Equipment Security In Vehicle

I often travel with quite a bit of equipment in my SUV and would like to find a better way to secure everything when I am not around such as in a restaurant or out shooting with only one camera and lens. I currently cover my packs but would like to be able to lock it all up but still be able to carry it into the hotel at night. The only solution that I have found is a Pelican case locked to the tie-down points on the floor. Just wondering if there are any other clever solutions out there.

I have used many types of security boxes in the past. There are handgun safes that are not super large, but hold a lot of photo equipment. I always bolted them to the floor of the vehicle with carriage bolts and the heads on the outside of the vehicle and the self locking nuts inside. They can't be grasped from outside and the self lockers assure that even if the head is grasped, the nut will not loosen. Use large, heavy fender washers inside and out. I have also used muck larger security boxes, as well. Big 5 Spoting Goods and Walmart sell them at a reasonable price compared to what you have to protect. Anything can be broken into ar stolen, but make it hard for anyone to get to your stuff without being noticed. Cover them with a loose jacket or such.
A sticker on the side of your vehicle or on the box saying "Radioactive Materials Inside" used to work, but now NSA might not take that lightly!!! Maybe "Sewer Service" would work better.

Joe

Check out http://truckvault.com/

Nothing is really secure in a vehicle...out of sight out of mind (tinting windows, cover with your sunshade etc.) Anything that looks like it needs to be secure locked boxes and such invite a look through.

Those are really nice E.J., but pretty expensive ($2k for basic) and I can't easily remove it but I guess that is the whole point. I suppose I could put my standard backpacks and lens cases right in there. I might explore Joe's suggestion of getting a standard box and anchoring it in place and padlocking it.

You didn't ask for a cheap solution
But in all seriousness, I know a few photographers that have these and when they get a new vehicle buy them again because they are that good.

This is similar to one of the smaller one's I have used:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Upper-Add-on- ... k/39731484

An additional hasp and lock can be added if desired.

Joe

And here's one from Big Five:

http://www.big5sportinggoods.com/store/ ... /A-4476156

Sorry about the double post, but I still can't edit a post from an iPad.

Joe

The best set up I have seen for this is the one a friend of mine uses. It is same as the truck vault system but a very flat one, deep enough to fit in a 600mm. It is then covered with a fake floor. You would really have to know the car very well and have the back door completely open to notice that there is a safe down there. I could not believe the booty when we opened it up to switch lenses. I have tried to have one made in Ecuador for me, but without luck.

Cheers,
Iain

Here is what I use: http://www.pacsafe.com/pacsafe-85l-back ... tor-1.html

This is a good solution also for those trips (airplanes, car rentals, etc.) where you need a portable security that's lightweight too. Yeah, you still need to cover it up with a jacket or something, but that's easy enough to do. Someone would need a good set of bolt cutters to breach this. This can even be used while in the field when you need to leave your gear temporarily behind by locking it to a tree or fence post. There are enough criss-cross wires to keep thieves from stealing (and opening a photo back pack) either the whole pack or single lenses and bodies. When not attached it requires little space, and you can even leave it on the pack while hiking around. There are other models listed on the page I sent you too that looks like they might be even more secure.    
 Here's what looks like an even better choice: http://www.pacsafe.com/pacsafe-c35l-ste ... ector.html This one is covered and has a tighter mesh webbing.

Mark Picard wrote:Here is what I use: http://www.pacsafe.com/pacsafe-85l-back ... tor-1.html

This is a good solution also for those trips (airplanes, car rentals, etc.) where you need a portable security that's lightweight too. Yeah, you still need to cover it up with a jacket or something, but that's easy enough to do. Someone would need a good set of bolt cutters to breach this. This can even be used while in the field when you need to leave your gear temporarily behind by locking it to a tree or fence post. There are enough criss-cross wires to keep thieves from stealing (and opening a photo back pack) either the whole pack or single lenses and bodies. When not attached it requires little space, and you can even leave it on the pack while hiking around. There are other models listed on the page I sent you too that looks like they might be even more secure.    
 Here's what looks like an even better choice: http://www.pacsafe.com/pacsafe-c35l-ste ... ector.html This one is covered and has a tighter mesh webbing.

No match for this tool that can easily cut most bicycle cable locks like butter:

https://www.felcostore.com/item/f-c7?re ... blecutters

Joe

Iain Campbell wrote:The best set up I have seen for this is the one a friend of mine uses. It is same as the truck vault system but a very flat one, deep enough to fit in a 600mm. It is then covered with a fake floor. You would really have to know the car very well and have the back door completely open to notice that there is a safe down there. I could not believe the booty when we opened it up to switch lenses. I have tried to have one made in Ecuador for me, but without luck.

Cheers,
Iain

When I had Jeep CJ's, I used to cut a hole in the floorboard under the passengers floormat and install a household circuit breaker box flush with the floor. It worked well for small tools, since I had a softtop that had no door locks. Nobody knew it was there. A person has to be creative and realize that most things a non-thief thinks are secure can easily be defeated by a true thief!!! Your friend was pretty sharp. Some of the gun safes at Walmart are designed to install between the studs of a home and can then be concealed with something over them. They can be adapted to a vehicle, as well.

