# Be VERY careful what you bring back



## Friant

After a couple of weeks in France we stopped off at Coquelles supermarkets for a few French necessities before arriving at the tunnel check in.

After going through all the check in and border control procedures we pulled into the car park to wait for our letter to be called.

It was at this point that my husband discovered a man concealed on our bike rack, beneath the bike cover. We have an end bathroom with a window, whilst in there he looked and noticed what he thought was a rucksack, on closer inspection this turned out to be a person.

He went outside, lifted the bike cover and shouted at him to scarper.
He unravelled himself and jumped down, hung around for a minute or so then sauntered off.
If my husband hadn't of spotted him I'm convinced we'd have taken him back to the UK and he'd have spent a terrible journey until we stopped after a few hours for a coffee.

I do feel sorry for people so desperate that this seems like a good idea but equally concerned about their safety and also about uncontrolled entry to the UK.

We can only think he "got on board" whilst we were in Auchan.
Please be careful if you have anywhere on your van that a person could conceivably conceal themselves. We would never of thought it was possible to hide beneath a bike cover but evidently it is possible if you are desperate enough.


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## rotorywing

I was under the impression that the border control people had machines that were capable of x-raying vehicles and identifying 'additionals'.

Calais seems to be getting very busy these days !!

Martin


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## Penquin

There are accounts elsewhere of the approach roads to Calais being lined with would be stowaways and as the queue is very slow (around 1 1/2 hours apparently) it is very easy for the characters to suss out any vehicle for suitable places to hide...

On another post someone described how one of his family was following his MH in a car and saw people trying all the lockers and the ladder before being spotted by the Gendarmes - who have a virtually impossible task IMO.

So check every locker is locked, if you have a bike cover it might be better to take it off for that part of the journey - simply to reduce the possibility of someone else finding a way under the cover....

If you have a roof ladder, it might be worth covering the steps with a piece of wood that fits well into the spaces and can be held in place by those plastic draw-ties (like handcuffs only applied to objects such as wires to keep them together.. :lol: - leave the handcuffs for others to try.....). I know it is extra weight but could you tell if someone climbed on top and lay down flat? There are no mirrors for up there, and no TV coverage till you et to the port and are they looking carefully enough? :? 

Just a couple if suggestions......

Maybe it's time they provided a car wash for all large vehicles to go through with hoses to spray the roof...... Now there's a thought.....

Dave


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## Friant

We were aware of the potential for this, I even asked for opinions from this community before we left.

We saw dozens of men whilst in and around Calais, and even as we entered the Auchan car park yesterday we saw 3 sitting on the grass and so weren't oblivious to the possibility. 
We secured our cab doors with a special lock and used the Fiamma safe door on our habitation door, we aren't careless but it never occurred to us that a person could secrete themselves so well in such a small space.

We will take our bike cover off next time and I also think the potential for hiding flat on the roof is great. Not quite sure how we are going to check that?

For all the document checks at the tunnel and the appearance of cameras and mysterious upright pillars it obviously doesn't work.

Please take care, this guy didn't give us any trouble but it was a very unnerving experience and I would hate for any harm to come to fellow motorhomers or desperate migrants.


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## p-c

Hi.
Thanks for this.
We shopped at Auchan Coquelles on Friday. Now at Cite Europe and on the train tomorrow morning.
We have seen a lot more "potential immigrants" this time. As you say some near Auchan but here at Cite Europe they are wandering around quite openly. I saw them crawling under a coach and another MH owner told me they had been around the back of our MH. They are in the trees bordering the aire, even those right by the police station.
I'll have a good check everywhere in the morning, especially the toad. I feel, and hope, it is more about secreting themselves aboard rather than robbery. In the meantime it is the full security lock up.
Regards
p-c


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## aldra

That is so sad

Please God I never know that desperate feeling

This is 2014, no one should know that desperate feeling

But they do

Aldra


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## turbodes

The same thing happened to our friends on Wednesday morning at Cite Europe they where sat at the back of the camper having a glass of wine with our other friends when one of them saw the bike rack cover moving, decided to investigate further and video it at the same time, lifting the cover to reveal one underneath he slowly climbed out not even bothered about being found out, our friends was very calm about it and explained to him that he wasnt going to england and was on his way to germany :lol: :lol: they also said that there was loads of them around even underneath the parked coaches, they rang the police showed them the video but they wasnt bothered either 
I have the video but awaited there approval before i put it on facts.


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## Zozzer

rotorywing said:


> I was under the impression that the border control people had machines that were capable of x-raying vehicles and identifying 'additionals'.
> 
> Calais seems to be getting very busy these days !!
> 
> Martin


I prefer the Steve McQueen "The Great Escape" pitchfork method.


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## peaky

when we too stayed at cite Europe I found an immigrant squatting beside a motorhome near our van, I asked what he was doing there, he said waiting for the bus !!! so I said you'd better get over there and wait then !!! (coaches lined up some distance away ), plenty hanging around in the bushes near the shopping centre when we were 2 months ago.


