Thieving Mongrels

Seems to be a common form of idiot entertainment.

Get yourself a lockable pin.

I recall one Christmas Day in an Adelaide caravan park, just about every tourist had something nicked. Wet suits, shoes, towels, gas bottle of the barbie, even my thongs! Outside eskies had beer and hams stolen. The whole park was furious. That was a merry Christmas. Funny thing was, our 2 jack russells were growling thru the night and we told them to shut up, without ever investigating why!!

Hi Michael,

I have a routine, it comes from my aviation background where everything is checked. It might be anal, but it works.

Every time I stop and either undo something or change the status of something or leave the car and van parked and unattended I do a walk-around and physically touch and think about everything that needs to be secure before driving away.

This includes when well-meaning people help you pack up and hook up.

For this to work you need to consciously touch and look at the thing you're checking and think "Is this correct?" If you go into automatic mode just to get the job done faster it won't work.

So far it's saved me major embarassment twice. And on a couple of occasions when I haven't done it properly I have ended up with dust in the camper or a destroyed Anderson because a retainer wasn't clipped up, etc.

Just a thought

Frank

I'll stop bitching about how long mine takes to change out (with 2 spanners, some vice grips and a big hammer)

And I was thinking about going for a quick and easy setup.

I have welded a bolt and nut to my tow hitch - mostly to stop the rattle and slight clunk that develops with the hitch.

Also stops the opportunity thieves.


Serendipity

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Rule 101 of caravanning and camping...... place all items that's not secured in a lockable area.

We never leave our pin in the hitch and always place it in the front lockable boot...... we have a lockable pin for the hitch when we disconnect the trailer.

And another tip carry two spare 3/4 spring pins, four spare lynch pins and four rated "D" shackles for spares.

G'day Michael, I have a quality stainless steel split pin in mine also carry spares, they don't bother with that - too hard! Locks only keep honest people out.
hoo roo

And some are more brazen..... We stopped for lunch in a pretty spot overlooking a river for lunch. A few minutes later car rolls up, two young women in it, "Do you have jumper leads we could borrow - our friend is stuck down a track with a flat battery" "Sure not a problem" "We will be back in under 10 mins - thanks so much"

An hour and a half later we had finished lunch and were reflecting on the brazenness of youth as we pulled out. They were a very good set of leads to!

John

What I want to know is has anyone had the pleasure of catching one of these bastards in the act?

See if this makes you feel any better - I have a friend who after parking his Motto Guzzi motor bike and walking off down the street, realized that he'd forgotten something in the panniers (bike bag) & returned to get it. Low & behold there was someone kneeling down busy trying to hot wire his bike & 'borrow it'. Needless to say the conversation with the would be thief was short and sweet.

hi michael
i think you mean eucla
but yes and more than likely they waited and watched the whole thing unfold as you tryed to drive away and would have thought it hilarious that would be probably a daily event for idiots like them
idiots have to get their kicks some how and usually at some one else's expense and yes
i have over the years even if some one helps me hitch up etc
taken it on myself to run through the final checks list to make sure everything is how it needs to be before driving off
i have been accused at times of never trusting anyone but i always say someone has to take full responsibility
and a man has to do what a man has to do
thats part of the safety issues when driving and /or towing
so far its paid off
cheers

Stayed in a cabin at Holbrook for 3 nights. Had the tie down straps from the boat pinched.

Hi Michael,
Just came across your Post by doing a search on "Sunland". I know its only a few weeks of owning your van but I just wondered what your impressions were of it?
I am researching for a new van and the Patriot is in my top 3 after narrowing down from 5.
Any comments or feedback (good or bad) would be helpful.
Thanks
Glen