Stolen from drive – what happened next?

[gus-lopez]

as it is insurance companies continue to profit from stolen vehicles by being able to increase prices due to the numbers/types being stolen - doesnt that seem a bit perverse, almost a corrupt practice?

Quite agree.

 

[MisterB]

Full half hour please

How would you check VIN of A class motorhome as they are not in windscreen like most vehicles?

I refer the honoured gentleman to a response I made previously

It's easy to identify issues and not solutions to a problem that haunts us all sometimes......

 

[Brody]

Sorry police should be targeting, burglaries, crimes of violence physical and sexual. I accept the upset of having a vehicle stolen but other crimes of violence need to come first.

I don't agree, a crime is a crime.

A few weeks ago I was woken at 12.30pm with a police car chase down our quiet lane. The police had spotted a car which had been stolen and it was a fail to stop. It came down so fast that it hit a pot hole, lost the front bumper and they both exited the vehicle and legged it before letting it roll back into my wall, luckily it didn't go down the hill as it probably would have ended up in someones front garden.

On viewing the CCTV we then discovered that before exiting they hit one of our work vans in the rear and set it flying forward by about a metre. Luckily earlier that day we had moved our T5 from in front of it or that would have been front and rear damage on the work van and rear damage on the T5.

The police said they were actually gutted that one or both didn't end up under the wheels. They told me they wouldn't be investigating it further as they have to concentrate on murders etc. but they also went on to say that some other poor sod will have their car nicked that night to carry on the drug runs. I was amazed that this is not followed up as it just goes on and on.

So basically at least one possibly two cars were stolen that night, we ended up with a bill to sort our van out and the police were off the street for two hours while the recovery truck turned up.

Having a vehicle stolen has many repercussions such as the cost to replace that vehicle, the losses incurred to source a replacement, getting to work/school/hospital/childcare. It's not just ah well someone nicked my car/motorhome!

 

[eddie]

UK police sent five officers to arrest man for posting LGBT flag swastika on social media

Arrested for "malicious communications."

reclaimthenet.org

How can the Police expect the Publics confidence when they arrest a man for causing "Anxiety" with a Tweet!

 

[SpeedyDux]

Full half hour please

How would you check VIN of A class motorhome as they are not in windscreen like most vehicles?

My VIN number is also etched permanently on the windscreen (and all the windows) by grit blasting.

Having to replace all the windows is a deterrent against cloning by thieves. Well, I hope the scrotes would see the problem they face.

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[Verteuil Man]

Full half hour please

How would you check VIN of A class motorhome as they are not in windscreen like most vehicles?

If you invest in Vin Chip they have 2 RFI units which transmit your VIN. Hand held scanners and scanners mounted on overhead gantries can pick up the signal. Besides the RFI senders you get none removable window stickers with your VIN on them. Besides the usual clamps and things I leave our motorhome up on its levelling Jack's. I also mark with an permanent marker the underside of drawers and the back of cushions. I put in the window a little note to prospective thieves what I have done. When they spec out somewhere to pinch a van the harder it is and the less valve of resale parts because they are all marked I hope puts them off. I also have Tracker.

 

[monzer]

UK police sent five officers to arrest man for posting LGBT flag swastika on social media

Arrested for "malicious communications."

reclaimthenet.org

How can the Police expect the Publics confidence when they arrest a man for causing "Anxiety" with a Tweet!

I'd guess there's a bit more to that if that loony fox was involved.

 

[Simon Meadwell]

If you invest in Vin Chip they have 2 RFI units which transmit your VIN. Hand held scanners and scanners mounted on overhead gantries can pick up the signal. Besides the RFI senders you get none removable window stickers with your VIN on them. Besides the usual clamps and things I leave our motorhome up on its levelling Jack's. I also mark with an permanent marker the underside of drawers and the back of cushions. I put in the window a little note to prospective thieves what I have done. When they spec out somewhere to pinch a van the harder it is and the less valve of resale parts because they are all marked I hope puts them off. I also have Tracker.

Anybody else got vin chip I haven’t heard of it before. Sounds good but do police actually look for it I presume they need some form of scanning device ?

 

[Verteuil Man]

It's an expanded version of the CRIS scheme that has been used on caravans for years. Motorhomes manufacturers have been very slow on the uptake.

Central Registration & Identification Scheme - CRiS

www.cris.co.uk

 

[MichaelT]

It's an expanded version of the CRIS scheme that has been used on caravans for years. Motorhomes manufacturers have been very slow on the uptake.

