Topical Caravan and Motorhome Dealer Security Topics
Mar 25, 2011
David Pickles, Dealer Guard Account Exectutive, looks at two security issues faced by many dealers;
AL-KO Hitch Heads
There continues to be regular thefts of the modern Caravan Hitch Head Stabiliser even though they have now been in production for 10 years.
They are very easy to remove from the front of the chassis of the caravan and I am reliably informed that it is very rare that they need to be taken off the caravan for any maintenance work and so, by replacing one nut with a Shear Nut, the head becomes much more secure.
The Shear Nut is a one way type nut fixing, where the drive flange, which allows the nut to be tightened, shears off once the nut is fully installed, leaving a threaded conical collar holding the secured item in place.
So the only slight drawback is that the bolt would have to be cut off if it needed removing but, as previously stated, this would be very rare and the cost of a Shear Nut starts at 35 pence and bulk buys would be less!
I am grateful to Paul Ryan at Lowdham’s in Huddersfield for the idea and above right is a picture showing one in place on the left hand bolt.
Catalytic Converters (Cats)
Many Motorhome Dealers have suffered losses of these units from new motorhomes recently causing a great deal of inconvenience and a number of claims!
This has resulted in either the removal of the Cat or extra welding and the latter may have vehicle warranty issues. Remote storage creates space issues and inconvenience when wanting to drive the new model. John Mateland has suggested to me that by replacing the Cat. with a similar length piece of pipe the vehicle can be used and then the Cat reinstated on sale.
The value of the precious metal in the unit fetches only a fraction of the cost of the Cat; I gather prices have reduced for the replacements because of the high production numbers required. Motorhomes appeal to the thieves because they are easier to roll under than other vehicles.
One piece of good news in the last month is that 3 men were arrested after stealing 17 from Becks and 2 from Simpsons in Norfolk. A particularly observant patrol car made a routine stop in the middle of the night and discovered all the units and all the right tools for the job along with a Sat. Nav. programmed with various dealer locations and a notebook with 15 dealers details in. They had travelled from Yorkshire where they appear to be based and have a history of scrap metal theft. Although they are only likely to be prosecuted for the job referred to above it is of some reassurance that they are now known to be involved and hopefully this may result in a reduction of the activity. The success of the Norfolk Police has generated much interest from other Police Divisions following the arrest.
For futher information contact David Pickles on 01422 358525
