Someone tried to break into my van while I was sleeping. Lets talk security

[nixsee]

TL;DR; Someone tried to break into my van in the nicest neighborhood of Seattle last night. What makes for a safe parking spot and what can we do to make our vans more secure? I plan to install padlocks/bolts and window screens on the back and side doors, a folding metal security gate between the front and rear, a hidden magnetized kill switch somewhere on the dashboard, and a cheap diy GPS system that works in any country in the world. Links and details are provided in the discussion at the bottom. Please share your experiences and ideas so we can all avoid something like this in the future.

---

A real wake-up call

So I've been fulltiming for about 8 months now, and have parked without issue in nearly every conceivable situation as I've driven across most of the US and Canada through this time. I've been on busy streets of most neighborhoods of Manhattan, many residential and industrial areas of Brooklyn, quiet residential areas of other urban, suburban and rural places, national parks, oceanside lookouts, golf course parking lots, Walmarts, etc… I've never had a single issue from anyone or any knocks from police. My van is quite stealth and I'd like to think I also don't put it in obviously sketchy situations. I felt quite confident and safe about my strategies… until last night. I was parked in what is to my knowledge the most expensive area of Seattle. Two nights ago I arrived in town and I had parked down a more residential side street nearby where I'd guess the houses were worth a modest $3mm+. While wandering the area, I saw what is literally a palace a few blocks away that I thought would be fun to park in front of and grab a picture in the morning to capture the juxtaposition. So around 11pm, after spending the evening at a local library then a coffee shop, I parked in front of it, where a couple other cars were as well, right under a street lamp and in view of their security cameras.

I was up until about 2 am trying to put the finishing touches on my house battery circuit diagram (I'll post about that later), which I had been neglecting/researching to death about for much of the past 8 months and then went to sleep. Around 430, I happened to wake up and was just lying there for a few minutes thinking when I started hearing some noise beside me at the back door. It was a rainy, windy night so I brushed it off. Plus I've come to get used to animals/birds crawling around on the roof from time to time. But it continued, and then got more and more violent and the entire van started shaking, at which point I knew it couldn't be a police officer investigating -  someone was trying to break in for sure. My van really does look quite stealth so I can only assume they thought they would be breaking into the back to steal tools or whatever. Fortunately the back door lock has been giving me trouble lately so they weren't able to get in easily. I sat up and listened some more as I slowly moved to grab some sort of weapon from my kitchen - I was able to grab my 16" sharpening steel/police baton that was hanging there.

After the van shook for a good 15 seconds, the noise stopped, but a few seconds later it resumed at the driver's door and within a couple seconds it was open. Its possible that I left it unlocked before going to bed, as I'm sometimes prone to do, but nonetheless they were in. My immediate instinct was to jump up, pull open the curtain separating the back from the cab and yell "Hey" really loudly and turned on the dome light. This must have been enough to frighten them, because they were gone. They didn't make a sound and I was concerned they were lingering about so I didn't try to see where they went or what they looked like. I sat there in my underwear, steel rod in one hand, big Japanese knife that I had finally retrieved in the other, deciding to wait for the timer on the dome light to turn off in 10 minutes, at which point I would quickly hop in the front and drive off. I don't have a cell phone plan, so calling the police wasn't an option, but I considered making a fake call in case they were outside, but I supposed I was too frightened to do so. After a few minutes, I slowly started lowering my guard and got some clothes on  - for some reason I thought this would be helpful in case of a potential skirmish when I hopped up front. Now that I think of it, the footage from the aforementioned fortress' security cameras of a naked bearded man who lives in a van and presumably a legitimately homeless person/car thief fighting on a rainy Seattle street at 430 in the morning would have surely made for quite the viral video. When the light went off, I followed through with the plan and drove off into the mist, eventually finding a new spot near the marine supply store where I planned to go in the morning to buy cables etc… Needless to say, I wasn’t tired again for a while, but I did sleep fairly peacefully later as I've never been one to needlessly worry. This was definitely a wake-up call in every sense...

