Hidey hole?

[jacqueg]

Surely I'm not the first person to think that it would be a good thing to have a hidden storage spot in your van - say, large enough to stash your expensive DSLR when you're not using it - so that some jerk who breaks into your van while you're at the laundromat is not likely to find it?

Any ideas/suggestions?

 

[TMG51]

Each time this topic comes up, someone points out that hidden compartments in vehicles can be illegal in some places. If it were me I would opt for a steel lock box bolted to the frame (not hidden) rather than try to make a secret compartment.

 

[Joseph_Grey]

Wow! This I did not know. In that case I definitely don't have one. ;-)

-jg

 

[grandpa pete]

definitely against the law in Florida ...Drug dealers were building them into cars .

 

[HumbleBeginnings]

well... let's say I don't care if it's against the law, or maybe I live in a state where it is okay... where are the good, inconspicuous locations?

 

[cyndi]

The search feature brings up some past threads
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Carry-a-gun-Extra-cash-Where?highlight=Hiding+places

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Hiding-Places-for-Valuables?highlight=Hiding+places

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-A-Different-Kind-of-Hiding-Important-Stuff?highlight=Hiding+places

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Hiding-places-for-important-stuff?highlight=Hiding+places

 

[jacqueg]

And most of them don't really answer my question...

I don't want to hide cash or dope or wills or a gun. I want to hide a camera. Or a laptop. From thieves. Not LE.

Someone suggested a safe secured to the frame. I'll look into that.

It also sounds as if I need to check the law regarding secret compartments in vehicles for any state in which I intend to travel.

 

[Almost There]

Rather than deliberately trying to build a concealed compartment somewhere which could be misconstrued as an illegal compartment if you're ever stopped and the vehicle is extensively searched, maybe a better way of thinking is to figure out what normal compartments would be best for stashing the camera in.

If I'm away from the vehicle (out of sight of it) for any length of time it usually means I'm sightseeing and the camera is with me.

If I'm away from the vehicle because I'm shopping then the van is parked in a parking lot where there are other people around and the doors are locked. I'm only gone for the time it takes to do shopping in one store before I go back to unload. Risk is minimal and I simply toss my camera in a closet, close the door and the laptop travels under my pillows on the bed anyways. They are out of sight and out of mind.

The actual chances of the van being broken in to and the thieves having enough time to thoroughly go through the van are marginal at best. Not something I spend a lot of time and effort worrying about.

The only time I have ever had a break in in my van was when it was parked at my mothers' apartment building in the visitors section (way out back) overnight. 3 other vehicles were also broken in to that night so it wasn't that my van was targeted. They didn't search the vehicle, simply grabbed what they could from the drivers' seat and left. This was during the period that I wasn't van dwelling and my mother lived in a larger city that today, I would never spend any time in.

Oh and at the laundromat, the van is usually parked within sight of those big windows all the laundromats seem to have....heck I sometimes don't eve lock the van then....

 

[TrainChaser]

Guess what? I'm a professional thief. I'm here specifically to watch for posts like this. And every time someone comes up with a clever idea, I add it to my list of places to look.

So read AlmostThere's post again with an open mind. What you want is a place that is secure enough to thwart a junkie or unemployed millennial -- most of those seem to be hit-&-run types. If a professional thief knows that you have $20,000 hidden in your van, he will steal the van and 'inspect' it at his leisure, and he will find it.

 

[jacqueg]

Rather than deliberately trying to build a concealed compartment somewhere which could be misconstrued as an illegal compartment if you're ever stopped and the vehicle is extensively searched, maybe a better way of thinking is to figure out what normal compartments would be best for stashing the camera in.

If I'm away from the vehicle (out of sight of it) for any length of time it usually means I'm sightseeing and the camera is with me.

If I'm away from the vehicle because I'm shopping then the van is parked in a parking lot where there are other people around and the doors are locked. I'm only gone for the time it takes to do shopping in one store before I go back to unload. Risk is minimal and I simply toss my camera in a closet, close the door and the laptop travels under my pillows on the bed anyways. They are out of sight and out of mind.

The actual chances of the van being broken in to and the thieves having enough time to thoroughly go through the van are marginal at best. Not something I spend a lot of time and effort worrying about.

The only time I have ever had a break in in my van was when it was parked at my mothers' apartment building in the visitors section (way out back) overnight. 3 other vehicles were also broken in to that night so it wasn't that my van was targeted. They didn't search the vehicle, simply grabbed what they could from the drivers' seat and left. This was during the period that I wasn't van dwelling and my mother lived in a larger city that today, I would never spend any time in.

Oh and at the laundromat, the van is usually parked within sight of those big windows all the laundromats seem to have....heck I sometimes don't eve lock the van then....

Thanks AlmostThere, maybe I am worrying too much about this. I don't worry about leaving my laptop or my camera in my car, I just slide it under a seat. My car is an old Subaru (1995 and still going strong!), so I wouldn't think it would be an attractive target. But a van might contain all sorts of goodies...

I will continue to ponder.

 

[jacqueg]

Guess what?  I'm a professional thief.  I'm here specifically to watch for posts like this.  And every time someone comes up with a clever idea, I add it to my list of places to look.

So read AlmostThere's post again with an open mind.  What you want is a place that is secure enough to thwart a junkie or unemployed millennial -- most of those seem to be hit-&-run types.  If a professional thief knows that you have $20,000 hidden in your van, he will steal the van and 'inspect' it at his leisure, and he will find it.

