An attempted break in at a french aire - caravan security. 

Massive thanks to all of you who have offered more advice and tips for us all to read.. Along with your own stories of thefts... Power in numbers let's make it harder for these scumbags... Well done all xxx

Thanks so very much guys. Like yourselves, we never gave this any thought whatsoever. Like you, beefing up the doors and windows are a matter of urgency. Keep up the blogs, so many of us are most grateful to all your blogs and assorted tips. 👍👍

Great video thanks for sharing all your security thoughts and ideas, the new door lock looks a great deterrent. Lots of other interesting comments from your subscribers regarding security. Glad you’re not letting it spoil your winter break. Keep safe keep your videos coming and enjoy the sun it’s freezing here in the uk.

Judy&Mark brilliant advice the fly screen idea is a real good one,but the door lock is fab,never seen them. before,will be getting one for sure ,most important Vlog yet ,thanks both.

Thanks for the advice, we've stayed overnight on the aires 25 odd years and never had a problem but am always aware, dog bowls are a great idea! Keep safe xx

Another great vlog guys - always something to be aware of while out traveling! Always my worry when traveling in a camper van - also stayed at air site. Glad you were both safe. Many thanks for sharing your experiences :)

I love the way you both remain (or appear to remain) so upbeat ,even after ,what must have been , an horrific situation ..

Thanks for sharing your story. Your vlogs are always so upbeat and happy that it's quite positive to realise the reality that there are some awful people out there. Your tips were great and I'm sure we will think of them on our future journeys. Thanks and keep up the good work. 🌅

I've fitted a Fiamma exterior lock since watching this, mainly for extra security when we're not in the caravan. We have two dogs who travel with us and will bark at the slightest noise so not too worried when we are in the van but definitely worried when it's left. Taken on board your tip about leaving valuables in convenient places, I now do a check before bed to make sure nothing is easily accessible. Our Fiamma lock covers the seam in the door (the stable door arrangement) as we can't fit one like yours and prevents either part of the door being prized open. We don't have a separate bedroom so we're at the front and the kids are on the bunks at the back. We'll be pulling the flyscreen door across for sure. Thanks guys for all the tips.

Several (20?) years ago, we had a period where, every time we went on holiday, we would come back to a broken into house. Things have calmed down now, especially after getting an alarm fitted. Its definitely no fun. We didn’t move though and we’re still in the same house. Very helpful information for caravan owners!

good vid and tips thank you. last year when on Anglesey the caravan close by got broke into by means of the outside front side locker. they got a child to climb in push up seat and open the door. took valuables lappy tv and money. the locks are pretty poor and a screwdriver takes out the barrel within seconds. sad times we live in. take care guys keep safe x

*Great Tips* I do like the idea of putting items in front of the door including the fly screen. They are more likely to run off if they are hindered.

Good advice,you two,I'm glad they didn't manage to get anything,as I said to you before,I saw a lot of this when lorry driving in Europe,sadly S,France seems to be the worse place,with a lot of distraction robberies is Spain.Now I travel alone in a motorhome and like Mark I'm a very heavy sleeper,I've made my van like Fort Knox,Fiamma habitation door lock,window-guards on all windows,extra locks on inside of both cab doors and anti-smash film on the cab windows.Over the top,I know but I've seen it happen so many times over the years,even had 2 trying to get into my cab In Vallance while I was sleeping,I think the sight of me chasing them in my underpants with a 2ft tyre iron must have scarred them for life.Don't let it spoil your Winter break,now youre aware you can take precautions.Enjoy the sun and Sangria,its freezing here in sunny Devon,cant wait to get back on the road next month .

B S! Glad you guys are safe must be really scary being in that situation. The things we got to do to protect our property

This is a video me and my wife watched when you first posted it. It stuck in our head when we purchased our new caravan. We decided to get this lock fitted to our caravan from your advice. The caravan dealer even said they were going to purchase some more in because they were such a great idea. Thank you for all your great tips on your channel. We are having a go at starting our own channel and have done a cheeky little review of the door lock, giving you guys a mention. Thank you again. Take care Stuart, Rebecca and Blue.

