Report of robbery French motorway truck stop

[activecampers]

Parents got robbed in a motorway aire (they knew better but had 101 excuses as to why they did). Dad woke up as they were leaving, jumped up and cracked is head. They broke the door/lock and must've made a lot of noise. 100% certain mum would say "we were gassed as there is no way we would have not woken up".... And they were not gassed, just tired, glass of wine, noisy location, and slept well.

DO NOT use motorway / lorry aires - all thefts I've heard of when in use are in these areas, not village aires.

And gassing is a myth. Been confirmed by the royal college of anaesthetists. Also 1st hand, not facebook fiction wife has to anaesthetise many different things of different sizes, and its a battle to keep them stable and alive and thats in controlled conditions - constant monitoring and fine tuning. Impossible with multiple sized people with different metabolisms in unknown surroundings with unknown volume and gas escape paths . Gas is noisy and the amount you would need (esp as motorhomes have more holes/drop vents than the titanic) - it'd be impossible to achieve without killing anyone and/or carrying huge amounts of kit, and there would be residue/smell left.

Gassing is a convenient excuse invented by lorry drivers who started it off having their loads nicked when gassed, as that was better than getting a fake beating from their contacts nicking the load.

 

[Phill D]

Uh excuse me but the doors and windows were open because of the heat,
How the **** do you get gassed or sedated in a vehicle that is open to the world outside!!

 

[Phill D]

In any aire that is open to Joe Public our Stikeback is armed.

 

[rico]

Don't think you are 100% safe even on Aires but if it doesn't feel right then move on.
Oh and invest in a decent alarm system and of course a dog helps.

 

[stevewagner]

Not to be pedantic but these cases are not for the most part robberies. They are burglaries i.e. people entering your van unlawfully and stealing your property. Robbery requires violence or threat of violence during the theft.
I would argue that being stolen from while you’re sleeping or away from the van is far less disturbing than being hurt or threatened with violence.
Even if the end result of losing your Rolexs, iPads and cobs of £20k in fivers is the same.

Actually you are being pedantic. Call it what you like and it has obviously never happened to you, but being robbed/burgled while you are sleeping is unnerving. As if you wake up and react who knows what the outcome could be. They may be carrying a knife for all you know.

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[Ernesto]

Uh excuse me but the doors and windows were open because of the heat,
How the **** do you get gassed or sedated in a vehicle that is open to the world outside!!

I read the original post as the doors open technique was on a campsite rather than the aire ….but if they let the doors open on a motorway aire, I agree - I think we have left “unfortunate” behind and are heading into “naivety” territory ….

 

[Phill D]

I read the original post as the doors open technique was on a campsite rather than the aire ….but if they let the doors open on a motorway aire, I agree - I think we have left “unfortunate” behind and are heading into “naivety” territory ….

I may have read it incorrectly

But it all seems to be kinda careless to me.

However, pleased that nobody was physically injured or harmed

 

[stevewagner]

I do find some of the comments on this forum very unhelpful and to be honest very opinionated.
If any of these members had been victim to theft from their own property then I think their views may change or perhaps not.
A few years ago we stopped at a very well known aire on the N10 near Tours.
Arrived quite late and parked to one side to avoid disturbing anybody.
Woke about 9 in the morning to find the local police in attendance.
A Dutch van and an English reg van had both been the victims of theft in the night.
The Dutch van had the complete garage emptied of its contents.
The owners wife was beside herself as they had been on their way to family and grandchildren with apparently lots of personal items for them.
The Brits lost a hand bag and camera.
These thefts were happening regularly according to the Gendarme.
Both vehicles had dogs
Nobody heard a thing.
We were alarmed and LEDs flashing away.
I still ask myself how they managed to do.
I have been a victim of house burglary and it's not a nice feeling. My wife still worrys about what we might find after we have been on our jaunts.
So people show a little empathy and let's hope that it never happens to you !!

I agree but some just prefer to correct the technicalities of the words used to describe the incident, which sails very close to infringing rule 1 of this great forum!

 

[Ingwe]

Actually you are being pedantic. Call it what you like and it has obviously never happened to you, but being robbed/burgled while you are sleeping is unnerving. As if you wake up and react who knows what the outcome could be. They may be carrying a knife for all you know.

Wasn’t going to bother commenting on your post but it isn’t pedantry. Burglary and robbery are two very different things, one in my opinion much more serious than the other. You of course are entitled to think differently.

And you know nothing about me that permits you to conclude that “it obviously has never happened to you”. As it happens, we have been burgled on three occasions.

