Risk of Cali theft vs conversions or high-value cars

[JD109]

Hi, we’re pretty set on buying a Cali and we’re now going through the process of thinking about different aspects of ownership. Our budget looks like it’s £40-50k so we will be buying pre-owned, but it’ll will still be the most we’ve spent on a vehicle. The Cali will be parked on the street oitside our home. We live in a sub-urban area of Glasgow and have been here 25+ years, with no issues of vehicle theft in the street.

Im wondering if Calis are known to be more likely to attract attention of thieves than van conversions, or other high value cars (there are several of these on the street that with no drama).

I know we could load up lots of security measures, but I really don’t want to end up with that as a constant concern and incidents of theft which would be a hassle since theCali will be a daily driver for me.

I know that there are no crystal balls or guarantees but would be useful to hear any statistical information or personal experience.

Thanks so much for any info.

Cheers
John

 

[Dave Lowe]

Steering wheel lock ... This gives a visual look for security... Definitely ghost immobilizer ... Nobody is taking it ... Easy to take on and off if using as daily vehicle.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi, we’re pretty set on buying a Cali and we’re now going through the process of thinking about different aspects of ownership. Our budget looks like it’s £40-50k so we will be buying pre-owned, but it’ll will still be the most we’ve spent on a vehicle. The Cali will be parked on the street oitside our home. We live in a sub-urban area of Glasgow and have been here 25+ years, with no issues of vehicle theft in the street.

Im wondering if Calis are known to be more likely to attract attention of thieves than van conversions, or other high value cars (there are several of these on the street that with no drama).

I know we could load up lots of security measures, but I really don’t want to end up with that as a constant concern and incidents of theft which would be a hassle since theCali will be a daily driver for me.

I know that there are no crystal balls or guarantees but would be useful to hear any statistical information or personal experience.

Thanks so much for any info.

Cheers
John

Let's be pragmatic.
1. Californias rarely figure in the Most Stolen car lists.
2. Without the key remote it cannot be driven away.
3. The only way it can be taken is by lifting onto a low loader.
4. Nothing will stop a brick through the window and snatching a laptop of the seat.

A simple precation, turn the drivers seat around and lock the vehicle. Cannot be driven without turning the seat and you need to open drivers door to do that but that is Deadlocked ( VW's Safelock ).
So don't leave anything on seats, correctly lock the vehicle and SECURE the keys. Enjoy.

 

[andyinluton]

Having been on this forum since it started about 10 years ago, there have been only a handful of thefts reported.

 

[JD109]

Having been on this forum since it started about 10 years ago, there have been only a handful of thefts reported.

Thanks Andy, that’s really great to hear.

 

[Kayleigh]

If someone really wants to steal a California they will ultimately find a way… probably on the back of a lorry. Anecdotally, you could search the forum for details of thefts but I have not heard of Californias being a specific target. In London it’s Range Rovers and RAV4s that get targeted most!

As said by others, simple measure can be the most effective. Don’t leave anything visible in the Cali. Some form of window tinting in the rear will make it harder to see what’s inside. Turning the drivers seat is good as the deadlocks prevent it being turned back as you need the door open. Some form of steering wheel lock provides a visual deterrent.

If you want to take security further, these are popular options; each costing about £500. Personally, I would invest in front and rear dashcams before considering these...

An S5 tracker may lower your insurance premium, but likely not by as much as the cost of the tracker contract. It may be a requirement for some insurers but usually for high value vehicles over about £70k.

A Ghost II immobiliser is a very good option although not a visual deterrent. It also makes the starting process a bit more convoluted.

A Bear Lock prevents the DSG gearbox from being taken out of Park. Again not an overly visual deterrent.

I have also read on the forum about the sliding window being targeted, but mostly in mainland Europe.
I came across these for T5/T6, but unsure how effective they would be:

Wolfhound window lock/burglar protection for VW T5/T6 sliding window

Wolfhound window lock/burglar protection for VW T5/T6 sliding window in Blinds & Windows

www.berger-camping.co.uk

 

[pjm-84]

I have a Cali and a high value car (BMW X5). The HVC has a Ghost system installed from day 3 and from day 1-3 I blocked it in with my Volvo as well as fitting a steering lock.

I've had my Cali 9.5 years. I've previously been targeted at my address for a HVC (BMW X5) and my neighbours were broken into and their Range Rover SVR and Porsche were taken but recovered due to trackers. They are now also fitted with Ghost systems.

 

[JD109]

If someone really wants to steal a California they will ultimately find a way… probably on the back of a lorry. Anecdotally, you could search the forum for details of thefts but I have not heard of Californias being a specific target. In London it’s Range Rovers and RAV4s that get targeted most!

As said by others, simple measure can be the most effective. Don’t leave anything visible in the Cali. Some form of window tinting in the rear will make it harder to see what’s inside. Turning the drivers seat is good as the deadlocks prevent it being turned back as you need the door open. Some form of steering wheel lock provides a visual deterrent.

If you want to take security further, these are popular options; each costing about £500. Personally, I would invest in front and rear dashcams before considering these...