---

ANYWAY…. I've read a handful of threads over the past year of people who have had their vans broken into, either while they were in it or away, and a couple which were outright stolen. They certainly got me thinking a lot about which measures I would take myself, but I never put them into action (seems to be a theme in my life).

So, two topics to discuss.

1) What makes a parking space safe?

Other than parking outside a police station, are there really places that are safer than others? As I said, other than parking in an obviously rough area of town, I've spent 8 months in pretty much every situation without issue, and then got nearly jacked in a very wealthy area.

• Was this a bad place to park? (Turns out Seattle has a major car theft/auto prowl issue. Its not as bad as a few years ago, but I found some police stats showing 10 cars are stolen and over 35 car prowls/smash and grabs done per day. And Capitol Hill, where I was parked seems to be a particularly bad place).
• Would there be more thieves in a rich area? There were security cameras visible on many houses on this block, so perhaps they are just looking to steal nice cars. But then why bother with my piece of crap? Probably just wanted tools from the back or maybe even just sleep inside and get shelter from the rain? Though 430am is a bit late to be looking for shelter/sleep.
• Is a middle class area a happy median between a rich, targeted area and a poor, rough area? Or is it a bigger target since there will be nice enough stuff and less likely to have sophisticated security? Or does the relative wealth of the area matter at all?
• Surely you don't want to be the only car on the street, but is it better to have many cars around and blend in, or just a few?
• I have a bunch of stuff in view in the front seats, but nothing that's obviously valuable. But I should really tidy up and have nothing up there at all. But again, they went for the back rather than the front - thus they wanted whatever they thought might have been back there. But my plates are from Canada, so surely I'm not a contractor visiting with tools, so maybe I'm clearly visiting in a camper van and not as stealthy as I figured? My low profile Maxxfan roof vent is clearly visible too. But if I am a camper van, then they would know I'm inside. Maybe it was the Taj Mahal's security team or the NSA. How can you scan for tracking devices (semi-legitimate, though unrelated, question)? Clearly I'm overthinking what they were thinking…
  I often like parking in front of parks, both for the scenery as well as having fewer neighbors. Generally it's just a small neighborhood park, but this was a very large park. Is this a bad idea? It would give a thief a swifter, less conspicuous approach and exit than on a street with buildings on both sides.
  Any other guidelines to follow?
• Anyone else have stories to share about breakins - successful or unsuccessful? What did you do about it?

2) How to secure your van?

Given my experience and all of the thinking above, it seems to me that theft can happen anywhere to anyone, for no particular reason, so its best to be prepared. Here's what I had been planning on installing already, based on similar threads, some of my own ideas and other online research. I will certainly now make it happen sooner than later.

• Some sort of security bolts on the inside of the side and rear doors that prevent opening from the outside even if the door lock is picked/jimmied. I'd prefer not to have the lock on the outside like you sometimes see on tradesmen's vans, as it'll perhaps draw more attention and ruin the aesthetics. It would also be quite dangerous if I needed to escape from fire or whatever and was locked in. Sliding a bolt down seems like an ideal balance between security, safety and efficiency. So, I'll have to enter and exit through the front once I've locked these before a lengthy departure (probably good practice anyway vs hopping out of the side door, which I sometimes do).
• I hate to ruin my view in scenic areas, but locking the doors doesn't do much if they can break the windows. I will screw metal window screens to the inside of the cargo area's side and rear door windows with security screws/bolts. http://www.realtruck.com/kargo-master-van-window-screens/4070c.html
• Given that it is impossible to secure the front area, I will keep all valuables in the cargo area and secure it with a folding metal security gate, screwed into the metal frame/walls, with a lock (likely combo lock as those keys have a way of disappearing/getting locked inside). Its very hard to find ones that would fit my space, but two of these would work perfectly https://www.securitygateco.com/our-...l-folding-scissor-accordion-pet-security-gate. $300 is a lot though.
  
  A significantly cheaper, and probably easier to use option given the dimensions of my van, might be just some chain link fence attached to each wall and then roll it back/out and lock with a padlock. It wouldn't be impenetrable, but nothing would be given enough time. It's just meant to stop them from easily getting back.
  