Enjoy your evening.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I agree it’s a very unpleasant thing to happen …. the claims of being “sedated“ unfortunately don’t help.

I got as sedated as a newt on Saturday evening……… this time without the able assistance of Nanniemate

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[peterc10]

Not to be pedantic but these cases are not for the most part robberies. They are burglaries i.e. people entering your van unlawfully and stealing your property. Robbery requires violence or threat of violence during the theft.
I would argue that being stolen from while you’re sleeping or away from the van is far less disturbing than being hurt or threatened with violence.
Even if the end result of losing your Rolexs, iPads and cobs of £20k in fivers is the same.

That one comes out often, but is irrelevant when the robbery (or burglary) happens outside the UK. Surprisingly the laws are somewhat different in other parts of Europe.

 

[rusted]

I was in a Spanish aire in may and had a guy break into my van a 3.30 am screw diver up the drivers lock and popped open the locks, I kinda heard something in my sleep and woke up. Cab curtain was moving, he ran off as I got up. I'm currently updating van security before next trip.

 

[cruiser]

So if gas tanker pulls in beside you. Do you move on. Or open all your doors to let the gas out. But to leave my doors open any where near a certain DUCK. I would have a lot lighter van after all my scotch was removed. Only for safety of course.

 

[Yorick]

There continues to be no credible explanation of how you sedate people while they sleep in a van. It's just not practical in so many ways.

Bit of 4x2 across the bonce ?

 

[rusted]

Something like that

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[pagey]

2x2 is big enough easier to swing and not the top of the head aim at the side

 

[DuxDeluxe]

So if gas tanker pulls in beside you. Do you move on. Or open all your doors to let the gas out. But to leave my doors open any where near a certain DUCK. I would have a lot lighter van after all my scotch was removed. Only for safety of course.

You’re quite safe Mike…….. I have sampled your scotch before….

 

[cruiser]

You can sample it again very soon. See you next week. Unless i am gassed.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

You can sample it again very soon. See you next week. Unless i am gassed.

Pimms at the ready for Rose

 

[jerryz]

Reminds me of a failed attempt to drug and rob me on a train in France 43 years ago ,, i was on a Train from Paris to Sete backpacking . Some friendly Dutch people offered me a drink , I thought they were dodgy but hey ho my nickname at school was nutter so I took the drink it was coffee , and yes it was drugged ,, so we chatted but I noticed them watching me intently and a German girl opposite me i feigned being a bit dozy and the German girl was spark out then I pretended to go dead sleep , thing was i used to do loads of drugs and Booze drinking comps , sure enough they pounced first the girl passport , money valuables the they turned on me ,, but I was ready ,, had a sheath knife out and was all oevr the sods , train guard s heard the fight and soon the 3 Dutch guys and 2 Dutch Girls were in custody of the Gendarmarie , German girl needed some medical attention and got her stuff back and became my holiday GF

seriosly thogh there have been reports in Media of people being gassed in Camper vans and MH in Europe and robbed for many years , and drug robbery is rife in many countries ,,, mickyfins, etc usually of back packers

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[Phill D]

Reminds me of a failed attempt to drug and rob me on a train in France 43 years ago ,, i was on a Train from Paris to Sete backpacking . Some friendly Dutch people offered me a drink , I thought they were dodgy but hey ho my nickname at school was nutter so I took the drink it was coffee , and yes it was drugged ,, so we chatted but I noticed them watching me intently and a German girl opposite me i feigned being a bit dozy and the German girl was spark out then I pretended to go dead sleep , thing was i used to do loads of drugs and Booze drinking comps , sure enough they pounced first the girl passport , money valuables the they turned on me ,, but I was ready ,, had a sheath knife out and was all oevr the sods , train guard s heard the fight and soon the 3 Dutch guys and 2 Dutch Girls were in custody of the Gendarmarie , German girl needed some medical attention and got her stuff back and became my holiday GF

seriosly thogh there have been reports in Media of people being gassed in Camper vans and MH in Europe and robbed for many years , and drug robbery is rife in many countries ,,, mickyfins, etc usually of back packers

spiking your drinks i can accept; gassing someone in a motorhome is close to impossible to achieve without a tanker full on gas. But, this has gone around for years and it has always been a friend of a friend knew someone who was gassed and robbed while in their motorhome.
and
they always seem to loose £2000, a rolex and an ipad.

excuse my skepticism

 

[Brains]

seriously though there have been reports in Media of people being gassed in Camper vans and MH in Europe and robbed for many years , and drug robbery is rife in many countries ,,, mickyfins, etc usually of back packers

As mentioned above, spiking drinks happens every day for various nefarious purposes.
However gassing people maybe oft 'reported' but has never been proven to have actually happened.

