When Vans Get Stolen

[Jraulpilot1983]

Actually no. They totally destroyed the inside. And they took almost everything I own.

I don't even want it now. I'm just going to gut it and try to sell it as is.

No Insurance?

 

[WayOutWest]

I just noticed this post and wanted to put out the suggestion that everyone who has a vehicle that they love, whether a camper/ van conversion or just a plain old sedan, consider at least one and preferably more than one theft prevention device.
Too many people unfortunately think this way: "No one's stolen my vehicle so far, so it probably wont' happen." But that sort of reasoning doesn't make sense. A person may only have their vehicle stolen once in your lifetime. If you aren't that attached to it, then maybe it's not a big problem. But for those of us who are attached to our vehicle, we don't want to walk out one morning and see nothing in the spot where we left it parked.
There are many types of "traditional" theft prevention devices and some non-traditional or more creative types. Traditional would be a club on the steering wheel. A little more non traditional would be you boot your own vehicle tire or install a kill switch. I suggest non traditional methods because criminals aren't prepared for what they aren't prepared for. So if they see something they aren't prepared to tackle they are likely to move on to an easier target.

I also live in the Bay Area. I haven't had my vehicle stolen, but in the last year it's been broken into 3 times, which is 3 times more than ever happened in the previous 25 years. Suffice it to say it seems crime is up recently. The criminals took a few "stereotypically valuable" type things but left everything else. I wasn't too upset because the things that are most valuable to me are worthless to a criminal -- eg my journal, decades old pressed flowers....

 

[user 19146]

I once had a chevy nova stolen from me 2 times. the first time my friends were on the lookout and would see my car traveling down the road. but they were on foot. after about a week of seeing my car traveling the same road but in the other direction. i knew it was within a 3 mile area. i also now on foot spent my after work time walking the area. after a week or so i found my car. and reported it as found. i used my extra key to try and recover it. but it wound not start. so leaving it and coming back later the same day. I removed the steering wheel and under the hood disabled the shift rods. I then had to wait for my next paycheck to tow it home. during the wait they came back and installed their own steering wheel, and it was gone again. I learned later they were placing a walnut inside the starter so it would not start. and they had removed the shift rods directly from the transmission. and could then put it in gear and drive off. it was found within minutes just around the block. the second time they took it. i was then able to purchase the tire i needed for a 2nd car and get a friend to use my 2nd car to push me and my nova back home. then i had to replace all the broken parts and piece's on the nova.

 

[Quinn]

I've been posting this around facebook and twitter, and thought I might post it here as well, in case anyone is my area right now. If it isn't appropriate for this forum or board, please delete - I just want to get the word out. Below I'll tell you the things I've done so far to find my home on wheels.

[font=system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, HelveticaNeue,]My van was stolen 1/5/19 between 5pm and 10pm from Russell Street @ Hillegass in Berkeley, California ...

In case you see it driving around or parked near you:

1997 White Ford E250
Barn Doors on the passenger side with windows
Back doors have windows
Canvas drop cloth curtains
Fairly clean looking.
Berkeley Parking Permit: Area "B" on back left side bumper
Mexican blankets on front seats.
Cupholder is full of rocks and crystals. Crystal hanging from rear view mirror.
Weatherguards on the driver and passenger windows.
CA Lic. Plate: 5N17707

I notified my immediate neighbors personally.

It has a Berkeley Parking Permit for the "B" neighborhood. That's its only sticker.

If you see it ANYWHERE, and anyone other than me is driving it or hanging out in it, please call the police.

If it is back on Russell Street @ Hillegass that means I've found it. I have reported this information to the police.


What I've done so far:

Contacted police immediately to see if it was towed and then reported it stolen.
Explained to the policeman that I live in the van and almost everything I own is in it.
Walked the neighborhood until 2am that night to see if it might happen to be a local theft.
Spoke to each of my neighbors individually about web cams and did they see anything.
Reported on the Northern California Van Dwellers FB group.
Posted on my own FB wall.
Asked everyone I know in the neighborhood, on FB and twitter, to look for it while they are out running errands and to make a couple of detours while they are at it.
Made sure that everyone had the license plate number.