• A cheap DIY alarm system that includes a shock sensor, remotes, etc… http://www.amazon.com/Viper-3105V-1..._cp_422_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0WD1KY1QVYBAVNS2SYBX
  
• The above should protect my possessions from a smash and grab robber, but nothing can work indefinitely if they steal the van and drive away, so installing a kill switch that shuts off the fuel pump relay and/or starter solenoid should work for that. I'm sure seasoned car thieves are wise to this and can get around basic systems, so I have various ideas to make this more complex:
• Have the primary switch be a magnetized Reed relay that is hidden in the dashboard, so it only works when I stick a random item to a random spot on the dash. This would also make it harder for someone to find and re-wire/circumvent than if the wire was under the seat running to a switch somewhere in the car, since it would essentially require disassembly of the entire dash area (I've done it and this takes a really long time). http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/electronic-relay/reed-relays.aspx
• Install some sort of timed relay in the circuit which will deactivate the fuel pump after something like 30 seconds when the magnet is removed. This would be for in the extremely unlikely event of a car jacking, I could let them take the car and then find safety while waiting for the car to stall out down the road. http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-dela...lay-timer-module-0-1s-to-1-hour-/251373367057
• A momentary push button in case I forget to remove the magent
• Some good information on kill switches is found here http://www.instructables.com/id/Killswitch-Car-security-on-the-cheap/?ALLSTEPS
  
  
  
• Finally, if that fails or they circumvent it, wire a DIY GPS device somewhere in the car which I can send a text message to and receive its coordinates. I can buy a cheap prepaid local sim card wherever I go (I'm going to be driving to south america from Canada eventually) to make it work. http://www.instructables.com/id/Athena-The-Global-Car-Tracking-System/?ALLSTEPS

Any thoughts on the above?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

To my mind, you need TWO different alarm systems.

One you turn on and off from outside, for when you are way from the vehicle.

One you turn on and off from the inside, designed to wake you from the deepest sleep, if someone is trying to break in while you are sleeping.  I plan to include an EXTREMELY bright light designed to blind them if they enter the vehicle. 

Did I mention that I sleep with a loaded Glock next to my bed?  Nough said.

BTW, I understand there are clear plastic security films that can be applied to windows.  The glass will break, but it will still hold together and not separate.

Regards
John

ps:  In addition to the electric fuel pump and the starter relay, you can also interrupt the neutral safety switch on the transmission by putting another switch - or relay -  in series with it.

 

[Belinda2]

Nixsee,
I'm so glad you are o.k. That is the most important thing.
I have two thoughts on your above post:
1. I'm no expert, but I've been doing this since 1988. You never know who is watching you for that moment. I never work ( with your tools?/ shop the next day/ hanging out) where I sleep. I leave my day location, go to another location where I get ready for bed. There I brush my teeth, rearrange things, etc. I then pull in to my sleeping location and as swiftly and low-key as possible and go to bed. I call it, "even a dog knows you don't poop where you sleep".
2. No matter how warm/muggy it is, especially since I am a woman, I always have clothes on. They may be light weight, but I am fully dressed.
I hope this helps.

 

[SoulRaven]

I'm really sorry this happened to you. Thanks for the thorough write up.

I full time in Seattle and generally avoid "sketchy" areas as well, though occasionally it's unavoidable. Back when I was in my 1986 Chevy G20 I can think of 4-5 different break-in attempts to varying degrees in the course of 6 months. Sometimes all they do is try all the doors and if they're all locked, move on. The worst one was when one person was shaking the entire van, banging on the windows and aggressively attempting to open the doors while another person stood in front of my van to prevent escape. They left after I jumped in the front seat, key in ignition and was obviously on the phone with 911.

Since switching to a minivan 7 months ago I haven't had a single break-in attempt. Not one.

