I think lots of campervan people park in the wrong places and do it at the wrong times of day. Fancy locks and plates are a red flag... 'there must be something in this van.' Become a dog owner, a decent sized dog. Going into the supermarket, open the window a few inches so your dog sits on the front seat. If it's dark and you must leave the van, leave lights on and music playing, maybe make music and voice/converstaion recording. If there are two of you, one stays with the van, or before you park, drop pax a short distance from parking spot, you go off to do your thing and the pax watches the van. Fit a tracker and put sticker in a visible place, fit an immobiliser with a sticker. Put a 'do not disturb' or 'I am sleeping' sticker on the van, ones with a magnetic backing so you can remove it. Park so your rear doors and side door so they can't be accessed... they need space to use a large scewdriver or pry bar. External cameras high on the bodywork so they can't be reached easily. Fake or real, sticker saying 'CCTV recording to cloud. Vantastic uses a steel cable to wire the front doors together, but this means you must leave via the side door. I think you have to realistic about not going out for an evening meal together, do you both need to go shopping together? Nomadic Fanatic probably has the best RV security system. Look for secure paid parking if you must go out for that birthday meal. Use urban campsites for peace of mind. A big visible steering lock is a big deterrent as is a wheel clamp. You can fit all the locks you like, they will break the window and they are in and they can drive it away unless you have an immobiliser. Great video and a lot to think about. I am so conscious that someone stays in the van at supermarkets. Not just for break-ins, but for getting clipped by other vehicles and snide vandalism against a British number plate... lots of people hate the British & that's just a sad fact.👍
All very good points... we have utilized some of them but not all, should give them a go 😄 Definitely will have a wheel lock and be very conscious where we park. As it will be our full-time home and we will be off-grid a lot of the time, we will want to go out together, so we can't have a guard all the time, that's why we are thinking carefully about how to protect our stuff. 👍
The rear doors can be secured by using a sliding latch on the inside or possibly two of them. These latches can be found in the garden fencing section of a good hardware store. Also please mount these latches with bolts not with sheet metal screws OBVIOUSLY. The front doors can be secured by means of a heavier bolt (maybe an M8 or so). Drill a hole through the B pillar of the van towards the front (in the sliding door area this is easy, on the other side maybe an issue. The hole should reach the rear part of the front doors somewhere near the original locking latches. In the rear part of the door weld a reinforcing plate onto the sheetmetal and then either weld a nut or insert one of those fancy blind rivetted nuts lining up with the hole in the b pillar. If you can insert a tube of some kind in the b pillar holes so it is more easy to use the system. You secure the front doors by inserting a threaded rod (with a knob on one end) through the tube or holes) and thread it into the rear part of the front door.. For sliding doors you can drill a hole through the inside step, through the sheet metal underneath, then weld a collar or piece of metal tubing and then put a heavy bolt or pin through the tube and hole(s) and securing it using a good padlock through the bolt/pen and the collar from the outside. The sliding door would then be the last door you lock before you leave. The hole needs to be positioned so that it is in the track the lower support arm (and roller) is running in. If the pen is inserted the door can only slide open so far as the roller hits the inserted pen. This idea works well since the custom lock is hidden and underneath the van. Though somewhat impractical it is rather secure. The rest of my van has small windows (except 1 - get to that later) and to prevent access to the rear compartment through the drivers cabin area I block the location where normally a dividing wall would be in a rather interesting manor. I have this roof trunk which I mounted to one of the rears doors which can be unbolted quite easily and quickly. It contains only two garden chairs and a table. This trunk I use together with 3 steel heavy walled pipes to block the access to the living area of the van through the driving compartment. The larger windows (which a guy could climb through if he really wanted to) can be blocked by the use of the dining table which is directly beneath it. It hinges up and secures very well so it acts as an internal window shutter. Again: the rest of the smaller windows are small only a prematurely born baby could fit through...maybe... (These small windows are actually sliding windows repurposed from the dividing wall of a type 3 ducato van)
Using high strength u bolts and locks like that means the weakpoint will no longer be the door mechanism, the the sheet metal itself. We've seen many vans with 'peeled' back foods (where someone has forced the door open like a can opener). Having serious metal brackets/chain locks inside holding the doors in means this can't happen so most will smash a window and to hell with stealth stealing, or give up, hopefully the later. Windows will always be the weakpoint but they make noise to break in. Drilling the metalwork also is noisy, so if they can pick a lock or peel the door back without being heard or seen that's what criminals will do 👍
Use ratchet straps on the doors in the front and the back doors. There rated to hold a lot of weight so if you have them secure in the cab people can't get in unless they beak through the window. There are window screens that you can fabricate that bolt to the window so if they do break the windows they still can't get in. Not the prettiest option but effective.
