Broken into in France

[eddie]

Where are you Eddie?

Make me jealous.

Can’t tell you that, as next time you would riffle the bags and only leave us with Wales V England World Cup final tickets lol

 

[Reallyretired]

Only twice stayed overnight on motorway aires. One was very nice, the other was very noisy though.

 

[Shrimp]

We’ve never had problems in France but we’re broken into on a UK CL!
We now have a Strikeback alarm and we use it every time we leave the van and at night in spite of having a barky dog!

 

[Vanderek]

This week we stopped on a motorway Aire for a drink just north of Aix en Provence ...pulled a side blind across as the sun was blinding and it was 30 °. There was some tapping on the window....we only opened the passenger window a small amount. A scruuffy French guy asked me to move forward , I asked why, he said so his caravan or lorries could park behind me. We thought it suspicious as there were so many spaces further along the aire and he was already parked up on the other side of the road when we arrived. As we drove in he appeared and a woman got out of the caravan quickly. We moved forward, but kept going and left. It all seemed dodgy.

 

[pete4x4]

When we were broken into, he came in thru the window, catches are easily opened with a bent nail! We woke up scared the sh*t out of him and he legged it thru the cab. Had we secured the cab doors with a ratchet strap or equivalent I think we would have been in trouble as we had blocked his exit.
Ive now secured the windows but would still not tie the doors too risky.
We do however now sleep with all our valuables around the bed.

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[nicholsong]

When we were broken into, he came in thru the window, catches are easily opened with a bent nail! We woke up scared the sh*t out of him and he legged it thru the cab. Had we secured the cab doors with a ratchet strap or equivalent I think we would have been in trouble as we had blocked his exit.
Ive now secured the windows but would still not tie the doors too risky.
We do however now sleep with all our valuables around the bed.

Easier target to smash him with something heavy.

 

[GAVLAD]

I’ve got a pair of Millenco B post locks which are fixed to the door and a key lockable lock allows a catch to fold down which prevents opening against the B post.

Like most deterrents, the would be thief would only realise after damaging the door lock though.

I’ve also got a Growler and although I’ve had complaints about the flashing LED, so far it’s worked as a deterrent.

 

[Clickem]

I have a Ford and i would like to put straps in the cab doors but they don't have an rests like the fiat. How do other people manage to secure their front cab doors?
I sometimes use a chain to secure the sliding side door but the rear doors are susceptible as well as the cab doors.

We have a Ford and I bought a pair of Cabin Hooks. I screwed the eyes to the doors and joined the hooks with a wire cable so they could be used to hold the cab doors together

Redirect Notice

Drilled the pins out of the ends of the hooks to thread the wire rope through and screwed the two eyes to the door frames

 

[movan]

I had problem in this country and I put on a loud, deep manly voice and bellowed using language I never knew was in my vocabulary..

Get so angry at people who think they can just help themselves to others' property .. not to mention the emotional upset.

 

[gus-lopez]

I have used motorway aires in car & not so much in van as I do not use toll roads. I use the 'aire de repos' on the N & D roads as well as any old lay by..The hab door has the normal lock + a half turn lock top & bottom. Additionally when travelling I never use it as it is also inaccessible due to the sheer amount of stuff I pack in front of it. Even if they managed to sledge the door it is still 30" off the ground to the floor & the double step is electric & cannot be lowered manually with removing the motor.
The cab doors I always use a ratchet strap through them & the alarm is on the doors even if they opened them. The only way of disarming the alarm is from the inside & knowing where it is. There is no remote & even during the day when leaving the van the alarm has to be set off to arm it.
The dog hears the slightest thing & whilst not barking he alerts me to the fact that something is not right outside. I have no problem checking & if not happy confronting any one parking up close or with the engine running.
Also my cameras run permanently.

Recently picking up the wife at Alicante I walked over to the revolving doors with the dog. Something I don't normally do .Leant against the wall & looked around to see 2 shifty blokes ,one in a jumper ,one in civvies & pink shirt . Both peered in passenger window & then jumper disappeared round drivers side. Shot back over & grabbed pink shirt whilst ranting & then jumper popped up, holding a sniffer dog, shouting " policia,policia". He got quite annoyed when I wouldn't back down until he got his card out. Pink shirt was ok & laughed even though he was the one .
It doesn't really matter what you do as if your luck is out & the scum are about they will have a go. I only do what I do hoping to gain the extra seconds that will allow me to catch & permanently disable them.

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[inkey2019]

On my 2002 Ducato I removed the back securing bolts on the door arm rests and replaced them with eye bolts and used a chain with a cabana clip in the centre. I leave enough slack so the door can be opened enough to set off the alarm.

 

[Ingwe]

Sorry to hear this.
If in future you use a strap between doors keep a Stanley knife or sharp scissors handy near the doors.
Not only does it keep them out... It keeps you in.
If you can't use the hab door or emergency exit window in a fire you may be panicking and a knife is the quickest way to undo a ratchet strap.

This sounds like a good idea. Or failing that, what about two made to measure lengths of cable with loops at the middle with a padlock to link them but NOT locking the padlock? To the outsider, he couldn't open the doors but insiders could simply slip off the cable from the open padlock. Just thinking aloud?
Edit: maybe not a padlock but say a U bolt, without the lock bit on the bottom.

