt cutters or a hacksaw.

At the end of the day, safe's, locks, cameras, isolators etc etc only keep the honest thieves at bay - if they "really" want it, they are going to get it. Save having some sort of automatic zone detection gattling gun arranged on the vehicle there is no real 100% secure method.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Perhaps I am just some weird, out of touch or an extremely lucky camper - but security never enters my mind. I have been camping, travelling and enjoying the bush etc all my life.

I have yet to be subjected to the things that others here have experienced or fear. I always feel much safer in the bush than anywhere else.

Perhaps, the best 'deterrent' may be this little bloke

Cheers - John

GypsyBob · Veteran Member

rockylizard wrote:
I have yet to be subjected to the things that others here have experienced or fear. I always feel much safer in the bush than anywhere else.

I was hoping that this was going to be the sort of reply that everyone gave.

At home, my house doors are never locked and the car keys are in the ignition.

Cruising Granny · Guru

I've been free camping for much of the last 3 years, with the trucks I'm escorting, or on my own on the way home.
In fact I've been travelling alone since 2006 and never once felt threatened, whether I was in the caravan, the car, the camp bed or in Betty.
Park among the trucks and you'll be ok. Pity about the ice packs and airconditioners. Fridge vans don't park up overnight, just for a meal and shower and they're on their way again.
I did lose a power cable in Bunbury last week. My own fault. I left it plugged in at my site while I went into town. Gone on my return, so I had to go out and get another one. Obviously someone needed it more than they thought I did.
Chain fridges to the wheel rim or something solid.
It's more about deterrents. If it's too hard they won't bother.
Although - there are exceptions.
Neighbours in the park I'm in had a large tool chest, complete with tools, and a large generator stolen from under their bus/coach, while they were inside, awake.
They'd only bought the tool chest a couple of days before and packed it under the bus that day. Me thinks someone in that park is watching and taking every chance they can to help themselves.
That, unfortunately, is life. Just be wise with your stuff.

The dog lady · Guru

I've been bush camping all my life, first as a child with my parents, and later with partners or solo. The further from civilisation I can get the safer I feel. I've never actually had a problem or been burgled while out in the bush. Can't say the same for while at home in town. Humans are the only truly dangerous animals in Aust., and I just like to take up the option of moving n if I don't like the look of someone at the campsite. And of course, lock up and keep the baseball bat handy as a deterrent to would be thieves. Used to have a pump-action shotgun on the farm in the '80s. That was a good deterrent too, and I didn't have to run after them biggrin

Never mind the dogs, owner bites!

-- Edited by The dog lady on Sunday 11th of August 2013 08:26:16 PM

03_troopy · Guru

rockylizard wrote:
Gday...
Perhaps I am just some weird, out of touch or an extremely lucky camper - but security never enters my mind. I have been camping, travelling and enjoying the bush etc all my life.
I have yet to be subjected to the things that others here have experienced or fear. I always feel much safer in the bush than anywhere else.
Perhaps, the best 'deterrent' may be this little bloke
Cheers - John

I agree with the deterrant John. We had two German Shepherds, one male and one female and only ever locked the front of our house for well over ten years. (The theory being that there was no point in letting the thief break into the house and the dogs not being able to get in) But in reality, any prepaired thief would easily be able to get around them with a few snags laced with a couple of sleeping pills embedded in them. It was funny to see the local copper shy away from entering the house one night though, when we had a false alarm after fitting a new security system. Well funny until I realised that because he made me go in first, I was the one who was most at risk if there was a would be thief holed up in a bedroom or bathroom.

Homer and Marge · Veteran Member

We hid it too well.
Someone mentioned to me that if hide your valuables in the kitchen cupboard, no thief takes the time to check out the pots and pans. So Homer thought this was good advice and "hid" the car keys and the spare set before we flew to Melbourne. Some 3months later, when we came home, do you think he could remember where he hid them. 2 weeks later I found them in the "junk drawer": you know, that's the one we all have at least one of, and in which we "can never find anything in this b----- drawer."
Marge

03_troopy · Guru

Hmmm we call it the "junk and spare key drawer" here...

Dunmowin · Guru

The third drawer