Central Registration & Identification Scheme - CRiS

www.cris.co.uk

Its only British makers that use it i think so no good to a majority of us on here?

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[Verteuil Man]

Its only British makers that use it i think so no good to a majority of us on here?

I have a Hymer B 778 PL. You can register any motorhome. Graham Powell of Caravan Finder did a whole episode on it.

 

[MichaelT]

I have a Hymer B 778 PL. You can register any motorhome. Graham Powell of Caravan Finder did a whole episode on it.

Yes but its a British scheme that only Brit makers fit from new is what I meant.

 

[Verteuil Man]

All I can say is that my German motorhome is registered with VIN Chip. I have the window stickers and te RFI transmitters aswell as a certificate to say it is registered.

 

[Wildbill]

UK police sent five officers to arrest man for posting LGBT flag swastika on social media

Arrested for "malicious communications."

reclaimthenet.org

How can the Police expect the Publics confidence when they arrest a man for causing "Anxiety" with a Tweet!

Thing is he's a dangerous criminal armed with a tweet.
Not a sukmbag knacker probibly with a big wad of cash driving a 50k camper.
Or a low loader with a few 100k digers on it.
Hers a big brown envelope turn a blind eye boss.
Bill

 

[Rimswell Wanderer]

Yes you've got to realise that the police is short of officers and are doing their best driving around the motorways or sitting in their cars on the side of the roads trying to catch the real criminals, the motorist

Driffield police recovered a stolen Motorhome by tracing it with the fitted tracker

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[frenchie 79]

So, it's been nearly 4 weeks since the theft, what's happened? Well, very little so far, no feed back from the underwriter, a little from the insurer. Tales of woe from them, van thefts are running at 3 times that of previous. They appear to be targeting vans in the £35-£45,000 region, on the basis that the more expensive vans have to be fitted with high-tech security devices. But to me, I wonder what difference a loud alarm makes against these brazen thugs. Having spoken with motorhome dealers, it is amazing the extent of this problem. One dealer says they were targeted by thieves who took 3 new unregistered motorhomes away on a large low loader. Apparently they were booked on a ferry a few hours later, and the vans were out of the country before the theft was discovered. They had cctv coverage, but the thieves wore gloves, masks, hats, were dressed in grey and so on, so the police had nothing to go on. The same dealer said that the thieves broke into a building near Bristol and took the country's main decoding device for Fiat/Citroen/Pugs. So vehicles that had previously been safe, were now no longer. This device was visible on the cctv, it was fairly heavy, inside a bag hanging on straps over the shoulder. Open the door, access the OBD port, read the main system and you have control of the van. It took seconds. I have heard many similar tales, and it makes you realise what you are up against. These guys are serious, if they want your van, they can take it. I have often thought how easy it is to get into a normal motorhome. With standard plastic windows, all it takes is a small jemmy or strong screwdriver, shove it into the corner, give it a twist and the windows pops open. Or a screwdriver in the drivers door keyhole. If there are chains, they come equipped with cutters. They can use powerful portable rechargeable tools where necessary. Basically, you are defenceless. The response I got from the police, was just that, no hope. They said the thieves would have come equipped with suitable cloned number plates, nothing to trip any ANPR devices, they'd have left going down country roads to avoid detection anyway. They said that there is little chance of them finding our van. The network of thieves involved is huge and they are well organised. I found that thoroughly demoralising.
I decided to buy a cheap runabout car, since after the theft we have no wheels. I thought I'd best go to my van insurer to continue the relationship. Obviously, you have to declare that there is an on going claim. They knew that anyway. Plus I had turned 80 just after the theft.To insure a simple basic runabout, he quoted something in the region of £1380 pa. Go elsewhere he said, we specialise in motorhomes and can't compete. So I went onto Go Compare and similar comparison websites. I got some reasonable quotes, and when I contacted the 3 lowest companies they each said, sorry, you don't match our profile. Ah, but I declared the age on the quote forms. We wouldn't have accepted you anyway, they said. In the end I went to a specialist company, they quoted just over £500. In spite of the fact that I have not made an insurance claim in more than 35 years. Apparently that has no bearing. The underwriter in my claim did say there would be a premium increase, so I asked the broker for a quote for the next van, to see if there was a motorhoming future for me. That was about £1100 pounds. So right now I feel I've had a thorough kicking. And also this is a warning to others who will undoubtedly suffer similarly.
Keep safe out there!