Great tips, we all need to think about our security. I would never stay in a Motorway Aire though.

Great film guys and very useful info and things we all take for granted, it’s so sad we have to put up with this kind of behaviour from a small minority of people thanks for sharing Gavin

Hi like you I too got broken into in an Aire parked in caravan spot. At the time I had no security at all. I have now looked at window alarms from ebay plus the extra double sided door security lock you advised. Thank you for your video x

Just installed one thanks Kenmore caravans are even cheaper then Milenco direct..... what baffles me is the amount of money these modern caravans cost you'll think they would of fit higher security lock instead of them cheap plastic door locks. Definitely going to put some sort of lock on my sky light and windows. Great vid

Thank you both anyway ,I definitely understand, security comes first, enjoyed the solar panel vlog. Chris&Kim xx

Hi Judy & Mark, Some good tips on security, we used to have one of those locks on our previous MH, unfortunately on our new MH there is not enough room to fit that type of lock so we fitted the Milenco sliding door frame lock for when we are away from van, I fitted 3 of the Fiamma swing locks to the large external lockers which give access to under bed or rear bathroom, we also have MH fully alarmed which can be activated 2 ways either away van or inside activated so if any doors open the alarm goes off immediately, I have also read on a forum that a short price of brush stale can be jammed between internal handle & door frame to prevent door being opened when inside Van / MH, 👍😀

Thanks for that, very informative. Of course, the concern with interior locks is trying to get out if there's a fire inside at night. Good idea to have keys separated as you do too.

That's great thanks Mark lad ,we got Swift Fairway will check first about which lock to get ,where did you say you got yours from.Did you do a video how to fit it,as would be great if you did,Keep rolling. xx

Many thanks for such good advice

Glad your all ok, it’s an ordeal for sure, another useful tip, a keypad battery shed alarm, those buggers will wake up a village, you can zone off the sleeping area, only problem is Summer will need to kip with you.. or behind the strategically placed movement sensor. (Mark, there are custom kits as cheap as chips to suit any environment) not just for alarms..)

Thank you for all the good advice

Great video. Thanks for all the safety tips.

I'm getting one for my motorhome didn't know you could get one for inside outside so thanks you two.

I really like the lock you have. I don't think it is available here in the states though. At least I haven't been able to find it.

I am glad to hear that nothing serious has happened. The same incident happened to me last summer in France. I was woken up by the wind noise and discovered that the door was not locked properly and unsealed. When I tried to lock it, I discovered the lock was broken. I suppose my dog scared them or they had a problem with the lock and just left.

Hello Mark and Judy , Another great vlog and good advice. I've just purchased a Fiamma door frame lock which arrived yesterday after hearing about your experience, it's locks from the outside but on the odd occasion that we might use it whilst inside the caravan ie at motorway aires I should be able to operate it through the door window, haven't fitted yet though so I'll let you know. 👍 Dave btw I've had a terrible cold since I got back from Spain 😷

Hello Judy & Mark .....great flog folks you can also get magnetic alarms with a remote for the door they only cost a few quid on ebay .......anyway i thought i would let you know what we got ....we as in me & Jill ....its a Autotrail Tracker RS i think the RS stands for rear shithouse or shower or both 😜 our next big trip will be France and maybe Spain in june for a month then again in september ....anyway must go the boss wants he feet rubbing 😒🤦‍♂️.......😊👍

Thank you for the information I have the same locks very good as you can lock from the inside. Thank you for the videos keep them coming

Thanks for Tips . very helpful.

Some good hints and tips below as well as horror story's. We will think a little different next time we travel abroad. Good vlog. Must not hang my keys by the door in future😀

Thats a good lock now on the door I would like one of them👌 scary business to be honest, well-done for not letting it put you off guys👍😎🎩 PS I spotted a hobby premium 😍 their on your site through the door ☺️

The security situation in Europe is deteriorating badly. I follow a couple of caravan RU-vidr in China, single man and woman, they stop by motorways, Mountains and everywhere. I never heard any security concerns.

