Do you use your safe?

soulstyledevon · Mar 12, 2020

I’m not sure I would spec it...

We bung our service book and spare vehicle documents in there and the locking bolt. Only because it’s stuff we rarely need to access.

When travelling I keep my passports and debit card on me at all times.
I don’t take foreign currency when I travel, as I put everything on my card. I sometimes have 25/30 euros for emergencies, but that’s kept in my back-pack and has been there for many years.

So really, not a lot of point in the safe.
Honestly, I have nothing of value in my van.
Unless someone’s looking for some smelly under-crackers, a can of beer and some tinned Chilli.
They can knock themselves out...

Eber123 · Mar 12, 2020

Good afternoon,

We bought a per-registered Ocean which came with the safe. I was glad that it was there.

I believe that most of the thefts or burglaries are done in a hurry, thieves trying to grasp in a hurry everything that seems is from value (at home, car, garden garage etc.).

Everything has pros and cons, but I believe it is not always practical to have passports, vehicle documents and money on the person all the time. For example if one goes to the beach...

We use the safe to keep car papers, passports and similar items in here. I am convinced it helps against the "opportunity thief" just pushing their luck. There is no way that you can open that box in a few minutes without people noticing and because of this I believe whatever is in there is save.

Have I said that, if somebody specifically targets a VW California to get into it either to take it or to steal things I am in trouble. They will get into the van and they will either get what is in there or even the entire van. There is not much that will really prevent this (maybe the "bear lock" and "Ghost 2" will make it more difficult).

But I believe this is the case for everything. Thieves will get into my house if they want to, but I can prevent the "opportunity thieves" by ensure that the backdoor is locked even if I am in the house, or that the alarm is one.

I believe most of the break ins are driven by people trying to make money to feed their drug addictions, chancing their arms to get a laptop, phone or money laying around. Thieves who really target something are not that often and if they target something they will get in, no matter what.

Safe California,
Eberhard

Jay20cali · Mar 12, 2020

Specced a safe in every van I have owned we us it all the time when we’re away

DM · Mar 13, 2020

kurienp said:
DM, sorry to hear that. If you don't mind me asking, was this at a parking lot or street parking?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

On street at the entrance to Leigh Woods Country Park in Bristol

Karlos · Mar 14, 2020

soulstyledevon said:
I’m not sure I would spec it...

We bung our service book and spare vehicle documents in there and the locking bolt. Only because it’s stuff we rarely need to access.

When travelling I keep my passports and debit card on me at all times.
I don’t take foreign currency when I travel, as I put everything on my card. I sometimes have 25/30 euros for emergencies, but that’s kept in my back-pack and has been there for many years.

So really, not a lot of point in the safe.
Honestly, I have nothing of value in my van.
Unless someone’s looking for some smelly under-crackers, a can of beer and some tinned Chilli.
They can knock themselves out...

Same for us, never even considered a safe, take everything of value with us, never take lap tops or ipads so no expensive electricals left in the van.