You say you were parked at Capitol Hill near a large park? Sounds like Cal Anderson Park? Very sketchy area, sorry to say. (And if not, I'd love to know the exact location, even by PM if you're prefer.) Safe during the day so long as you watch your belongings at all times, but not so much after dark. My boyfriend works a block away and at night is when crime skyrockets. Nearly every day it's that a massive fight broke out or someone tried to rob the gas station down the street or whatever. It has got so bad that lately police just kinda show up around midnight and hang around with their lights flashing, occasionally blocking off streets, apparently just as a deterrent or to be there when something does go down. It's pretty intense!

Any belongings in the front seats or otherwise visible will catch people's attention. A friend of mine parked his sedan in the area and returned to a busted front window--they'd stolen his backpack. While helping friends hunt for apartments the apartment manager warned of similar stories. Anything that indicates you might have stuff of value can mean your car gets broken into. Unfortunately, I suspect anything larger than a minivan might indicate that by default, since in Seattle folks are pretty careful to not have any more car than they need with parking being so ridiculous. I doubt they took the time in the dark to look and see that your plates were from Canada--I think they just saw cargo van = must have lots of stuff and probably some of value.

My default response to break-ins has been to jump in the front and drive off. With the most aggressive one i did and up yelling "HEY GET OUTTA HERE!" instinctively. Having a car alarm is a somewhat helpful deterrent, now that I'm in an '04 Sienna I plan to hit the panic button if there's an attempt before hopping in the front. If the car alarm all on it's own scares them away that'd be awesome.

Your folding metal security gate, to me, sounds like it'd prevent fast access to the front to get away.

Another thing I'd note is if any of your added security measures are visible from the outside, this will only increase the impression that you have something of value inside that you're willing/able to spend extra money protecting. A thief will assume these valuables are items they can steal and sell, rather than simply your own personal safety.

Those are my initial thoughts, this was hastily typed up because I'm short on time today sorry!

 

[Reducto]

One night outside San Francisco I was in the back using my computer and heard someone walk around my van knocking hard on all the windows. Hard as in with a large metal object, not quite to the point of breaking but also not lingering long enough at any window to be a normal knock. Then all of the door handles were violently pulled. Then this person started shaking the van side to side. I prepared myself for what I thought may very well be violent encounter. I wondered what I would do if I had a weapon, which I didn't. I got my phone ready and stayed quiet.

Then I heard the sounds of a police radio and the guy got into his car and drove off. It was a cop messing with me! I don't know if he thought this was a good way to chase me off or if he actually wanted to provoke a violent confrontation. In any case, jumping out with a weapon in hand would have ended badly.

I'd say the best thing to do now is have outward visibility, either a camera or peepholes of some sort, and a cellphone. It's hard to know how to defend yourself if you don't know what you're up against or how easy it would be to start your van and take off in a hurry. In your case you could have suddenly yelled out "I'm calling the cops right now I suggest you leave! Yes hello I'm inside my vehicle and someone is trying to break in" followed by location and description of the person. Or while they were still in the back you could have jumped up front and drove off.

 

[bobbert]

One night outside San Francisco I was in the back using my computer and heard someone walk around my van knocking hard on all the windows. Hard as in with a large metal object, not quite to the point of breaking but also not lingering long enough at any window to be a normal knock. Then all of the door handles were violently pulled. Then this person started shaking the van side to side. I prepared myself for what I thought may very well be violent encounter. I wondered what I would do if I had a weapon, which I didn't. I got my phone ready and stayed quiet.

Wow, that sounded nerve-wracking! Could you had pressed the little red "panic" button on your remote (if equipped)? 
I have done that in my van when people f'ed with me (confrontations) and it kept them out of my hair.
Oops, I just saw Bitty's post r/e the same panic button... Sorry for the redundancy.

 

[Canine]

Whatever methods you use, you can't completely prevent all confrontations. There will be times when you are naked and taking a noisy shower. You might be sleeping. You might be tired and not be as aware as you maybe should've been. You do what you think is best for you and deal with whatever may come along the best you can. Can't prepare for everything.

