Missing Spare Wheels

Open_road! · Nov 11, 2015

Our local rag the Bournemouth Echo is reporting that between Wednesday, November 4 and Monday, November 9, Dorset Police received around 20 reports of thefts from VW Transporter vans - Some cases have involved offenders removing the spare wheel from underneath the vans and in other cases the bolts on the spare wheels have been reportedly tampered with.

I can't believe VW can be so daft as to not fit anti-theft bolts, but seeming as they are, this is just another prudent reminder to get to the shop!

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/ne...n_vans_targeted_by_thieves_in_five_day_spree/

reserves · Nov 12, 2015

Wonder if VW has resolved this issue for the T6?

Andy80F · Nov 12, 2015

Our wheel was stolen at about the same time (Poole area). Saw the carrier hanging down and the bolt lying beside it so the theft had taken place right outside the house. Cheeky beggars. I have some suspicion it was overnight but it could as easily been during the day. Were always careful to try and park with the back of the van against a fence, wall or even high kerb to avoid wheel theft when out and about but not outside the house in a residential street not known for crime.

Annik · Nov 12, 2015

We had ours stolen whilst in the Lake District when in a McDonald's !

I keep meaning to buy a anti theft device thingy that was being sold at the farm meet in July.

MattBW · Nov 12, 2015

These are the device, I have one fitted.

http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/product-category/spare-wheel-theft-protection

WelshGas · Nov 12, 2015

I think you will find that most vehicles that have a spare wheel in a carrier as on the T5 are at risk of this type of theft.
The Security Bolt fitted, because it is exposed, rather than shrouded, as it is on an Alloy wheel, is easily overcome with a pair of mole grips.
The Spare Safe sold in the Forum shop, acts as a shroud, so you need the correct security socket to remove the bolt or some significant time to remove the bolt with incorrect tools. Not something your opportunistic thief wants to spend. :thumb

Borris · Nov 15, 2015

WelshGas said:
I think you will find that most vehicles that have a spare wheel in a carrier as on the T5 are at risk of this type of theft.
The Security Bolt fitted, because it is exposed, rather than shrouded, as it is on an Alloy wheel, is easily overcome with a pair of mole grips.
The Spare Safe sold in the Forum shop, acts as a shroud, so you need the correct security socket to remove the bolt or some significant time to remove the bolt with incorrect tools. Not something your opportunistic thief wants to spend.

We have recently fitted a Spare Safe security device to our new Cali however I have read somewhere on this forum that the spare wheel can also be stolen by disconnecting the front end of the carrier.
Has anyone had experience of this?
And if so, can anyone suggest any reasonable measures to combat this issue?

I know that a determined professional thief will probably not be that phased by any security device fitted but I would like to take all reasonable steps to to make their quest as difficult as possible. Whilst tempting, I don't think that connecting the spare wheel carrier to the National Grid would be considered reasonable!

WelshGas · Nov 15, 2015

Don't forget you have to be able to get at the Spare Wheel in a reasonable fashion, on the Motorway at night. Yes you could fit a chain and lock or something to stop a thief dislocating the carrier from the front but you really have to get under the vehicle to do that and there isn't much room without the vehicle being jacked up. I do not think the opportunistic thief is going to do that and the addition of a SpareSafe, clearly visible, is going to send him on to the next vehicle.

Borris · Nov 15, 2015

WelshGas said:
Don't forget you have to be able to get at the Spare Wheel in a reasonable fashion, on the Motorway at night. Yes you could fit a chain and lock or something to stop a thief dislocating the carrier from the front but you really have to get under the vehicle to do that and there isn't much room without the vehicle being jacked up. I do not think the opportunistic thief is going to do that and the addition of a SpareSafe, clearly visible, is going to send him on to the next vehicle.

Yes, you are probably right and maybe I am taking security a bit too far.

Its just that there seems to be far too much of this sort of petty crime around these days and I am heartily fed up with it all. It makes my blood boil! It seems that its now so common that nothing much appears to me to be done about it and we all have to accept it as a modern day reality, dealing with theft either from our own pockets or via our insurance policies and higher premiums.

Sorry. Rant over.

If there is something reasonable that I can do to protect my property, I will tend to do it although maybe this is a step too far!

Thanks for your input.

sandalfarm · Nov 15, 2015

I got a cable lock and threaded it through the wheel and the towing bracket I know it can be chopped off but its a deterrent

Meoncoast · Nov 15, 2015

As I have posted before have replaced our spare with a just legal tyre to get us home - so little value in the tyre and given the the spare safe in place and 1/2 litre of wd40 sprayed all over wheel and cage I am with Welshgas and hope any scumbag looking for a wheel to sale moves onto someonelse