What Security Measures Do You Take?

[camadeva]

I get a little separation anxiety from my things. Can't Imagine leaving my van too long without some added security from thieves.
Has anyone here installed extra deadbolts to you're vehicle? What else do you do? An alarm system is the obvious one, but how much can this be done for realistically?
Thanks!

 

[PastTense]

Did you read this thread?
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Security-for-RV-Travelers

 

[Drifted_Cowboy]

I know jesus pretty well. He watches my shit while I'm away.

 

[decodancer]

Dog, big dog.

 

[Willy]

Dog, big dog.

Woof. ..Willy.

 

[Patrick46]

I know jesus pretty well. He watches my shit while I'm away.

Hahahah......now that's funny!!!

---

I usually just lock my doors...but I don't own anything worth stealing anyways.

 

[caseyc]

https://www.dropcam.com/product

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2425539,00.asp

I recently got this thing called a Dropcam Pro, see links above. This camera virtually sees in the dark by emitting a faint red light if under complete darkness. Also has good quality daytime recording as well. The "zoom" feature is really quite cool. Simply use your smartphone (via Android of Apple free app) to zoom in on say your sideview mirror to see cars or people passing by you while parked. Will also automatically send you potential intruder alerts by email. Also has a 2 way microphone for talking back and forth from camera to say a smartphone. Everything works wirelessly, which is both good and bad. Major downsides are that it requires a constant internet connection, or else will lose camera recording. Plus it requires a monthly subscription to the company if you want 7 or 30 day recorded storage, otherwise it's only live preview. This camera does NOT record onto a memory card, only through "the cloud". I have both this Dropcam, plus something else called a BlackVue dashcam for 24 hour recording. I also have other methods for physical and electronic theft deterrents.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Shoot first, ask questions later

Casey....With a Gorillabar and a dufflebag a thief could make a 60 second sweep thru your van that would have it stripped to the upholstery. All those cams and cloud be damned. Those fancy toys are simply another invitation for the high tech thieves of today. The cool tech stuff sells quickly and that's their game.

We're going to install the simple "horn makes noise" type alarm (the type we all ignore since we hear them so much). Only difference in ours over the rest will be not only the stock horns, but the air horns will alert everyone for a mile...you can't ignore that much noise and it will scare the crap out of an intruder.
Good part is that a thief won't know to go to the house batteries under the floor for the disconnect.

We, as travelers, are vulnerable and the best we can do is be cautious when leaving our rigs. Recon where you'll park and sit a few minutes to scope out who might be lurking/watching.
That's just my take on the whole thing.

 

[Zil]

Put the air horn inside the van. That will send them home.

 

[ccbreder]

I know jesus pretty well. He watches my shit while I'm away.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

[Patrick46]

sorry brah....no bibble quoting on here! ^^^

 

[Drifted_Cowboy]

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Pretty much. I like my version better.

 

[camadeva]

Did you read this thread?
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Security-for-RV-Travelers

I have read it. That thread is more geared toward personal safety. I have a good idea of what I'll do if someone tried breaking in when I'm in it.
In fact, here's my plan! I'm going to install a simple alarm and speaker wired to a switch or two in the van. I can switch it on if I feel it's necessary. hopefully that would scare 'em off, but not surely.
I have a converted box van so I think the back could get busted in just as likely as the front. If they try breaking in the back maybe I can just drive away. Otherwise I can pop through my sunroof/escape hatch with whatever weapon.

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@caseyc That dropcam seems pretty neat, but the internet connection thing will definitely be a problem. bindi&us makes a point. It wont actually prevent thieves, but checking in would give you piece of mind.
Again, I get separation anxiety. No measure is too high. If I want to explore an unknown place for a day, or potentially longer, leaving my mobile-dwelling with everything I own inside... *few. I'll be pretty uneasy. I got a lot of heart in this thing. So I can't say I completely disagree with the verse. Treasuring a physical object this much is surely no good.
But I can't help it. I need Deadbolts!

 

[Lucky mike]

I used to travel in a pack.......then I realized ,there is no honor among thieves !!!!!!!

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Treasuring a physical object this much is surely no good.
But I can't help it. I need Deadbolts![/color]

It's not really about treasuring material goods, per se. I worked hard to earn the money needed to buy what I have. I would have to work hard to earn the money needed to replace this stuff if some lazy, thieving bastard decided to help himself to it.

