# Robberies in Aires in SW France



## bar (Aug 6, 2005)

We are near the French Spanish border, yesterday met a couple from Eastbourne who, whilst sleeping in their 18month old Bessacar had gas injected into their vehicle. There were no air vents at body height lev el and the robbers cut out the passenger side triangular window.They had a security belt from passenger to drivers door this was cut through. They had an interior alarm set which awoke the husband but not the wife. He switched on all his lights and triggered his alarm and horn and drove off one of the robbers stood at the exit flagging him down, he drove straight to the police station at Biarritz where he got very sympathetic help.
Weather here rainy stormy, more later Barry / Del


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## 88734 (May 9, 2005)

You mention the dreaded word gas; did they see the robbers with the gas?


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

very interesting Barry/DeL
Look fwd to hearing much more detailed info on this.


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

What an awful experience, they have all my sympathy, hope it doesn't put them off motorhoming..  

What evidence did they have for the use of gas .. ? I have a feeling of da ja vu coming on :roll:


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Surely an awful experience, but at least they managed to get away without major damage. 

Regarding the G-word no comment from my side except: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

Five things one can learn (again) from this are:
1. The weakest spots are the cab doors.
2. "Security belts" do not help anything. 
3. Never ever stay overnight on a motorway aire.
4. Especially not in France.
5. Even more especially not in Southern France.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

Same tactics were used to gain entry into Redones 'van, q/light removed, seat belts cut....uncanny 8O 

M&D


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## 91766 (May 1, 2005)

Boff, where does it mention that this happened on a motorway aire?


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## 95405 (Jun 10, 2005)

Is Flunitrazepam available in a spray form ? It seems to have all the effects that a 'gas attack' might, and does not appear to be particularly dangerous even when administered by criminals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohypnol


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

bar said:


> We are near the French Spanish border, yesterday met a couple from Eastbourne who, whilst sleeping in their 18month old Bessacar had gas injected into their vehicle. There were no air vents at body height lev el and the robbers cut out the passenger side triangular window.They had a security belt from passenger to drivers door this was cut through. They had an interior alarm set which awoke the husband but not the wife. He switched on all his lights and triggered his alarm and horn and drove off one of the robbers stood at the exit flagging him down, he drove straight to the police station at Biarritz where he got very sympathetic help.
> Weather here rainy stormy, more later Barry / Del


Thats really scary....


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

LordAtManor said:


> Is Flunitrazepam available in a spray form ? It seems to have all the effects that a 'gas attack' might, and does not appear to be particularly dangerous even when administered by criminals
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohypnol


 I'm not certain but I seem to remember reading that this was also dubbed the 'date/rape' drug, administered by tablet to unsuspecting victims via a drink?
Don't think it was ever made in a gaseous form though?

Regards M&D


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

LordAtManor said:


> Is Flunitrazepam available in a spray form ? It seems to have all the effects that a 'gas attack' might, and does not appear to be particularly dangerous even when administered by criminals
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohypnol


Hi
this drug would have the desired affect but it's in powder or capsule form.Can't find anything about an aerosol product, unless the criminals have developed a way of spraying it which I think is highly unlikely ..


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

kokopeli said:


> Boff, where does it mention that this happened on a motorway aire?


Hi kokopeli,

yep, you are right... :? I did not read thoroughly. Nevertheless I _guess_ that it was exactly there...

Regarding Flunitrazepam: Fortunately this stuff cannot be administered in form of a gas. And if it could, then the already mentioned concerns regarding the volume of a motorhome would apply.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

These things seem to happen to people all over the place

Not too sure about the gas though if the alarm woke the fellow up. Could just br that they had travelled a long way & retired early & fallen into a deep sleep of the tired

Any way do your best to enjoy your trip in spite of the weather


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## 91766 (May 1, 2005)

I'm not saying that these attacks don't happen and I don't doubt your word here Barry. However.......... I agree entirely with Boff's comment that 'extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence'. 

We spent five weeks on the road in France this summer, using aires and services areas. The only incident we came across occured in the motorhome area at a theme park. Someone broke into a M/H while the owners were in the park. It turned out that the bathroom window had been left ajar while the van was empty... 

We tend to travel late evenings and have often pulled into motorway service areas for a few hours sleep in the early hours. In doing this, we typically arrive late and leave early, reducing the opportunity for passing thieves. We've always felt reasonably safe doing this, although we always take simple precautions such as parking near occupied buildings, other M/Hs or lorries. We lock and close everything except a roof vent, never put the rear steadies down and make sure we can get the van out quickly (forwards and backwards if possible). If an area doesn't look or feel right, we drive on.

