Security advice please.

sydnsue

sydnsue

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I am looking to improve "drive away" security and night time security. First, has anyone had a hidden kill switch fitted? I have a Peugeot Boxer base. Having read many articles, the kill switch seems to be a cost effective method. It seems most locking clamps are easily removed and are only good to stop the opportunist. Is killing the battery the only method because I assume that also kills the alarm system and door locking? It would seem better to just kill the engine.

I have taken the view with habitation security that it is impossible to stop break-ins. No matter what you do, ripping out a window is easy. I have window and door alarms and a motion alarm. Personal security is what I wish to improve. We use the seat belts to restrain the cab doors but the habitation door is the obvious problem. I rely on the alarms to wake us if a door or window is opened. Does anyone have any other ideas to improve night time security? We mainly wildcamp and always move on if we don't like an area but it would be good to increase peace of mind.
 
For night time security I just have the alarm set with the internal motion sensors disarmed. Being a widower I travel alone but never without my dog. A greyhound at present, not aggressive but would put most burglars off imho.
I feel much more secure and at ease having a dog onboard but have to say when I travelled with my late wife night time security concerns never bothered me, strength in numbers comes to mind.
 
If the hab door is your principal concern, worth considering one of the retrofit hab door locks that provide a handle on the inside so that it can be locked and unlocked without requiring a key. An additional impediment to a fast exit in the event of fire, but at least you're not hunting for the key. You do need suitable space inside, alongside the door, to fit it, which I don't have, so can't recommend any particular brand.
 
We use the
alarm at night which is on all lockers and doors.
Don't think it worth investing in lock them out handle sacurity. As said I no I could just pull the windows open .
If we go to defcon 3 seat belts through door handles .
And leather belt through Hab door handle to fixed point on side wall .
 
I use a Strikeback alarm and a small safe for bits and pieces. The passports and cash get hidden in the van. We work on the principle of carry little of value (6 year old iPad being the most valuable item). As stated by others habitation doors and windows are of little deterrence and I would rather have minimal damage caused to them, so do not beef them up.

Theft of vehicle is different, I use a tracker (jammer or not), stoplock pro, long hasp padlock on universal joint on steering column connected to seatbase by chain and the drivers seat turned 180 degrees and secured.

I also leave, but not in plain sight, a wallet with 10 euros and cancelled credit card and a few receipts. There is also a payg 10 year old phone for the taking.

I would like to have a fuel cut out secret switch or similar but on my 2016 fiat, my dealer and another auto electrician have advised against this course of action.

Davy
 
TJBi said:
If the hab door is your principal concern, worth considering one of the retrofit hab door locks that provide a handle on the inside so that it can be locked and unlocked without requiring a key. An additional impediment to a fast exit in the event of fire, but at least you're not hunting for the key. You do need suitable space inside, alongside the door, to fit it, which I don't have, so can't recommend any particular brand.
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I know the type you mention. It's the top Milenco model, about £65, but as I said, all of the locks are easy to get through. Milenco state they have made it anti-bump proof but I find that difficult to believe. I'm sure anyone with a bump key will still break it. They would make a noise but so does a door alarm which is a fraction of the price. I'm actually considering a cross bar through the handle and then leave the van by the cab doors, but for night time security, everyone seems to favour reliance on the alarms. Thanks for the reply though.
 
Mr and Mrs Tupcox said:
We use the
alarm at night which is on all lockers and doors.
Don't think it worth investing in lock them out handle sacurity. As said I no I could just pull the windows open .
If we go to defcon 3 seat belts through door handles .
And leather belt through Hab door handle to fixed point on side wall .
Click to expand...
Your thinking is the same as mine. I was just fishing for any ideas that I had not considered. I firmly believe any type of cylinder lock is a waste of money because of bump keys that you can make yourself, or buy online.
 
TeamRienza said:
I use a Strikeback alarm and a small safe for bits and pieces. The passports and cash get hidden in the van. We work on the principle of carry little of value (6 year old iPad being the most valuable item). As stated by others habitation doors and windows are of little deterrence and I would rather have minimal damage caused to them, so do not beef them up.