What you did worked. You immediately stopped the problem and are here to tell about it. While you have questions and want to improve, you clearly already have some ability to protect yourself and your belongings. As you build on that, you will be even better prepared next time.

You may want to have a sticker that says something to the effect, "I love my German Shepherd Dog" Or, "Please rescue my dog in case of fire." Or maybe, "Canine on board." Or "Blue Heeler crossing." Or "These aren't nose prints- this is dog art." Something that shows you have a dog of some sort. Dogs are usually noisy and some are bitey- two things criminals don't care for.

You could have flood lights around the van with one switch that lights them up. Criminals, like Cockroaches, don't like light.

Reducto, that cop was an idiot! What a great way to get oneself shot. Was he maybe a young and dumb security guard or someone else with a portable scanner for whatever reason? No matter what, that is a good way to die.

If I ever have to shoot from inside a vehicle, I keep ear protectors within easy reach. Yes, I want to make it out alive, but not partially deaf if I can help it.

 

[jimindenver]

I don't have a lot to offer on security but you mentioned that you dont have a phone plan. Please read the threads on Freedompop and RingPlus. For the cost of a cheap phone at best buy and $20 when you set it up, you get free service after that as long as you dont go over the limits. There are also plans that don't require the $20 overage buckets but are very limited.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

On canine's dog sign idea:  one can get a recording of a very angry large dog that could be set up on a 'panic button'.

On jimindenver's cheap cell plan idea:  cell carriers are required by law to pick up 911 calls from any cell phone, so no minutes needed for emergency calls.  I keep an old, functioning cell phone in my truck just for that reason.

-- Spiff

 

[Damian Rolling]

Nixsee,

Wow - I am sorry this happened to you but glad you were not harmed.

Here are my thoughts on (some of) your questions:

1. Are there really places that are safer than others?  [Yes, statistically rural areas are safer than urban areas. A well lit area with some traffic, such as a 24 hour supermarket, is a good choice and can be found almost anywhere.]  

2. Was this a bad place to park?  [It does not sound like there were indicators it was a bad area. You can do easy research on an area (in the US) if you have the zip code. Just enter “Crime [zip code]” into a search engine. Usually, one of the first hits will be data compiled by  http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ ]

3. Would there be more thieves in a rich area? [Not necessarily. I would use the tool I posted in the last answer to find out.]

4. But then why bother with my piece of crap?  [Thieves are not just interested in expensive vehicles or houses. A thief broke into my sister’s basement and stole her second-hand, beat-up baby stroller. My father’s car was stolen. He never locked it because it was so old. The thieves were teenagers who took it to joyride (and totaled it crashing into a telephone pole during a police chase).]

5. Surely you don't want to be the only car on the street, but is it better to have many cars around and blend in, or just a few?  [I think it is better to be someplace with scattered cars, like a commercial parking lot.]

6. I often like parking in front of parks, both for the scenery as well as having fewer neighbors. Is this a bad idea?  [Scenery is irrelevant when you are sleeping, so I would save visiting parks for daytime. At night it would be better to go someplace with better lighting and some traffic].  

7. Any other guidelines to follow?  [If you hear someone trying to get into your van I would immediately make your presence known. The odds are that whoever it is does not know someone is inside and will leave when it is evident. You can shift your weight side to side so the van rocks. You can loudly say “THE POLCE ARE ON THEIR WAY” (whether they are or not). Getting a cell phone would be a good idea as would writing down the exact address of your location in case you do call the police. And, of course, being able to drive away is great security.]

Some of the security enhancement your propose sound a bit excessive to me. While they would be effective, I would think the inside would seem like a cage - just my opinion.  One cheap and easy thing you can do is before going to sleep to attach bungee cords to both inside door handles and to each other (some trucker’s do this). Of course, anyone who looks through the window will see this and realize someone is inside, but that alone may deter thieves.  

About an alarm - make sure it is not so sensitive that it goes off whenever you roll over in bed.

I hope this helps.

Damian

 

[pnwgypsy]

cell carriers are required by law to pick up 911 calls from any cell phone, so no minutes needed for emergency calls.  I keep an old, functioning cell phone in my truck just for that reason.



