Campsite theft, is it a thing?

[missing the VR6]

We're looking at buying a motorhome, we're also avid mountain bikers and the thought of leaving 5 figures of bikes on the bike rack is rather concerning. We've found the camper we want, but they're making rocking horse poo seem common, so I'm wondering, do we compromise on the perceived bike safety of a decent sized garage and go for a normal van with a bike rack?

Do campsite suffer with theft? We've camped quite a bit, as a child we caravanned and I don't ever recollect hearing of theft, or seeing police on site.

Thanks for any replies.

[Djtemeka]

No theft that I e ever had or heard of but that would depend on the type of campsite. The group party types might be a bit tougher.

A decent 16/19mm chain should do

[hyperblue]

It does happen, see below example, but no idea how common.

https://www.islandecho.co.uk/tourists-wake-to-find...

Never been too concerned at campsites and our bikes aren’t as valuable as yours but I always get a bit nervous leaving the van parked up anywhere on route with the bikes on the back.

[missing the VR6]

hyperblue said:

It does happen, see below example, but no idea how common.

https://www.islandecho.co.uk/tourists-wake-to-find...

Never been too concerned at campsites and our bikes aren’t as valuable as yours but I always get a bit nervous leaving the van parked up anywhere on route with the bikes on the back.

Thanks for the link, I'll have a read.

On route, one of us normally stays with the car to keep an eye on the bike rack, so that bit I'm OK with, also gives a chance for the dog to have a wee and stretch his legs.

[missing the VR6]

Djtemeka said:

No theft that I e ever had or heard of but that would depend on the type of campsite. The group party types might be a bit tougher.

A decent 16/19mm chain should do

It's mainly for family holidays, so more family orientated camp sites all being well. Perhaps if I take it for a riding holiday with the boys, it might be a little different.

[MattyD803]

I've never really heard of theft like that on any of the campsites I have stayed at.....I expect the reality is that theft would be much more likely in say a Motorway Services or Tesco car park en-route or on your way home....but I'd still probably keep them out the way and locked to something.

[Wacky Racer]

Bike theft can happen anywhere at anytime.

There's no way I would leave our expensive bikes strapped to the back of our motorhome unattended.

The warden of a Caravan club site in mid Wales once had his Harley Davidson stolen while he was having his tea in his caravan.

[Evoluzione]

Thieves are everywhere. Last year some guy had his tools stolen at a trackday ffs.

[LeadFarmer]

Lots of bike thefts at the very popular Caravan Club site in Clumber in Notts, and I know of someone who had their two bikes stolen from the garage area of their motorhome, but they were in Spain.

Theft from any vehicle is as realistic as ever in the UK, not a lot you can do about it when the bikes are in/on the motorhome whilst your not with it. Insurance is the only thing you can do to minimise any losses.

[anonymous-user]

This is the same issue that I can’t solve whenever I seriously look at getting a California or similar sized camper. I just wouldn’t leave the bikes on the back overnight, or any time really. Same as you OP, the combined value of the bikes are into 5 figures. For me they’d have to go inside. But then the van is going to be massive, and that has loads of drawbacks like not being able to use it year round as a “daily” car, height restrictions, length for parking spaces etc. Ends up with buying nothing at all. bd thieves.

[Rosscow]

We always chain our bikes with a very substantial chain to a tree.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

You want to leave any bike on a bike rack overnight?

Yes campsites do get hit as people think they are amongst like minded people. They don't realise in places like Wales etc you get nocturnal visits and during the day also.

[Monkeylegend]

Rosscow said:

We always chain our bikes with a very substantial chain to a tree.

One chainsaw later, tiiiiiimber.

[paulwf]

My experience is that if the campsite is close to a location popular for cyclists, then there is theft.

We stayed near the forest of Dean and the owner said that they were regularly visited overnight by thieves so not to leave bikes in view

[SwissJonese]

We hired a Motorhome last year for a MTB road-trip around the UK. We managed to fit 3 expensive MTB's in the garage and one on the rear bike rack (the cheapest at £1.5k). The bikes in the garage I used motorbike chain and locks to the ground anchors and the bike on the back was the same. We stopped off to Malverns Classic bike show and there was lots of talk about bike theft. But mostly the theft was from the trade sellers.
I was very careful not to show off with the bikes and hid them from site when not in use.

[Rushjob]

LeadFarmer said:

Lots of bike thefts at the very popular Caravan Club site in Clumber in Notts, and I know of someone who had their two bikes stolen from the garage area of their motorhome, but they were in Spain.

Theft from any vehicle is as realistic as ever in the UK, not a lot you can do about it when the bikes are in/on the motorhome whilst your not with it. Insurance is the only thing you can do to minimise any losses.

Clumber caravan site is less than 10 minutes as the stolen bike flies from Manton, one of the sttier estates in one of the sttier towns in Notts. Possibly not too representative of CC sites UK wide for theft issues.

[Mr Squarekins]

Some of the big campsites in the Lakes have been hotspots for theft. Sometimes when campers are out walking for the day.

Expensive sleeping bags, stoves etc from tents. I always dump that stuff into the boot of the car.

Like everywhere else, campsites have their share of a**holes.

[ComStrike]

Its a kind of unwritten rule to look after each other & there equipment on campsites.
We stayed at a Haven campsite last summer & no issues. Lake District.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Mr Squarekins said:

Some of the big campsites in the Lakes have been hotspots for theft. Sometimes when campers are out walking for the day.

Expensive sleeping bags, stoves etc from tents. I always dump that stuff into the boot of the car.

Like everywhere else, campsites have their share of a**holes.

It's what put me off decent tents like a Bell tent.

In addition noises in the early hours on some campsites people assume its someone packing up early etc.

How many times have you been woken up by noise on a campsite, any noise and gone put to look?

When in my sleeping bag zipped up the only thing getting me out is a very full beer bladder after a couple of hours putting it off!

[poo at Paul's]

Motorhome with a garage is what you want to be as safe as possible, and. A bloody good alarm on it. You can get alarms with accessory loops on them, that plug in and you wrap a big wire loop through bike on the rack or chained outside etc, they only have to cut it, but alarm then sounds at least.
Roller team Sport is what you want, absolutely massive garage!