Y'all are awesome and so energetic... y'all seem so fun... thanks for the amazing tips. I'm about to start can life and I have been hesitant because of security and this video helps put my mind at ease, thank y'all for that☺️
I have a van with no windows. At night I get ventilation by leaving my windows partly down. In order to secure my doors I take my seatbelt strap and lace it through the armrest and from there I pull it and then latch it into the receiver near the edge of the seat and then pull the seatbelt tight. This situation I can get an adequate ventilation from the front windows and then if anyone is trying to open the door they won’t be able to open it easily but that time I have my pistol in my hand and I have a good view of someone’s arm.
I've been binging vanlife security videos, and you're the FIRST people I've found to include psychological defense systems! Like bright lights and decoy electronics/valuables. Great stuff! I'm in the market for my van rn, but I already carry a decoy wallet in my back pocket, and my real one in the bottom of whatever bag I have. Same principle :) A nice big obvious steering wheel lock is another great psychological deterrent. It just makes your vehicle look like it'll take a lot more time and effort than the hundreds of other vehicles all around.
Honestly, usually the most effective defence comes from very simple measures, like a lock on the steering wheel or a couple of stickers or an unassuming construction that doesn't look like storage. Something that I would glance and then bypass without a second thought. Finding out what will work is not easy, but usually, the solutions are quite simple and easy to implement once you know what they are. 😊👍
Yes. I think if one of the concerns is that the thief might steal the van and not just the contents, then a visual steering wheel and/or wheel lock would be a deterrent. As I plan my van, I'm considering those. I break security down in this way: theft of van, theft of contents, and personal safety (for me, personal safety is priority one). There are different measures for each and some can overlap - that is, some of the personal safety measures can be used to secure the van when you're leaving it.
I bought a 4' strand of Batt power LED Strip lights it came w On/Off, auto motion detect or auto Strobe? It didn't mention it but that is similar to the razzle dazzle mentioned? I have had someone open my van door by mistake? I was taking nap on fishing trip? The door opened? He was shocked I was in there? I believe it was a mistake? He had a van near mine but it was a shock! Vandism is a big concern when your Van Is your house? A tipster said, look for broke car window glass in parking lot? That a sign thieves are breaking into vehicles? Might not be safe place to stay?
I know we're coming on for two years since you made the video, but thought the point is worth making in case anybody else reads this... First off, though, I am not a lawyer! When considering external CCTV cameras, you have to take GDPR into account - which means signs up telling people you're recording and contact details so they can ask for what info you have on them. A real PITA. Even somebody breaking into your van has privacy rights. The other thing is that some countries don't permit dashcams which your cameras would very likely be considered (even if they're not on the dashboard) - Austria, Luxembourg and Portugal have outright bans (it's not even legal to own a dashcam in Austria and Portugal) and the use of dashcams in Belgium, France, Germany, Norway and Switzerland are conditional (e.g. position, what can and can't be recorded, personal use etc. etc.). All things considered, I wouldn't install external cameras. :-(
All very good points to have in mind - they are all very region based but we are making a vehicle security video in the coming month so we will put a general disclaimer for all these rules as they change border and such 👍 I still think cameras are very important because they are a big deturrent, even if they are off, just the fact there is a camera there would mean stronger security Thanks for sharing 🙂
Quickest way into a sprinter is with a Stanley knife, simply cut the rubber around the quadrant window on either front door and pop the glass out, then reach in and open the door. Alarm might go off but thieves can easily disable that, I won’t go into too much detail about that for obvious reason but it is important to secure that front quadrant windows if you have removed the bulk head.
If i was a criminal i'd just hit the passenger window with a diamond tip or carburetor and open the passenger side door. The first option is to break the window. there's a cost vs stealth vs whatever calc to be made. I think internal locks, motion alarm, and cab/cabin door is best bet. By internal locks, i mean, you actually have to insert a handle into your door to open it so the thief has to break the entire window and craw through glass to get in. It's too bad there isnt a netflix documentary where they talk to retired car thieves and ask them their expert opinion.
