Last night they broke into the back of my landie, and stole the trolley jack, small petrol can and footpump, which I had neglected to secure to the seat frames in the usual way with a bike lock :(
They were clearly amateur opportunists as they first tried the back door, and bent the handle in the process of failing to open what can be opened with a screwdriver they regretabbly found the weak point and slid open the back windows and opened the passenger door from inside.
What is really annoying apart from my idiocy in forgetting to lock the Jack to the rear seat frame as I knew it was vulnerable, is the damage to the back door handle that makes it inoperable.
I am thinking about what to do to deter this sort of thing in future.
I did not think an alarm would be worthwhile but I am having second thoughts, although it will be difficult to fit one of the ultrasonic ones, I would guess a few false alarms in the neighborhood, would alert potential thieves to the fact it is alarmed, and although it might not stop them breaking in, they would not linger to attempt the second line of defence.
The other thing is if I secure the windows, they may just break them next time, though I suppose fitting a padlock to the rear door is quite a visible sign saying do not try this unless you have boltcroppers.
Deadlocks for the interior doors would be nice, I have an idea, but am wondering whether it would be overkill.
Any way these were casual thieves, and so stupid they did not find the torque wrench, or the electric pump, and obviosly did not know about the locker under the front seat, as that was untouched.
Sensibly they left the radio alone, it is not worth nicking.
I am having second thoughts now about fixing a jerry can externally, as they will obviosly do some damage trying to prize it away from the carrier as that is the sort of ideas they probably are, though I guess they would not bother going onto the roof after it, which might be one good reason to fix it there.
The bother is in converting it to a camper I do not really want to have to keep stuff in my fourth floor flat all the time, and only take it out when need be as that will be up and down the stairs all the time but I don't have a lot of choice do I.
I am sure these buggers having discovered how easy it is to get into a landie will try it again, if not on me on someone else.