Campervan Security

S E C U R I T Y

Words by Dietmar Blome @wip_foto_worpswede and photo by @away_heidi

The corona pandemic brought an unexpected side effect which the mobile home manufacturers and van builders are pleased about. Their sales have grown by over 40% and buyers of new vehicles are now facing 6-12 month waiting times. And another group is enjoying the boom: professional gangs who specialize in stealing vans.

Used VW buses and the like currently have hardly any depreciation and can be sold, even as stolen vehicles, at the best prices.

There are tons of theft reports of beloved vans on social media, shared in groups on Facebook like VW Bus stolen and Stolen mobile homes/caravans, many of which were supposedly well secured.

Steering wheel claw? Cut by professionals with a disk cutter in minutes. Wheel claw? If the wheel nuts are exposed, the thieves will replace the wheel in a few minutes. GPS tracking? With electronic devices the signal can be disturbed or the installation location of the device is discovered and the GPS destroyed.

Let’s look at a few options for protecting your van.

DISCONNECTERS

Can be installed in a hidden place between the battery and the ignition inside the engine bay. This considerably increases the effort required to start the vehicle. Many units come with a remote button so that you can disconnect/connect the battery from range. They are largely inexpensive, priced around the €50 mark.

There are inexpensive systems priced from €50 to €100 that trigger an audible alarm. The sensor inside the vehicle reacts to vibrations, current flow or changes in air pressure when a door or window is opened. More expensive systems also have ultrasonic sensors and radio contact switches that can be attached in many places, e.g. windows. Most inexpensive systems are operated with an additional radio key, the high-quality ones can be integrated into the function of the car key.

Amateurs may be put off by the noise of the siren, but professionals may not be. A great solution is a more expensive alarm system that interrupts the power supply to the ignition.

STEERING WHEEL CLAWS AND COVERS

Available in different designs, also from cheap and relatively quick to cut, to expensive and fairly secure. For little money, you can get the lock that jams from the clutch pedal to the steering wheel. There are very cheap ones from around 30 €, but they can probably be beaten quickly with a disk cutter. For the best chance of security, the units should at least be made from hardened steel, and as thick as possible.

The full wheel cover from disklok

WHEEL CLAWS

These serve as a good deterrent, but you must not leave the wheel nuts free! Professional and amateur thieves simply jack up the vehicle and swap out with a spare wheel in just a few minutes.

A wheel claw needs to cover the wheel nuts.

We have some more options listed in our security buyers guide. Full article available in issue 05 of Advanture Magazine. Click below for access to the magazine.