Brian outside his beloved motorhome before the dream soured.
Most long-term grey nomads travelling with all manner of important documentation and equipment know they can be a natural target for opportunistic thieves … but that isn’t always enough to stop the worst from happening.
Having sold their Sydney home, Brian and Dawn Foster were just days into their long-anticipated Big Lap adventure when they found out the hard way just how ruthless and how cunning thieves can be.
All was right with the world when the couple parked their 2009 Sunliner Vue motorhome at Tasmania’s Cataract Gorge last month, and headed off to enjoy a walk in the magnificent national park.
“It was a lovely sunny day, blue sky, clean fresh air … why would you rush back,” said Brian. “We were walking in the national park and you just don’t take everything with you – I didn’t even take my fancy camera.”
Other than a bit of cash, his phone and the couple of cards he carries with it, Brian left everything else in his wallet in his backpack or in Dawn’s handbag, both of which were concealed in the motorhome ‘but not exactly locked in the vault’.
When the couple returned to their vehicle after a three-hour stroll, they found the Sunliner’s door standing open … and that their worst nightmare had come true.
“I looked inside and the scene was absolute chaos – every cupboard was open and the contents ransacked and subsequently we discovered that our bags had been stolen,” said Brian. “The motorhome door lock was smashed and the door and frame buckled where they had jimmied the door open – the latching mechanism was completely wrecked and I had to lash the door closed with an extension cord.”
In the short period between the break-in and Brian and Dawn cancelling their credit cards, the thieves managed to rack up $1700 of spending, although the banks subsequently reimbursed the couple.
“Of course, anyone who has been a victim of a break-in will know that it isn’t just the cash and the credit cards that are taken,” said Brian. “There is the inconvenience of all the additional items that are taken, and personal photographs are often irreplaceable.”
In Brian and Dawn’s case they had to chase up replacements for everything from Medicare, Veterans Affairs, and NSW Seniors cards to drivers’ licences, emergency road assistance, RSL Club memberships, and even in-store loyalty cards.
Interestingly, the thieves left behind iPads and iPods and two laptop computers, but took a camera from Brian’s backpack.
For all the inconvenience of replacing lost documentation, the biggest hassle the couple has since faced is trying to get their badly damaged motorhome door fixed. With repairers having trouble tracing parts, the vehicle still cannot be properly secured so Brian and Dawn’s fledgling grey nomad adventure remains very much on hold.
“We are feeling huge frustration at not being able to set off again due to the lack of a replacement door but we will start again as soon as we can,” said Brian. “It’s a cruel world – someone will always want what you have got and if the opportunity arises, they will try to get their hands on it.”
During their enforced period of non travelling, the couple has now had a small safe bolted to the van, and are looking at installing a security handle and a security camera.
Once bitten, twice shy!
What a bugger. We have toured Tassie twice for months and never once saw any incidence of theft or vandalism. I feel for Brian and Dawn and hope they are soon back enjoying one great state.
We lived in southern Tas. 20 years ago ,and they had singns everywere not to leave valubles in your cars. Very sad.
What is a security handle?
Alas there are no warning signs these days. We learned from the Launceston Police that the Cataract Gorge car park is somewhat notorious for the local crooks targeting inter-state plated vehicles. In 2017 one would perhaps expect the odd security camera aimed at this black spot might pay dividends for the solving of this type of crime. Maybe one day…
I’m happy to report that on Wednesday June 19, our repaired van was returned to us and we have set off on Grey Nomad Tour Part II on Monday the 26th…. Yay!!
we have been looking at safes as well … what did you end up getting Brian (that doesn’t weigh a ton)
Apart from the above about never leaving valuables in your car, a woman should never leave her handbag in a car. They watch for this. Any woman going for a walk without her handbag will be the first car to be robbed.
So sorry this happened to u,we have toured Tassie on several occasions and often gone walking for some time leaving van,luckily never had this happen,always considered Tassie safer than lots of places seems u never know what nasty people are around ,please continue your trip and enjoy the freedom of the road.
So sad; some five years ago I saw a station waggon in a Tas national park with three tyres slashed. My Luton Peak Peugeot motorhome was broken into in Paris France. The security on the fibre glass bodied door was pathetic and I have seen some pretty lightweight stuff in Australia.
Glad these folk are back on the road, what an awful experience. Is there a feasibly means of equipping our Motorhomes with equipment linked to an App which can monitor the secure status of a parked / unattended Motorhome?