I think the Netflix show would ruin their business model a little 😂 If someone wants to get in, they will get in, and the windows are the weakest link in any van. But we hope that we have enough deterrents that we are not a target for any thief out there.
Yes, I agree. I've seen some unique and inexpensive ways to secure the cab doors that would require the thief to crawl through the broken window to gain access. I imagine that would be quite the deterrent. If the goal is to steal the vehicle, then obvious steering wheel and wheel locks would likely help prevent that.
@@FreedomStrider As one vanlifer has said, you mostly need to make your van less attractive to a thief than other vans. As you've said, slow them down. People want quick access.
1. Bullet proof wire mesh glass. 2. Metal plates welded to every opening door with deadbolt locks on the inside and outside. 3. Voice alarm that screams help, help!, Call 911! 4. Phone app like a home doorbell camera app. 5. No windows in cargo area. 6. Cameras. With a sticker that says smile you’re on camera.
I think the camera on the outside is worth the investment. If you can catch the license plate and or the make /model of the car. You can tell the police and they can start the hunt. This being the thieves don’t get away once they drive away with all your stuff.
You can we didn't mention it only because we don't entirely like them since if you're in an accident (or in a camper of there was a fire inside and you needed to smasha window) you can't smash that window to get out - that was all 👍
I'm kind of the opposite of "SAVAGE the Pirate"; I'm honestly way more concerned about getting out of my vehicle than people getting in. There are SOOO many simple but effective layers you can use to make your vehicle extremely difficult to break into, but if you end up sinking in a river or upside down on the side of the road, there's really only one way to get out of your own car from the driver's seat: the doors and windows. I'm definitely not using smash-proof window film.
@@FreedomStrider I've seen where some vanlifers have welded the safe to the van. That would be hard to steal. I think an innovative hidey hole, as you've described would likely work just as well.
Look into security film for the cargo windows, I'm planning my build now and will use comerical grade film on all the cargo windows. I will leave the drivers windows untreated incase the van is ever underwater. I plan on having a steel partition with a locking door to separate the drivers area from the cargo area. Great video and good luck on your build!
What about hiding things underneath the vehicle or in the engine bay etc, The most obvious downside with that is it will limit what you are able to store there depending on how you store it there.
We've thought about doing that, it's possible and it can be a good idea,but you have to design it in a way that you're actually going to use it. If it's too difficult to get to it you might be too lazy to use it because I know I would be 🤣
The most common way to secure the windows is laminate, but you should not laminate the front cab window as they are an escape route in case of crash jamming the doors.
Those types of safes are meh... They could work but if they can't break in then they will be more determined to drive your van away (since they would assume something valuable is in there. Also, recently there was a robbery with a bank style safe (bolted and everything) and the thieves just drove a car into the wall and dragged the safe out. Plus, they are heavy, and most vans wouldn't have the spare weight. I would say a safe box is good to have, but cleverly hidden would be better than heavy and bolted, 😊
@@FreedomStrider I guess i was thinking about a more opportunist thief. You're correct i guess, a safe might just entice more effort. Though with the strobing lights and human screams going on, im not sure how much effort a thief will be prepared to put in 😎
I'm a film maker, level 1 & 2 only applies to me coz all my film gear can be accessed from anywhere... Any suggestions? I'm thinking 3 dead locks on each door 🤣🤣🤣😂🤷🤷🤷
My only suggestion would be to look at your layout and pick locations that you can access easily on a daily basis but are not obvious hiding places so they wouldn't look like storage. That way, without that much effort and thought on your part, you can put your valuables there on your way out without it taking much time. I know putting things away is difficult and can be annoying, we are used to leaving things out all the time in our houses, but that is honestly the best strategy. In terms of stopping them getting in in the first place, deadlocks, CCTV, unappealing stickers (Dogs, hazard, this vehicle is tracked, CCTV in operation). Any lock can be picked, and especially if they are the same type of lock if they pick one, they probably will be able to pick the other 2 quickly. If you're going for 3 different deadlocks, pick 3 different styles of locks. You can do tricks with the seatbelts, or install manual steel plates on the inside of the doors (which you put on and off before going out). If they want to get in they will eventually, but you just need to make it difficult. 😂😉
@@FreedomStrider aw cheers for the advice, yeah, I totally agree with just making it more difficult. I'd only be able to hide money and passport but I suppose it's better than getting it stolen lol. Yeah I'm gonna be on them in a matter of minutes from phone notification so hopefully as long as it takes em 5 min to get in they won't nick anything 🤣😂
Thank you guys for being so thorough & logical, super useful info!! I’m considering using exterior cameras & encasing them in extremely strong plastic or glass covers
Glad we could help 🙂 I think with cameras, they are most useful when they automatically record (when needed) and send the data to a cloud. that way, if they get damaged, you still have the footage. After that the best thing to have in your vehicle is a gps.
the more i watching videos about these the more i think the top runners in the van market are such a rip off. thousands of pounds for what is essentially thin pressed steel sheet that leaks and and people can break into just as easy as the water leaks in!
