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So 2 campervans stolen from my little town in the last couple of weeks is getting a little bit too close to home.
Does anyone have any recommendations for what to use on a Citroen Relay to make it harder to steal?
I have a hard wired tracker, just a GPS/GSM type that I can monitor myself.
I’ve ordered “pro-plates” that go behind the door handles to make it harder to undo the locks.
I’ve got a dummy OBD on order that replaces the original port and allows you to hide a working one.
Has the factory alarm / immobiliser
None of these things are really going to stop anyone that’s determined so what else can I do?
My usual “it’s insured, get it replaced” mantra doesn’t really work for this as it took 9 months to build and I really don’t want to start again.
Cheers
Deadlocks, also steering wheel cover disclock
https://www.vanlocker.co.uk/products/citroen-relay-deadlocks
Disclock ! Weird that these are coming back into use. I've got one in my garage roof that I had for a decent car 30 years ago. Pretty bomb proof. Not used it on my current car at all - even from new (it's now 20 years old) with old tech factory immobiliser that can't be bypassed.
Pedal lock - I don't know what's current for vans but I had one on my Defender which was a scroat magnet.
Also +1 disklok.
I had these on my overlander Defender and also my transit to stop doors getting peeled open.
Can't remember the name of them.
https://www.locksonline.com/Van-block-lock-5772.html
Discloks are a PITA to use but they're a good, highly visible deterrent. Alternative (and apparently just as secure according to some tests) is the StopLock Pro.
I've use Stoplocks on my Transit and 17yr old car. Better than nothing.
Wheel clamp for a road wheel
Are they being driven away or lifted onto a wagon as chaining it to a hard point would help.
Cheers, yes I guess some kind of steering wheel lock is a good option.
We do drive it a lot so anything that’s too much hassle to fit, like a wheel clamp, would end up not getting used.
@duncancallum I don’t know how they were taken, the last one apparently wouldn’t start one day and they had arranged to have it picked up by a garage the next day. It disappeared over night. One theory is someone had been at it to read the ECU then went away to make a new key, then came back and just drove off in it.
Deadlocks
I feel like deadlocks are a waste of time on something other than a Van with a bulkhead?
There’s plenty of glass (and plastic on the roof) that someone could let themselves in through pretty easily.
Where is it kept? Garage, drive, road?
3 trackers on my T6, 1 professional insurance job with immobiliser, 1 cheap self fit and the diesel heater has its own. StopLock Pro steering lock thing which I’m sure any good thief would have off in seconds and a hidden ODB port switch.
Plus being lwb T6 it fits nicely in the garage overnight. Won’t stop someone determined but hopefully all helps.
Good thread here https://www.t6forum.com/threads/beefing-up-your-vans-security-how-i-done-it.8545/
Vw related but might help.
How easy is it to get to the relay box?
I often remove the fuel pump/ecu relay in my car. It takes seconds and is an unusual double relay that doesn't match anything else in the fuseboard.
Must be something similar?
Does it have a fuel stop solenoid? Switch to cut the power
What style of wheels does it have? A claw clamp only takes seconds to fit, If one will fit..
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=claw+clamp+for+wheels&t=ofa&iax=images&ia=images
Or a battery isolator switch if there's a sneaky place you could install it?
Where is it kept? Garage, drive, road?
3 trackers on my T6, 1 professional insurance job with immobiliser, 1 cheap self fit and the diesel heater has its own. StopLock Pro steering lock thing which I’m sure any good thief would have off in seconds and a hidden ODB port switch.
Plus being lwb T6 it fits nicely in the garage overnight. Won’t stop someone determined but hopefully all helps.
Good thread here https://www.t6forum.com/threads/beefing-up-your-vans-security-how-i-done-it.8545/
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Vw related but might help.
Cheers, I’ll check that thread out.
It’s on the drive, no chance of getting it the garage unfortunately!
I’ve just bought a Stoplok(?) the one that goes completely over the wheel. Hopefully that will be a visual deterrent.
I do have internet in the van so might put an old iPhone in there connected to the wifi as an extra tracker. I could probably hide it away reasonably well.
@jamesoz I’ll check that out cheers. Similar to taking the rotor arm out of my old VWs back in the day 🤣
@timba not sure. I’ll try an find out.
@mattyfez isolator switch could work with a fused bridge to keep the electrics alive that would blow if you try to start it. And the wheel clamp things look good, again I’m sure someone could get one off in seconds but it’s an extra hassle which might just make them move on.
I was Design Engineer at one of the van security companies for a while several years back.
Sales would always use the caveat that their products buy you time, if a thief is determined enough they will get in.
I've seen a lot of creative break ins and some serious security oversights by manufacturers. As previously mentioned in this thread, the sheet metal gauge of the panels is a major issue.
One reply above has a link to the Vanlocker website, I wouldn't buy anything from him...
Keep in mind if you make things too difficult you might find you're rudely awoken by someone pointing a sawn off at you politely asking you for all the keys...
Stoplock, Tracker and good insurance here.
Autowatch Ghost?
Keep in mind if you make things too difficult you might find you’re rudely awoken by someone pointing a sawn off at you politely asking you for all the keys…
Given where he lives I doubt it, more likely to just move on to a better target.
Good heads up though, my mum has a Vivaro minibus sitting on the drive, may have to do some securing.
As previously mentioned in this thread, the sheet metal gauge of the panels is a major issue.
Door handle plates arrived yesterday, they look a right pain to fit 😞 They’ll potentially help a bit, I’m under no illusion though that if they can’t punch a lock they won’t just break a window.
Keep in mind if you make things too difficult you might find you’re rudely awoken by someone pointing a sawn off at you politely asking you for all the keys…
Hopefully if anyone gets in they find the keys before they even come upstairs.
Autowatch Ghost?
I was considering the ghost but depending on what you read it’s not as good as it’s made out to be 🤷🏻♂️ It would stop someone that had broken in to get the keys though.
I was considering the ghost but depending on what you read it’s not as good as it’s made out to be 🤷🏻♂️
Not sure the Ghost II has been defeated.
My van has lock plates from it's previous owner, but I've taken bulkhead out, so that negates the benefit. I have a Stoplok Pro steering wheel lock.
Won't fit a ghost to my van, but I have it on a car.