Securing the Van while Parked: security mesh; extra internal locks, etc.

[GrayWhale]

I've lost everything I own twice  (no lock will stop fire).
It's all just stuff people !

YOU are all that matters , they make stuff every day.

Well then, get locks and fire extinguishers.

"It's all just stuff people!", only applies when you're risking your life, trying to save your stuff in a fire or something.  Putting extra locks on your rolling home to increase the security of your stuff while you're having a meal at a restaurant is not something incredibly, unusual.

 

[Woltz]

So this is my personal thoughts on the subject and what I will do.

So the first thing I'm going to invest in is what I like to call the medieval layer. This includes the simile stuff such as reinforcing the back door. I plan on having the back door open and have access to the entire vehicle. When I'm out and about, I will go through the side door and put in two metal or wooden bars. One on the top of the door and one towards the middle. This will act like a castle door. Stopping it from opening from the outside without a ramming device. A similar thing will happen for the side door once that is done. A little metal arm will go through a wall and appear next to the passenger side seat. The bar will attach to the side door. So when the door is closed I can go in through the passenger side door and lock it with a heavy duty padlock of some sort. Because I'm using a Cargo Van for my set up, I'm going to get the big metal cargo van divider. There will be a hole drilled into it for the bar on the sliding door to go through. But that wall will be made to be firm in place and will stop anyone from getting in through the cap. The metal will be covered with wood and will look pretty. As a final attempt from theft of the vehicle it's self, I will be locking the steering wheel. (This is all for when I'm away from the van)

Next thing I do is more simple. I'd be getting some 3M™ Safety & Security Film and although it would be a little expensive, it will be worth it in the long run. This film would go on both sides of each window besides the windshield. It will give a little added security from anyone looking to do a smash and grab.

Next is the more high tech level of security. This includes having three security camera's with feeds going into the living area of the van. It will save all the video shown on the cameras. One camera would be facing the passenger side window and windshield, the other will be facing onto the drivers side and windshield. The last will show the inside of the living area. Nothing of major importance will be in the cab. The camera's are designed to show anyone's faces if they attempt to break in. It's undecided but there might be a small camera on the license plate for accident recording. Also when away I plan on having a alarm. I will most likely get the Viper LED 2-Way Security + Remote Start System. Although rather pricey, I think well worth it considering the things it is able to do to keep my van where I left it.

Branching off the high tech area. When I'm inside the vehicle I will turn off the security camera's from taking up data, and only turn on the recording bit when something happens. I will however have a little screen the constantly shows the cab of the van in case I hear something. A couple other things I will have is small holes which I will feed motion sensor alarms through. The inside of the living area will have the warning light or sound. It will be able to be turned on and off. I will also be installing a very high alarm under the passenger side seat which can be activated inside of the living area of the van.

To add to the medieval level, I will be adding a type of cage that doesn't hinder the solar panels but protects them from theft. I will have a moped I take with me and I will be locking it to the moped hitch with two Kryptonite Locks and will be locking the hitch with a padlock to the van.

Please note, this van will become a second house I will invest a lot of money into to have everything I need for entertainment, cooking, sleeping, staying warm and staying clean. Everything I could need to live if something happens to where I current live. You bet your ass I'm going to put money into it in order to protect it from theft. Even if this is going over board.

 

[Almost There]

Woltz - are you planning on staying permanently in the worst ghetto areas of the big major cities or are you planning on getting out in to the boonies (National Forests and BLM land for example).

If the former then you need all the security you can get and it probably won't be enough. If it's NF and BLM land and small town America then can I kindly suggest that you don't need one tenth of that security.

I've travelled all over North America for over 4 decades, am a single female, travel with essentially all of my worldly possessions and have yet to have any reason whatsoever to worry about my own or my possessions' security.

The world out here is not nearly so scary as a lot of people believe.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

^Agree 150%  Unless you're transporting a vehicle full of gold and advertising that you're doing it on the side of the van,  I don't see anyone going through all that work to get in.


Caging in your solar panels will seriously reduce their effectiveness too.  Unless the top cover is removable.

 

[Woltz]

^Agree 150%  Unless you're transporting a vehicle full of gold and advertising that you're doing it on the side of the van,  I don't see anyone going through all that work to get in.


Caging in your solar panels will seriously reduce their effectiveness too.  Unless the top cover is removable.

That was the plan for the solar. And I don't know where I'll park. I know from personal experience that a lot of people and cops are assholes. They see a van or any car sitting somewhere longer than normal and they call the cops. (may be different with you) but the cops are also not the nicest. If I can't find a safe place to leave the vehicle, I want it and the insides to be as safe as possible. I know even some of the nice and safe places get hit too.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

So this is my personal thoughts on the subject and what I will do.

