Christchurch Travel Forum

I've heard that there is a lot of break ins to campervans in car parks whilst the tourist are stocking up supplies or visiting a site. How true is this and does it happen lots??

which country are you in? have camped happily and safely in uk and france with no break-ins at all.

Hi,

As you are asking this in the Christchurch, New Zealand forum, I guess that's where you are asking about :-)

Yes, it does happen, but the situation isn't rife. Some tourist sites can be a bit out of the way and those can be targetted, so it makes sense to keep valuables locked out of the way. Some are now employing volunteer groups to keep an eye on the car park, particularly in the Rotorua area which has had some problems lately.

I think the best advice is to keep any valuables such as passports and wallets on your person, and park the campervan in a prominent, easily visible space, and make sure it is properly locked. Don't let the worry spoil your holiday, but do stay aware of the risks.

thanks for the replies and advise. We are travelling on the south island of NZ only.

was not a problem or concern for us when we did it for two weeks.
It helps that we stay away from tourist car parks/overnight sites.

Unfortunately such things do happen, and of course, most tourists will tell you that they did not experience any problem at all. They can tell you what happened to them - not to the rest and those who were unlucky.

It happens at supermarkets in Christchurch, but not at a daily basis, that burglars target carparks, and just two weeks ago thieves broke into the car of a scientist from Dunedin and stole her scientific work of two years. We hear it, and we read about it in the paper every now and then.

BUT - Christchurch is not mini Chicago but not 100% safe either. Nothing must happen but something can happen. But there are not thousands of thieves waiting at every corner, so do not get paranoid. Just take care, and keep your stuff safe.

Never leave valuables in your van, like camera, laptop or whatever you carry with you. And never leave things of interest on seats, so everybody can see them from the outside. And do not do things you would not dare to do at home.

Take the warning at carparks seriously: Lock it or lose it. And do not forget: A car or a campervan is not a safe for valuables.