I'm afraid that is correct - and we the consumers pay more thousands of pounds correcting the manufacture mistakes!! I mean we have the tools in our garage to drill holes in these vans it is ridiculously easy.
They would try and break the locks first, as that would be more discreet. If that fails and they think they have time, then they could go for the windows. Mind you window breaking would be loud, so it all depends. All you can do is delay and deter.
Unique spaces that have been integrated into to build furniture that don't look like free storage space. They could be anywhere, especially when doing a DIY build.
They are missing the most important point. They're acting like this is a house, it's not a house, it's a vehicle. And what's the thing you can most easily do with a vehicle? You can drive off with it. THis vid focuses on protecting stuff inside, that's the wrong focus. It doesn't protect the most valuable asset of it all, the vehicle itself. No mention of tracking systems, no mention of remote engine shut down oh but they do talk about stickers. If my van gets broken into and stuff goes missing then it's bad but I'd still have my home is gone, I would have nothing at all. The way these people talk about this is as if they are not van lifers (their van is their home), they van tourists. It doesn't seem to cross their mind how much more worse a stolen van would be. There's also zero mention about a break in when sleeping inside, which is something I wouldn't expect a van tourist to worry about at all.
These people, didn't talk about the vehicle safety because that wasn't the point of the video - the interior safety and deterrents are just as important to talk about as the anti-theft aspect of security. True this video did not focus on the GPS and the anti theft aspects, simply because they deserve their own video so they can be addressed appropriately.
I think lots of campervan people park in the wrong places and do it at the wrong times of day. Fancy locks and plates are a red flag... 'there must be something in this van.' Become a dog owner, a decent sized dog. Going into the supermarket, open the window a few inches so your dog sits on the front seat. If it's dark and you must leave the van, leave lights on and music playing, maybe make music and voice/converstaion recording. If there are two of you, one stays with the van, or before you park, drop pax a short distance from parking spot, you go off to do your thing and the pax watches the van. Fit a tracker and put sticker in a visible place, fit an immobiliser with a sticker. Put a 'do not disturb' or 'I am sleeping' sticker on the van, ones with a magnetic backing so you can remove it. Park so your rear doors and side door so they can't be accessed... they need space to use a large scewdriver or pry bar. External cameras high on the bodywork so they can't be reached easily. Fake or real, sticker saying 'CCTV recording to cloud. Vantastic uses a steel cable to wire the front doors together, but this means you must leave via the side door. I think you have to realistic about not going out for an evening meal together, do you both need to go shopping together? Nomadic Fanatic probably has the best RV security system. Look for secure paid parking if you must go out for that birthday meal. Use urban campsites for peace of mind. A big visible steering lock is a big deterrent as is a wheel clamp. You can fit all the locks you like, they will break the window and they are in and they can drive it away unless you have an immobiliser. Great video and a lot to think about. I am so conscious that someone stays in the van at supermarkets. Not just for break-ins, but for getting clipped by other vehicles and snide vandalism against a British number plate... lots of people hate the British & that's just a sad fact.👍
All very good points... we have utilized some of them but not all, should give them a go 😄 Definitely will have a wheel lock and be very conscious where we park. As it will be our full-time home and we will be off-grid a lot of the time, we will want to go out together, so we can't have a guard all the time, that's why we are thinking carefully about how to protect our stuff. 👍
Lots of good points here.
Such a through coverage of security flaws and solutions. Great job!
Thank you :) Glad it was helpful
The rear doors can be secured by using a sliding latch on the inside or possibly two of them. These latches can be found in the garden fencing section of a good hardware store. Also please mount these latches with bolts not with sheet metal screws OBVIOUSLY.
The front doors can be secured by means of a heavier bolt (maybe an M8 or so).