I used to park in the market square of French towns after checking there was no market the following day of course.

Very useful information. Guilty I am one of the men who leave shorts and wallet on the seat and keys on TV shelf. Not anymore.some very good tips dog bowls fly screens. Like the door lock Mark was it easy to fit ? . Stick numbers or letters you can get for wheely bins on your caravan roof. My brother in law worked on police helicopters and sometimes asked to look for stolen caravans. As you can appreciate all caravans look the same from the air. So some cheap numbers stuck on the roof will give the police a better chance of locating your van.keep the vlogs coming and and enjoy your holidays

Great advice there guy,s as usual,, The door flyscreen is a top of many tips u have given,,, Thanks ,,,

Great tip about the dog bowl, might just carry a spare one now.

Sorry to hear about that....you both seem happy as usual. Take care

Thank you for the advice. I know what I am buying for our caravan at the weekend 👍

Hi, we follow your blogs and was wondering if you could tell us How much does the Los LLanos caravan site pitch cost for either 1 or 2 months and is this with free electric. Also how big are the pitches? We have a 7.4 m motorhome. Thank you in advance.

Thought provoking!!

I have installed a Noopel door and window alarm on the inside of the door. It triggers a loud 120 decibel alarm when the door is opened. We set it when we go to bed at night and believe me it’ll wake you up. Not expensive from Amazon and easy to fit.

Hi Do you have the model of the lock. Like the idea where you can lock it from the inside. Thanks

Great advice guys

That’s a great looking lock system ,caravan locks are too easy to pick.

Great report, is there any problem drilling a hole through the caravan skin when fitting the milenco lock. Is there any way of contacting you to speak about villamar?

This is an eye opener for certain! I always felt so secure in my 5th wheel as if they would need a can opener to get in. Wow! I have secrets of places I put my valuables but if I type them here, then the thieves would know where to look! I've been robbed several times over the years and even now in the nicest neighborhood I've lived in yet, still someone tried to see if my alarm would go off or if dogs would bark. The only time my dogs haven't barked when the wind blew was when my house almost gets broken into. As I'm typing I'm wondering if they didn't drug my dogs. I have 2 huge dogs that bark at the slightest sound and they never even woke up. Hmmmm. Scary! We keep guns in the house but I would hate to have to use one!

Good video, thanks. Caravans are always so vulnerable, sadly.

Lots of good advice plenty to think about .

if you have a gap between new lock and door fit a thick piece of plastic to door or lock to prevent jemmy being inserted also fit cheap battery door/window alarms about size of match box are as loud as a smoke alarm

Great tips! Dog bowl was excellent idea

Love you guys

Hi Judy and mark a interesting video can't believe that u get people break into your van while u in it asleep Un believe able I hope they do a van and find a massive dog on the other side of the door waiting for him wouldn't that b fun that lock looks good we b getting one good tips on about dog bowl and a chain and stickers was go it to mention shed door alarm but somebody allready put comment on have u thought about a cctv camera that works off the Internet that is portable runs on pencil batteries it alert you mobile by apps they in argos 40 pound just a idea cheers .kev

Just a quick question. I think the lock would be a great asset to most caravan owners. As you have fitted it, the question is, would it fit over the actual door lock, so much so as to cover the door key. Would there be sufficient room? I intend to buy two and would like one to cover the key in the door lock. If not, then I would space then elsewhere. Thanks in advance. Tony.

Fit personal attack alarm (pull cord type) to all windows around opening handles and to door lock inside so if door is opened during night it goes off making lots of noise

Very useful and informative vlog pity you didn't film the fitting of the lock.

Can you post a link please for the product ??