Alarming as this incident may sound, I'm afraid I need a bit more conclusive evidence before I start pre-booking our stops....


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Opportunist robbery - yes. Gas attack - I'm not convinced.

If the criminal element had developed such a powerful knock-out gas (that nobody else can seem to locate), they surely would use it on more lucrative targets than mh travellers. - like Securicor vans!

Has there ever been reliable evidence like empty canisters?

Convince me if you can.

Tony


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

Good point Tony

I have just about given up on posting on gas attacks, I thought the same, why on earth would these advanced robbers go to so much trouble for so little gain.

I thought this was an "Motorway Aire" story as well because of the quote "one of the robbers stood at the exit flagging him down", but - ho hum.

Boff - You have posted so many common sense and technical points on this subject that you must be weary of trying to help folk see sense. I appreciate your posts and enjoy reading them.

Cheers all

Dave


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Seems obvious to me: underpaid French anaesthetists are moonlighting as robbers. :lol: :lol: 

Olley


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## Road_Runner_644 (May 9, 2005)

Hi Olley

I think you've cracked it, :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 

nice one 

Dave


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

Has anyone posted about gas attacks who have actually experienced it personally It always seems to be "somebody we've met". 
This is as good as the Indian rope trick


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## 91766 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Bigfoot,

You've hit the proverbial nail on the head. It seems that this has always happened to a friend-of-a-friend. Lots has already been said about gas attacks in this (and probably other) forums. I think it is one of those urban myths - like the wild leopard roaming Dartmoor, or the man who 'pulled' an attractive lady in a nightclub, only to wake up in a strange hotel room to find out that one of his kidneys had been surgically removed.......

Chris :roll:


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## 95603 (Jul 1, 2005)

Thats a new one on me but I did hear about the chap who pulled a good looking woman in a bar and woke up in the morning to find that his wallet had been surgically removed.

On a serious note about possible gas attacks may I suggest that you consult the Road Transport industry. Surely if this method of attack was being used the target would be overnight stop truck drivers sleeping in their cabs and with very valuable cargos. To date I have not seen any reports of this except the usual "A chap I knew...".

Just one other point. It has been posted several times that the crooks are hardly going to purchase expensive gas to carry out a robbery where the gain is so small. What makes you think that the crooks haven't nicked the gas?

Regards,

Mike.


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Raisin said:


> Just one other point. It has been posted several times that the crooks are hardly going to purchase expensive gas to carry out a robbery where the gain is so small. What makes you think that the crooks haven't nicked the gas?


Hi Mike,

simply because nicking the valuables from the motorhome (or even the complete motorhome) _without gas_ is a much easier task than nicking the gas.

Seems that I can't resist again. :wink:

This topic has now been brought up for the umpteenth time (use search option), and the outcome has always been the same:

1. No first-hand reports, only "heard of...", "...a friend of a friend..." etc.
2. No proof of gas-usage ever found (empty cans etc.).
3. No positive proof like motorhomers woken up by their gas alarm _because_ crooks were just administering gas.
3. With all known narcotic gases this is simply not possible - at least not in the ways it is described - because the volume of a motorhome is too large and the gas would not disperse homogeneously.
4. No accidents with narcotic gas. No killed motorhomers, no detonated motorhomes, no crooks severely burnt or heavily sedated.
5. It would really have to be a fantastic "mystery gas": Simple to administer, works in smallest quantities but no adverse side effects even when administering severe overdoses, vanishes immediately when the crooks come in while still effective on their victims, non-inflammable, same specific weight as air, etc. And, of course: Either cheap or very easy to be nicked or self-made.

Such a gas would mean a revolution for surgery. Whoever has it would make a fortune by selling it to hospitals. Much better than nicking wallets from motorhomes.

So, we are back at the good old Urban Legend.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## funnymunny (May 13, 2005)

I think we have been down this road so many times recently and yes you are right its always a friend of a friend, a recent survey on here asked the question "has it happened to anybody on here ?" and i think there was an overwhelming answer of no.
In Italy recently i met a couple who were robbed down in Spain, initially they said they had thought they had been gassed because they felt awful but on reflection they had realised they had been drinking with a British couple the night before who seemed to encourage them and now think that thier drinks were spiked. The British couple had moved on when they woke up minus a few items. The moral of the story is be careful of what and who you drink with.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I don't want to drag on with this but if the 7556 registered members of MHF can't come up with some evidence, even a tiny shred, then like ET, it's all a myth (in fact there's more evidence of ET than there is of gas attacks - I've seen ET!).


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