So the first thing I'm going to invest in is what I like to call the medieval layer. This includes the simile stuff such as reinforcing the back door. I plan on having the back door open and have access to the entire vehicle. When I'm out and about, I will go through the side door and put in two metal or wooden bars. One on the top of the door and one towards the middle. This will act like a castle door. Stopping it from opening from the outside without a ramming device. A similar thing will happen for the side door once that is done. A little metal arm will go through a wall and appear next to the passenger side seat. The bar will attach to the side door. So when the door is closed I can go in through the passenger side door and lock it with a heavy duty padlock of some sort. Because I'm using a Cargo Van for my set up, I'm going to get the big metal cargo van divider. There will be a hole drilled into it for the bar on the sliding door to go through. But that wall will be made to be firm in place and will stop anyone from getting in through the cap. The metal will be covered with wood and will look pretty. As a final attempt from theft of the vehicle it's self, I will be locking the steering wheel. (This is all for when I'm away from the van)

Next thing I do is more simple. I'd be getting some 3M™ Safety & Security Film and although it would be a little expensive, it will be worth it in the long run. This film would go on both sides of each window besides the windshield. It will give a little added security from anyone looking to do a smash and grab.

Next is the more high tech level of security. This includes having three security camera's with feeds going into the living area of the van. It will save all the video shown on the cameras. One camera would be facing the passenger side window and windshield, the other will be facing onto the drivers side and windshield. The last will show the inside of the living area. Nothing of major importance will be in the cab. The camera's are designed to show anyone's faces if they attempt to break in. It's undecided but there might be a small camera on the license plate for accident recording. Also when away I plan on having a alarm. I will most likely get the Viper LED 2-Way Security + Remote Start System. Although rather pricey, I think well worth it considering the things it is able to do to keep my van where I left it.

Branching off the high tech area. When I'm inside the vehicle I will turn off the security camera's from taking up data, and only turn on the recording bit when something happens. I will however have a little screen the constantly shows the cab of the van in case I hear something. A couple other things I will have is small holes which I will feed motion sensor alarms through. The inside of the living area will have the warning light or sound. It will be able to be turned on and off. I will also be installing a very high alarm under the passenger side seat which can be activated inside of the living area of the van.

To add to the medieval level, I will be adding a type of cage that doesn't hinder the solar panels but protects them from theft. I will have a moped I take with me and I will be locking it to the moped hitch with two Kryptonite Locks and will be locking the hitch with a padlock to the van.

Please note, this van will become a second house I will invest a lot of money into to have everything I need for entertainment, cooking, sleeping, staying warm and staying clean. Everything I could need to live if something happens to where I current live. You bet your ass I'm going to put money into it in order to protect it from theft. Even if this is going over board.

good thinking I agree with you, I have a similar set up I wont show pictures as I don't want anyone to recognise me. Allow me to suggest a few extras that I have found useful, a lever action Winchester 30/30 strapped to dog house in a scabbard, for quick action while driving, a shotgun and loaded 9 magnum next to my sleeping area, a small pistol strapped to the my leg under my pyjamas a machete behind the drivers seat for day use, a butchers hatchet on the wall that doubles as a cooking tool, a skylight that leads to a turret with an machine gun that pops up from the inside and four rocket launchers one on each corner. The front ones are disguised as fog lights and the rear ones as exhaust pipes the real exhaust goes out the side. I usually shoot anybody that comes within 6 feet of the vehicle, I have sensors that warn me . I have a few grenades under the passenger seat, I have never used them, sometimes I wonder if that is an overkill. I rarely leave the vehicle. I don't need to I have all the entertainment I need, I usually stay up late watching news broadcasts from my satellite feed or listening to my police band radio, or those reality crime tv shows that is when I am not watching the monitors from the outside cameras, may I suggest having outside microphones as well. I usually buy groceries in small stores or gas stations,  so I can keep an eye on the van at all times. I prefer to use drive troughs at the fast food chains, When I empty my toilet I stake out a layby with a toilet, wait till no one is around and do it quickly, if that is not safe I just throw it out the window or pop the door slightly and empty it in a corner of a layby. I always carry when I do this.  America land of the free home of the brave, greatest country in the world.
Make America great again brother.