-- Spiff

This is my understanding as well.

 

[nixsee]

To my mind, you need TWO different alarm systems.

One you turn on and off from outside, for when you are way from the vehicle.

One you turn on and off from the inside, designed to wake you from the deepest sleep, if someone is trying to break in while you are sleeping.  I plan to include an EXTREMELY bright light designed to blind them if they enter the vehicle. 

Did I mention that I sleep with a loaded Glock next to my bed?  Nough said.

BTW, I understand there are clear plastic security films that can be applied to windows.  The glass will break, but it will still hold together and not separate.

Regards
John

ps:  In addition to the electric fuel pump and the starter relay, you can also interrupt the neutral safety switch on the transmission by putting another switch - or relay -  in series with it.

Completely agree on the two systems. I posted this in another venue and everyone ignored the situation for when you're away from the vehicle, which is most of the time for me. Thanks for the input.

 

[nixsee]

Nixsee,
    I'm so glad you are o.k. That is the most important thing.
I have two thoughts on your above post:
1. I'm no expert, but I've been doing this since 1988. You never know who is watching you for that moment. I never work ( with your tools?/ shop the next day/ hanging out) where I sleep. I leave my day location, go to another location where I get ready for bed. There I brush my teeth, rearrange things, etc. I then pull in to my sleeping location and as swiftly and low-key as possible and go to bed. I call it, "even a dog knows you don't poop where you sleep".
2. No matter how warm/muggy it is, especially since I am a woman, I always have clothes on. They may be light weight, but I am fully dressed.
I hope this helps.

Thanks for the advice! I agree - I never do work in the same spot as I sleep. And try to be fairly low key as well when I'm getting ready for bed.

 

[nixsee]

I'm really sorry this happened to you. Thanks for the thorough write up.

I full time in Seattle and generally avoid "sketchy" areas as well, though occasionally it's unavoidable. Back when I was in my 1986 Chevy G20 I can think of 4-5 different break-in attempts to varying degrees in the course of 6 months. Sometimes all they do is try all the doors and if they're all locked, move on. The worst one was when one person was shaking the entire van, banging on the windows and aggressively attempting to open the doors while another person stood in front of my van to prevent escape. They left after I jumped in the front seat, key in ignition and was obviously on the phone with 911.

Since switching to a minivan 7 months ago I haven't had a single break-in attempt. Not one.

You say you were parked at Capitol Hill near a large park? Sounds like Cal Anderson Park? Very sketchy area, sorry to say. (And if not, I'd love to know the exact location, even by PM if you're prefer.) Safe during the day so long as you watch your belongings at all times, but not so much after dark. My boyfriend works a block away and at night is when crime skyrockets. Nearly every day it's that a massive fight broke out or someone tried to rob the gas station down the street or whatever. It has got so bad that lately police just kinda show up around midnight and hang around with their lights flashing, occasionally blocking off streets, apparently just as a deterrent or to be there when something does go down. It's pretty intense!

Any belongings in the front seats or otherwise visible will catch people's attention. A friend of mine parked his sedan in the area and returned to a busted front window--they'd stolen his backpack. While helping friends hunt for apartments the apartment manager warned of similar stories. Anything that indicates you might have stuff of value can mean your car gets broken into. Unfortunately, I suspect anything larger than a minivan might indicate that by default, since in Seattle folks are pretty careful to not have any more car than they need with parking being so ridiculous. I doubt they took the time in the dark to look and see that your plates were from Canada--I think they just saw cargo van = must have lots of stuff and probably some of value.

My default response to break-ins has been to jump in the front and drive off. With the most aggressive one i did and up yelling "HEY GET OUTTA HERE!" instinctively. Having a car alarm is a somewhat helpful deterrent, now that I'm in an '04 Sienna I plan to hit the panic button if there's an attempt before hopping in the front. If the car alarm all on it's own scares them away that'd be awesome.

Your folding metal security gate, to me, sounds like it'd prevent fast access to the front to get away.