This was a new-to-me van and build-out and one of my next purchases was going to be the security cameras.
I do have an old iPhone 4 in there and I've currently sent off FindMyPhone to see if it could be found.

Not lose hope.[/font]

Hi MsKradel , This topic came up under new but now I see it is 3 years later after the disappointing event of your van being stolen. Did you end up selling it, did you get a new rig? Vanlifer of 37 years deserves respect!. Can't wait to hear how things are in 2022. ope Wish you a great day

 

[Quinn]

I once had a chevy nova stolen from me 2 times. the first time my friends were on the lookout and would see my car traveling down the road. but they were on foot. after about a week of seeing my car traveling the same road but in the other direction. i knew it was within a 3 mile area. i also now on foot spent my after work time walking the area. after a week or so i found my car. and reported it as found. i used my extra key to try and recover it. but it wound not start. so leaving it and coming back later the same day. I removed the steering wheel and under the hood disabled the shift rods. I then had to wait for my next paycheck to tow it home. during the wait they came back and installed their own steering wheel, and it was gone again. I learned later they were placing a walnut inside the starter so it would not start. and they had removed the shift rods directly from the transmission. and could then put it in gear and drive off. it was found within minutes just around the block. the second time they took it. i was then able to purchase the tire i needed for a 2nd car and get a friend to use my 2nd car to push me and my nova back home. then i had to replace all the broken parts and piece's on the nova.

What an ordeal! That people get awau with this, but you won!

 

[AeroNautiCal]

I cannot overemphisise the importance of buying a respected brand of vehicle tracking device and concealing it within your van, car, truck, camper, cargo trailer, etc.

A zone can be set for where your vehicle is regularly parked, and if the vehicle tracking control room see that your vehicle has moved beyond that zone they will immediately contact you to verify if you've authorised the vehicle to exit the predetermined zone.

If you haven't authorised it then that means the vehicle has been stolen, and the Police will immediately be alerted and have access to your vehicle's tracking movements in real time, allowing them to apprehend the thieves and recover the vehicle.

These devices have had a phenomenal success here in the UK, where they've led to the recovery of vehicles and equipment worth countless thousands of pounds/dollars.

I'm sorry to hear about the theft and destruction of your van, I hope this information may be of some help in the future.

 

[wanderlust]

respected brand of vehicle tracking device

Example? Which brand? Possibly a link?

 

[Jraulpilot1983]

No Insurance?

It is interesting that too many people don't consider this..:
1) Install a "Battery Master Cut off" Switch, they come with a removable "Key".
2) Install a "floorboard" "Fuel cut Off" valve.
(It is a "push by foot" button Valve/under the floor carpet/mat. on driver side. (Uses a key to relase it and reactivates the Fuel flow)
It works for "Carjacking" scenario and when you park in remote areas.
3) Always leave your radio "jamming" when you go for a "Walkabout" and vehicle locked. ( thief will think there is someone inside.
4) Also NRA Bumper stickers help......(it's a "psychological thing" for crooks.
( most thieves don't want to engage in a "gun fight")

 

[scaredycat72]

It is interesting that too many people don't consider this..:
1) Install a "Battery Master Cut off" Switch, they come with a removable "Key".
2) Install a "floorboard" "Fuel cut Off" valve.
(It is a "push by foot" button Valve/under the floor carpet/mat. on driver side. (Uses a key to relase it and reactivates the Fuel flow)
It works for "Carjacking" scenario and when you park in remote areas.
3) Always leave your radio "jamming" when you go for a "Walkabout" and vehicle locked. ( thief will think there is someone inside.
4) Also NRA Bumper stickers help......(it's a "psychological thing" for crooks.
( most thieves don't want to engage in a "gun fight")

Newer cars with key fobs can't be stolen without the key. While sophisticated thieves can steal the key fob signal, putting your key in a Faraday bag eliminates that risk. Basically I have to worry about my SUV being towed or broken into but not stolen.

 

[Jraulpilot1983]

Update: Key Fob signal frequency can be obtained by the use of the VIN #.

 

[Camper]

Please include a link to the floorboard fuel cutoff valve.