Joe

Interesting question. I guess the solution depends on who the thieves are. A pretty low tech solution may stop the casual guy just braking a window and grabbing whatever he sees from outside (purse,...).
But if someone has time and tools, then pretty much any lightweight solution is doomed.
And of course, if someone knows the content of the car is very valuable (for example bacause he sees you loading it with 3 bags full of 5k$-10k$ of photo gear), the easiest is probably to steal the whole car.
So choose the scenario which you think is the most likely, and you'll have your solution...

lelouarn wrote: And of course, if someone knows the content of the car is very valuable (for example bacause he sees you loading it with 3 bags full of 5k$-10k$ of photo gear), the easiest is probably to steal the whole car.

Reminds me of a time in Estes Park, CO (Rocky Mountain NP area). When returning to Estes to play tourist, I stopped before reaching town and put my photo bags in the trunk so that nobody would see me doing it. When we got to town and parked, my girlfriend at the time opened the trunk to put her purse in, thereby defeating my purpose!!! 

Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote:

Mark Picard wrote:Here is what I use: http://www.pacsafe.com/pacsafe-85l-back ... tor-1.html

This is a good solution also for those trips (airplanes, car rentals, etc.) where you need a portable security that's lightweight too. Yeah, you still need to cover it up with a jacket or something, but that's easy enough to do. Someone would need a good set of bolt cutters to breach this. This can even be used while in the field when you need to leave your gear temporarily behind by locking it to a tree or fence post. There are enough criss-cross wires to keep thieves from stealing (and opening a photo back pack) either the whole pack or single lenses and bodies. When not attached it requires little space, and you can even leave it on the pack while hiking around. There are other models listed on the page I sent you too that looks like they might be even more secure.    
 Here's what looks like an even better choice: http://www.pacsafe.com/pacsafe-c35l-ste ... ector.html This one is covered and has a tighter mesh webbing.

No match for this tool that can easily cut most bicycle cable locks like butter:

https://www.felcostore.com/item/f-c7?re ... blecutters

Joe

Yeah, and as we all know, everyone carries that sort of stuff with them wherever they go.  If someone wants something bad enough, they'll find a way to get it...including stealing the whole vehicle. This portable pac safe will stop MOST of the thieves, which is all we can ask for in today's world!

I try to take this guy along and have him hang around the car while we are shooting:

Mark Picard wrote:

No match for this tool that can easily cut most bicycle cable locks like butter:

https://www.felcostore.com/item/f-c7?re ... blecutters

Joe

Yeah, and as we all know, everyone carries that sort of stuff with them wherever they go.  If someone wants something bad enough, they'll find a way to get it...including stealing the whole vehicle. This portable pac safe will stop MOST of the thieves, which is all we can ask for in today's world!

I have used one for years to cut cables for bows and bikes! The point I made above that you have to think like a thief is really important. Two of a thiefs bests allies are a bolt cutter and a cable cutter. You may not carry one, but a thief may very well have one, especially a bike thief.

Joe

If you google "the most published nature photographer of his time" you will NOT get Leonard Lee Rue III.  But I suspect that determining who deserved this distinction would be a subjective thing.

IMO LLRue III was the most admired and renowned nature photographer of his time.  He also is/was a greatly respected nature writer and I sure miss his images and comments.

HOW LLRIII SECURED HIS GEAR IN HIS VEHICLE:

Way back in the day I can remember reading one of his article's in which he briefly described his installation of a large metal box in his Suburban (I believe) for the purpose of securing his equipment.  He attached it to the floor of the vehicle with heavy bolts.  

It seems that it would not be too much of a project to BYO such box.  

Robert King
http://itsaboutnature.net

Steve Cirone wrote:I try to take this guy along and have him hang around the car while we are shooting:

Steve, does this mean you replaced this guy already?:


by Steve Cirone on Fri Jun 21, 2013 12:07 pm


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Steve Cirone 
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This is a guy I use to guard my vehicle.  Sometimes he gets overzealous.


San Diego Photo Tours
Steve Cirone
Outfitter/Guide/Instructor
http://www.SteveCirone.com



Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote:

Steve Cirone wrote:I try to take this guy along and have him hang around the car while we are shooting:

Steve, does this mean you replaced this guy already?:


by Steve Cirone on Fri Jun 21, 2013 12:07 pm


http://www.naturescapes.net/forums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5265

http://www.naturescapes.net/forums/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5265
Steve Cirone 
Lifetime MemberPosts: 1569
Joined: 28 May 2005
Location: San Diego, California
Member #:00583
Send a private message
View portfolio
Visit website
This is a guy I use to guard my vehicle.  Sometimes he gets overzealous.

San Diego Photo Tours
Steve Cirone
Outfitter/Guide/Instructor
http://www.SteveCirone.com



Joe

Nobody a 9 mm pistol can't take care of!