Drill a hole through the B pillar of the van towards the front (in the sliding door area this is easy, on the other side maybe an issue. The hole should reach the rear part of the front doors somewhere near the original locking latches. In the rear part of the door weld a reinforcing plate onto the sheetmetal and then either weld a nut or insert one of those fancy blind rivetted nuts lining up with the hole in the b pillar. If you can insert a tube of some kind in the b pillar holes so it is more easy to use the system.
You secure the front doors by inserting a threaded rod (with a knob on one end) through the tube or holes) and thread it into the rear part of the front door..
For sliding doors you can drill a hole through the inside step, through the sheet metal underneath, then weld a collar or piece of metal tubing and then put a heavy bolt or pin through the tube and hole(s) and securing it using a good padlock through the bolt/pen and the collar from the outside. The sliding door would then be the last door you lock before you leave.
The hole needs to be positioned so that it is in the track the lower support arm (and roller) is running in. If the pen is inserted the door can only slide open so far as the roller hits the inserted pen.
This idea works well since the custom lock is hidden and underneath the van.
Though somewhat impractical it is rather secure.
The rest of my van has small windows (except 1 - get to that later) and to prevent access to the rear compartment through the drivers cabin area I block the location where normally a dividing wall would be in a rather interesting manor.
I have this roof trunk which I mounted to one of the rears doors which can be unbolted quite easily and quickly. It contains only two garden chairs and a table. This trunk I use together with 3 steel heavy walled pipes to block the access to the living area of the van through the driving compartment.
The larger windows (which a guy could climb through if he really wanted to) can be blocked by the use of the dining table which is directly beneath it. It hinges up and secures very well so it acts as an internal window shutter. Again: the rest of the smaller windows are small only a prematurely born baby could fit through...maybe... (These small windows are actually sliding windows repurposed from the dividing wall of a type 3 ducato van)
Using high strength u bolts and locks like that means the weakpoint will no longer be the door mechanism, the the sheet metal itself. We've seen many vans with 'peeled' back foods (where someone has forced the door open like a can opener).
Having serious metal brackets/chain locks inside holding the doors in means this can't happen so most will smash a window and to hell with stealth stealing, or give up, hopefully the later.
Windows will always be the weakpoint but they make noise to break in. Drilling the metalwork also is noisy, so if they can pick a lock or peel the door back without being heard or seen that's what criminals will do 👍
Use ratchet straps on the doors in the front and the back doors. There rated to hold a lot of weight so if you have them secure in the cab people can't get in unless they beak through the window. There are window screens that you can fabricate that bolt to the window so if they do break the windows they still can't get in. Not the prettiest option but effective.
Thanks for the tip 😀 - We hadn't heard that one before.
Shawn -Any idea how You could secure the Window on Sprinter large sliding door window?
Y'all are awesome and so energetic... y'all seem so fun... thanks for the amazing tips. I'm about to start can life and I have been hesitant because of security and this video helps put my mind at ease, thank y'all for that☺️
Cheers! Glad to hear it. 😀
That was highly informative.. thanks! Do you have a video of the security disco system in action?
Unfortunately, not yet... ;)
Nor sure a hazardous waste sticker would necessarily be a good idea at border crossings ;-)
Hehe, border control are more than welcome to check it out 😉... But you are probably right 😂
@@FreedomStridermaybe a magnetic sticker?
This is perfect! I’m loving the comments helping out as wel
We're glad you're finding some useful info, security is always quite a murky subject 👍
I have a van with no windows. At night I get ventilation by leaving my windows partly down. In order to secure my doors I take my seatbelt strap and lace it through the armrest and from there I pull it and then latch it into the receiver near the edge of the seat and then pull the seatbelt tight. This situation I can get an adequate ventilation from the front windows and then if anyone is trying to open the door they won’t be able to open it easily but that time I have my pistol in my hand and I have a good view of someone’s arm.
I've seen the seatbelt trick done before, it actually works really well and is a good idea 👍
I've been binging vanlife security videos, and you're the FIRST people I've found to include psychological defense systems! Like bright lights and decoy electronics/valuables. Great stuff! I'm in the market for my van rn, but I already carry a decoy wallet in my back pocket, and my real one in the bottom of whatever bag I have. Same principle :)
A nice big obvious steering wheel lock is another great psychological deterrent. It just makes your vehicle look like it'll take a lot more time and effort than the hundreds of other vehicles all around.
