Tracking systems
...is our resident technical guru. He enjoys nothing more than getting his hands dirty modifying and tweaking his Renault Trafic-based campervan
Sadly, with the growth in demand for motorhomes and campervans has come an increase in thefts.
It’s hard to pinpoint an exact number, but some police forces reported a 50% increase in 2020. Thankfully, trackers make a huge difference in whether the stolen ‘van is recovered – the recovery rates for those fitted with an insurance-approved tracker are claimed to be as high as 95%.
FACTORY SECURITY
If your ‘van is under 25 years old, it probably has some form of immobiliser and possibly an alarm. These factory-fitted immobilisers are tricky to bypass as they’re often integrated into the ECU.
But thieves have found ways around these systems. “The other point with factory-fitted security...” says Van Bitz’s Ash Percival “...is that they always tend to fit it in the same place, making it easy for thieves to find. We always hide trackers so you can’t tell any wiring has even been disturbed.”
Professional thieves will either use a relay box – in the case of a keyless- entry vehicle – or may break into a house to steal the keys. Some modern vehicles guard against relay theft, some do not – it’s wise to keep keyless- entry fobs well away from doors and windows in a Faraday bag or box.
The most sophisticated criminal gangs have keymasters that can make up and code an original key. Key cloning is rife and vehicles can be pinpointed and stolen to order. As
