Webber Q thefts

[leesy]

Hi all, I have just returned from 2 weeks on the NSW south coast and on 2 nights the van park was "raided" by thieves coming in off the beach and taking what they could. Webber Q's are high on the list I was told after one being knocked off a few sites down from us.
I always use a bike lock $10 from Bunnings and lock it to the table it sits on by the hitch and on the night in question it had been moved then put back down so I was lucky so be careful, I also lock the ARB 60lt fridge to the van wheel under the awning and the bikes at night. Although most of us good Aussies in parks do the right thing there are people that come in as trespassers to steal......

 

[expanda]

Hi all, I have just returned from 2 weeks on the NSW south coast and on 2 nights the van park was "raided" by thieves coming in off the beach and taking what they could. Webber Q's are high on the list I was told after one being knocked off a few sites down from us.
I always use a bike lock $10 from Bunnings and lock it to the table it sits on by the hitch and on the night in question it had been moved then put back down so I was lucky so be careful, I also lock the ARB 60lt fridge to the van wheel under the awning and the bikes at night. Although most of us good Aussies in parks do the right thing there are people that come in as trespassers to steal......

Had the same thing happen up North whilst we where there but it was an esky raid.

People pinching drinks / food from eskies on early morning raids....

Always keep the weber etc chained to the van even with an el cheapo lock its a good deterrent.

 

[leesy]

I recon they would be lynched if caught........

 

[17triton]

We are the same as you leesy and run a chain through the weber,stand and gas bottle and to either the bumper or drawbar or substantial fence post or the like. Mind you my weber looks like crap because we use it so much and is all stained so they would be disappointed in the morning in daylight lol. We also lock the bikes and fridge up.

 

[Glen Bundesen]

Also secure your portable Solar Panels. My son had his stolen while free camping a few years ago. These people are opportunists - if it is easy to take then they will. A cheap lock is simple to break, it would take a little effort on their part, so they move on!

 

[Marv_mart]

I have heard of generators going as well. Seeing more people chain things up now. Disappointing that we need to do this, vanning has been reasonably free of this in the past.

 

[achjimmy]

Beachside parks and parks that have people traverse through have always been targets in my experience.

I have a 6m long thin chain and it just goes through everything outside. Generally leave the Engel in the tug though. Sad but until we start flogging thieves or chopping there hands off it won't change

 

[stuartcarr2002]

I got a new Q 100 for crissy. Used it Crissy morning for breaky. Our next door fellow campers ( which we have camped next to for 4 years now) said make sure you chain it up. We went to the beach for about an hour and came back, it was gone. Didnt here the end of it from SWMBO. Turns out next door played a trick and "stolen it". Boxing day we went to the local bunning and now it have a thick chain and padlocks. It was a funny prank, but shows how easy it can happen... Love my Q

 

[expanda]

I got a new Q 100 for crissy. Used it Crissy morning for breaky. Our next door fellow campers ( which we have camped next to for 4 years now) said make sure you chain it up. We went to the beach for about an hour and came back, it was gone. Didnt here the end of it from SWMBO. Turns out next door played a trick and "stolen it". Boxing day we went to the local bunning and now it have a thick chain and padlocks. It was a funny prank, but shows how easy it can happen... Love my Q

Lol, hard lesson but lesson learnt all the same !

 

[Kingy]

Pinched 4 teenagers a few years back. They were traveling from cairns to Brisbane and funding the trip by stealing anything not tied down along the way. Took hours to match crime reports with dates and locations but ended up with 40 plus charges from wallets to a baby q, fishing gear and a mini mal surfboard, all stolen from caravan parks and fuel stations (fuel drive offs).
There camper was almost an alladins cave of touring equipment.
Needless to say they got a smack on the wrist and outcomes like that are why I'm no longer in the job.

 

[AddItUp]

Fair enough @Kingy soft penalties and lenient sentences are not a deterrent. It would be very frustrating to spend so much time on a case for very little result.

 

[mfexpanda]

We stayed in a park in Merrimbula where stealing is so bad that over xmas / jam and easter have security guards walking around the day before we got there Engels and there contents and push bikes were the theme lets to say never been back to Merrimbula rather find another spot to visit

 

[leesy]

yeah its all a little sad that this crap goes on....... I would find it hard if I caught one not to give em a smack, who gets the charge then.......
So but the lock and make it harder, that's all you can do

 

[Wanda]

yeah its all a little sad that this crap goes on....... I would find it hard if I caught one not to give em a smack, who gets the charge then.......
So but the lock and make it harder, that's all you can do

You couldn't help it if they tripped over and hurt themselves when they were trying to run away, now could you? :noidea:

 

[davemc]

can't be the kids fault someone probably said NO once to them and they struggling in life now.. oh I am getting old now...only 45 and talking about back in my day.

 

[White knuckles]

We were at cotton tree for 7 nights and I locked our bikes up except one night and that was the night my not so cheap mtb went to a new home baby seat and all, insurance would not cover it although specifically listed in insurance was not listed as portable. so 3-4 months down the track and I'm just about to purchase a new bike and I receive a phone call saying they have my bike and that somebody had tried to sell it at cash converters, it was a little worse for wear but it cleaned up ok. So lock them up check your insurance and record serial numbers. Mine was one of 3 bikes stolen that night.

 

[DaveS]

we sell a cable combination lock with a siren, it seems popular. they go to pinch something siren goes off and scares em away instead of trying another van, you can probably find something like it on fleabay

 

[leesy]

You couldn't help it if they tripped over and hurt themselves when they were trying to run away, now could you? :noidea:

Hmm tripped, over my foot as it entered their ass........

 

[Xpandafan]

Yep. I use a plastic coated h/t cable and decent padlock for peace of mind. Looped onto rear bumper and through bbq, trolley and gas bottle - makes a bloody handful for any opportunistic mongrel.
I usually pack the babyQ back into the front hatch after cooled down when just camping for one or two nights.