An S5 tracker may lower your insurance premium, but likely not by as much as the cost of the tracker contract. It may be a requirement for some insurers but usually for high value vehicles over about £70k.

A Ghost II immobiliser is a very good option although not a visual deterrent. It also makes the starting process a bit more convoluted.

A Bear Lock prevents the DSG gearbox from being taken out of Park. Again not an overly visual deterrent.

I have also read on the forum about the sliding window being targeted, but mostly in mainland Europe.
I came across these for T5/T6, but unsure how effective they would be:

Wolfhound window lock/burglar protection for VW T5/T6 sliding window

Wolfhound window lock/burglar protection for VW T5/T6 sliding window in Blinds & Windows

www.berger-camping.co.uk

Thanks Kayleigh, s lot of really helpful advice and insight there. Starting to think that theft isn’t the major risk I had feared, and some basic good practice preventative measures should be enough. I really appreciate your detailed response. Thank you.

 

[JD109]

I have a Cali and a high value car (BMW X5). The HVC has a Ghost system installed from day 3 and from day 1-3 I blocked it in with my Volvo as well as fitting a steering lock.

I've had my Cali 9.5 years. I've previously been targeted at my address for a HVC (BMW X5) and my neighbours were broken into and their Range Rover SVR and Porsche were taken but recovered due to trackers. They are now also fitted with Ghost systems.

Thanks, it’s reassuring to hear direct personal experience. Hadn’t heard of a Ghost system until yesterday but several people advising this. Thanks for taking the time to share your insight.

 

[JD109]

Let's be pragmatic.
1. Californias rarely figure in the Most Stolen car lists.
2. Without the key remote it cannot be driven away.
3. The only way it can be taken is by lifting onto a low loader.
4. Nothing will stop a brick through the window and snatching a laptop of the seat.

A simple precation, turn the drivers seat around and lock the vehicle. Cannot be driven without turning the seat and you need to open drivers door to do that but that is Deadlocked ( VW's Safelock ).
So don't leave anything on seats, correctly lock the vehicle and SECURE the keys. Enjoy.

Thanks for response. I hadn’t realised that turning the driver seat had that additional security benefit, hadn’t considered looking for published stats on most stolen vehicles. Really helpful advice.

 

[The Tall Luthier]

For what it’s worth the best you can do is get an insurance policy that leaves you no worse off if it is taken away from you.

Sure there are loads of great gadgets out there to put potential thieves off but most of them involve faff of one kind or another. Steering wheel lock, carry a lump of stainless steel with you everywhere you go; dash cam, wires everywhere etc etc.

It’s a low risk vehicle, if it gets taken, make sure it can be replaced. We all love the amazing experiences a camper enables, sometimes we conflate this with loving the hunk of metal plastic and leather itself.

Get appropriate insurance and sleep tight every night is my best advice.

 

[JD109]

For what it’s worth the best you can do is get an insurance policy that leaves you no worse off if it is taken away from you.

Sure there are loads of great gadgets out there to put potential thieves off but most of them involve faff of one kind or another. Steering wheel lock, carry a lump of stainless steel with you everywhere you go; dash cam, wires everywhere etc etc.

It’s a low risk vehicle, if it gets taken, make sure it can be replaced. We all love the amazing experiences a camper enables, sometimes we conflate this with loving the hunk of metal plastic and leather itself.

Get appropriate insurance and sleep tight every night is my best advice.

Thanks. That would be my normal approach to risk/insurance. As I said I was just wondering if there was an abnormally high risk with a Cali. I guess if there was, insurance premiums would reflect this. Ta J

 

[ThomasHJ]

I'm Chief worrying in my family and would sooner kill someone then live without my Cali. This is of course a joke. Untill someone actually tries to steal it in my presence and then we'll find out. ;-)

If I were you, I would worry about:

- other drivers damaging your Cali and not leaving a note (happend to me 3 times). This costs a lot of money. I moved to a house with a driveway (but not just for the Cali).

- the basic cost of owning, driving and maintaining a Cali. This costs a lot. Don't do the math on this one. It hurts. But that goes for all campers.

- the chance that you will fall in love with the Cali and the possibilities it brings to your life. This will cost even more ;-)

More this then the fact that someone could steal it. Make sure you insure it well and enjoy the huge amount of fun the Cali will bring you.

 

[JD109]

Drat Thomas, you’re giving me too many negatives to add into the mix! In the best traditions of male selective assessment I’m probably going to turn a blind eye to some of those issues. I’ll take your point on insuring it well though! Thanks

 

[ThomasHJ]

Drat Thomas, you’re giving me too many negatives to add into the mix! In the best traditions of male selective assessment I’m probably going to turn a blind eye to some of those issues. I’ll take your point on insuring it well though! Thanks

Hope my point came across that you should not worry and take the plunge. You will never want to go back to life without a Cali.

 

[Ghostbuster]

At home I have a steering wheel lock. I also have CCTV for what it’s worth.
I also have a baseball bat within easy reach.