 

[chaser]

It always beats me why people have all this stuff in a motorhome, why do you need jewelry, watchs, iPads and stuff plus loads of cash when on holiday in a van, just what do they do with it,?

 

[peterc10]

It always beats me why people have all this stuff in a motorhome, why do you need jewelry, watchs, iPads and stuff plus loads of cash when on holiday in a van, just what do they do with it,?

I think the point is they don't have the expensive stuff in the van, but they tell their insurance company they did and it got stolen. As Abba sang it's money...... money....... money.

 

[Howard B]

I think the point is they don't have the expensive stuff in the van, but they tell their insurance company they did and it got stolen. As Abba sang it's money...... money....... money.

We do when we go away.

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[peterc10]

We do when we go away.

Aaaaaaaagh but. Have you been gassed and robbed?

Every gassing reported to the insurers seem to have at least 2 ipads and a a rolex involved.

 

[Landy Andy]

It always beats me why people have all this stuff in a motorhome, why do you need jewelry, watchs, iPads and stuff plus loads of cash when on holiday in a van, just what do they do with it,?

Wear it, read/wear it, read/use/navigate via it, spend it. That would be my guesses.

 

[Howard B]

Aaaaaaaagh but. Have you been gassed and robbed?

Every gassing reported to the insurers seem to have at least 2 ipads and a a rolex involved.

Only been overseas in the MH once. Rolex was being serviced, probably had a lucky escape then.

 

[cruiser]

Oh well I have several rolex watches , And a few laptops for sale. Oh and a empty gas tanker . All going cheap.

 

[eddie]

I do find some of the comments on this forum very unhelpful and to be honest very opinionated.
If any of these members had been victim to theft from their own property then I think their views may change or perhaps not.

People are taking the piss about a piece of badly written Facebook fiction, the OP wasn’t the victim.

So yes they are opinionated, all of the opinion the FaceBook post was a fairytale, and they’re right

A few years ago we stopped at a very well known aire on the N10 near Tours.
Arrived quite late and parked to one side to avoid disturbing anybody.
Woke about 9 in the morning to find the local police in attendance.
A Dutch van and an English reg van had both been the victims of theft in the night.
The Dutch van had the complete garage emptied of its contents.
The owners wife was beside herself as they had been on their way to family and grandchildren with apparently lots of personal items for them.
The Brits lost a hand bag and camera.
These thefts were happening regularly according to the Gendarme.
Both vehicles had dogs
Nobody heard a thing.
We were alarmed and LEDs flashing away.

So you took the trouble to protect your motorhome with an alarm system, which meant your motorhomes was left untouched, the others didn’t bother and paid the price of being broken into and robbed.

You could liken it to the three little piggies story, the analogy being you built your house of bricks and were fine.

I still ask myself how they managed to do.

Motorhomes are made from aluminium polystyrene and fibre board and are built to be a light as possible and are incredibly easy to get into

I have been a victim of house burglary and it's not a nice feeling. My wife still worrys about what we might find after we have been on our jaunts.

I agree it’s not nice, I must of spoken to hundreds of people at motorhome shows who’d been robbed

So people show a little empathy and let's hope that it never happens to you !!

Empathy? Empathy to who, no one on this thread has been robbed!

Also, tens of thousands of people use motorway Aires every night in the Summer, I have been touring for over 30 years since venturing across with our first new motorhome at the tender age of 28 With our three small children. I use them when travelling, and in fact am back down to Spain in a couple of weeks and will have one possibly two motorway stops along the way.

I accept some have a fear of them, but in the height of the Summer, many are full, full to bursting, motorcyclists asleep on the grass wrapped in a blanket, people in convertibles seats reclined with pillows and quilts, people asleep on picnic benches.

Motorway stopovers the size of a small town rammed with people travelling North, South, East and West tired and ready for sleep, it’s what they are designed and there for.

And finally I never comment on gassing threads, but I’ll take a report seriously when it reads the Police called an ambulance and I/We were taken to hospital for toxicology tests and report as we’d been illegally rendered unconscious by an unknown gas in the assault.

As it is the “stories” tell of pragmatic Policemen saying “You’ve been gassed it happens all the time” as they happily wave you off to join the fast moving motorway traffic having recently been drugged and left unconscious!

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