 

[Woltz]

good thinking I agree with you, I have a similar set up I wont show pictures as I don't want anyone to recognise me. Allow me to suggest a few extras that I have found useful, a lever action Winchester 30/30 strapped to dog house in a scabbard, for quick action while driving, a shotgun and loaded 9 magnum next to my sleeping area, a small pistol strapped to the my leg under my pyjamas a machete behind the drivers seat for day use, a butchers hatchet on the wall that doubles as a cooking tool, a skylight that leads to a turret with an machine gun that pops up from the inside and four rocket launchers one on each corner. The front ones are disguised as fog lights and the rear ones as exhaust pipes the real exhaust goes out the side. I usually shoot anybody that comes within 6 feet of the vehicle, I have sensors that warn me . I have a few grenades under the passenger seat, I have never used them, sometimes I wonder if that is an overkill. I rarely leave the vehicle. I don't need to I have all the entertainment I need, I usually stay up late watching news broadcasts from my satellite feed or listening to my police band radio, or those reality crime tv shows that is when I am not watching the monitors from the outside cameras, may I suggest having outside microphones as well. I usually buy groceries in small stores or gas stations,  so I can keep an eye on the van at all times. I prefer to use drive troughs at the fast food chains, When I empty my toilet I stake out a layby with a toilet, wait till no one is around and do it quickly, if that is not safe I just throw it out the window or pop the door slightly and empty it in a corner of a layby. I always carry when I do this.  America land of the free home of the brave, greatest country in the world.
Make America great again brother.

Thanks for the sarcasm.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

 

[mudbunny]

Hahaha. What about the cyanide capsules?

 

[Vagabound]

Woltz:
You said, "[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Thanks for the sarcasm".[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Don't take it too seriously. If we didn't add a bit of levity here and there, we'd all fall asleep from boredom. You got to admit that FK's story was pretty funny, right?  [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Tom[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]P.S. - Please don't be one of those nignogs who says "No!  I don't have to admit anything!!!"[/font]

 

[rvpopeye]

I found a bag of old gym towels and strapped them on the roof.........
biological deterrent.

 

[John61CT]

We attract the things we focus our minds on.

Sounds like BS woo, doesn't it?

But it's true, hardest thing is to change your outlook, but if you can, your whole life's arc will be radically different.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Yeah, I'm afraid it does sound like BS to me.

Psychologists have gone into prisons and conducted studies in which prisoner's were shown videos of people walking down the street and asked to pick the ones the would try to mug and which ones they wouldn't.  Invariably, the ones walking around fat, dumb, and happy are the ones the prisoner's say they would try to mug.  The ones that were alert and paying attention to what was going on - in other words, the ones who were aware that they might be mugged and were watching out for it - were the ones the prisoners said they would avoid.

 

[ArtW]

If we think the Lion is a Vegan, it won't eat us!

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Yeah, I'm afraid it does sound like BS to me.

Psychologists have gone into prisons and conducted studies in which prisoner's were shown videos of people walking down the street and asked to pick the ones the would try to mug and which ones they wouldn't.  Invariably, the ones walking around fat, dumb, and happy are the ones the prisoner's say they would try to mug.  The ones that were alert and paying attention to what was going on - in other words, the ones who were aware that they might be mugged and were watching out for it - were the ones the prisoners said they would avoid.

Are you saying, if you are sad skinny and smart you won't get mugged?

 

[John61CT]

Fear is not a prerequisite to maintaining an alert state of awareness of your surroundings.

I'd rather put time and energy into being open and happy to encounter all the friends I haven't met yet than trying to outfit my living space as if I need a fortress around me.

Whole point to me of living mobile is to put myself in places I want to be, not sure why anyone would park and sleep in some sort of war zone.

 

[Baloo]

I am somewhat of a security nut, I have an alarm installed to monitor every door, hatch, cabinet, shock and glass break sensor. Expanded metal over the interior windows (looks like a work truck) and deadbolts on the doors. Also keep a firearm onboard (thank you Tennessee Castle Law). Not saying it is all necessary, but I sleep well not worrying about boogeyman or anybody else looking for something for free. My alarm will call my phone if I am not at the Ambo, and let me know where the Ambo is if it moves. Call me paranoid, but twenty years or military service has made me think twice about the unlawful intentions of our fellow citizens.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Are you saying, if you are sad skinny and smart you won't get mugged?

That's the theory.  And since I'm not skinny, depressed, and a smartass, now you understand why I've found it necessary to carry a gun most of my life.  Just to be sure that anyone who attempts to mug me suffers a catastrophic failure of the victim selection process.  I'm glad we've cleared this up.

 

[RVtrek]

I was thinking of having something printed up (that would look professional) that said something like, "Mobile Sewer Pipe Fabrication Unit" with a phone number and website address.

Nobody wants to mess with a van/truck/trailer that has anything to do with sewer pipes.

 

[rvpopeye]

That's a good one!