 

[frenchie 79]

So, it's been nearly 4 weeks since the theft, what's happened? Well, very little so far, no feed back from the underwriter, a little from the insurer. Tales of woe from them, van thefts are running at 3 times that of previous. They appear to be targeting vans in the £35-£45,000 region, on the basis that the more expensive vans have to be fitted with high-tech security devices. But to me, I wonder what difference a loud alarm makes against these brazen thugs. Having spoken with motorhome dealers, it is amazing the extent of this problem. One dealer says they were targeted by thieves who took 3 new unregistered motorhomes away on a large low loader. Apparently they were booked on a ferry a few hours later, and the vans were out of the country before the theft was discovered. They had cctv coverage, but the thieves wore gloves, masks, hats, were dressed in grey and so on, so the police had nothing to go on. The same dealer said that the thieves broke into a building near Bristol and took the country's main decoding device for Fiat/Citroen/Pugs. So vehicles that had previously been safe, were now no longer. This device was visible on the cctv, it was fairly heavy, inside a bag hanging on straps over the shoulder. Open the door, access the OBD port, read the main system and you have control of the van. It took seconds. I have heard many similar tales, and it makes you realise what you are up against. These guys are serious, if they want your van, they can take it. I have often thought how easy it is to get into a normal motorhome. With standard plastic windows, all it takes is a small jemmy or strong screwdriver, shove it into the corner, give it a twist and the windows pops open. Or a screwdriver in the drivers door keyhole. If there are chains, they come equipped with cutters. They can use powerful portable rechargeable tools where necessary. Basically, you are defenceless. The response I got from the police, was just that, no hope. They said the thieves would have come equipped with suitable cloned number plates, nothing to trip any ANPR devices, they'd have left going down country roads to avoid detection anyway. They said that there is little chance of them finding our van. The network of thieves involved is huge and they are well organised. I found that thoroughly demoralising.
I decided to buy a cheap runabout car, since after the theft we have no wheels. I thought I'd best go to my van insurer to continue the relationship. Obviously, you have to declare that there is an on going claim. They knew that anyway. Plus I had turned 80 just after the theft.To insure a simple basic runabout, he quoted something in the region of £1380 pa. Go elsewhere he said, we specialise in motorhomes and can't compete. So I went onto Go Compare and similar comparison websites. I got some reasonable quotes, and when I contacted the 3 lowest companies they each said, sorry, you don't match our profile. Ah, but I declared the age on the quote forms. We wouldn't have accepted you anyway, they said. In the end I went to a specialist company, they quoted just over £500. In spite of the fact that I have not made an insurance claim in more than 35 years. Apparently that has no bearing. The underwriter in my claim did say there would be a premium increase, so I asked the broker for a quote for the next van, to see if there was a motorhoming future for me. That was about £1100 pounds. So right now I feel I've had a thorough kicking. And also this is a warning to others who will undoubtedly suffer similarly.
Keep safe out there!

My friends had caravan stollen from storage last year.They came day before & took off locks.Broke the lock on security gate nxt day & off they went with it.Found tracker on road too.Police got in touch 6 months later.It was coming off a ferry.The police officer sent pictures it was a mess.

 

[MichaelT]

My friends had caravan stollen from storage last year.They came day before & took off locks.Broke the lock on security gate nxt day & off they went with it.Found tracker on road too.Police got in touch 6 months later.It was coming off a ferry.The police officer sent pictures it was a mess.

Ferry from where? Did the new owners go to Europe on holidays or something?

 

[frenchie 79]

Ferry from where? Did the new owners go to Europe on holidays or something?

They took it to ireland

 

[IanFraser]

It's about time the police targeted thefts of Motorhomes. Most of them will be going on a ferry and that is a natural bottleneck so why not launch an op to specifically check Motorhomes whilst at the ports?

If they can’t keep on top of what’s going on in every other aspect of our day to day lives they’re hardly likely to get pro-active on the likes of this. After someone recently tried a WhatsApp scam on me & I managed to get their bank details, UK bank, which I reported to Police Scotland I was eventually advised they wouldn’t investigate because I hadn’t suffered any loss. Looks like there’s no financial equivalent off going equipped like there is with burglary. Police in most cases these days sadly seem like a waste of time

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[cmj01]

It's about time the police targeted thefts of Motorhomes. Most of them will be going on a ferry and that is a natural bottleneck so why not launch an op to specifically check Motorhomes whilst at the ports?

