Keeping your motorhome secure

Whether your new vehicle is parked up at a motorhome dealership awaiting collection, on your drive at home, on a campsite, or at the side of the road while you go off and explore, there are going to be periods of time when it’s left unoccupied. It’s really important to keep it secure on those occasions. In fact, it’s important to keep it secure at all times. You’ll already be insured, of course, but theft – either from the vehicle or of the vehicle – is one of those difficult situations that takes some getting past. It can be time consuming and highly inconvenient to sort out. Taking the right steps minimises the chances of you becoming a victim of this sort of crime. So what are those steps?

What are the things you can do to make your motorhome secure?

Locks

It’s a 99.99% certainty that any motorhome you buy will have locks fitted! Whether they work or not is a different matter – and so ensuring that the locks on doors and windows function as they should is a step you can take to ensure the security of your vehicle. In addition to the locks, you could fit your own deadbolts too.

In terms of using the locks, make sure to lock up every time you leave the motorhome – even if it’s just going to be for a minute or two. You might think popping off for a very short period of time means your motorhome won’t fall prey to thieves, but they can be opportunist, and it may take only a few seconds for disaster to strike.

Alarm and Immobiliser

Your motorhome may already have some sort of alarm system fitted by the manufacturer – you should regularly test this to make sure it works. If there’s no alarm system fitted then you should organise for this to be completed. There’s no deterrent quite like loud – literally alarming – noises going off when someone tries to steal your vehicle or breaks into it to steal your belongings.

An immobiliser will add an extra layer of protection. If someone breaks into your motorhome but there is an immobiliser fitted, it will be just about impossible to steal – even if the thief has somehow managed to circumnavigate the alarm system. An immobiliser stops a motorhome engine from starting up unless the correct key (or a code) is used at the moment of ignition. These devices are highly effective in preventing theft.

Wheel Clamp

This is a device made of steel bars and a locking mechanism, and it wraps across the wheel and around the edge of the tyre – clamping it, in fact! Wheel clamps cover the wheel bolts and are so visually apparent that they offer a fantastic deterrent, putting off any would-be thieves. Not only do they look like a serious bit of protective kit, but they are also practical too – there’s no way a vehicle wheel can rotate when one is fitted.

CCTV

Just like you might use a Closed Circuit Television system fitted around your home or on your business premises to protect your buildings and grounds, it could also be used for vehicles. Fit an extra CCTV camera and point it in the direction of your motorhome and it will offer a visual deterrent to thieves. Should they still be bold enough to make off with your vehicle, then you will have good quality footage you can use for insurance purposes and with the police. CCTV systems can record to a hard drive, making footage easily accessible in digital format (perfect for sending via email, etc).

Keep your valuables out of sight

If you must leave valuables in the vehicle while you are on holiday and out for the day, then you should always make sure they are out of sight of the motorhome’s windows. Temptation amongst opportunist thieves rises when they can see what they could steal. You could even go so far as to buy a small safe, put your valuables in it, and keep it tucked away somewhere secret onboard the motorhome (perhaps at the bottom of the wardrobe or in a kitchen cupboard).

Tracker

If you are unlucky enough to have your motorhome stolen, then all is not lost if you have a tracking device fitted. A tracker is a type of monitoring device (which you register with a control centre) which can pinpoint the location of the vehicle it is fitted with.

Obviously we hope that you never suffer the unlikely event of theft from your motorhome, or the theft of your motorhome itself, but we would still always recommend taking steps to prevent this kind of crime. Our list provides you with some good ideas of things you can do to ensure that you and your motorhome stay safe.

Take a browse of our website to see the motorhomes we currently have available to buy – and if you have any further queries please don’t think twice about getting in touch. We’re here to help.