Have not had a chance to do a proper search on site for better locking system for my Safari cargovan. I have gotten some ideas from UK sites but nothing for North American vehicles.
Just had my rear door lock wrenched open and some contents stolen. Looked amazingly easy to do, which I suspected it might. It's a helpless feeling knowing that anyone can break into your van, or any car, at any time so easily. I get the feeling also that we van owners are resigned to the inevitable and that there's nothing we can do.
Had thought of adding those external locks with strong steel plates that attach to each door but I was surprised at how easily a skilled lock expert on Youtube picked a 'Master' lock (Home Depot) for vans. The Master lock used nothing special, just a spring loaded set of pins (tumblers) which could be picked by anyone with the right tools.
What's the point of heavy duty steel plate locks that can be picked easily?
I am looking for tips and advice on how to make the rear and sliding doors as secure as possible. I have a steel bulkhead behind the seats that would be hard to penetrate and I have thought of barring the rear doors (no glass on rear doors or sliding door) from the inside and attaching an internal locking system for the sliding door with a lock I'd have to attach from reaching past the passenger seat.
There are locks that cannot be picked, supposedly, but I'm sure some wizard will find a way. I have a steering wheel lock on my van that uses a lock with a key that has 4 keys placed at 90 degree intervals around a circle. I don't see how that could be picked but the lock could likely be pounded out or maybe drilled out. So, I attach my steering wheel lock backwards so the key entry point is facing the dash. In fact, I am now using two steering wheel locks and looking into the lock that extends from steering wheel to the brake pedal.
Mind you, the creeps can cut the steering wheel rim. Apparently there are steering wheel covers you can get which prevent that and turn around the wheel so it can't turn the car.
I have read about what UK security people call deadlocks but I can't find the equivalent for a GMC Safari. Maybe it's like our deadbolts.
Has anyone seen a lock for replacing the stock locks on the Safari? I mean one that cannot be picked?
Here are weak points I have identified on my Safari:
1)looks like the rear door hinges could be pounded out from the outside and the doors pried off. Need a way to secure hinges. Or need doors secured from inside so they can't be lifted out.
2)anyone with a cordless and a 1" circular saw could drill a hole through the thin skin of the van and bypass the locking system. Need a thin steel plate between locking mechanism/levers and outside skin. Maybe stainless.
3)once the sliding door lock is bypassed, the door can be slid back, causing the rear of the door to spring out several inches. Need a way to prevent door sliding backwards if lock is bypassed.
4)according to a UK video, the skin of the van can be cut to create an access door. Need steel slats/channel placed at intervals along interior walls/ceiling to prevent entry if exterior skin is cut open.
I heard of a case locally, where thieves at a local Home Depot were using a large circular saw with a cordless to cut through the exterior skin near the lock. Then they'd reach in and undo the lock.
I have not touched on alarms. I don't have one, basically because I hear false alarms all the time in my neighbourhood and they sometimes don't get turned off for long periods. Apparently some alarms systems are not as prone to false alarms as others.
Just had my rear door lock wrenched open and some contents stolen. Looked amazingly easy to do, which I suspected it might. It's a helpless feeling knowing that anyone can break into your van, or any car, at any time so easily. I get the feeling also that we van owners are resigned to the inevitable and that there's nothing we can do.
Had thought of adding those external locks with strong steel plates that attach to each door but I was surprised at how easily a skilled lock expert on Youtube picked a 'Master' lock (Home Depot) for vans. The Master lock used nothing special, just a spring loaded set of pins (tumblers) which could be picked by anyone with the right tools.
What's the point of heavy duty steel plate locks that can be picked easily?
I am looking for tips and advice on how to make the rear and sliding doors as secure as possible. I have a steel bulkhead behind the seats that would be hard to penetrate and I have thought of barring the rear doors (no glass on rear doors or sliding door) from the inside and attaching an internal locking system for the sliding door with a lock I'd have to attach from reaching past the passenger seat.
There are locks that cannot be picked, supposedly, but I'm sure some wizard will find a way. I have a steering wheel lock on my van that uses a lock with a key that has 4 keys placed at 90 degree intervals around a circle. I don't see how that could be picked but the lock could likely be pounded out or maybe drilled out. So, I attach my steering wheel lock backwards so the key entry point is facing the dash. In fact, I am now using two steering wheel locks and looking into the lock that extends from steering wheel to the brake pedal.
Mind you, the creeps can cut the steering wheel rim. Apparently there are steering wheel covers you can get which prevent that and turn around the wheel so it can't turn the car.
I have read about what UK security people call deadlocks but I can't find the equivalent for a GMC Safari. Maybe it's like our deadbolts.
Has anyone seen a lock for replacing the stock locks on the Safari? I mean one that cannot be picked?
Here are weak points I have identified on my Safari:
1)looks like the rear door hinges could be pounded out from the outside and the doors pried off. Need a way to secure hinges. Or need doors secured from inside so they can't be lifted out.
2)anyone with a cordless and a 1" circular saw could drill a hole through the thin skin of the van and bypass the locking system. Need a thin steel plate between locking mechanism/levers and outside skin. Maybe stainless.
3)once the sliding door lock is bypassed, the door can be slid back, causing the rear of the door to spring out several inches. Need a way to prevent door sliding backwards if lock is bypassed.
4)according to a UK video, the skin of the van can be cut to create an access door. Need steel slats/channel placed at intervals along interior walls/ceiling to prevent entry if exterior skin is cut open.
I heard of a case locally, where thieves at a local Home Depot were using a large circular saw with a cordless to cut through the exterior skin near the lock. Then they'd reach in and undo the lock.
I have not touched on alarms. I don't have one, basically because I hear false alarms all the time in my neighbourhood and they sometimes don't get turned off for long periods. Apparently some alarms systems are not as prone to false alarms as others.