I'm no expert like our boys in blue, but I would have thought that a good old fashioned sting operation with bait vehicles is the way to go. And then work their way up the network. It feels like we have given up against many types of crime in this current time like bike and vehicle thefts. But go a few miles over the speed limit or have the wrong kind of number plates and you will feel the full weight of the law.....

 

[slowdriver]

If they re going on a ferry then they ve got to be going to Ireland. Where else could anyone realistically sell a RHD Motorhome. I wonder if the problem is that everyone actually knows whose doing it but nobody fancies tackling it for fear of being called ( whatever we re allowed to call them currently)ist.

I have heard that many are broken down for scrap once abroad. It seemed implausible to me, but it could be that for a £35-45k van the some of the parts exceeds the whole, and that therefore mainland Europe would be as likely a destination as Eire.

 

[jongood]

I have heard that many are broken down for scrap once abroad. It seemed implausible to me, but it could be that for a £35-45k van the some of the parts exceeds the whole, and that therefore mainland Europe would be as likely a destination as Eire.

I think its much more likely that they have a second life with certain members of the travelling community who have been grinding chassis numbers off caravans for years and have now expanded to reflect the changing market.

 

[Offagain]

We rent parking to guesthouses and it has a barrier covered by cctv. A couple of years ago a young couple decided to do a flit without paying the guesthouse. Unfortunately for them the barrier needs to be activated with a fob both in and out. After trying to force the barrier (and causing damage) they had to go back to the guesthouse to get a fob, claiming they were going out for the day. When they didn’t return the guesthouse owner contacted us to ask for the cctv footage so he could report it to the police.
They came and took statements, we provided them with cctv of the damage being caused, vehicle details etc but nothing happened. We found out which town the thieves/vandals lived in, their hobbies, their family members etc using Facebook and other social media as they’d given their real names at check in, but the police seemed stumped and even when provided with this information and car details they did nothing.

 

[sluhgulper]

Yes you've got to realise that the police is short of officers and are doing their best driving around the motorways or sitting in their cars on the side of the roads trying to catch the real criminals, the motorists.

Grow up. Vast majority of police are hard working and take pride in their occupation. Perhaps this pathetic government should address the shortfall in police numbers for a start. Likewise all the public sector. Stop knocking and start supporting!

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[krclink]

Why, after spending a lot of money on a van, do owners never go down the tracker route? After all, you spend thousands on the van and for a fraction of the price, a tracker will give some peace of mind.
Yesterday, the van central locking didn't work, so I manually locked the doors with the key. After checking the hab and drivers door, I just merely touched the passengers door handle and the alarms went off. Before the siren and flashing indicators had stopped, I had a call from the tracker HQ informing me that the security system had been compromised. If it had not been myself that had triggered the alarm, the tracking company would have immobilised the vehicle straightaway.

 

[Phill D]

Grow up. Vast majority of police are hard working and take pride in their occupation. Perhaps this pathetic government should address the shortfall in police numbers for a start. Likewise all the public sector. Stop knocking and start supporting!

I would agree that generally the police are hard working. However, I don’t think your first two words were very polite.

 

[Minxy]

Grow up. Vast majority of police are hard working and take pride in their occupation. Perhaps this pathetic government should address the shortfall in police numbers for a start. Likewise all the public sector. Stop knocking and start supporting!

Please read the forum rules then you'll know that we don't insult members like that.

 

[frenchie 79]

I can’t understand why the police look so unfit these days.My hubby tried for Cheshire police 30 years ago.He had to go on a weekend fitness course.He was fit (so we thought)failed due to fitness.My son is in the forces & has to be a certain fitness.You don’t see many oversized forces lads

 

[eddie]

Grow up. Vast majority of police are hard working and take pride in their occupation. Perhaps this pathetic government should address the shortfall in police numbers for a start. Likewise all the public sector. Stop knocking and start supporting!

Its hard to support when it takes five Police officers to attend the arrest of a terminally ill man who's crime is "mooning" at a Police speed camera.

We had gypsies on our Caravan Touring Park and we couldn't get any assistance from the Police, to a point that the situation ended up being referred to the Home Secretary by our local MP

Public sector? I had to wait three weeks for a copy of a document a few weeks ago as the whole licencing department are "working from home" and the document? was in a box in the actual workplace!

As for the (sic) Pathetic Government, the one that has a record majority in 2019 Official figures show that by April 2021 nearly 10,000 more officers had been recruited so close to halfway the Governments target of 20,000 for the Parliamentary term

However this is close to Politics, which is against the rules, as is being rude by the way.

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