Driving with a car full of luggage and your family can be cramped and tedious. Flying can be costly, aggravating, and somehow even more tedious than having to listen to your kids argue three feet behind you for hours at a time. A motorhome can give you the freedom to roam and to take advantage of the lure of the open road and discover new vistas, while giving your family enough room to relax. With a motor home, you can enjoy the indoor comforts of a hotel room with the natural beauty of your favourite campsite.
With vehicle thefts and break ins on the rise though, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your motorhome is safe and secure at all times. Thankfully, innovations in technology have made protecting your motorhome a matter of having the right tools at your disposal.
Insure your Motorhome
First and foremost, make sure to carry full adequate insurance coverage. Carefully choose the insurer you wish to do business with and be sure to inform them of any security devices you may have installed. Most companies will offer a reduction in premiums for certain security devices.
Once you’ve secured your insurance coverage, it’s time to decide what types of security equipment you want to add. There are countless numbers of locks, cameras, and trackers, plus other gadgets that can help deter a thief or allow the speedy recovery of your vehicle if it goes missing.
What security options are there?
- Tracking Devices– All RVs should have tracking devices. If your RV is stolen, the tracking device will allow the police to locate it quickly. Check with the manufacturer of your vehicle, as they may have included a tracker. If you’re purchasing a tracker, make sure it’s of high quality for the best results.
- Alarms-Vehicle alarms are available in many different varieties. Most alarms emit a loud sound when your vehicle’s door is opened, or if a window is broken, and that may be enough of a deterrent to ward off a thief. It’s important to remember to arm the alarm every time you leave the vehicle. Usually, your vehicle alarm will come with one or more window stickers to alert the potential thieves of the alarm’s presence, and that alone may scare them off.
- Motion Sensor Alarms-This type of alarm will sound off if any movement is detected in the areas surrounding your motorhome. This will work well when you’re traveling with your motorhome, or when it’s being stored at your home or in a storage facility
- Vehicle Immobiliser-These are devices that prevent your vehicle from moving, even if it is hotwired. Here again, your RV may have come from the factory with this piece of equipment. The immobiliser is activated whenever you turn off the engine.
- A less expensive way to immobilise your vehicle is with a wheel clamp. Like the immobiliser, a wheel clamp will prevent the vehicle from being moved.
- Security Cameras– Security cameras can act as a deterrent, and if your vehicle is stolen, will help the authorities to identify the perpetrators and recover your vehicle.
- Security Film for Windows-Security film for windows will strengthen the glass, making it harder to break, and thus deterring a thief.
- Swiveling Seat Locks-Many RVs come with seats that will swivel 180 degrees, to make them rear facing. You can equip your vehicle with seat locks that will prevent them from facing forward, so that the vehicle can’t be driven away.
- Secure Door Latches-Many times thieves are more interested in the contents of your motorhome than in stealing the entire vehicle. By installing additional locks to your RV and cabinet doors will make it more difficult to break into.
- Gearshift, Clutch, or Steering Wheel Locks-You can install locks that will either lock the steering wheel in place, prevent the gearshift from being moved, or link the pedals so that they can only be moved together and in doing so, will make the vehicle impossible to drive.
- Dashcams-A dashcam will monitor everything that’s going on in your vehicle or in the area surrounding the vehicle. As with other devices mentioned above, a dashcam can assist the police in recovering your vehicle. In the case of a break in to steal your belongings, the dashcam can readily identify the thieves.
These are just a few of the security devices you can install to deter thieves or help recover your vehicle. However, unless you’re activating these devices regularly, they won’t help you. A large part of protecting your recreational vehicle depends on your diligence and using common sense to stay safe.
Here are some steps you can take to help protect your motorhome:
- If you’re planning to take a trip in your motorhome, make sure you let your loved ones know when and where you’re going, but don’t post that information on social media. That’s inviting trouble either back at your permanent home or in your camper.
- Always lock your doors and take the keys with you. Also, make sure you always lock any outside storage cabinets. This is important even if you’re refueling your vehicle, as thieves look for any opportunity, and don’t forget to close your roof vents and hatches whenever you leave your camper.
- Make sure you’re always aware of where your keys are. If you’re towing a vehicle, keep those keys separate. That way, if your motorhome is stolen, you’ll still be able to drive the car home.
- Speaking of keys, if you’ve recently purchased your motorhome, you should have the locks changed, as previous owners, salesmen, or mechanics may have a duplicate of your keys. Even someone who took a test drive in your motorhome before you purchased it may have obtained a duplicate key.
- Regularly check all the locks and latches to make sure they’re in good working order. If any of them are showing signs of wear, replace them.
- Keep your drapes, curtains, or blinds closed. If a potential thief can see the inside of your vehicle and any of your belongings stored therein, it may entice them to break in.
- And about your belongings inside the camper, make sure any valuables are stored in cabinets out of sight of anyone passing by. If you have some empty cabinets, you may want to leave those doors open to give the impression that there’s nothing inside to steal.
- Don’t carry a lot of valuable items with you. If you do have items of value, it might be a good idea to install a security box, locker, or safe within the motorhome. Use a UV pen to write your address on any valuable items you have with you. That way, you can prove ownership should said items be stolen and then later recovered.
- If you are inside your camper, it’s less likely to be broken into. That’s quite obvious. But if you’re away from your camper, say taking a hike for instance, a break in is much more likely. If you leave interior lights on, or a radio playing inside your camper, it will give the illusion that you’re inside.
- When you are parking your camper at a park, rest area, or some other facility, only park in well-lit areas. Also, as you’re parking, be aware of any strangers that may be watching you to see if you’re going to leave your camper unattended.
- Never leave any papers regarding your motorhome inside it. Such paperwork would make it easier for thieves to resell your vehicle.
- Make a note of any serial numbers on your vehicle or on any of the equipment inside. It’s also a good idea to make a video or photographic record of the inside and outside of your camper, as well as any items inside. This evidence could be helpful in the event that you have to make a claim to your insurance provider.
Your motor home is your home on wheels. You equip it with all sorts of supplies and set it up to have many of the conveniences of your brick and mortar home, but that can make your RV more attractive to thieves. By taking all of these precautions, you can help keep your motorhome, and its contents secure so that you and your family can fully enjoy the benefits of the recreational vehicle lifestyle.
Motorhome Specialists in Bristol
LNB Towbars is the UK’s leading supplier and fitter of motorhome products. We have a large state of the art showroom and can provide quality parts and expert installation for anything you may need for your motorhome, such as towbars, self levelling systems, air suspension, motorcycle carriers, bicycle carriers, air conditioning and much much more. We can also carry a large line of car products, such as towbars, roof racks and parking sensors. We are extremely knowledgeable and are more than happy to assist. If you would like additional information about the products and services we offer, visit our website or call us at 01179 694955.