News of 21 June 2021
Preventing burglaries in mobile homes with the right security technology
Summer is approaching and holidays are getting closer. With all the anticipation, however, you should also think about the topic of security. Because not only your own home, but also your mobile home can be the target of a burglary at any time. Valuables such as notebooks, smartphones, tablets and cash are also popular prey here.
In the case of mobile homes, it is advisable not to rely solely on the security technology already in place. Especially in the case of motorhomes, it makes sense because most vehicles are based on the same vehicle model. Burglars also know this and because of the familiar locking system, the cab doors are usually the first target.
As with residential buildings, it is also important to secure structural weak points in motorhomes with tested burglar resistant components. Because: The longer doors and windows resist burglary, the more likely it is that the perpetrators will give up. Especially in the case of motorhomes, it makes sense for additional security devices to be visible from the outside, so that they have a direct deterrent effect on the burglar. Nevertheless, additional security technology should not be dispensed with. Because with systems that are located inside the vehicle and therefore cannot be seen from the outside, a burglar cannot assess where to start with his tools and the burglaries is thus made more difficult. "This does not make it easy for the burglar and therefore it probably only remains an attempt," explains Andrea Horsthemke, head of the Testing Institute Locks and Hardware Velbert [Prüfinstitut Schlösser und Beschläge Velbert (PIV)].
The rules for residential buildings are not transferable; burglar resistant products for buildings must have been tested by an accredited testing institute such as the Testing Institute Locks and Hardware Velbert [Prüfinstitut Schlösser und Beschläge Velbert (PIV)].in order to be recommended by the criminal police. For example, the European standard DIN EN 1627 is used for securing flats. It includes the requirements and classification of burglar resistant building components. Depending on which requirements the component withstands in the test, it is classified as burglar resistant according to the standard. According to the EN 1627, products are classified in one of the resistance classes (RC) RC 1 N through RC 6. For windows and doors in the private sector, at least resistance class RC 2 is recommended. The central element in all tests is to deter the burglar from his intentions by means of a longer required period of time and the resulting noise. Alarm systems can therefore also be a useful addition.
For motorhomes, one can only transfer the experience of the tester. There are numerous products available for retrofitting, so it is important to seek advice from a specialist company. Retrofit products include additional locks for the driver's cab doors and for the body door. All locks with lock cylinders are firmly screwed to the wall of the motorhome or the door. They should be screwed through from the inside to the outside. There are also locks that are screwed on with an internal counter plate. In this way, the lock sits more securely. Alternatively, the lock can be fixed to the door profile in some models. In a product assessment carried out in 2020, many add-on products made a solid impression and were also technically well thought out. In the PIV, such retrofit products are tested for resistance class RC2 according to DIN 18104-1 (screw-on retrofit products).
When professionally installed, these products offer good protection against burglary. "To make burglary more difficult or even prevent it altogether, it is always worth investing in modern and tested security technology," says the head of the testing institute, "but in the case of a mobile home parked alone or hidden away, you have to be clear, there is no permanent protection there."
Stephan Schmidt, Managing Director of the Quality Assurance Association Locks and Hardware (Gütegemeinschaft Schlösser und Beschläge e. V.), tries his hand at burglary.
