**STOLEN** White 4Motion Ocean - Banbury Area

[PeterButton]

Thanks very much everybody for all of your support.

I thought that you might like to hear about our experience on the day after the van was stolen.

In the midst of the negatives of the situation, I have been impressed with responses from Thames Valley Police, Direct Line and Aviva insurance.

Two PCs came around initially late last night, made some useful observations and took my statement. Today I have seen both a crime scene investigator and another person who spent an hour and a half going door to door around neighbours.

Direct Line insure our house. Their out of office team had somebody here in about 3 hours to deal with the broken window and secure the property with a timber panel.

I’ve been even more impressed with Aviva, arranged through Comfort Insurance.

Over the course of the day they have given me clear guidance on the documents they needed. To my complete surprise they then called this afternoon to let me know that they have already concluded that they will be reimbursing the full price that we paid 8 weeks ago and that we should expect cleared funds within the next 2-3 days. Hugely impressive!

I’ve paid out for comprehensive insurance for over 40 years now, and have never had a vehicle stolen. It’s a big relief to have had such a good experience, especially given the value of the vehicle.

Now all my wife and I need to do is recover our equilibrium and work out where we go from here...

I find myself drawn to consider alternative VW conversions that might be rather more discreet and therefore less attractive to thieves?

I suspect that we will pause and reflect before heading back into all of the considerations of models and spec and age and budget and then trying to find the right one, etc, etc.

Thanks again for your warm support!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Elmo3]

Gutted for you although it sounds like you went with the right insurer.

A question on the Ghost system. When the scum get the keys and can’t drive off, they either threaten you to deactivate the system if you are present or trash your house if you’re not. I think having the right insurance policy is a much better / safer investment. I know it’s defeatist but that is sadly the world we live in.

 

[Loz]

If they can find your keys, they can also find the key to the bollard or clamp.

what seems ironic in this situation is that normally you would expect a cheaper premium if you vehicle is parked on a driveway rather than the street. But on your driveway they know exactly which house the keys are in!

 

[BeagleMum]

Most of the thefts we hear about are from outside people's homes, and very likely first involve the theft of the keys from inside the home. This suggests a pre-planned operation.

The Autowatch Ghost, while an excellent method to prevent theft, seems unlikely to deter an attempted theft and entry to the home. Wheel clamps are a superb visual deterrent, but fairly easily overcome, and I find it hard to imagine myself or my wife going through all that faff to lock each time we park the van on our drive.

However, a rising bollard is both an excellent visual deterrent, and if correctly fitted, hard to overcome, and it's easy to operate. Cost is about £1500 plus installation.

When away from home, spinning the driver's seat and deadlocking the doors is an excellent deterrent.

We have 2 wheel clamps fitted also a steering wheel clamp. We think it’s worth the inconvenience of putting them on / taking them off in the hope the clamps will be a visual deterrent to any scumbag that doesn’t respect other people’s property & think if they want something they can just take it. The keys to the clamps are kept on separate key rings to the vehicle keys.

 

[Amarillo]

If they can find your keys, they can also find the key to the bollard or clamp.

That would depend on how the bollard is operated.

what seems ironic in this situation is that normally you would expect a cheaper premium if you vehicle is parked on a driveway rather than the street. But on your driveway they know exactly which house the keys are in!

Less risk of an errant driver smashing into your van when parked on a driveway.

 

[BeagleMum]

Thanks very much everybody for all of your support.

I thought that you might like to hear about our experience on the day after the van was stolen.

In the midst of the negatives of the situation, I have been impressed with responses from Thames Valley Police, Direct Line and Aviva insurance.

Two PCs came around initially late last night, made some useful observations and took my statement. Today I have seen both a crime scene investigator and another person who spent an hour and a half going door to door around neighbours.

Direct Line insure our house. Their out of office team had somebody here in about 3 hours to deal with the broken window and secure the property with a timber panel.

I’ve been even more impressed with Aviva, arranged through Comfort Insurance.