Honestly, usually the most effective defence comes from very simple measures, like a lock on the steering wheel or a couple of stickers or an unassuming construction that doesn't look like storage. Something that I would glance and then bypass without a second thought. Finding out what will work is not easy, but usually, the solutions are quite simple and easy to implement once you know what they are. 😊👍
Yes. I think if one of the concerns is that the thief might steal the van and not just the contents, then a visual steering wheel and/or wheel lock would be a deterrent. As I plan my van, I'm considering those. I break security down in this way: theft of van, theft of contents, and personal safety (for me, personal safety is priority one). There are different measures for each and some can overlap - that is, some of the personal safety measures can be used to secure the van when you're leaving it.
I bought a 4' strand of Batt power LED Strip lights it came w On/Off, auto motion detect or auto Strobe? It didn't mention it but that is similar to the razzle dazzle mentioned? I have had someone open my van door by mistake? I was taking nap on fishing trip? The door opened? He was shocked I was in there? I believe it was a mistake? He had a van near mine but it was a shock! Vandism is a big concern when your Van Is your house? A tipster said, look for broke car window glass in parking lot? That a sign thieves are breaking into vehicles? Might not be safe place to stay?
I know we're coming on for two years since you made the video, but thought the point is worth making in case anybody else reads this...
First off, though, I am not a lawyer!
When considering external CCTV cameras, you have to take GDPR into account - which means signs up telling people you're recording and contact details so they can ask for what info you have on them. A real PITA. Even somebody breaking into your van has privacy rights.
The other thing is that some countries don't permit dashcams which your cameras would very likely be considered (even if they're not on the dashboard) - Austria, Luxembourg and Portugal have outright bans (it's not even legal to own a dashcam in Austria and Portugal) and the use of dashcams in Belgium, France, Germany, Norway and Switzerland are conditional (e.g. position, what can and can't be recorded, personal use etc. etc.).
All things considered, I wouldn't install external cameras. :-(
All very good points to have in mind - they are all very region based but we are making a vehicle security video in the coming month so we will put a general disclaimer for all these rules as they change border and such 👍
I still think cameras are very important because they are a big deturrent, even if they are off, just the fact there is a camera there would mean stronger security
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Quickest way into a sprinter is with a Stanley knife, simply cut the rubber around the quadrant window on either front door and pop the glass out, then reach in and open the door. Alarm might go off but thieves can easily disable that, I won’t go into too much detail about that for obvious reason but it is important to secure that front quadrant windows if you have removed the bulk head.
Thanks for the tip. 🙂👍
If i was a criminal i'd just hit the passenger window with a diamond tip or carburetor and open the passenger side door. The first option is to break the window.
there's a cost vs stealth vs whatever calc to be made. I think internal locks, motion alarm, and cab/cabin door is best bet. By internal locks, i mean, you actually have to insert a handle into your door to open it so the thief has to break the entire window and craw through glass to get in.
It's too bad there isnt a netflix documentary where they talk to retired car thieves and ask them their expert opinion.
I think the Netflix show would ruin their business model a little 😂
If someone wants to get in, they will get in, and the windows are the weakest link in any van. But we hope that we have enough deterrents that we are not a target for any thief out there.
Yes, I agree. I've seen some unique and inexpensive ways to secure the cab doors that would require the thief to crawl through the broken window to gain access. I imagine that would be quite the deterrent. If the goal is to steal the vehicle, then obvious steering wheel and wheel locks would likely help prevent that.
@@FreedomStrider As one vanlifer has said, you mostly need to make your van less attractive to a thief than other vans. As you've said, slow them down. People want quick access.
Hi, just a quick point. People often forget how valuable data is. Backup offsite!!!!!
Yes, we are conscious of the need to hack up our data, using a cloud service is vital 👍
@@FreedomStrider Ha, ‘hack up our data’ a deliberate pun or typo 😁.
Honestly...a typo 😂
Really informative !! Nice perspective
Thanks !
Cheers, glad you found the info helpful 👍😊
Having cameras outside is now useful to look outside when you want to rather than deterring theft! Mighty handy tho, would recommend
Cheers! 🙂 Do you have any camera kits to recommend?
@@FreedomStrider there's loads on eBay which are all basically the same. I'd say get 4 to cover the whole van tho.
@@FreedomStrider Buy Telsa camera kit....get from a Telsa dealer. Need software/hardware/
i put a flower delivery sign on my van. Nobody breaks imto a flower delivery van.
