Camping and Thieves
Submitted: Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 17:09
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Member - Klaus J (NSW)
Greetings - my name is Klaus and I am new here.
Question: how do you protect yourselves against thieves when travelling?
During the Australian winter we are in the wilderness to produce content for our website. No worries in the middle of nowhere - the car is safe. But it’s different on
camping grounds, especially at popular tourist spots. A clever thief seeing me loaded with cameras and tripod heading down a track with a
sign ‘4 hours return’ can go through my car with leisure and has done so. I asked police about the best car alarm. Answer: for a professional thief there is none.
Luckily, Australians - including thieves - are afraid of things unhygienic.
Before I leave the car now, I decorate it from dashboard to the rear with dirty underpants, snotty tissues, socks with holes in them and disgusting towels. The car looks revolting. Seems to work.
Thieves want my belongings, not my dirt. I hope they stick to it.
Greetings - Klaus and Rusty
Reply By: Member - Fred G (NSW) - Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 17:25
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 17:25
Firstly, welcome to ExploreOz, Klaus.
Unfortunately there is no quick fix for those that want to constantly relieve us of our property, other than catching them in the act and giving them a good flogging. Maybe advertising how long you're going to be absent isn't a good idea mate.
Me thinks one day you will return to find even your dirty laundry gone :-(
Sad situation that we need to constantly be vigilant over.
Cheers and welcome.
Fred.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Fred G (NSW) - Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 18:33
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 18:33
One of my favourite pastimes on ExploreOz is looking at members profile photos. Klaus, you have some sensational stuff there mate and I am sure many members will enjoy your photographic collection of our wonderful Oz Outback. Thanks for sharing them with us all.
Fred.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 22:58
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 22:58
I think he is referring to the signs at the beginning of the
walking tracks, not a
sign he has placed on his vehicle.
PeterD
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Follow Up By: Member - Klaus J (NSW) - Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 17:07
Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 17:07
Thanks to Cheers&Beers for the kind comment. Loved to read it!
And yes, PeterD is right. I thought of Warrumbungles National
Park NSW where most tracks branch off a central point and are marked with distance and time. Anyone observing you heading down a 5 hour track can concentrate on your car without hurry.
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Reply By: Gronk - Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 18:01
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 18:01
Anywhere near a popular spot, near a town, has potential for lowlife from somewhere attacking your car..
If you are going to leave your car alone for hrs, don't
park it out of the way, don't leave anything in it you want to keep...
Most
camping grounds are usually pretty good, but if you are worried, when going out for hours at a time, don't advertise that you are leaving and don't let people know you have any expensive equipment with you ??
Most
camp grounds are fairly friendly and especially if you ask fellow campers they will generally keep an eye on your stuff while your gone..
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Follow Up By: Member - Klaus J (NSW) - Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 17:02
Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 17:02
You are quite right, on
camping grounds people usually police each other. I had thought of a different situation, like at the popular Warrumbungles National
Park in NSW. There is a central node from where all tracks start. It is quite a distance from the
camp ground and you have to drive to and
park at this central spot. The tracks branching off are marked with their distance and estimated times, some take several hours. You leave the car there, unattended, and hope for the best. If I were a thief and clever - that’s where I would go. I could pick and choose and take my time, even have lunch in between.
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Reply By: Member - Duke (TAS) - Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 21:57
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 21:57
Klaus J
Get yourself a couple of big Snakes for pets and leave them in your vehicle with a note on the window.
I imagine it would deter most of the light fingered drop kicks.
Duke
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Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 23:03
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 23:03
Probably the best thing is to pack the valuable items at the bottom of the load where it is hard to get to. Put a daggy old blanket over the lot with your dirty old cloths on top of that.
PeterD
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Reply By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 23:15
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008 at 23:15
Great site Klaus. I certainly bid you welcome as I am sure so many other will too, including the EO owners as the reference point from your profile will tell.
Great pictures and stories, I haven't looked at the videos though. Greetings Klaus and Rusty.
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Follow Up By: Member - Klaus J (NSW) - Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 17:17
Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 17:17
A Thankyou! to learned John for your kind comment to my website. Makes me always so happy when someone likes it. And then I was looking for my ancient Latin dictionary and couldn't find it. Was tormented with that language 100 years ago in school. Still can recite a page or so from Caesar's 'De Bello Gallico' . But your four-worded wisdom has defied me.
Greetings to you - Klaus
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 17:39
Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 17:39
Klaus, Google is your friend sometimes but other times others may find out much about you.
Don't speak against the Sun is the quote which reminds me, I must change it soon. I never learned Latin and when learning French, my marks spiralled downwards despite the lovely lady who was teaching me. I have trouble with languages, though not so much English, but I continually failed that at school.
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Reply By: Kiwi & Grenade - Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 07:20
Monday, Nov 24, 2008 at 07:20
I hide stuff or dont take it. If we are
camping (which is usually out in the middle of nowhere) I leave it there, if its needed to be taken in the car it gets hidden in our "hidey holes".
As for security if we catch them...we have a bommy knocker!! (seriously!)...aka many other names but not worth mentioning on here..
Laura
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