Ha! So I guess I should avoid looking like a person who would have $20K stashed somewhere. Fortunately, that's not difficult!

 

[SilverVoyager]

I was thinking the same thing, having a hide hole biut DH talked me into getting a small gun safe to bolt in the floor.
I didn't know about secret compartments being illegal, very good to know.

 

[deadwood]

I'm more worried that someone will steal the van not it's contents. I'm thinking an alarm might be a good idea but haven't had a chance to get to it. Anyone else have alarms to protect the van from being stolen?? If someone breaks into the van and steals stuff I will get over it (eventually). But it they steal the van I have a lot bigger problem on my hands.

 

[Gideon33w]

If I were dead set on this I would cut a hole in the floor somewhere with clearance underneath and flush mount in a locking steel box then cover.
As for alarms on vehicles. Have you ever actually paid attention when a car alarm went off? No? Nobody here has either.
Car alarms are mildly effective deterrents only. I'd rather have a hidden ignition kill switch. Nothing works unless the switch is flipped.

 

[jacqueg]

If I were dead set on this I would cut a hole in the floor somewhere with clearance underneath and flush mount in a locking steel box then cover.
As for alarms on vehicles. Have you ever actually paid attention when a car alarm went off? No? Nobody here has either.
Car alarms are mildly effective deterrents only. I'd rather have a hidden ignition kill switch. Nothing works unless the switch is flipped.

Now I like that idea.

 

[MrNoodly]

My cargo van came with a steel tradesman's cabinet with locking doors. That solved my problem.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

So talking this out with some friends who know a thing or two about the law and this is what we came up with...some states have laws about compartments that could be used for drug smuggling.
Police apparently have pulled over vehicles and found empty drug compartments and out of frustration, wanted a way to go after these people even though they weren't caught red-handed.

Something like Ohio's law...“knowingly operate … a vehicle with a hidden compartment … used or intended to be used to facilitate the unlawful concealment … of a controlled substance.”

The way around this is pretty simple. Have a hidden compartment, don't give the police any reason to search your vehicle and if they somehow do search your vehicle, make sure that your hidey hole has a reasonable use.

For example as the original poster said...someone hiding a DSLR camera...line your hidey hole with pull out foam, the kind where you can pluck out the portions to match the object you want to protect. If they don't find anything illegal in there and see a camera shaped hole with a camera that fits in it...hard for them to say it is a drug stash.

Also, drug compartments in vehicles have a tendency to be purpose-built and hidden in body panels in such a way as to be large and requiring tools to access or are not readily accessible from the normal passenger carrying areas of the vehicle. So if you are concerned with these laws, try not to emulate this if at all possible. cutting into floors/fenders might be something that is suspicious or enough for a zealous LEO/DA to seize upon.

The best thing I can think of are false bottoms/compartments in the custom cabinetry/storage areas we make.
As these are not standard sizes/designs/shapes, nobody knows that the drawer can be pulled out and there is a compartment behind it.

If you found my hidden compartment on my motorcycle, you'd find an expired drivers license, some cash, a credit card, a USB drive with important contact info, emergency numbers, dealer network info (bike dealer, not drug dealer) schematics for my bike, a tiny powerful flashlight, spare house. bike lock, ignition keys.  My van will have something similar. If you were to keep similar things in your van hidey hole, it would lend credence to the premise that it is an emergency cache, not for illegal activities.

 

[sometimesido]

If you have a spare cheap phone with its own sim card or a cheap hotspot, you can set up video monitoring, to alert your on your main phone when there are movements. you can have it pretty low resolution so it doesn't eat up too much bandwidth. I have it set up in my house now, and I'll probably set it up on the dwelling vehicle I buy. There are videos on youtube of people who set this up.

 

[MrNoodly]

At one time I considered getting a small "job box" to lock up all my stuff.

https://tinyurl.com/yaf2vs5k

 

[briguy1981]

Have thought of this previously when I had my Safari.  Never did  a build on it but am doing one on my current Club Wagon. Interesting topic

I like the idea of something that would be out of sight, but still a legal setting.  Also after seeing some pics of RV fires and such I was thinking of using a fireproof safe that could mount flush and just below the frame for cash and such.  Having the safe set up so that if I could put extra cash, ID's, important documents inside for more of an emergency cache.  The added fireproofing would take up a lot of room that could be used for storage or living space and that is part of the reason I would want to put it inset in the floor.  Also it would be hidden from casual glance and secured to the frame of the vehicle, So not only is it hidden if something happens you don't have this heavy box flying through van, at the very least I would secure it to the floor.  If there was a case where I was stopped by LE and for some reason my vehicle was searched I would more than likely tell them I have a firebox for important documents and such.  

If ever in an area where sidearms are not allowed depending on what the law is I would have any person(s) secure their sidearm unloaded and locked in the firebox as well, and that is very few states.  (The last time I went to Oregon in Portland you had to have the magazine out and empty, so it is just a matter of knowing not only the state, but if different cities or counties within that state have restrictions as well.  I asked a cop when I was in my early 20's about a hatchet and larger knife that I had in my vehicle for camping, he stated that it would be best to leave them at home until I went camping (at the time I was homeless)  or to get a CCW since they were in essence concealed.  Since then I have gotten a CCW, and even an Idaho enhance Concealed Carry Permit just to make sure I don't have any hassles with whatever  I am carrying in me vehicle.  

Best thing to do is stay honest, and don't do anything illegal and no worries, hopefully.