Over the course of the day they have given me clear guidance on the documents they needed. To my complete surprise they then called this afternoon to let me know that they have already concluded that they will be reimbursing the full price that we paid 8 weeks ago and that we should expect cleared funds within the next 2-3 days. Hugely impressive!

I’ve paid out for comprehensive insurance for over 40 years now, and have never had a vehicle stolen. It’s a big relief to have had such a good experience, especially given the value of the vehicle.

Now all my wife and I need to do is recover our equilibrium and work out where we go from here...

I find myself drawn to consider alternative VW conversions that might be rather more discreet and therefore less attractive to thieves?

I suspect that we will pause and reflect before heading back into all of the considerations of models and spec and age and budget and then trying to find the right one, etc, etc.

Thanks again for your warm support!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So pleased you’ve received good service after such a horrible experience.
To have been messed about with insurance / police etc would have been like having your vehicle stolen all over again.

We are encouraged by Aviva’s response, we have been insured with them for many years & thankfully never had a vehicle stolen.

Best wishes and good luck with whatever decision you make re your future purchase.

 

[Volkywagen]

Thanks very much everybody for all of your support.

I thought that you might like to hear about our experience on the day after the van was stolen.

In the midst of the negatives of the situation, I have been impressed with responses from Thames Valley Police, Direct Line and Aviva insurance.

Two PCs came around initially late last night, made some useful observations and took my statement. Today I have seen both a crime scene investigator and another person who spent an hour and a half going door to door around neighbours.

Direct Line insure our house. Their out of office team had somebody here in about 3 hours to deal with the broken window and secure the property with a timber panel.

I’ve been even more impressed with Aviva, arranged through Comfort Insurance.

Over the course of the day they have given me clear guidance on the documents they needed. To my complete surprise they then called this afternoon to let me know that they have already concluded that they will be reimbursing the full price that we paid 8 weeks ago and that we should expect cleared funds within the next 2-3 days. Hugely impressive!

I’ve paid out for comprehensive insurance for over 40 years now, and have never had a vehicle stolen. It’s a big relief to have had such a good experience, especially given the value of the vehicle.

Now all my wife and I need to do is recover our equilibrium and work out where we go from here...

I find myself drawn to consider alternative VW conversions that might be rather more discreet and therefore less attractive to thieves?

I suspect that we will pause and reflect before heading back into all of the considerations of models and spec and age and budget and then trying to find the right one, etc, etc.

Thanks again for your warm support!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don’t let this put you off Peter! The California is a superb vehicle, get another, up the security and enjoy. Don’t let some lowlifes who can’t be arsed to earn some coin properly for a living put you off. Chin up

 

[pjm-84]

Also sorry to hear this Peter.
We went through it with an X5 which some **** heads tried to steal off our drive on Christmas eve 2013. We ended up putting another alarm system on the vehicle to overcome the issues with the BMW system. The theft attempt failed but the car suffered damage (To you sir £7k)

 

[sapto]

Sorry to hear Peter! Keep my fingers crossed!

 

[GillianC]

House alarm linked to a monitoring system which notifies the police as well as an audible alarm. Hopefully they won't hang around to try and find the keys. Set it at night when asleep too. Plus the noise that three dogs make when they hear something outside!

 

[Dipps]

Thanks for the heads up - I was going to buy but this has seriously put me off - I think I will rent when I need a vehicle

 

[Tagejensen]

Hi - Sadly, my first post is to report our new Ocean has been stolen after about 8 weeks of ownership from Bloxham, just south of Banbury.

Registration is KW17VUG. It is a 4Motion, white with a black awning and a two bike rack on the tailgate. We’ve just fitted new Bridgestone Blizzak winter tyres.

Somebody climbed a 6’ brick wall, broke the glass door of our conservatory, found the keys and presumably just drove it away sometime in the last 24 hours while we were away from the house.

I will of course be very grateful to hear from anybody who sees the van.