Hahaha that's excellent 🤣
the power of psychological deterrents! So freaking simple LOL!
I had the very same idea.... 🤎💛🧡🤍
1. Bullet proof wire mesh glass.
2. Metal plates welded to every opening door with deadbolt locks on the inside and outside.
3. Voice alarm that screams help, help!, Call 911!
4. Phone app like a home doorbell camera app.
5. No windows in cargo area.
6. Cameras. With a sticker that says smile you’re on camera.
Good list, the more the merrier!
Yes, a pet waste removal magnetic sign works great! “Judy’s doody removal”
Genius! 😂
Thanks 😅
This video was informative and useful. I’ll be looking forward to watching more of your videos. Also, you two seem like a lovely couple!
Thanks, we are glad you like the video 😀 - great to have you on board.
You guys are super switched on👍
😂 That's good to hear.
I think the camera on the outside is worth the investment. If you can catch the license plate and or the make /model of the car. You can tell the police and they can start the hunt. This being the thieves don’t get away once they drive away with all your stuff.
Ah yes, indeed numberplate recognition is a good idea.
I feel a lot of people don’t know this but you can but smash proof security film on windows
You can we didn't mention it only because we don't entirely like them since if you're in an accident (or in a camper of there was a fire inside and you needed to smasha window) you can't smash that window to get out - that was all 👍
Oh I gotta look into that. I’m way less worried about trying to smash my way out rather then some thief smash their way in.
I'm kind of the opposite of "SAVAGE the Pirate"; I'm honestly way more concerned about getting out of my vehicle than people getting in. There are SOOO many simple but effective layers you can use to make your vehicle extremely difficult to break into, but if you end up sinking in a river or upside down on the side of the road, there's really only one way to get out of your own car from the driver's seat: the doors and windows. I'm definitely not using smash-proof window film.
Great advices!
Add a boltable, lockable steel safe
Just be sure to bolt the safe to the van as I have seen videos of people installing safes to have the whole safe stolen!
@@FreedomStrider maybe add an anchor or booby traps, like electric handles. Thoughts?
@@FreedomStrider I've seen where some vanlifers have welded the safe to the van. That would be hard to steal. I think an innovative hidey hole, as you've described would likely work just as well.
Theives can litterally peel open the side doors on vans and gain instant access. This method also does not set off the alarm.
That is true, if thieves want to get in they will but we just have to do the best we can to detur them away. 👍
Look into security film for the cargo windows, I'm planning my build now and will use comerical grade film on all the cargo windows. I will leave the drivers windows untreated incase the van is ever underwater.
I plan on having a steel partition with a locking door to separate the drivers area from the cargo area.
Great video and good luck on your build!
Sounds like plan 🙂. Would love a link to the commercial grade film you are looking at?
@@FreedomStrider ua-cam.com/video/Maph1a2qFf4/v-deo.html
I have not gotten a quote but they have the strongest film I've seen
3m clear glass protective film too.
Yep you can, only thin is you can't smash our your windows from the inside in an emergency if you put a film on them 👍
What about hiding things underneath the vehicle or in the engine bay etc, The most obvious downside with that is it will limit what you are able to store there depending on how you store it there.
We've thought about doing that, it's possible and it can be a good idea,but you have to design it in a way that you're actually going to use it. If it's too difficult to get to it you might be too lazy to use it because I know I would be 🤣
cctv, yes all day long fit 2 or 3 some are solar with wifi. You may well have already done this
Sounds like a good setup, we're looking into it 👍🙂
How could I secure the large window on the sliding door?
The most common way to secure the windows is laminate, but you should not laminate the front cab window as they are an escape route in case of crash jamming the doors.
What about a hotel-room style safe thats bolted in?
Those types of safes are meh... They could work but if they can't break in then they will be more determined to drive your van away (since they would assume something valuable is in there. Also, recently there was a robbery with a bank style safe (bolted and everything) and the thieves just drove a car into the wall and dragged the safe out. Plus, they are heavy, and most vans wouldn't have the spare weight. I would say a safe box is good to have, but cleverly hidden would be better than heavy and bolted, 😊
@@FreedomStrider I guess i was thinking about a more opportunist thief. You're correct i guess, a safe might just entice more effort. Though with the strobing lights and human screams going on, im not sure how much effort a thief will be prepared to put in 😎
That's the theory 🤣
I'm a film maker, level 1 & 2 only applies to me coz all my film gear can be accessed from anywhere... Any suggestions? I'm thinking 3 dead locks on each door 🤣🤣🤣😂🤷🤷🤷
My only suggestion would be to look at your layout and pick locations that you can access easily on a daily basis but are not obvious hiding places so they wouldn't look like storage. That way, without that much effort and thought on your part, you can put your valuables there on your way out without it taking much time. I know putting things away is difficult and can be annoying, we are used to leaving things out all the time in our houses, but that is honestly the best strategy.