 

[Mike800966]

We use a length of plastic covered multistrand wire to loop into the door arm rests, over the horn button and close it with a combination lock type carabiner. Bought the bits whilst away in Portugal .
What I like about it is that it is obvious. We dont usually engage the lock on the carabiner so it can just be unhooked but the scum outside dont know that !
So far never a problem but also have Strikeback and a proper tracker
Lets hope it stays that way
Mike & Ann

 

[PhilG]

I've been talking to a few Brits lately in France and Spain and asked them what aires they use. Quite a few have said they don't use them now as they have been broken into when stopping on aires. However on further discussion its been motorway aires that they've stopped at. Ok you can be broken into anywhere but I wonder if people become confused with the term Aire. We all rave about using aires but for newcomers we somehow need to make the distinction between 'village aires' and motorway aires.

People get all romantic 'oh we just use the Aires'....... its a glorified lay-by. You wouldn't pull up in one here, so why think its ok cos its in another country.. these places are like supermarkets for thieves, and a new victim turns of every night.

 

[peterc10]

People get all romantic 'oh we just use the Aires'....... its a glorified lay-by. You wouldn't pull up in one here, so why think its ok cos its in another country.. these places are like supermarkets for thieves, and a new victim turns of every night.

If you are referring to Motorway Aires I agree.

If you are talking about the Aires de Camping Car in most French villages and towns then that is complete nonsense.

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[Duck Truck]

We always try to be efficient and carry no extra weight
So we use our bondage rope to tie the doors together
Always assuming it's not in use that night

 

[pete4x4]

we got broken into on a campsite so it happens everywhere at some point.

 

[Wildbill]

Sorry for your experience. Rule no 1. Never stay overnight on a motorway aire. Rule no 2 Never never stop overnight on a motorway aire.
Phil

why i hav parked on them hundreds of times just don't park in a dark corner i usually park near to the service aria lighting a bit of noise but never had a problem.
bill

 

[keithchesterfield2]

With a bit of luck many of these stupid comments will stop people using the designated Aire de Camping Car and give me more space to park on them when I go to France later in the year.

 

[Camping Gaza]

Aires de Camping Car... You would be safer staying overnight in Beirut. My advice, don't use them you will be broken into at night and robbed at knife-point.

Carry a weapon at all times if traveling through France. Lots of Gypsies and immigrants here and French of course.

Stay away. (No really, please stay away.)

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[EuroTrotters]

Sad to hear of your break in.

Never let anything put you off.

An old tramp banged on the side of our MH a few years back, 2am in the morning. I grabbed my phone and one of several weapons.

Turns out, he was not a tramp. Just a resident of the nearby flats who had got dressed and brought his dog along to warn us of the impending flood.

TM

 

[Camping Gaza]

"Turns out, he was not a tramp. Just a resident of the nearby flats"

Could you not have at least referred him to your Taylor... Hmm, you had your phone for god's sake, the cheek of it.

 

[Ridgeway]

When we were broken into, he came in thru the window, catches are easily opened with a bent nail! We woke up scared the sh*t out of him and he legged it thru the cab. Had we secured the cab doors with a ratchet strap or equivalent I think we would have been in trouble as we had blocked his exit.
Ive now secured the windows but would still not tie the doors too risky.
We do however now sleep with all our valuables around the bed.

I think this is a very valid point, i for one wouldn't want to put myself between a potentially desperate person and his only exit point, internally secured cab doors would increase the possibility of this scenario although i would guess that 98% of entries are through the cab doors themselves. On our van you would need ladders to get through the hab windows and i've always assumed it would be the cab doors at risk, potentially the garage as well.

 

[Duck Truck]

Aires de Camping Car... You would be safer staying overnight in Beirut. My advice, don't use them you will be broken into at night and robbed at knife-point.

Carry a weapon at all times if traveling through France. Lots of Gypsies and immigrants here and French of course.

Stay away. (No really, please stay away.)

Yer a naughty boy
we know what your up to

 

[Duck Truck]

potentially the garage as well.

Blimey no chance with ours
On the way out it's full of stuff we may need
On the way back it's full of stuff we didn't need
+ wine and beer

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[Okeyjon]

If you are referring to Motorway Aires I agree.

If you are talking about the Aires de Camping Car in most French villages and towns then that is complete nonsense.

Completely agree, most village sites (Aires) are brilliant friendly places with local facilities available for YOU.
Use them before they disappear through lack of use. See you at one sometime!!!!

If you are referring to Motorway Aires I agree.


If you are talking about the Aires de Camping Car in most French villages and towns then that is complete nonsense.

 

[Gaston aires]

why i hav parked on them hundreds of times just don't park in a dark corner i usually park near to the service aria lighting a bit of noise but never had a problem.
bill

This maybe true for you, but a large percentage of thefts take place on motorway aires, quick and easy getaways etc. I too have never had a problem on aires, never parked up for the night on motorway aires either.
Phil

 

[fullfat]

Pssst anyone want to buy a Rolex ?

 

[eddie]

I would imagine tonight that thousands of vehicles peacefully overnighting in motorway aires across Europe, that is what they are designed for.

Last week on the way back up from the Med they were packed.

As I have said before, one person gets broken into and it is shared across all social media platforms, however, if every time some one overnighted, en route, on a motorway Aire (which is what they are for of course) and posted saying that it was safe and uneventful it would make pretty boring reading lol

Some are amazingly good, some OK and some are grotty and noisey, This picture was taken on an motorway Aire last year, and was exceptionally good which is why I bothered to take the picture

 

[keithchesterfield2]

With a bit of luck many of these stupid comments will stop people using the designated Aire de Camping Car and give me more space to park on them when I go to France later in the year.

And whatever you do avoid the France Passion sites - they are hotbeds of unbridled debauchery .....

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