Another thing I'd note is if any of your added security measures are visible from the outside, this will only increase the impression that you have something of value inside that you're willing/able to spend extra money protecting. A thief will assume these valuables are items they can steal and sell, rather than simply your own personal safety.

Those are my initial thoughts, this was hastily typed up because I'm short on time today sorry!

Thanks for the advice and concern!

It was at the south end of Volunteer Park, in front of the massive homes on what I think is dubbed "Millionaire's row". From talking to people I met today and reading the news, it sounds like car theft is an insanely huge problem here. Many people don't even bother locking their doors anymore because they dont want their windows smashed. They have even found people sleeping in their car on occasion. I'm only here to get a bit of shopping done and then will be on my way - I'm sure there's lots to like about the city, but I have no reason to be here. And all this nonsense makes that even more the case.

I've cleared out the front now and will try to have any security measures be inconspicuous.

The consensus from another venue (reddit), which I agree with, is that no one is looking for trouble. Just make noise with your voice and/or alarm, turn on lights and drive off. Have a bat or something on hand just in case.

Yeah, I haven't fully thought the gate through yet. I'll do it later, but deadbolts and an alarm are cheap and easy.

Thanks again!

 

[nixsee]

One night outside San Francisco I was in the back using my computer and heard someone walk around my van knocking hard on all the windows. Hard as in with a large metal object, not quite to the point of breaking but also not lingering long enough at any window to be a normal knock. Then all of the door handles were violently pulled. Then this person started shaking the van side to side. I prepared myself for what I thought may very well be violent encounter. I wondered what I would do if I had a weapon, which I didn't. I got my phone ready and stayed quiet.

Then I heard the sounds of a police radio and the guy got into his car and drove off. It was a cop messing with me! I don't know if he thought this was a good way to chase me off or if he actually wanted to provoke a violent confrontation. In any case, jumping out with a weapon in hand would have ended badly.

I'd say the best thing to do now is have outward visibility, either a camera or peepholes of some sort, and a cellphone. It's hard to know how to defend yourself if you don't know what you're up against or how easy it would be to start your van and take off in a hurry. In your case you could have suddenly yelled out "I'm calling the cops right now I suggest you leave! Yes hello I'm inside my vehicle and someone is trying to break in" followed by location and description of the person. Or while they were still in the back you could have jumped up front and drove off.

That's messed up. Yeah I don't think I'd ever jump out of the vehicle, you just don't know what's out there. And especially not with a weapon. Best to stay inside, ignore it if its a cop, or yell/alarm if its a thief. And then drive away. The camera/peephole is a great idea to see who it is. I had considered yelling I'm calling the cops, or faking the call. I had never given thought to what to do with a break in - only ever what to do if a cop knocks. In the future I'll just make noise and drive away.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[nixsee]

Wow, that sounded nerve-wracking! Could you had pressed the little red "panic" button on your remote (if equipped)? 
I have done that in my van when people f'ed with me (confrontations) and it kept them out of my hair.
Oops, I just saw Bitty's post r/e the same panic button... Sorry for the redundancy.

I don't have an alarm at all. I'll be installing one soon though!

 

[nixsee]

Whatever methods you use, you can't completely prevent all confrontations. There will be times when you are naked and taking a noisy shower. You might be sleeping. You might be tired and not be as aware as you maybe should've been. You do what you think is best for you and deal with whatever may come along the best you can. Can't prepare for everything.

What you did worked. You immediately stopped the problem and are here to tell about it. While you have questions and want to improve, you clearly already have some ability to protect yourself and your belongings. As you build on that, you will be even better prepared next time.

You may want to have a sticker that says something to the effect, "I love my German Shepherd Dog" Or, "Please rescue my dog in case of fire." Or maybe, "Canine on board." Or "Blue Heeler crossing." Or "These aren't nose prints- this is dog art." Something that shows you have a dog of some sort. Dogs are usually noisy and some are bitey- two things criminals don't care for.

You could have flood lights around the van with one switch that lights them up. Criminals, like Cockroaches, don't like light.