In terms of stopping them getting in in the first place, deadlocks, CCTV, unappealing stickers (Dogs, hazard, this vehicle is tracked, CCTV in operation). Any lock can be picked, and especially if they are the same type of lock if they pick one, they probably will be able to pick the other 2 quickly. If you're going for 3 different deadlocks, pick 3 different styles of locks. You can do tricks with the seatbelts, or install manual steel plates on the inside of the doors (which you put on and off before going out). If they want to get in they will eventually, but you just need to make it difficult. 😂😉
@@FreedomStrider aw cheers for the advice, yeah, I totally agree with just making it more difficult. I'd only be able to hide money and passport but I suppose it's better than getting it stolen lol. Yeah I'm gonna be on them in a matter of minutes from phone notification so hopefully as long as it takes em 5 min to get in they won't nick anything 🤣😂
Thank you guys for being so thorough & logical, super useful info!! I’m considering using exterior cameras & encasing them in extremely strong plastic or glass covers
Glad we could help 🙂 I think with cameras, they are most useful when they automatically record (when needed) and send the data to a cloud. that way, if they get damaged, you still have the footage. After that the best thing to have in your vehicle is a gps.
the more i watching videos about these the more i think the top runners in the van market are such a rip off.
thousands of pounds for what is essentially thin pressed steel sheet that leaks and and people can break into just as easy as the water leaks in!
I'm afraid that is correct - and we the consumers pay more thousands of pounds correcting the manufacture mistakes!! I mean we have the tools in our garage to drill holes in these vans it is ridiculously easy.
You think they'd go through metal when there's glass windows everywhere!?
They would try and break the locks first, as that would be more discreet. If that fails and they think they have time, then they could go for the windows. Mind you window breaking would be loud, so it all depends. All you can do is delay and deter.
porta potty is a good hiding spot
😂😉
Level 4 roof mounted m4 browning
👀
THe radioactive stickers may limit some roads they will allow you to travel on.
Good point 😂
hidden compartments?
Unique spaces that have been integrated into to build furniture that don't look like free storage space. They could be anywhere, especially when doing a DIY build.
Motion proximity and tilt sensor?
As long as it won't go off whilst you're sleeping in the van, yes 👍😂
Bro, you forgot lvl 4...weapons xD
Let's hope it doesn't come to level 4 😂
Stickers: Armed and Dangerous
Well it would make thieves think twice, though I do think border officials may have a problem with it 😂
Lock picking isn't realistic if you use lock brands like cisa, abus,assa aboly etc
All locks can be picked eventually, just have to make it not worth their effort to pick is the key 😉
@@FreedomStrider have you picked a lock before?
They are missing the most important point. They're acting like this is a house, it's not a house, it's a vehicle. And what's the thing you can most easily do with a vehicle? You can drive off with it. THis vid focuses on protecting stuff inside, that's the wrong focus. It doesn't protect the most valuable asset of it all, the vehicle itself. No mention of tracking systems, no mention of remote engine shut down oh but they do talk about stickers. If my van gets broken into and stuff goes missing then it's bad but I'd still have my home is gone, I would have nothing at all. The way these people talk about this is as if they are not van lifers (their van is their home), they van tourists. It doesn't seem to cross their mind how much more worse a stolen van would be. There's also zero mention about a break in when sleeping inside, which is something I wouldn't expect a van tourist to worry about at all.
These people, didn't talk about the vehicle safety because that wasn't the point of the video - the interior safety and deterrents are just as important to talk about as the anti-theft aspect of security.
True this video did not focus on the GPS and the anti theft aspects, simply because they deserve their own video so they can be addressed appropriately.
Thieves are to dumb to read stickers
*too
What's with your overexaggerated arm movements dude?
Well you've got to feel the flooooowww - who knows it's just what came naturally ☺️
clueless!
Quite possibly 😂