Tracking devices.

Topmast

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Just been reading about the ever increasing number of people whose van have been stolen and started thinking about tracking devices,are they as good as the adverts say or easily disabled by the scum bags who steal the van? I am lucky in that my van would be almost impossible to remove from my garden even if thieves wanted a twenty five year old classic.My other thought is what happens to these stolen vans are they broken up or exported?
 
1 Some would not want MoHo back.
2 As OP posts stopping the theft is best
3 Disklok is good but probably possible to tow or tow onto recovery truck
4 Alarm
5 Fuel / ignition cutoff
 
They can be blocked but I still consider one of the cheap ones worthwhile for my own peace of mind. I can at least check that it is still where I left it. Sometimes a stolen motorhome gets moved a short way and tucked away out of sight, the thieves returning later with plates. Unless they leave the blocker with it there might well be time for the tracker signal to be sent.
 
They can be blocked but I still consider one of the cheap ones worthwhile for my own peace of mind. I can at least check that it is still where I left it. Sometimes a stolen motorhome gets moved a short way and tucked away out of sight, the thieves returning later with plates. Unless they leave the blocker with it there might well be time for the tracker signal to be sent.
They aren’t all the same, they would need to find mine and remove it or wait 18 months or so for the battery to run down. If it is activated and blocked they send someone out with a device that can locate it. If it’s certain areas down south then some police forces are equipped with the locators.

End of the day it’s like marmite, you have lovers and haters. Some folks will just have a cheap tracker so they can map their journeys. Do what makes you happy :)
 
They aren’t all the same, they would need to find mine and remove it or wait 18 months or so for the battery to run down. If it is activated and blocked they send someone out with a device that can locate it. If it’s certain areas down south then some police forces are equipped with the locators.

End of the day it’s like marmite, you have lovers and haters. Some folks will just have a cheap tracker so they can map their journeys. Do what makes you happy :)
Hi Nabsim
Please provide details of your tracker either here or by a conversation...Thanks
 
Having just bought a new Pilote motorhome on contacting my insurance company to change vehicle etc their policy is any vehicle over a certain price has to have an approved tracker. Once I factored in the satellite, refillable gas cylinders and alarm i went over the threshold so had to have a tracker.
Ended up with a decent deal getting the tracker and alarm from the same company. Obviously you have to factor in the yearly monitoring cost but well worth it imho considering what I have paid for the motorhome.
So my motorhome is up my drive behind a car and 8’ locked gates covered by security lights and my English Bullterrier who hears a pin drop. Has a Disklok and wheel lock and I’m going to fit extra locks to the garage, hab and front doors.
So reckon I’m well covered when parked up at home.
When out on my travels it’s another matter but where do you draw the line ?
 
How about an Old spare iphone tucked away with power lead connected with a cheap monthly contract or payg

And use find friends or find iphone To locate ?
An iPhone relies on a sim signal only for you to be able to locate it. It would do a similar job to some trackers but not mine. I think it really depends what you want out of it, there are plenty posts on WC on DIY tracking if you want simple and they are cheap too.
 
I’ve got a tracker fitted but it’s only any good after the vehicle has been stolen so had a ghost immobiliser fitted brilliant piece of kit I was told not to put these stickers in the widow that advertise what sort of security was on my van as that just let’s the would be crooks come tooled up for that system.
 
We have a tracker and a Thatcham Cat 1 alarm on ours. The insurance were happy with either so I haven't bothered to activate the tracker.

With past experiences I have found them to be very expensive to buy into. Granted not as expensive as a new motorhome but would you want it back afterwards anyway?

I do however like the idea of having a mobile hidden with a permanent live feed to it, with some kind of 'find my mobile' app on it.

Graham
smile.gif
 
I tested out a clever Chinese box. It has a sim/gsm radio and a gps built in. You send it a text message (with PIN number) and it sends you back a text message with a Google maps link to its location. If you wire it into the vehicle electrics (didn’t like that idea, it’s Chinese) it can immobilise the vehicle. For £30, it saves the embarrassment of forgetting where you parked!
 
I have a tracker fitted company is called "Outsmart the thief limited" and if my alarm goes off they ring me within minutes, plus if it has been stolen they can immobilize the vehicle there and then, maybe not the cheapest alternative but what value is your motorhome.
 
There are many devices on the market, both DIY and professional installations. It depends in what direction you wish to go and if there is any stipulation from your insurance underwriters with regards to monitored systems using a call centre.
As the OP and jagmanx has suggested, it's best to stop the horse from bolting the stable in the first place! If your insurer's underwriter has insisted on a monitored tracking system, then sadly you will have to have the new Thatcham VTS approved systems fitted
As it has also been noted that modern immobilisers aren't as sophisticated as we would like (Ford, Fiat etc), mechanical/electronical immobilisation with a good solid audible and visual deterrent is the best first line of defence.
We have certainly seen an increase in the "Non-Starter" product we offer here, as it links in with our alarm products (acting as a pager), remote immobilisation to combat Key theft and cloning, jamming warnings in case they are armed with a damming device and location facility using an app based system.
Of course there are other systems out there that show some resemblance to the above, but as we are talking 5-10% of the vehicle's value it's worth investing in such mechanical/electronic products if it means holding on to your hard earned/built motorhome. There more like a member of the family after all.
 
Not so Nickvanbitz, you can have Thatcham approval and a monitored tracking system from other companies. My device is Cat7 which a lot don’t meet but there are probably many more I don’t know about.

This tells you about the Thatcham compliance https://www.trackersecurity.co.uk/tablet/thatcham-trackers.html
Hi,
I believe this information may be out of date, as the classification has moved over to VTS approved systems.
CAT5, 6 & 7 systems ceased to be installed to vehicles from Jan 2019, but there was a brief cross-over period to allow manufacturers to move over to the new VTS recognition scheme. This doesn't mean that they are not recognised anymore, as if it was correct at time of installation, then it will be accepted and still current. The new VTS approval applies to any new installations made after the transition period (Jan -April 2019, based on the manufacturer getting the new VTS approval).
I admit that on the old legislation, you can get Thatcham approval on non monitored systems so I happily stand corrected ;), but like you pointed out, the category 7 systems may not meet approval and the insurers specify CAT 5 & 6, as they look to seek the 24hr call centre/additional immobilisation. We see this more on vans circa £55000 upwards.
 
Hi what about buying a very cheap mobile phone monthly or contract. Leave it hidden in van plugged in switched on hidden then if it is stolen or you forget where you parked it. Go on your normal mobile. Go to find my phone put in no. And it will tell you where your phone is. Well it works in theory. Wonder if it works in practice. Next time I get lost in woods walking the dogs I should try it
 

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