Reducto, that cop was an idiot! What a great way to get oneself shot. Was he maybe a young and dumb security guard or someone else with a portable scanner for whatever reason? No matter what, that is a good way to die.

If I ever have to shoot from inside a vehicle, I keep ear protectors within easy reach. Yes, I want to make it out alive, but not partially deaf if I can help it.

I really appreciate this advice. Very sound. I definitely could have handled it better (made noise, faked a 911 call) but had never considered what to do in this situation. I know now. I think between that and the precautions I plan to take, I should be fine going forward. Hopefully others have learned from my experience as well. Thanks again!

 

[nixsee]

On canine's dog sign idea:  one can get a recording of a very angry large dog that could be set up on a 'panic button'.

On jimindenver's cheap cell plan idea:  cell carriers are required by law to pick up 911 calls from any cell phone, so no minutes needed for emergency calls.  I keep an old, functioning cell phone in my truck just for that reason.

-- Spiff

Thanks! Yeah I learned today that 911 works without a plan. I have a smartphone, but just use wifi. This should continue to work now that I know this!

 

[nixsee]

Nixsee,

Wow - I am sorry this happened to you but glad you were not harmed.

Here are my thoughts on (some of) your questions:

1. Are there really places that are safer than others?  [Yes, statistically rural areas are safer than urban areas. A well lit area with some traffic, such as a 24 hour supermarket, is a good choice and can be found almost anywhere.]  

2. Was this a bad place to park?  [It does not sound like there were indicators it was a bad area. You can do easy research on an area (in the US) if you have the zip code. Just enter “Crime [zip code]” into a search engine. Usually, one of the first hits will be data compiled by  http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ ]

3. Would there be more thieves in a rich area? [Not necessarily. I would use the tool I posted in the last answer to find out.]

4. But then why bother with my piece of crap?  [Thieves are not just interested in expensive vehicles or houses. A thief broke into my sister’s basement and stole her second-hand, beat-up baby stroller. My father’s car was stolen. He never locked it because it was so old. The thieves were teenagers who took it to joyride (and totaled it crashing into a telephone pole during a police chase).]

5. Surely you don't want to be the only car on the street, but is it better to have many cars around and blend in, or just a few?  [I think it is better to be someplace with scattered cars, like a commercial parking lot.]

6. I often like parking in front of parks, both for the scenery as well as having fewer neighbors. Is this a bad idea?  [Scenery is irrelevant when you are sleeping, so I would save visiting parks for daytime. At night it would be better to go someplace with better lighting and some traffic].  

7. Any other guidelines to follow?  [If you hear someone trying to get into your van I would immediately make your presence known. The odds are that whoever it is does not know someone is inside and will leave when it is evident. You can shift your weight side to side so the van rocks. You can loudly say “THE POLCE ARE ON THEIR WAY” (whether they are or not). Getting a cell phone would be a good idea as would writing down the exact address of your location in case you do call the police. And, of course, being able to drive away is great security.]

Some of the security enhancement your propose sound a bit excessive to me. While they would be effective, I would think the inside would seem like a cage - just my opinion.  One cheap and easy thing you can do is before going to sleep to attach bungee cords to both inside door handles and to each other (some trucker’s do this). Of course, anyone who looks through the window will see this and realize someone is inside, but that alone may deter thieves.  

About an alarm - make sure it is not so sensitive that it goes off whenever you roll over in bed.

I hope this helps.

Damian

Great advice. Thank you very much for sharing. I definitely plan to do most of this going forward.

 

[SternWake]

10+ years Ago I awoke to somebody opening my side door. I'm assuming I left it unlocked.

I smelled that car exhaust type smell which screaks meth addled tweeker.

I launched off my bed, landed an overhead right on the Jaw, and his head bounced off My B pillar.

Knocked out cold, and my hand was on fire.

Freaked me out. I drug him away from my van as his legs would have gotten run over when i backed out, and I left, but I did not sleep the rest of that night, and I did not park there again even though it was next to a friends house where my van was used to being seen.

I was weary of retribution for some time after that.