Van theft - a cautionary tale

[Amarillo]

Same for us, we live in a hammerhead cul-de-sac and our security is Mrs L at nr. 29, Mrs R at nr. 9, Mrs S at nr. 19 and Mrs F at nr. 25. Couldn't ask for better.
We once arrived home from a long European trip at 2.00 a.m. and Mrs F was round to investigate before we had been able to unlock the front door!

Nosey neighbours can be a great asset, but none batted an eyelid when some scrote/scrotes cut out the catalytic converter from under my Peugeot 406 while parked on the road with a “for sale” notice.

 

[Tarquers]

Having seen an Ocean recently that turned out to be a transporter with the camper par

In my 9 years service I’ve never heard of vehicles being stolen from any camps I’ve been on


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did have a tank go missing once, but it didn't get past the front gate!

 

[WelshGas]

Good point.
Ive settled on getting the Disclok & have hopefully disguised my brand new van with a 5 year old number plate.
I can see its only going to get worse tbh
Also I do online Ocado shopping!!

All the professional scumbags have to do is type your reg into the DVLA website, on their smartphone, and they’ll know exactly when it was first registered etc etc.

 

[Jenny H]

All the professional scumbags have to do is type your reg into the DVLA website, on their smartphone, and they’ll know exactly when it was first registered etc etc.

Yes they can but it can only ever be about extra deterrents & that in my mind is also one, whilst also not broadcasting I have a brand new vehicle which doesnt feel right in both personal & economic climate.

 

[Ladymuck]

Good point.
Ive settled on getting the Disclok & have hopefully disguised my brand new van with a 5 year old number plate.
I can see its only going to get worse tbh
Also I do online Ocado shopping!!

I dont thinking I'm going to be fooling anyone with a 2004 plate but at least it's not broadcasting that it's brand new

 

[Cali Phillip]

Now you see I'm just going round and round in circles with security. I'd gone off the idea of a tracker for the reason you gave but if my friend had a tracker surely she would have located the van sooner rather than the 'luck' she had that someone spotted suspicious activity in a church car park??
Again with ghost keys I'm going round in circles and currently put off with the idea of waking up to someone in my room demanding the key code

I read the same views on the forums for car like VW Golf R and Audi RS3, security and then being threatened for the codes / keys etc. the general view was keys not near the access doors but not in the bedroom. If they break-into the house while you are asleep then for me they can have it.
would consider CCTV for evidence.

 

[Kernowboy]

Given the very low cost of insurance for a high value vehicle, my assumption would be that theft isn’t seen as a massive problem by the insurance companies. Ive had a vehicle stolen in the past and have to say that from that experience, once it’s gone I really don’t want it back. Pay me the money and I’ll get a new one. I haven’t been asked to fit a tracker, and won’t unless it becomes a requirement. Common sense security of course, good visible deterents where possible, and good insurance; but I’m not going to argue with a couple of guys with a crowbar or worse if they want the van, so a Ghost without advertising the fact it’s fitted, isn’t for me either.

 

[Algor]

I dont thinking I'm going to be fooling anyone with a 2004 plate but at least it's not broadcasting that it's brand new

Unless you retro fit a T6 front end then anyone who knows anything about Transporters will know it's pretty new.

 

[SusiBus]

Same for us, we live in a hammerhead cul-de-sac and our security is Mrs L at nr. 29, Mrs R at nr. 9, Mrs S at nr. 19 and Mrs F at nr. 25. Couldn't ask for better.
We once arrived home from a long European trip at 2.00 a.m. and Mrs F was round to investigate before we had been able to unlock the front door!

Physical deterrents like clamps and steering locks are not going to prevent the type of theft described by the OP.

We also are lucky enough to live at the end of a cul-de-sac, and admit that I'm rather blase about security. Having read this thread I'm now starting to worry about it more.

We've got a new van order, so I think I will look into to the insurance aspect. Anyone know the best insurance approach to get good cover should it get stolen.
I seem to remember our last van was insured with Comfort, they offered a new van replacement should it be stolen within the first 12 months.

 

[Ladymuck]

We also are lucky enough to live at the end of a cul-de-sac, and admit that I'm rather blase about security. Having read this thread I'm now starting to worry about it more.

We've got a new van order, so I think I will look into to the insurance aspect. Anyone know the best insurance approach to get good cover should it get stolen.
I seem to remember our last van was insured with Comfort, they offered a new van replacement should it be stolen within the first 12 months.

I've looked at a few and Comfort are proving the best cover wise so far, offering new van replacement for 3 years and 3k contents. They have quoted me £800 though despite having a perfectly clean driving history and no claims. Admiral are the cheapest quoting £450 but it's not specialist campervan cover I don't think. I think I'm going to have to go for the Comfort one given this recent theft..

 

[testpilottimmy]

I've looked at a few and Comfort are proving the best cover wise so far, offering new van replacement for 3 years and 3k contents. They have quoted me £800 though despite having a perfectly clean driving history and no claims. Admiral are the cheapest quoting £450 but it's not specialist campervan cover I don't think. I think I'm going to have to go for the Comfort one given this recent theft..

If you want the cover of a new vehicle, take out gap insurance, i would expect it will cost less the yearly difference between Admiral and Comfort.