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry to hear
I will keep an eye out in the Nederland’s
Tage

 

[CaliforniaBen]

Thanks for the heads up - I was going to buy but this has seriously put me off - I think I will rent when I need a vehicle

What would you do if you heard that houses get burgled, would you go and live in a hotel ?

 

[Dipps]

With respect California Ben nobody is going to drive off with my House.

 

[Tony hylton]

Hi - Sadly, my first post is to report our new Ocean has been stolen after about 8 weeks of ownership from Bloxham, just south of Banbury.

Registration is KW17VUG. It is a 4Motion, white with a black awning and a two bike rack on the tailgate. We’ve just fitted new Bridgestone Blizzak winter tyres.

Somebody climbed a 6’ brick wall, broke the glass door of our conservatory, found the keys and presumably just drove it away sometime in the last 24 hours while we were away from the house.

I will of course be very grateful to hear from anybody who sees the van.

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Denzilgts]

Iam absolutely gutted for you , I hope you get the van back in one piece . Can tweet the photo for you?

 

[Anthony1]

Autowatch Ghost

Hide the keys or take the ignition key with you perhaps. That is why women have handbags. I have a small hidden safe for spare keys etc.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for the heads up - I was going to buy but this has seriously put me off - I think I will rent when I need a vehicle

Seriously?

The number reported stolen compared with the number of vehicles on this Forum or the number sold in the UK, I think you are probably more likely to have your house burgled than your California stolen.

 

[russho]

Steering bar lock as a visible deterant, install your own tracker. It has probably been parked up for a while to see if it has one fitted. if spread enough on facebook this is usually when it gets spotted by someone.

Only noticed this today so could do with more exposure on social media

 

[Meoncoast]

With respect California Ben nobody is going to drive off with my House.

No but they may break in when you are enjoying your rented van.

 

[Pixcels]

How awful for you.

Reading reports like this make me wonder what additional measures I can put in place to prevent theft if someone gets hold of our keys.

I wish you luck in tracing its whereabouts.

I guess an immobiliser may help prevent this.
I am having one fitted on Monday
So sorry to hear of the loss.

 

[aileen]

Good afternoon,

That is so terrible to hear. It is such a huge decision and occasion to buy and finally own the California. You should spend your time enjoying the van.

I never understood how people believe they have the right to take things away from others which have worked and saved hard to buy and enjoy what ever it is.

We live in the country and even though the van is my daily drive, now and then we take my wife's car and leave the van in front of the house. The keys are in a different room kind of hidden away, but nothing stops intruders to get into the house and search for them.

I had a look at Autowatch Ghost in Ireland, because I am interested to get it installed. But so far I have not found a company that a.) offers this solution and b.) that convinces me that they are a reliable company. If anybody is aware of a supplier and installer with a good reputation in the greater Dublin area, please let me know.

Regards,
Eberhard

hello Eberhard. If you hear of some way to protect our Cali from robbery in Ireland would you please let me know. I live in Leitrim. Thanks

 

[Madhutter]

How awful to have suffered both the break-in and the loss of your new Cali, you must be relieved to hear your insurers are paying up quickly.

it must be off-putting to have lost it so soon after purchase but I would urge you to consider getting another as the pleasure of owning one and enjoying the freedom to roam is so great.

I read another posting of the theft of a newly owned Cali from Dartford so have put a Disklok on ours for daily use when out and about but also now considering the Ghost immobiliser. That and a lock up for when it’s not being used for a period...

All the best whatever you decide...

 

[Karlos]

Peter so sorry to hear this, if you do decide to go down the conversion route our first van was a t6 conversion with a hilow roof so didn't look like a camper. Possibly worth considering but not a patch on an Ocean.

 

[Eber123]

hello Eberhard. If you hear of some way to protect our Cali from robbery in Ireland would you please let me know. I live in Leitrim. Thanks

Good morning,

Yes, of course. I will talk to my VW dealer about this as well. I wonder if they can recommend something.

Regards,
Eberhard