In wardrobe security box or something else?

[Alan Andrews]

Hello,

I'm thinking about adding a security box/safe to my Ocean.

I've seen the California safe option, but it looks to be no more than a hinged shelf that screws inside the wardrobe. Is this any good?

Or are there other options?

I notice that there is a useful void under the drivers seat that might accommodate a small safe box.

What do other owners do themselves? Any recommendations please?

Many thanks

 

[Sandyvan]

Take valuables with us, when out and about. I fitted a safe to our coach built motorhome which would have never been found, but loads of room to do so. The Cali by its very nature is small so limited space and Thief's may know where the safe box is located, then smash your wardrobe to bits to gain access.
I don't take my expensive watch on campervan holidays, and never leave anything in the van that I'm not prepared to lose, because human low life nature dictates that they want what you have worked for.
As said we take cash cards and passports with us.

 

[Borris]

We had factory fitted wardrobe safe in our SE but never found a use for it. Actually the term Safe implies a strong box that you could safely keep your valuables in. In reality it's only a tin box with a very basic lock. If a thief knew it was there then I doubt it would provide any real security.

I've heard that for some it's a wine locker which is a great use but because it's buried at the bottom of the wardrobe I think it probably best used to store something you rarely need.

I would be careful bolting a safe under the drivers seat. When you swivel this seat the umbilical cabling for the seat airbag and heated seat function (if fitted) needs to move/twist as well. If you hinder this movement you may get electrical issues.

 

[Hotel California]

They sell a safe to put under the righthand front seat .
I got a small safe installed myself somewhere.
In a Cali there are plenty of spaces where nobody ever would look , some good placed to hide stuff like some cash , Ipad , home keys, ...
I even hide my original Cali papers and put a copy in the glovebox , even if they empty the glovebox i still got my original papers , oh and a copy at home also...

 

[WelshGas]

Personally I think the Cali Safe Box is reasonable. Not as easy to get into as you might think, without the right tools. Mine is riveted in and at the bottom of the wardrobe. They need to know it is there. Difficult to force the lid open. Difficult to drill the lock and difficult to get in through the wardrobe base without moving the seat out the way or emptying the boot and removing parcel shelf without opening the tailgate.
It can be done with tools and undisturbed time and if they have that much time and are knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the California then they would find any of these hidden places people talk about.
It will stop the smash and grab brigade but nothing will stop a knowledgeable professional.

Passports and cards go with us. Everything else of value stays at home, is insured or they are welcome to it.

What do you do at home?

 

[cundf]

We have ordered the safe but it’s allways empty. We store two IkEA Boxes in the wardrobe. So the wardrobe is fully filled and you don‘t loose space. If you don‘t order the safe then there will be a step on the bottom of the wardrobe because of the missing safedoor!

 

[Velma's Dad]

We don't have a Cali safe but if we did I'm pretty sure we wouldn't use it much. The only valuables we have in the van tend to be passports and maybe a back-up stash of euros when travelling on the continent.

The passports often have to be accessible daily (eg for checking into campsites) so stowing them in a safe under all our clothes cubes etc would be a PITA.

For a cash stash I just find a non-obvious place in amongst camping gear in the back. If chummy is really going to ransack the van forensically then they'd eventually find it, but an opportunist wouldn't. Either way I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

The 'what about credit cards etc when on the beach' use-case isn't covered by the above of course and if we (eg) surfed then maybe a safe would be useful as an extra layer of security.

 

[Borris]

Hello,

I'm thinking about adding a security box/safe to my Ocean.

I've seen the California safe option, but it looks to be no more than a hinged shelf that screws inside the wardrobe. Is this any good?

Or are there other options?

I notice that there is a useful void under the drivers seat that might accommodate a small safe box.

What do other owners do themselves? Any recommendations please?

Many thanks

If you fancy fitting the genuine VW safe then here are some photos I found on the web. I don't know how much the VW safe door and frame costs but doubtless it won't be cheap. However it looks a straight forward enough job to do yourself. I should think you'll need a pop rivet gun, six correctly sized pop rivets and a suitable sized drill bit. Who knows the holes might even be there already. It certainly looks like the ones towards the rear of the van are!











As you can see by it's construction, calling it a lockable cupboard might be a more appropriate term.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Yes that looks about as 'safe' as a tupperware box.

If I really needed something for small valuables I'd probably investigate putting in a small electronic-door or key lock safe. You can buy them pretty cheaply and they'll defeat most attacks not involving a big bloke with an even bigger angle grinder.

I'm just not sure offhand what's underneath the Cali cupboard floor, to bolt through.

 

[Borris]

Being an ex firefighter, I have considerable experience of breaking into things and that "safe" wouldn't pose any problems at all.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I stick rarely used items in the safe. Manual, emergency roof kit etc. Then bung my Mac and iPads in there.
Otherwise nothing of real value comes with us anyway.
The safe stops the opportunistic thief.

We don’t carry cash, other than about 50 euros or 50 quid which is always in my back pack as emergency money and we use our phones and cards to pay for stuff.

