M’home security - cold caller today
Sorry if this isn’t the right place but I’m a bit unnerved. Our motorhome is parked on our drive and I returned from dog walk and husband said an Irish man in a brand new BMW had knocked and asked if we wanted to sell because he and his wife were looking for a motorhome and supply was very short.
Dont want to start a discussion about ‘travellers’ but I have seen posts in the past about similar situations when the owners woke up a few days later to find the van had gone.
Shame he called while I was out as our dog barks if anyone knocks on the door, or if she hears anyone on our drive. Don’t have a steering lock (but we will have tomorrow) and unfortunately our drive isn’t long enough to park the car in front of the van.
Anyone suggest any temporary security measures for overnight until we can put something more robust in place tomorrow. Also any suggestions for wheel clamps would be good.
Comments
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I don’t suppose your husband got the reg no of the BMW. It’s easy to think of these things after the event.
Can you park across the entrance to your drive?
Do you have a chain and padlock you could utilise in some way or a pile of rubble/bricks you could dump in front of the MH, even your rubbish bins - I’m thinking of the noise it would make to move them.
PS. Hide your keys and if they're the modern scannable type try one of the suggestions said to work like wrapping them in foil or placing in a tin.
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Remove battery, adjust drivers seat as far forward as possible then chain seat chassis to accelerator pedal
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Does a thief knock on the door, show his face, let you see who he is and what car he is driving? Or does a thief just come in the night and steal the vehicle? Relax.
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Would you have said the same thing if the man had spoken with a Home Counties English accent and driven a Mercedes?
I have a couple of Irish cousins who have done very well for themselves after working hard all of their life. One of them even owns a BMW. Last time we spoke, just after Christmas, he didn't mention becoming a Traveller at all.
Thieves come in all shapes and sizes.
If you are worried then do as Pathfinder says but please don't assume the worst based on race.
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I think it's suspicious no matter what the race, colour or creed of the caller, WN, which is why I made the suggestions I did rather than take Euro's view.
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Good suggestion, but not really practical at 20:15 to ensure that the M/H is still there in the morning.
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Take one of the front wheels off & put it in your house AB. A front wheel I’d say to make it obvious to any dodgy sorts👍🏻, good luck.
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If you are still worried AnnB, ring the police !! Phone them on 101 and explain your worries !! Should the 'van disappear you will have done what was safe & wise !! Do Not Put yourself in DANGER !! As has been said above it could be a harmless bloke with money and a need to spend it on a handy & available vehicle OR it might not !!
P.S. / Edit
I'm not sure what breed your dog is but if it is of a decent size & as you say inclined to bark then put a muzzle on it.
Not to defend any intruders but to protect the dog from spiked meat -- designed to render the animal silent & safe from intruders point of view !!
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Thanks to all who replied. We have ordered a wheel lock from Amazon (delivered today) and used my husbands old heavy duty chain and padlock to fasten the steering wheel to the door handle last night.
Yes we did get the reg number from the car and already checked on the website - it’s a brand new car. Don’t see that I did anything wrong saying he was Irish as that was a fact - would have said he was black if he had been, or Australian, Scottish etc.
Van keys are kept tucked well away from the front door.
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Muscles has been watching late night movies again & frightened his little self🤣🤣🤣. Beware of Russians carrying umbrellas too👻
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AB, that’s the worrying night out of the way👍🏻. I’d say your actions have been well thought out, you are certainly not a victim👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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Never watch late nite movies, Rocky ole mate !! Much too busy sleeping the sleep of the innocent & unworried. Still I will always maintain that in those circumstances as outlined above my suggestions would allow anybody else to partake of the same standard of sleep
!!P.S. The Russians were not carrying brollies at all, they were pretending to polish the front door knocker & handle you young muppet
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With respect Eurotraveller, they do arrive in the day with people in the house, even park on your drive so vehicle in full view and casually walk around trying to break the security devices, this happened to us a few years back, after shouting out the window they just casually walked to thier pickup and drove off...
The bulldog wheel clamp saved the day, it and the tyre was wrecked but didn't come off. i had to use the angle grinder to cut it off and that took ages and several cutting disks
Follow up from the police was that it was a couple of known low lifes working for travellers and ours was the one of many attempted thefts that day in north warwickshire. I guess the travellers 'out sourcing' the thefts provide immunity.
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