Some people here seem to be perfectly happy relying on dumb luck.

Myself, I am constitutionally incapable of adopting a "Que sera, sera" attitude about either my personal safety or the safety of my stuff.

Regards
John

 

[Patrick46]

Some people here seem to be perfectly happy relying on dumb luck.

Dumb Luck? Seriously???

You've spent a crapload of money on all these security cameras (which is fine)...but that's only gonna deter someone, with all the racket the alarms make...but it sure ain't gonna prevent them from breaking into your rig. (I personally think it invites them, as the thieives see all these cameras and think "WOW...there must be something valuable in there for such an elaborate security system".) 1 big rock, and they're IN.

just because a person isn't as wound up about their possessions as the next one, and doesn't think the contents of their van is worth spending their wad on a alarm system, and considers their door locks to be sufficient to keep their stuff out of the hands of the unmotivated theives, doesn't mean they're using 'dumb luck'.

It just means they think life is more important than 'stuff'.


and lets be honest here...

if someone is motivated enough...they'll find a way to get it from ya!!

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Dumb luck...I think not, as long as you're as careful as you can be. The truest fact of life is that "shit happens" and we are all in line to be the next to experience that. No way I'm going to feed it by offering lots of goodies to attract that bad element.

Let's say I'm hiking 4 miles from my rig and I look to the cloud (smartfone) and dropcam shows that my rig is being robbed.
Now, I have 4 miles of anxiety laden hauling ass to get back to my ripped off rig. In my distraught haste, I break my leg. I finally crawl into camp to find stuff scattered everywhere and my expensive dropcam gone away with some crackhead, leaving only a blank spot in the cloud and me having second bouts of anxiety, major depression, and anger to go with my torn, broken body.

No thanks!!! I sooner just see it once, get pizzed, throw a fit, and be done with it.
The cops aren't going to do anything with a short clip of some jerk in a ski mask as he clips the wire.

And, if I'm away and the rig burns to the ground, don't call me. There's nothing I can do from 4 miles away anyhoo. If its going to happen, I'd rather see that only once too.

A friend (who arrived here the other day), was in Santa Something (or another), Calif and his rear cam recorded a very clear clip of a guy who carefully unbolted his genny off the rear rack and walked off with his new unit. They flat out told him there was nothing they could (or would) do about it.
A lot of good a video recording does when the LEOs walk away from you cuz you're a transient.

Its up to each of us to choose the safest spot to park the box that contains our lives and hope for the best.
We all gamble on life and it doesn't always come out the way we planned.

I know, I sound pretty pessimistic, but I'm actually a very positive person. I'm dern sure positive that there are thieves out there who are smart and tricky, but I'll do my best to keep my eyes open when it comes to my dwelling or yours.
If I see anyone messing with your rig, you're going to come home to find them chained to your bumper at gun point and you can decide what to do with them....after I finish kicking the shit out of them, a few times.

I know that not everyone will agree, but I'm not going to invest in a bunch of toys that invite some a$$hole who wants to steal that kind of stuff.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I don't want to embarrass or offend anyone here.

I've seen at least one post here by a person claiming that they never bothered to lock their rig in a campground, and they had never had any problems.

If that's the way they want to live, that's fine.

But that's MY definition of getting by on dumb luck.

Regards
John

 

[decodancer]

Doesn't embarrass or offend me, no worries. No I do not lock my TT in the campground, honestly I don't even know if the lock works. My reasoning is that if they want the few things I have, go in through the door rather than break a window or rip out my screens. Then I have that expense on top of replacing my old laptop and a 19 inch tv. I also have three dogs. Granted they are friendly but they make a lot of noise. Who knows what they would do if a stranger came in, my only hope is that he wouldn't hurt them. Anyone who was that determined would not be hindered by a door lock. If I'm traveling in my van, my doors will be locked, I just feel very safe here.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I appreciate your understanding attitude, Kathleen. Thank you.

You and I have obviously had our viewpoints shaped by different life experiences.

That doesn't mean that mine is more valid than yours, but it does explain why I couldn't be comfortable trying to live your way.

Regards
John