 

[UptownSport]

I live in Mpls.
yeah.
None of those things are going to help.
They stick a pistol in your face, then rip pockets outa your pants to get your wallet, cell and fob- maybe pistol whip you for good measure.
The cops cannot block in the vehicle once they find it- They will not chase- both per policy. They have to get the State Police or Cnty to do so.
You can't keep up combat zone vigilance- it always happens the moment you avert your attention, the they're there.

There's been several people who have taken the law into their own hands; the slumbering County Attorney awakens with a start and puts his entire team on making those people's lives a living He!!.

I'm not smart enough to know WHY they are promoting this lawlessness, and even if I did I couldn't do anything about it.

All I know is you need to stay out of those areas.

It's horrible to read about this happening to people like Jraul, it's occurring multiple times a day, every day, and no one in power - at best- really cares.

Go a few miles outside the city, and it wouldn't occur in six lifetimes- there's no worries. It's just not worth it in any respect.

 

[scaredycat72]

Update: Key Fob signal frequency can be obtained by the use of the VIN #.

No they can't. That's like saying someone canb make a key to your house if they know your address.

But please post where that's possible if something has changed in the last few months.

 

[pozablo]

I stop by any shooting range and pick up a couple empty boxes for .45cal bullets, and leave 'em in plain sight.
(Wouldn't drive around or park in a city that way, though, for fear of being hassled by police)

 

[BelgianPup]

Just a passing thought... Today, I passed a converted school bus with a very unique red, black and white paint job.

There are probably hundreds of thousands plain white vans of every make out there. If you painted your rig to make it stand out, do you think it would discourage thieves?

Pink, purple and blue flying flamingoes. Multi-colored ocean waves. Glow-in-the-dark paint or designs? Ugly monsters with big teeth?

Any thoughts?

 

[Username]

I take precautions with the van I now live in to help insure I do not get victimized again.

Any precautions you could recommend?

 

[VanSkulk]

I'm paranoid about my vehicle getting stolen so I just recently got a location tracker. I got the Bouncie $77 up front and $7/month. It has the lowest monthly cost and the features are comparable with other brands.

 

[tradesman]

Initially the Bouncie looked like a good option but I came across this on their answer page:

"Bouncie uses the start-stop cycles of the engine to record data. If your vehicle is stolen or towed without the vehicle being turned on, Bouncie would be unable record the event. Bouncie was not designed for theft deterrence or vehicle recovery."

It does have some other features like location and accident detection/notification that seem useful...

Does anyone else have experience with specific tracking/ theft devices?

 

[Xavier_reed]

Initially the Bouncie looked like a good option but I came across this on their answer page:

"Bouncie uses the start-stop cycles of the engine to record data. If your vehicle is stolen or towed without the vehicle being turned on, Bouncie would be unable record the event. Bouncie was not designed for theft deterrence or vehicle recovery."

It does have some other features like location and accident detection/notification that seem useful...

Does anyone else have experience with specific tracking/ theft devices?

Why don’t you guys use AirTags (iPhone) or Tile’s (both android and iPhone). You have to replace the batteries in them every year, I do 6mo as precaution. But you can hide it in your vehicle, and if your van gets stolen you just check the app and it’ll tell you exactly where your vehicle is and even give you directions to it!! Is also very useful for your keys and/or wallet. I think with Tile you do have to pay a subscription too but it’s only a couple dollars a month (don’t quote me). Hope this helps!

 

[doublegregg]

i've had my van, a chevy express, a year and a half. it's been hit and run, had the gas tank drilled out for gas, door lock destroyed, ignition switch destroyed, shot, gee, i can't even remember if the catalytic was stolen. oh, yeah, it was, lol.
all in front of my house. i live in oakland, next to berzerkley.
i lowered my deductible from $1000 to $250. that's what i'd recommend. and --- for a hit and run, even tho my vehicle was parked, it's covered under the collision part of insurance.
anyone tried VISUAL deterrents? fake led's that blink, stickers for well known vehicle trackers... ??? clubs???
i may have to sell my van. it just ain't worth it. i mean, they ain't even stolen it, and trashed it yet.
which is what they do. apologies for being so negative; i just found the last driver side lock destruction a few minutes ago.