So if Sergio wants anything from my van, he can find some crusty boxer shorts and smelly sleeping bags in the rear cupboard which he’s welcome too

 

[GillianC]

We had factory fitted wardrobe safe in our SE but never found a use for it. Actually the term Safe implies a strong box that you could safely keep your valuables in. In reality it's only a tin box with a very basic lock. If a thief knew it was there then I doubt it would provide any real security.

I've heard that for some it's a wine locker which is a great use but because it's buried at the bottom of the wardrobe I think it probably best used to store something you rarely need.

I would be careful bolting a safe under the drivers seat. When you swivel this seat the umbilical cabling for the seat airbag and heated seat function (if fitted) needs to move/twist as well. If you hinder this movement you may get electrical issues.

Wine locker - now there is a good idea

 

[flying banana]

I think they are a good idea. Anyone who carries all their cards, cash,and passports around with them is an idiot. Far more risky

 

[marchugo]

When we bought the Cali years ago, we didn’t take the offer of our dealer to fit a safe under the front seat, because we think any safe in a camper gives a false sense of security. Maybe it deters the quick break-in-and-grab types, but when enjoying a nice mountain walk of a few hours, we wouldn’t trust the Cali as a Fort Knox on four wheels, even at the remotest wilding place.

If they want, they find the safe anyway, and the contents, see the enormous damage from the crow bar in this picture from the Dutch Camperforum.nl (obviously not a Cali though):

https://www.camperforum.nl/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8446245&hilit=Kluis+gesloopt

(Scroll down to the second entry)

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc

 

[Velma's Dad]

I think they are a good idea. Anyone who carries all their cards, cash,and passports around with them is an idiot. Far more risky

Ridiculous generalisation, sorry.

If I leave my Cali locked in a private, guarded car park in Naples and then wander round the city centre looking like a tourist with all my valuables in my back pocket, that might be ill advised.

On the other hand if I set off to do an all day mountain walk while leaving my stuff in the van in a car park where break-ins are prevalent, that's a totally different risk balance.

Anyone who's been in the business of security will tell you that effective security practices must be threat-orientated, and so will vary from place to place and time to time.

 

[motacyclist]

It’s not Fort Knox, but better than a lockable glove box and a difficult place to work in even if the thief knows it’s there. Won’t stop an expert but good enough to prevent opportunistic thievery .... it’s a PITA to acccess though.

An alternative hiding place for small or flat stuff is under the wooden slats in the roof, but careful it doesn’t slide down the far end when you lift the bed up!

 

[Skewif]

On top of the upper bed is also a good place as keys needed to access. Due the the shape of the roof there is a void above middle of top bed. It’s perfect for bulkier items like laptops etc.

IMO the “safe” is far from it and can easily be opened with brute force in only a few seconds but you’ll probably need a completely new wardrobe/cooker unit at huge cost and inconvenience. As any strong box can become a focus of attack mine is left unlocked with a loop of cord to make it easier to access puncture repair tools, the user handbook etc. Far better to use the many clever hiding places around the van that only a Cali owner would know about.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I think they are a good idea. Anyone who carries all their cards, cash,and passports around with them is an idiot. Far more risky

Always carry your passport...
Never leave it behind and never leave it in a hotel room safe. Someone always has a master key/code
Most seasoned travellers will tell you that.

I always carry my passport and credit card together, never really need cash these days.
Why would you when you get the best exchange and insurances from a card?

 

[Velma's Dad]

'Always' and 'never' are very dangerous words to use in any discussion about security.

The safest place for your passport is wherever it's least likely to be stolen from, taking into account the local crime environment. That might often be on your person, but in some cities pickpockets and distraction thieves are WAY smarter than you think you are.

Fortunately, getting passports and cards nicked may be a big PITA if it does happen but not life threatening so there are more important things to worry about.

Gassing, on the other hand... (Okay I'm grabbing my coat).

 

[Iron Van]

Some places require you to have identification with you all the time. Most travel clothes manufacturers add concealed pockets to make it easier. I use https://www.scottevest.com/ stuff, it’s good enough for most scenarios.

 

[flying banana]

Ridiculous generalisation, sorry.

If I leave my Cali locked in a private, guarded car park in Naples and then wander round the city centre looking like a tourist with all my valuables in my back pocket, that might be ill advised.

On the other hand if I set off to do an all day mountain walk while leaving my stuff in the van in a car park where break-ins are prevalent, that's a totally different risk balance.

Anyone who's been in the business of security will tell you that effective security practices must be threat-orientated, and so will vary from place to place and time to time.

 

[flying banana]

Not really, carrying your passport and all cards around in a bag or pocket in town or up a mountain is a stupid thing to do, I know more people that have been pickpocketed and had hand bags full of important stuff snatched than I do people who have lost the lot after a camper break in. So I disagree

 

[Sandyvan]

I think they are a good idea. Anyone who carries all their cards, cash,and passports around with them is an idiot. Far more risky

An idiot and Stupid, Nice...

 

[Velma's Dad]

Oh well. I've had a lot of training in, and have myself taught, personal security and safety practices for working and living in very harsh environments around the world, like South Sudan, Iraq, etc etc. But what do I know?

 

[flying banana]

calm down people, no need to be so sensitive. I've seen passports pickpocketed more than once. best left behind,just my opinion. don't be getting mardy