Theft of vehicle is different, I use a tracker (jammer or not), stoplock pro, long hasp padlock on universal joint on steering column connected to seatbase by chain and the drivers seat turned 180 degrees and secured.

I also leave, but not in plain sight, a wallet with 10 euros and cancelled credit card and a few receipts. There is also a payg 10 year old phone for the taking.

I would like to have a fuel cut out secret switch or similar but on my 2016 fiat, my dealer and another auto electrician have advised against this course of action.

Davy
Click to expand...
What is a Strikeback alarm? is that just the make? We have a built in alarm system but strangely it only works with the motion sensor on the ceiling. All the individual alrms on doors and windows are the magnetic type. Dirt cheap but effective, but who takes much notice of an alarm sounding for a few seconds. They are just to wake us.
You've certainly splashed out on the vehicle security. I'm not really worried about getting the van back. It's insured and would probably be returned with a lot of damage. It would be a good excuse to go out and buy another newer model :). For me, it's more about stopping the amateur thief. Our seats don't rotate otherwise I would use that method.
Do you know the reason for not fitting a kill switch? As I stated, that was my preference but not if it also kills the system alarm. If it was petrol, I would fit a hidden switch to the ignition relay system, but we are diesel and it seems the only way is to isolate the vehicle battery.
 
Strikeback is simply the brand name of the alarm installed by and, I think, designed by vanbitz. Check their website. The alarm is on all doors, lockers and bonnet using those little magnetic switches similar to the ones you see on house alarms on doors.
With regard to the fuel switch, my enquiries were in 2016 when the vehicle was new, so my recollection is a bit hazy. I seem to recall that my dealer (both Hymer and Fiat professional franchises) alluding to such modifications upsetting the electronics of the van if used. The auto electrician (highly regarded locally) was not happy with the idea, so I decided they knew best, although I find it difficult to see how such a basic modification would not be ok. Some of the tracker systems seem to be able to disable a vehicle remotely and promote this feature, so perhaps I need to revisit the idea again with the dealer.

Davy
 
Alarm tracker and fuel cut off switch. We are mostly wild camp and usually put the van in vanevac (van evacuation) readiness. Remove steering lock, drivers seat facing forward and tidy up. Nothing like arriving in daylight so you have a few hours to settle into the place and get the feel of it. We have been broken into before, and will now always park outside cities or on a secure camper stop.
 
For the hab door I have made up a couple of bars. The second picture shows the bracket I made up to fit on the edge of the door. Both are easily removed in an emergency. 1593333125715.png1593333171946.png
 
silverweed said:
What is a bump key
Click to expand...
It is a key with small ridges of the same height. Place it in the lock with a few mm left to go, twist the key and then hit it with a hammer. The rods are then shocked into alignment and the cylinder will turn. A kit of 10 key blanks will fit 99% of locks. Apples to wheel clamps, steering locks, door locks etc.
 
Clunegapyears said:
Alarm tracker and fuel cut off switch. We are mostly wild camp and usually put the van in vanevac (van evacuation) readiness. Remove steering lock, drivers seat facing forward and tidy up. Nothing like arriving in daylight so you have a few hours to settle into the place and get the feel of it. We have been broken into before, and will now always park outside cities or on a secure camper stop.
Click to expand...
Can you explain the fuel cut off switch please? Could be what I need.
 
I have a fuel cut of button and alarms on the doors and the windows fitted by a friend cost for the parts 100 euros. The best thing to put robbers of is the photo of her indoors when she gets up with the hump anytime
 
kenspain said:
I have a fuel cut of button and alarms on the doors and the windows fitted by a friend cost for the parts 100 euros. The best thing to put robbers of is the photo of her indoors when she gets up with the hump anytime
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Have you tried running the engine with it turned off? I wonder how far you could drive with the fuel already in the system.
 
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