Door straps

I guess at least some users of this forum will have seen-the Facebook post about doors locks being opened whilst the owners were in bed?

One of the security measures used by the occupants was a strap to secure the cab doors!
I’ve now read the pros and cons of the idea, expressed by owners of motorhomes, however; I value the opinion of forum members and would seek your views on whether it’s a good idea to improve or upgrade the security of the later vehicles?

Are dead locks already fitted to the latest models or are they a necessary addition or are the straps really the way forward!!

Ray

I read it. My immediate reaction was to question whether they had actually locked the doors.
There are alternatives to the strap idea. Fiamma do a rigid expanding rod or you could fit Heosafe interior deadlocks.

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This is one solution.

Nobody, however ratted on the red stuff, could possibly sleep if a Growler alarm was going off. It actually hurts to be in or very near the van - as is intended to deter the thief.

Not cheap, but you will sleep soundly. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Dogs are the best alarm, 

daisy mae wrote:Dogs are he best alarm, 

I wouldn’t disagree with you, but not my cup of tea

The growler is good I’m sure but I had the dealer fit an alarm, I’ve also seen the door bar, but the straps do seem easier to pack.

Ray

Straps are fine when you're in the van but if you use them as security when you're out, smash a window and cut strap . With deadlocks you can lock them from inside and then exit through side door. 
We can get paranoid about security.

Paulmold wrote:Straps are fine when you're in the van but if you use them as security when you're out, smash a window and cut strap . With deadlocks you can lock them from inside and then exit through side door. 
We can get paranoid about security.

Yes I accept the cons, truth is I don’t want to get paranoid! But equally complacency is unwise...finding a happy balance is the goal.
The dead locks seem useful, it’s always difficult to get the balance right but I guess a lot of it can be mitigated by choosing sensible spots to park!

Ray

Libraryman2 wrote:
The dead locks seem useful, it’s always difficult to get the balance right but I guess a lot of it can be mitigated by choosing sensible spots to park!

Ray

Exactly. I have Heosafes. Only use them if we feel vulnerable. Usually use proper sites so normally we don't use them. Have never felt the need to use them when we leave the van by exiting the habitation door as I never park in a secluded place and I worry that if I did use them and lost the keys, I couldn't even get in through the habitation door. I can get paranoid as well.

What is your base vehicle. I ask because my Peugeot X2/90 did not deadlock. When it was with my Peugeot dealer for some warranty work which included a diagnostic test I asked if the deadlock function could be activated. There was a shaking of heads but when I got the vehicle back home and checked the deadlock function it worked. In an exit emergency the doors can be unlocked by pressing the button on the dash. No fiddling with keys. Also last year my motorhome was broken into through the habitation door when in full view on a public car park in France. Not paranoid and still enjoy holidays across the channel although I now have an alarm fitted.

This reminds me of the extreme security I once witnessed in the carpark of a local beauty spot. The owner of a MH (not an AS) was fiddling on the roof of his van, when I asked his lady who was stood watching if they had a problem, she said no problem, but since they'd once been broken into, he always secures the cab doors together with a bar, bolts the side door from inside, then exits through the roof light, securing it with a padlock before descending the fixed ladder, then locking that up behind him.
To say I was amazed was an understatement..
Al.

I think I'd steal the chain - it's probably worth more than the car! 

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Instead of bolting together your door straps loop a strong length of tape between each of the internal handles of the cab doors. In the centre attach a high decibel rape alarm, the  body of the alarm attached to one end of the tape and the pin attached to the other end of the tape. The alarm itself can sit on one of the seats and the tape should be fairly taut.

When either of the cab doors is opened then the pin is jerked out of the alarm and the resulting noise is such as to make you feel quite sick; certainly enough to scare off a potential intruder and wake the rest of the aire inhabitants.  The thief cannot get the pin back in the alarm as he is unlikely to be able to find the pin to do so, even if he realises what is making the noise.  Much louder than a normal van alarm.

You do have to be careful to remove it before you open the cab door in the morning....

I bought a strap for our first van - I never used it in anger as I found it was always in the way.

We leave ours doors unlocked all the time but with 3 dogs inside they won't miss anything.

Same here, two dogs.

But what about when you take the dogs for a walk?
Sod's Law being what it is, that's just the time a tea leaf might strike. 

chrisk wrote:We leave ours doors unlocked all the time but with 3 dogs inside they won't miss anything.

Neighbours down the road used to own a big German Shepherd, caged in the back of their estate car whenever they went out for a drive. On one occasion they stopped at a motorway services, and after letting the dog stretch it's legs, put it back in the car in it's cage while they went inside for refreshments.
When they returned the inside of the car was totally destroyed, ripped upholstery and trim everywhere, with an exhausted dog slobbering on the front seat! An eyewitness told them a passing group of blokes had taunted the dog by rattling on the car windows and roof, the big dog had managed to break open the cage in it's efforts to get at them and clawed everything in sight!
The newish car was written off by the insurance company.
Al.

sigmaman wrote:What is your base vehicle.  I ask because my Peugeot X2/90 did not deadlock.  When it was with my Peugeot dealer for some warranty work which included a diagnostic test I asked if the deadlock function could be activated.  There was a shaking of heads but when I got the vehicle back home and checked the deadlock function it worked.  In an exit emergency the doors can be unlocked by pressing the button on the dash.  No fiddling with keys.  Also last year my motorhome was broken into through the habitation door when in full view on a public car park in France.  Not paranoid and still enjoy holidays across the channel although I now have an alarm fitted.

It’s the x290 I believe, I’m considering the Heo locks..but as I have said; I don’t want to be either paranoid or overly complacent.

I think that if you do get broken into, you are very unlucky rarther than the victim of certainty.

Ray