Another grey nomad dream shattered by caravan theft

Published: September 8, 2019

Another soon-to-be grey nomad has had his Big Lap dreams shattered by the theft of a caravan.

Gold coast-based truck driver Neil Gauslaa has been left counting he cost of ‘under-insuring’ his 22’ Jayco Silverline Outback after it was stolen from a storage yard in Nerang.

The van – which was worth, $90,000 – was full of personal items, clothing and camping gear, as Mr Gauslaa  had only recently returned from a shakedown trip to Darwin.

He had picked up the van from Newcastle in New South Wales just four months ago after spending thousands of dollars on upgrades.

It seems thieves cut through a lock to open the storage yard and then towed the caravan away.

“I just feel sick … I’m absolutely gutted,” Mr Gauslaa told the Gold Coast Bulletin. “I’m not rich, this sets back my retirement by probably about five years … it wouldn’t be half as bad if it was an empty van.”

He kept the caravan at a storage shed because he was unable to store it at the Surfers Paradise high-rise where he lives.

“When I went to police they said caravans go missing all the time,” he told the Bulletin. “I under-insured it — I hope nobody else makes that same mistake.”

Mr Gauslaa has urged the thieves to return the caravan.

“If they have any conscience at all, if they could leave the van somewhere where I can tow it,” he said.

The theft is just the latest in a series of caravan disappearances. Just last week, we reported on the theft of a van belonging to Rosemary Schofield. It was a caravan that she had bought with her husband Keith before his sudden death at aged 64 ended their  grey nomad dreams.

  • Are you comfortable that your caravan is as safe as it can be from the threat of thieves? Comment below.
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That is terrible, such an unfortunate loss. Pure scum the thieves everybody knows a motorhome or caravan is the result of a lifetime of hard work and effort
Is there some recovery from the storage yard on their insurance. Surely if you are paying for storage it is their responsibility to keep items safe secure and offer recourse for damage or theft.
I hope yard had survelliance, catch these rotten scum

How and where do these vans end up.
I assume they change the appearance a bit, grind off the VIN numbers and register with new ID plate

Some vans end up as meth labs for the drugs out there

How dare they take away someone’s freedom and life long dreams I wish karma to strike them like a lighting bolt.

What’s the best gps to put in a van

Am looking at same caravan now. Numberplate?

Yes it’s happening a lot now need locks on the wheels and lock them down so can’t just can’t hook them up and tow away some are used as meth labs and hidden

Sounds like good plan wheel lick I have to get one I look into it .

We have a Towball lock
An been everywhere in the last 6 years only cost $20
All different prices worth checking out
there r real mongrels out there

I know someone who put a cheap $20 towball lock on their van and left it for 1.5 hours (still attached to their car). Came back and the van was fine. This resulted in us buying the $140 saracen tow ball lock to never be in the same position.

It is a sad fact of life that caravans are a relatively easy item to steal.
Personally ,i think a lot of owners just don’t take enough trouble to protect their vans. Below are what I believe are basic protection,even if in a storage yard ,even a shed…

1. A towball lock which fits INSIDE the towball socket.They are invisible and impossible to remove.
2.Hand brake Lock.
3.Good quality wheel clamp on each side.
4 Big,Savage,Dog !!
Incidentally,it seems Vans are rarely stolen from the place a lot of people most expect…..Free camping sites

Surely the storage yard is insured and has cameras?

Its unfortunate, but I’ve had to spend a small fortune on security for piece of mind on my tug and van.
To answer Rona’s question, I’m not sure if it’s the best but I’m happy with my AL-KO ATS GPS.

Absolute mongrels some people… We have a GPS Tracker installed under our van, the van if moved more than 2 mtrs will raise an alarm on the wifes phone, also it can be racked by the police.. Anywhere in Australia..

Apparently you can buy a tracking device to put in van they use them on cars. What are the best towballl lock to put on van when you leave them.

The cheapest way is a cheap mobile phone from Cole’s of Woolworths. Drop in. Cheap sim card and keep it charged but hide it in the van. You can track the position if the phone if stolen.

If anyone knows of best wheel locks/ tow ball lock can you please let us know

Trailer cop. It’s a lockable ball that u expand up inside the lowball coupling. If the van was to be taken they would be there for a good while trying to get it off

Yes we think the way to go is to put one of those alarms on the van that gives a boundary around the van and if it goes outside the boundaries, the alarm goes off and also the tracking device if by some way they still get yr van away from where it is stored.

Store the wheels at different address.Put the van up on blocks.
Remove the tow couple if it is a bolt on one.Make it a lot harder for the would be theives.

Security is a must in today’s day and age. That’s is why we elected to live in a Security Estate. Not just for the van of course but for all our home security. Cost us $30 a week, but worth every cent, as we can go away in the van knowing the our home and 2nd car is secured. But we still have insurance cover on all, that is the car, caravan Cruiser and the home and contents. Like the old adage.
It does not cost to insure, it pays to insure.

Great Nomads

Ever heard of a mc hitch , cuts down the tow ball thieves and helps making it hard for these ars# holes… safe travells

doesn`t matter what towball lock u use if caravan is unattended. thieves just loop chains around the hitch/A frame, hook over there tow ball and away they go .Milenco make a good wheel lock but again if they want it it will be gone ! Battery powered grinders are now a thieves best friend Have good insurance is you only comeback .

I do not know if this is the same van, Seen one similar at Governor Phillip Park Windsor New South Wales Yesterday morning, I suppose the folk who had it was there to watch power boat racing over the weekend, as we were,

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