Great advice thank you 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

how did you put this lock on did you have to drill through the body? please make a short video I would like to put on my Caravan

Great info. ..👍👍👍

Hi are the locks easy to fit as my mum and dad have a touring van and I would not like for it to happen to them as I will tell them and glad all is ok with u

Our caravan was stolen off a site when my wife and I were out for the night They forced barriers removed wheel and hitch locks no one heard the alarm going off and this was on a busy club site.

What do you do if they GAS you ? Its been known to happen many times in France !

Thanks Judy and Mark for this vidéo 😉 sorry to hear that has happened to you in France....glad everything turned out happy ending.

Hi guys love your video's, we are heading to Spain in out new camper and of July and to be honest we are very nervous lol.love Mark's hoodie my home city and what a lovely pint of larger they produce, gower gold for me .will be in touch for some advice if you don't mind cheers guys.

Best stick wallet car keys valuables under head end of mattress which your sleeping on or have a secure box fitted under the head end of bunk even for UK stays got me thinking? i'm dead casual over security on CC Uk sites nobody touches anything, still enjoy your Hol try not think or worry too much over it oh ! shed alarm on C/Van door be good idea too.

Get milenco alarms for the windows from Amazon.

Hi Mark Did you film fitting the lock ? Mike

Excellent thank you !

Do you know of anyone in the Mojácar area that might be able to fit one of these to our caravan 😁😁😁😁😁 ps, looking to get the work done early February 👍

Always going to be a risk wherever you go, nothing you can do to erase that problem... Regarding dealing with attempted break ins - always, always, always have a plan for confronting/dealing with conflict - don't leave it until you need it. Same with a fire or any other 'unexpected' event. Forget the 'heroics' with knives or anything that you have no experience with ( not forgetting the obvious legal issues) and buy something legal and easily accessible if you must. Nothing is foolproof, even a gun is useless if you don't have immediate access to it. Maybe buy another fire extinguisher, or a wasp spray (comes in a can and sprays up to 4/5 mtrs and is very caustic and unpleasant). Having the ability to switch on bright exterior lights (via sensor alarm or manual from inside) is an immediate assist and maybe a deterent. As may have been mentioned a vicinity sensor alarm, some which come with verbal warnings ( but non are multi-lingual, I think🤓) will help identify an outside threat and alert you to apply immediate action. Unless you swap the van for an armour-plated-mutiple-locked tank you will always have to be careful. Be prepared.

So sorry to hear you were targeted and glad it hasn’t put you off.. Happened to us and they got in with our 2 dogs inside. Left all our electrical stuff, just took money and cigarettes. We were parked in with the lorries as well.but seems had no security cameras.. Spoke to the police and they said dogs and alarms don’t stop these professional crews that are working the stops on the French motorways. Have since fitted a Yale style deadlock and no longer sleep on motorway stops. I am also a youTuber and must do a vlog about our experience as well. Good luck and happy travels.

I recommend for no one to put in and just sleep anyway Always make sure you’re on a campsite or somewhere safe I remember bk in 2007 There was about 10 English families we all went to south of France camping We thought we would put in a French service station over night There was many people trying to break-in and Rob And One time I heard of one English couple they packed up in the campervan And Woke up three days later with all their belongings gone they go gas Someone put a gas pipe through the window wide at why they were sleeping You know like the gas when you’re in the dentist

A good idea is to have a dummy phone/laptop/tablet and a fake wallet with 20 quid in, hopefully they'll take that and be satisfied. You can find broken electronics on ebay for 10 quid. Another tip is to leave a bluetooth speaker with radio on if you're leaving so that someone can hear it from the outside. Pretend to say "bye-bye" to "someone " in the vehicle every time you you leave, so that if they are scouting your van, they think someone is still in there watching a movie.

