Improve caravan security with a safe
DO YOU SOMETIMES wonder where to put passports, credit cards and cash when you visit the campsite pool?
Take them with and you risk some lowlife stealing your bag, leave them behind and you risk losing them in a break-in. Those of you who enjoy wild camping may also have read of break-ins when wallets and bags have been stolen while the owners sleep.
I used to think there was little point in providing a secure place inside the van because caravans were so easy to tow away, but with the advent of high-security hitches and chassis-attaching wheel locks, I now think it has become a sensible precaution.
Choosing a safe
There is little point in fitting something that is of a cash box standard, so search online for the smallest, lightest domestic safe with a reasonable lock.
Digital safes avoid the need for a key, but are sometimes criticised for poor-quality override locks. Highest quality is not necessary, however, because in the unlikely event you are faced with a very determined thief armed with an angle grinder, nothing is secure.
I chose a Cathedral key-locking safe from Ryman, at £19.99. Under 3kg, this is strong, has unusual keys, and at 150 x 200 x 200mm is small enough to hide away.
Finding a well-hidden location is your best protection. You may need to consider removing some trim to fit the safe, then adding extra trim to conceal it again.
Find a secure fixing
Although not always compatible with a good hiding place, it is vital that you find something secure to anchor your safe to.
The floor provides the most secure fixing, with through bolts and a plate below; but lengths of hidden steel studding or quality bicycle cable fastened underfloor and fixed in the safe give some flexibility in positioning near, but not on, the floor.
Installation is a compromise between a well-hidden place offering secure fixing, and a position that’s easy to access.
Before taking on any DIY project, check warranty won’t be affected