It seems to me that the good old days of leaving your car unlocked/windows down at shows has long gone :roll:
Last year I only went to 2 large vw shows and 2 small local shows. At the 2 large shows, Camberg & Peppercorn things were stolen. I didnt go to Vanfest(Greedfest) last year as I found it horribly oppressive the year before and really didnt enjoy it, but even there Owen had someone walk off with a complete T25 front grille intact with big square glass lights! :shock: hardly a 'slip it in your pocket' item!
No problems with the small local shows :D

But I am horrified to read on a few forums about the multiple thefts and people's tents slashed and robbed whilst they were asleep inside :shock: at Big Bang this last weekend. Even people's vans opened up while they were asleep! Good grief, what if your kids were asleep in a tent like many of us do!!*! It does'nt bear thinking about!
Now I know 'this was Santa Pod' ( bloody awful place, hell on earth) but it is also a large vw show. Vanfest a few years ago had a huge number of thefts happen all weekend yet they did nothing to warn people.
Selfish politics from such show organisers.

I was considering sleeping in a tent at Stanford (my 1st vw show this year) but we are now all sleeping inside a van.
I know these things should'nt happen at 'our' type vw shows.
But I thought that about Camberg & Peppercorn! yet still I had to tell a large group of people with a splitvan camped in club display area right next to the traders to turn their rave music down at midnight and got abuse back. Then the trader across got his flag stolen overnight.

SO be super security conscious, and if camping dont leave anything out under your car/van, and lock it up while you are inside asleep!

It is also unfortunate that Big Bang and Stanford 'dont' clash this year.
Making classic and 'other' vw shows clash is a very good idea I think.

Remember, "Keep em peeled"!

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Great advice Anna,thanks for the warning.
I have thought about this during the Winter.And i am considering not taking my cars to British shows anymore.There is too much in value, to have ruined by certain parties who do not even appreciate there significance.
I live in a beautiful part of the U.K and can take my cars out at the weekend with a friend.
I thought the current trend would pass but it seems to grow worse each year. :cry:

Last vintage meet in Huckeswagen 2002 there was also 2 hart taillights stolen from a car at daylight!
Shame shame shame!
I'll think about to install an alarm in my vert with electrical shocks! :twisted:
Any other sugestions?

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I think it is easy to become negative on a damp rainy day in April, but we must'nt let any of it spoil our enjoyment of shows or our car hobby. I think we just need to be much more aware this year. I mention it now only as if there are thieves going to all the large vw shows, then Stanford is also a large vw show, so although not an obvious target you just never know nowadays!
Worth asking the people parked next to you to keep an eye on your car while you go off for a wander if they are staying put. I know i will be.

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Good advice Anna! There does seem to be a rapid increase in the number of thefts from cars at shows.

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Wow, thanks for the warnings!

Knowing how 'nickable' hearts are I already have some Volksbolts security screws. I plan on filling the holes with epoxy so hopefully that'll at least slow 'em down a bit more!

If money gets tight with this credit crunch thing then I can only see the problem getting worse. :(

I'm pretty shocked to hear about tents getting slashed and robbed late at night when there's little or no doubt (presumably?) that the owners are inside! If the thieves are expecting the tents to be occupied then they're either fast runners or are prepared for a confrontation with the owners! I'd love to think my dog (who travels with us) would rip a burglar to shreds, but the fact is I'd rather lose a few bits and pieces than risk him getting knifed or whatever.

Anna: Have you got any links to online discussions about these tent burglaries? I'd really like to get a better 'feel' of what went on last year.

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Actually I read it on a local club forum and knew the guys on there were telling the truth.
But there are a lot more reports on this one:

Santa Pod 

(Apologies Rob for posting a link to V**)
As I said, I think this 'frightening real theft' it is far more rife in the 'Festival type big events scene' certainly not specially vw shows and Santa Pod does have that 'chav' tag about it and theft has always happened there.
I think you are right, despite the fact I am not really pro dogs in general at car shows I think they would certainly be a good deterent if you are sleeping in a tent with kids at big events.
I have og paint hearts too, and I will be very careful where I leave it parked I think. More so than the split even. Silly eh!

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I always worry that if someone cant get lights or items off they might well try to lever them and cause more damage? But I have considered the bolts, but as the heart fittings are repro'd, surely it is the light 'body' that is more stealable? Only the 1 top screw secures that, do you get a security screw on that one too?

At Camberg last 2 pairs certainly got stolen from cars on the field, overnight though I believe?

I agree too I think the credit crunch thing could have an indirect effect.

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It's the top cover screw that I have security screws for. It has just occurred to me you must have been talking about folks reaching under the wing and unbolting the whole thing?! Damn!

I started looking into car alarms last night, not that I'm entirely comfortable about how and where to fit one. It should be fairly straightforward to sense a tail light bulb getting disconnected, perhaps that's the way to go?

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Difficult with 6V
Far cheaper,and readily available in Manchester.Get yourself one of these.
Before the Liberals start,they deserve it :evil:  15243.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

Beat me to it.

If someone invades my personal property, especially inside a car where I'm sleeping, or my home, I'm putting them on blast.

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Agreed, but I plan to install a 12v leisure battery for camping and charge it via an invertor (somehow) from the car's 6v while the engine's running.

That's probably not an easy thing to do having researched leisure batteries and how best to charge them. If anyone has already done this then I'm all ears!

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I'm sortof with you on this but I'm just not as cranky as you are if I'm disturbed during the night! 😃

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Initially I was going to suggest that you could have 4 Rottweilers, 1 tied to each bumper mount ( match the car :wink:) But then I remembered that with the dogs/small children getting bitten issue, it is a REALLY bad idea!*!

But I agree and have always been on 'Tony Martin's side' :
Farmer shoots burgulars 

But I think my new resolve will be to ask anyone I see removing parts from a car whilst at a show what they are doing? If it's their car, it wont be a problem and I dont mind coming across as the neighbourhood watch curtain twitching nosey woman :lol:

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Now we know where to look to find the kettle on for tea's at show lineups! 😃

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We have Brit friends in Florida and the last time we visited, Jack showed me his automatic hand-gun. For intruders he said, it was loaded with hollow-nosed slugs.

I got him to change to normal rounds...I reasoned that he would have to redecorate the whole house, even if he winged an intruder. :lol:

...but for people stealing VW parts...a fitting end. :twisted:

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Its the only way.

OK for the cars.
But how do you lock a tent from a knife wielding idiot.

Can you get Kevlar tents? That would stop knives and bullets! 😃

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Share your tent with a dog..


I know I have... :oops:


I think you can take out as much security as you like but if somebody's intent on stealing something, they will find a way. That goes for everything, not just volkswagens. 😞

I do agree that as soon as somebody breaks into your property they forfiet the right to any protection. :shock:

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