Very cheap ALARM those chinnese wind chime on the inside of your door or those eletronics beep you usually you see them on the front door of a store,once you pass the main door it make a sound telling them someone just came in,just make sure don't install them too high or too low so your dog he is not going to wake you up and last but not least,Just do like We do in Florida (US) Hang a sign on the outside door saying "NO WARNINGS SHOTS , BULLETS ARE TOO EXPENSIVE,ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK' in your case write in French,heheh ,just a joke.

Hi guys. Didn´t the noise of them breaking in disturb the dog?.

A few years ago I had my motor home and trailer parked in a shopping centre car park during the day, they must have taken ages to bend the security door and main door enough to climb through the small space, had passed out my guitar and money jar full of $2 coins then saw my shotgun near the bed and my brothers outlaw bikers jacket laying over the chair, they left the guitar and money jar near the door on the ground with a note saying - very sorry - best favour my brother ever did for me, my guitar alone was worth over $8,ooo. I think to them it was the power of what may come , so took nothing. People must have walked past while they were breaking in and said nothing , sad.

We got robbed on an aire in France in our motorhome they cut the quarter light window. he had a knife and we lost a lot of stuff to him/them...we still motorhome but now our security is second to none

Well dun👍

Bloomin heck,how about outside cctv or Dash cam's or a sticker on the windows ( Smile your on Camera )

Hiya Guy,s,,, The best security warning I have is a " Referee Style Whistle",,, if looking outside or inside if u blow it the other half automatically phones Police at home on drive or on tour !!!! Better than shouting & will awake all & sundry 😎

Awww bless ya! Says a lot about ya that you remain cheerful even tho you had scumbags trying to burgle ya. Leave prominent notice that warns " keep your distance. be aware of shriek alarm. cameras lights will flash rapidly causing temporary sight loss/ restrictions, as it records your approach." (Or a big doggie foto... "I ❤ my Dobermans"😂😂😂

lmao no i have a AUTOTRAIL TRACKER RS motorhome 2012 .........oh and it does have a tracker on it fitted in good ole Bristol ...i think them magnetic door & window alarms are used as shed alarms to 😘🏍

Hello both of you, here is my advice Go and buy a safe and have it bolted under your bed,best place for anything valuable plus you will have to be pulled off the bed before they can get to the safe. Finally I really think it's better you park in campsites en route maybe it'll cost you €20 or so,but that's a lot cheaper and safer than being broken into...enjoy your stay.

Great tips, thank you. However I think you might have put me of travelling abroad 😲. Although we’ve been caravanning for nearly 40 years in the UK we’ve never had our van broken into so it’s slightly worrying that caravans seemed to be targeted abroad in such a way. No dog either 😩 so maybe a “beware of the wife” sticker might do the trick? 😂

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Milenco-Caravan-Motorhome-Security-Door-Lock-Locks-inside-and-outside-4718-/183626219543?hash=item2ac0f9c017 LINK FOR MILENCO LOCK -

Put your keys in the fridge no-one will look there LOL.

The shed alarms are good, we had one on our old caravan but you can also get motion detector lights ..you could tape the motion detector off so it just covers the door area of the van. www.amazon.co.uk/Auraglow-Bright-Motion-Sensor-Hallway/dp/B017SYTCFO

Solar powered security light above the door

These will be the illegal immigrants from near Calais. Good tips. Love France.

A motorway “Aire” is a little misleading for those who don’t know the difference when in France, a so called Aire on a motorway is very different from an Aire in a town or village, they are far more safer than a motorway Aire or a rest area as they should be called, I never park on a MW services or rest area, it’s each to their own where they park plus it has to be pure common sense in NOT leaving stuff in view...

We had our car broken into the French police were not interested.

Almost all caravan locks are lever locks an can be opened in less than 5 seconds with I jiggler key . Worst locks in the world .

I know this sounds stupid, but why don't these caravan makers think more about security. Those locks are pathetic. You need a grill you pull down like shop doorways have. You pull them down when you leave or enter the doors.They can be fixed on windows too.

waste of money they would just go for the windows but to be honest i could snap that lock in 5 seconds its life im afraid

Get a dog that barks,,😀