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## nicholsong

I have posted tsimilar to this before.

I have not seen potential stowaways around Dunkirk. I think it may be because it is less busy so the approach roads have no slow queue.

If you are going to/from South or East it is worth considering. Prices are the same as for Calais, just a bit longer crossing but you are about 20km further east.

Geoff


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## Morphology

We have frequently been asked at the tunnel "where was the last place you stopped and could anyone gave got in/on/under your vehicle?" I wonder why people still bother with cite de europe? We usually spend our last night at least 50 miles from the tunnel (often more) and drive straight there without stopping. Less chance of picking up a stray guest.

Agree, it's very sad that so many are so desperate to get to the UK when most of spend as much time as possible trying to leave!


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## rotorywing

We are due over to Calais today, luckily Southbound. Normally use one of the Calais stopovers but its straight off the ferry and down to Bolougne Auchan for our first stop this time. * Lots of migrants* hanging around at Cite de Europ when we were there in May & July

Martin


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## suedew

We are travelling to Calais on Thursday, am so glad this will not be our return route. Saw many potential stowaways last time we used this route.

Sue


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## BrianJP

Ok so now it looks like Cite de Europe is a no go area for us and also increasingly likely anywhere around Boulogne does anyone have up to date info on what its like to overnight at the aire at Baie de la Somme at the moment ??


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## Zozzer

The only way to put a stop to all this illegal immigration is to get a lot tougher on everyone caught. Millions of pounds are being wasted by the government on ineffective policing by the border agencies. 

Those caught should be placed in internment camps until the nessecery paperwork is got to deport them back to their country of origin.

How many times are we going to see it on TV that an overstayer is told to report to the police each week only for them to abscond.

Foreign nationals who employ illegal workers should be deported.

Doctors who treat illegals should be struck off.


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## raynipper

The only way Zozzer is to remove the 'carrot'. 
Why do you think they travel across 6 countries to the UK.?

Ray.


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## 100127

I am going to Scotland tomorrow. Do I need to check my bike rack cover crossing back to England. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Friant

I have reported our experience to Eurotunnel who " have passed my comments on to their customer relations department"

I also reported it to the Borders Agency, well tried to at least, I filled in a very long and vague form, left my contact details and tried to be as specific as the form would allow. No reply yet.

I wouldn't be put off using Calais but just be aware and certainly check all possible hiding places when doing your final stint to the tunnel. The guy who tried to stow away with us didn't show any aggression, other scenarios were reported from lorry drivers, but it was the Mail!


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## aldra

I suppose that inEngland no identification so they can vanish

They can't be stopped and asked to produce identification 

So it's hard to detect legal from illegal

France can

Aldra


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## ChrisandJohn

We stayed at Cité Europe on Sunday night and there were lots of motorhomes there and no trouble as far as we could tell. We hadn't meant to stop there as we'd left Folkestone at 5.36pm so planned to drive south for an hour to Montreuil. Unfortunately when we arrived at Calais our van wouldn't start so we had to be towed off (embarrassing - hope you weren't behind us  ) it was quite late by the time assistance sorted us out (another story) so we ended up at Cité Europe after all, and as I said, no problem.  

Now on 2nd night at Honfleur.


Chris


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## cheshiregordon

Friant said:


> After a couple of weeks in France we stopped off at Coquelles supermarkets for a few French necessities before arriving at the tunnel check in.
> 
> After going through all the check in and border control procedures we pulled into the car park to wait for our letter to be called.
> 
> It was at this point that my husband discovered a man concealed on our bike rack, beneath the bike cover. We have an end bathroom with a window, whilst in there he looked and noticed what he thought was a rucksack, on closer inspection this turned out to be a person.
> 
> He went outside, lifted the bike cover and shouted at him to scarper.
> He unravelled himself and jumped down, hung around for a minute or so then sauntered off.
> If my husband hadn't of spotted him I'm convinced we'd have taken him back to the UK and he'd have spent a terrible journey until we stopped after a few hours for a coffee.
> 
> I do feel sorry for people so desperate that this seems like a good idea but equally concerned about their safety and also about uncontrolled entry to the UK.
> 
> We can only think he "got on board" whilst we were in Auchan.
> Please be careful if you have anywhere on your van that a person could conceivably conceal themselves. We would never of thought it was possible to hide beneath a bike cover but evidently it is possible if you are desperate enough.


I believe that many years ago the train lines across many borders between many eastern european and asian countries had machine gun pits dug under the track and gantries over them to deter similar action. Who'd have thought we'd have missed ?


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## cheshiregordon

Blobsta said:


> I am going to Scotland tomorrow. Do I need to check my bike rack cover crossing back to England. :lol: :lol: :lol:


I believe AS has said Scotland would welcome immigrants! If it became a back door into England and Wales I can see the border being controlled.


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