How to… secure your car and van
A couple of DIY procedures will increase security within minutes, says Nigel Hutson
Nigel Hutson provides some quick tips for improved caravan security
IT’S A RATHER sad reflection of our society these days that we are obliged to protect our possessions against thieves. It’s a bit of an arms race, too – just as the manufacturers think that they’ve solved the problem with technology, along comes another criminal who’s found the means of defeating that particular technology. And so it continues. It’s fair to say that caravans traditionally haven’t been the most tricky vehicles to steal: window catches can almost seem to be made of jelly, door locks don’t always feel secure, and so on. Unfortunately, until caravan manufacturers do something about that, we’re stuck with it and there’s not a lot that we can do about break-ins. One reassurance, though, is that when caravans are being kept in storage, there’s not usually much of great value left inside. Of more importance is doing as much as you can to prevent the whole caravan being stolen: something that happens far too often. Our caravan has an Al-ko Secure wheel-lock and an Al-ko hitchlock fitted, and a factory-fit monitored alarm and tracker. While experience tells me that this is an excellent system, the cost of the annual subscription exceeds any insurance discount that might be offered. So, are more cost-effective options available? The simple answer is yes, and we’ll have a look at one tracking device later. However, if you’re going to fit such a unit for