These days, there are many products available for protecting your motorhome, and some are more effective than others.
First, let’s consider who we’re trying to protect our property from. Thieves in general do not care one little bit about doing damage to your vehicle. All they care about is getting in, nicking your belongings (or your motorhome) and getting out as quickly as possible. If that means breaking a window or destroying a door lock, so be it. But there are some very simple things that you can do to increase your motorhome security and minimise the chances of your pride and joy becoming a target for criminals.
Think carefully about where you park your ’van, especially if you plan to stay overnight. Take a look around the area. Is there broken glass on the ground from previous vandalism or thefts?
Don’t park in secluded places, which will just enable the miscreants to do whatever they like while remaining undetected.
Never overnight at motorway services. For one thing, in the UK, you will be charged for anything beyond a two-hour stay. Second – and far more importantly – they’re simply not very safe.
It might seem like a good idea because you can see plenty of people coming and going all through the night, but remember, they’re not paying your vehicle any attention. And of course, motorway services are also designed to be easy to access and easy to get away from very quickly.
Make your vehicle less tempting than others, with visible deterrents such as steering wheel locks and one of the best motorhome wheel clamps. Don’t leave anything of value on display, never leave valuables within arm’s reach of a window or door, and don’t keep everything in one place.
Years ago, a customer told me they’d been robbed at a French motorway service area, when the thieves cut out the passenger quarterlight, opened the glovebox and grabbed her handbag, which contained all their money, credit cards, passports and spare keys. A very expensive lesson!
Have a quality alarm system installed and always use it. It might not stop every crook, but it will put many off. Trackers are also a good idea – you stand a much better chance of recovering your vehicle.
If you’re looking for some extra peace of mind when you’re on the road too, it could be worth investing in a good motorhome dash cam, giving you footage of any incident should the worst happen.
I’ve also taken a look at some common motorhome myths recently, debunking the common misinformation that can do the rounds.
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