 

[SusiBus]

I've looked at a few and Comfort are proving the best cover wise so far, offering new van replacement for 3 years and 3k contents. They have quoted me £800 though despite having a perfectly clean driving history and no claims. Admiral are the cheapest quoting £450 but it's not specialist campervan cover I don't think. I think I'm going to have to go for the Comfort one given this recent theft..

Is Cheshire a theft hotspot?
We live in Watford, clean licence, no claims, used Comfort since 2012. Last premium was less than £400

 

[66tim99]

Given the very low cost of insurance for a high value vehicle, my assumption would be that theft isn’t seen as a massive problem by the insurance companies. Ive had a vehicle stolen in the past and have to say that from that experience, once it’s gone I really don’t want it back. Pay me the money and I’ll get a new one. I haven’t been asked to fit a tracker, and won’t unless it becomes a requirement. Common sense security of course, good visible deterents where possible, and good insurance; but I’m not going to argue with a couple of guys with a crowbar or worse if they want the van, so a Ghost without advertising the fact it’s fitted, isn’t for me either.

What visible deterrents do you use?

 

[Ladymuck]

Is Cheshire a theft hotspot?
We live in Watford, clean licence, no claims, used Comfort since 2012. Last premium was less than £400

I don't know the stats but I'm assuming it must be ! It is a very affluent area and it's not uncommon to hear of vehicles being stolen locally, another friend had a trailer stolen last year from their driveway full of tools, it had a wheel clamp but it was just loaded straight onto a low loader (we think) Shed break ins are very frequent too, it's land rover defender country and a lot of them get nicked too...

 

[Defender90]

I don't know the stats but I'm assuming it must be ! It is a very affluent area and it's not uncommon to hear of vehicles being stolen locally, another friend had a trailer stolen last year from their driveway full of tools, it had a wheel clamp but it was just loaded straight onto a low loader (we think) Shed break ins are very frequent too, it's land rover defender country and a lot of them get nicked too...

It’s sad really such a shame people can’t work hard and enjoy the fruits of their labour without worrying about thieves ,that’s the world we live in now unfortunately.

 

[Eber123]

It’s sad really such a shame people can’t work hard and enjoy the fruits of their labour without worrying about thieves ,that’s the world we live in now unfortunately.

I agree. I never understood that some people believe it is ok to break into a house, car or whatever and take away something for what others have worked hard and saved money for a long time.

But it might be in human's nature to do this. It seems that stealing already happened maybe since the Neanderthaler.

 

[subthree]

I don't know the stats but I'm assuming it must be ! It is a very affluent area and it's not uncommon to hear of vehicles being stolen locally, another friend had a trailer stolen last year from their driveway full of tools, it had a wheel clamp but it was just loaded straight onto a low loader (we think) Shed break ins are very frequent too, it's land rover defender country and a lot of them get nicked too...

We are with Comfort as well. Brand new 6.1 Ocean insured last year was less than £250. We are in Hertfordshire just north of the M25. I actually queried the premium as under £250 for a £60k+ vehicle seemed wrong to me!

 

[66tim99]

We are with Comfort as well. Brand new 6.1 Ocean insured last year was less than £250. We are in Hertfordshire just north of the M25. I actually queried the premium as under £250 for a £60k+ vehicle seemed wrong to me!

How many years no claims. I have none and quoted £650... which didn’t seem too bad in a locked garage in London...

 

[Ladymuck]

How many years no claims. I have none and quoted £650... which didn’t seem too bad in a locked garage in London...

Actually my quote doesn't have any no claims against it as it's on my other car, surely must be bumping up the price..

 

[Amarillo]

But it might be in human's nature to do this. It seems that stealing already happened maybe since the Neanderthaler.

There’s a fair bit more to steal now than a few cave tools and furs.

 

[OGII]

Actually my quote doesn't have any no claims against it as it's on my other car, surely must be bumping up the price..

You may want to ask about NCB mirroring, Admiral do it if it's your first policy with them.

 

[Max Wild]

You may want to ask about NCB mirroring, Admiral do it if it's your first policy with them.

Comfort, as I understand it, give no discount based on NCB. They told me they will maintain my existing NCB if I provide evidence so that I don’t lose it if I move on from them, but it doesn’t make any difference to them.

For reference we’ve just been quoted £376. I have 3 points from 3 years ago, and 1 claim from a year ago.

 

[subthree]

How many years no claims. I have none and quoted £650... which didn’t seem too bad in a locked garage in London...

This was a new policy with Comfort as I did not sell my car when we got the van. So effectively I had zero no claims allowance when I took the policy. However I think they matched my NCD from my car. No points, one no fault accident 6 years ago. 48 years old, van on driveway.

 

[Bluebird]

I’m in rural Cheshire and got insurance from comfort for +£250 in Sept 2020. Full no claims on our other vehicles and they transferred that to the Cali policy. £800 does seem a little steep.

 

[Ladymuck]

I’m in rural Cheshire and got insurance from comfort for +£250 in Sept 2020. Full no claims on our other vehicles and they transferred that to the Cali policy. £800 does seem a little steep.

That's interesting, I'm really baffled then, I wonder what it is, feels very unfair..