 

[Agnes_Cali]

I have steering wheel lock which came with my other car (that doesn't have alarm) and I only took it once on a trip, when I knew, I will be leaving Cali unattended for a week in Europe. Otherwise, I never use it. I drive Cali as a daily and park it in different places. It was cheap to insure, because it's very low risk.

 

[Cali Tony]

Let's be pragmatic.
1. Californias rarely figure in the Most Stolen car lists.
2. Without the key remote it cannot be driven away.
3. The only way it can be taken is by lifting onto a low loader.
4. Nothing will stop a brick through the window and snatching a laptop of the seat.

A simple precation, turn the drivers seat around and lock the vehicle. Cannot be driven without turning the seat and you need to open drivers door to do that but that is Deadlocked ( VW's Safelock ).
So don't leave anything on seats, correctly lock the vehicle and SECURE the keys. Enjoy.

They can be driven away with ease without the keys, thieves just prise the bumper forward, access the headlight wiring loom and attach a JBL speaker with a device in it which opens all the doors, bypasses the factory alarm and immobiliser and starts the vehicle too. I have tracker but also use everything I can to prevent thieves but well aware if they want it I haven’t got a chance

 

[dspuk]

They can be driven away with ease without the keys, thieves just prise the bumper forward, access the headlight wiring loom and attach a JBL speaker with a device in it which opens all the doors, bypasses the factory alarm and immobiliser and starts the vehicle too. I have tracker but also use everything I can to prevent thieves but well aware if they want it I haven’t got a chance

Twaddle that creates FUD. Not a word of this is rooted in fact for a Cali.

 

[FivetonesCali]

Toyota?

Car thieves using fake JBL speakers, not keys, to steal vehicles in just minutes

Sometimes criminals inadvertently pick the wrong target when planning a crime. In this case, car thieves leveraging a new tactic for keyless access and stealing vehicles happened...

www.techspot.com

 

[Velma's Dad]

Twaddle that creates FUD. Not a word of this is rooted in fact for a Cali.

...and even if the Cali was susceptible to that kind of attack, it's still not going to be the go-to target for sophisticated thefts. Until of course drug dealers all start wanting to ride in a tagged black VW campervan with 40-tinted windows and chromed alloys. But I wouldn't be buying a black Cali, just in case gangsta fashions change...

 

[Viktorgeorge]

I agree that someone who does not know this vehicle well would struggle with turning the seat with the driver door deadlocked, but I do quite often turn the seat around and back whilst inside and without opening any doors. Everything (steering wheel adjustment, armrest, handbrake, back angle adjustment, rotate lever) can be done whilst sitting sideways on the passenger seat, sometimes with a bit of a stretch . Might I have worked out something @WelshGas hasn't (see #3) - not an easy thing to do?

I do agree that the most determined will overcome anything, but my choice to discourage theft is an OBD lock and a 1.7m ABUS CityLock chain for the steering wheel which I keep rolled up under the driver seat (in a padded bag) and which I also use for my £8,000 (now) electric bike.

Steering locks advice please

Hi everyone, I’m excited to be part of this forum. Am picking up my T6 Ocean next week and wanted some advice on steering locks please Thanks x

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Securing bikes

Later this year I'll be doing some trips with the mountain bike. I have the bike rack but my question is where/how do people secure theirs bikes through the night? Can I put them back on the carrier once the roof is up? Don't want to leave them lying around as they aren't cheap bikes. Any...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[WelshGas]

I agree that someone who does not know this vehicle well would struggle with turning the seat with the driver door deadlocked, but I do quite often turn the seat around and back whilst inside and without opening any doors. Everything (steering wheel adjustment, armrest, handbrake, back angle adjustment, rotate lever) can be done whilst sitting sideways on the passenger seat, sometimes with a bit of a stretch . Might I have worked out something @WelshGas hasn't (see #3) - not an easy thing to do?

I do agree that the most determined will overcome anything, but my choice to discourage theft is an OBD lock and a 1.7m ABUS CityLock chain for the steering wheel which I keep rolled up under the driver seat (in a padded bag) and which I also use for my £8,000 (now) electric bike.

Steering locks advice please

Hi everyone, I’m excited to be part of this forum. Am picking up my T6 Ocean next week and wanted some advice on steering locks please Thanks x

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Securing bikes

Later this year I'll be doing some trips with the mountain bike. I have the bike rack but my question is where/how do people secure theirs bikes through the night? Can I put them back on the carrier once the roof is up? Don't want to leave them lying around as they aren't cheap bikes. Any...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

And how long does it take ?
So smash window, climb in, alarm is sounding, turn drivers seat, overcome immobiliser and steering lock and drive away.

 

[Lee.Van.Cleef]

There was a thread on the Facebook T6 forum the other day suggesting that LV had stopped insuring conversions - presumably a decision made by their underwriter. Obviously there are other providers available, including specialist providers, but perhaps insurance options may be more limited for non-factory built campers?

 

[m10chkcalifornia]

Well if its me ... turning

And how long does it take ?
So smash window, climb in, alarm is sounding, turn drivers seat, overcome immobiliser and steering lock and drive away.

Well if its me then turning the drivers seat around is 5 minutes on its own!