# Robbery on autoroute



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I'm surprised nobody's picked up on this, maybe it was my dire warning not to take my thread off-topic :roll:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-696560.html#696560

I have put up the link to the FAQ post about "gas attacks" on the next post on that thread. So any comments? My questions to Snowey1 would be 
1) what evidence was there for any use of narcotic gas? 
2) did the police do any forensic checks? 
3) was it just a gallic shrug, and blame it on a gas attack?


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

bognormike said:


> I'm surprised nobody's picked up on this, maybe it was my dire warning not to take my thread off-topic :roll:
> 
> http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-696560.html#696560


Mike, you are hearby found guilty of the henious crime of incitement to start yet another [email protected] thread.

Take 'im down.

:lol:

Pete


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Guilty as charged.

Thought gassing had finished

Dave p


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Attacks*

Think the French Police should get a camping car, stay in it overnight in a Problem area and stake it out.


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I plead guilty m'lud. 

 

But in mitigation, I would have expected somebody else to have done it before me.


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

bognormike said:


> But in mitigation, I would have expected somebody else to have done it before me.


My fault Boggy. I took my eye of the ball.


----------



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

I believe the gas used for starting engines is ether. Now you can have some fun. Sorry for this but I couldn't resist.


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Qoute The police thought it was a gas attack.


Simplifies paperwork. I think there must be a pre printed form for such a robbery.

Dave p


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

But doesn't it make you feel better, you didn't drink to much, you weren't to tired, you had locked all the doors, it wasn't your fault after all, you were "Gassed" :roll:

Olley


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

yes, he didn't say he was gassed, the police implied it. Maybe it's self perpetuating :roll: . As you say, Dave, easier to tick a few boxes than go any further....


----------



## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

jhelm said:


> I believe the gas used for starting engines is ether. Now you can have some fun. Sorry for this but I couldn't resist.


That'll be ether then (easy start )

Loddy


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Maybe the French word for Gas is joke. John Darm maybe having a laugh.


----------



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

I think they said the dog was gassed as well, how about that?


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Dog*



jhelm said:


> I think they said the dog was gassed as well, how about that?


I think they were making a point that they had a dog. As such, the hound did not alert them to the robber(s).

I think!?


----------



## tommytli (Aug 7, 2008)

i would of thought if you are asleep on the auto route you would not be on ehu so fridge would be on gas so that means a naked flame, so if some1 is filling your m/h up with a conbustible gas such as easy start etc to knock you out before robbing you whay have you not been blown to bits 1st??


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Gassing*

Does gassing have a meaning in the motorhome world? I always refer to "gassing batteries" on a train or similar. Gosh, gassing and motorhomes, I'd never have thought of that.

R


----------



## derek500 (Oct 31, 2005)

*Re: Dog*



teemyob said:


> jhelm said:
> 
> 
> > I think they said the dog was gassed as well, how about that?
> ...


I thought they were saying the dog was stolen too!!

"...staying on Aire of motorway we were robbed while asleep, dog as well,..."


----------



## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

tommytli said:


> i would of thought if you are asleep on the auto route you would not be on ehu so fridge would be on gas so that means a naked flame, so if some1 is filling your m/h up with a conbustible gas such as easy start etc to knock you out before robbing you whay have you not been blown to bits 1st??


The naked flame is outside the van in other words room sealed ( or should be) so no explosion.

I get the feeling you lot are taking the urine. 8O

loddy


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I think it woulkd be useful if Snowey1 could come back & give us some more detail of the incident, and the police actions. We have asked on other reported robberies for first hand evidence - this could be that one?

another question - if it was the autostart stuff, it would be fairly unlikely that one canister of the stuff could "fill up" a hymer motorhome. One more I've just thought of, if a can (or more) of this stuff was used, was there any evidence of discarded canisters? Or would the robbers have cleaned up after themselves? :?


----------



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

To me it's a bunch of silliness, ether has a very strong smell that would still be there the next morning. Also I can still remember the smell of it and my breath after a surgery I had when I was 11. I think that it would have to be sprayed right in a persons face to have any affect at all otherwise I imagine maybe ten cans might do it and what about the robbers do they wear gas masks or what.

Did you know people used to use this stuff as a drug?


----------



## Snowey1 (Jun 9, 2008)

*Gassing*

Hi everybody, it probably was just a shrug of the shoulders, I cannot say I quite believe the gas blame, but all I will say is that we had a dog inside that is usually pretty alert, we were all asleep (hadn't had a drink, didn't think we were overtired either, the robber yanked open the lock with probably a screwdriver crept in inches away from where my wife was sleeping and took Jeans and bag from seat where the dog was down below, he was pretty clever if he didn't use anything to make sure we were asleep.
Snowey1


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Is Bradex EasyStart 'Petroleum Ether' or 'Diethyl Ether' ?


----------



## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

sallytrafic said:


> Is Bradex EasyStart 'Petroleum Ether' or 'Diethyl Ether' ?


Let me google that for you.... :lol:

http://www.midlandcontinental.co.uk/bow-ds-misbes1.pdf

http://lmgtfy.com/


----------



## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

sallytrafic said:


> Is Bradex EasyStart 'Petroleum Ether' or 'Diethyl Ether' ?


 _Inappropriate emoticon removed by Moderators_


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> 'Diethyl Ether'


Is that the low calorie version?

8)

Pete


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Diethyl (pronounced Di E thile, PJ  ) Ether is the narcotic with the distinctive smell. The hazard sheet that Trevd01 found and I didn't (and LMGTFY didn't for me either BTW) shows that EasyStart has 30% Diethlyl Ether. In my experience not only is it explosively combustible anyone with a nose could tell if it had been used, for example the smell 'sticks' to fabrics.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

From my knowledge of chemistry, diethyl ether is a colourless liquid with a low boiling point and it is very much denser than air. As such if it was sprayed into a van it would lay on the floor and would stay there.

It is not used in UK now - the after effects of it are very unpleasant and it lingers for a long while.

You can find more details on;

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

Petroleum ether is different; it is not actually an ether and is a derivative from petroleum produced during fractional distillation, I do not think it has ever been used as an anaesthetic agent. More details from;

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

Now for some A level chemistry classes............

I am not surprised that easy-start is based on diethyl ether - that is very volatile and highly flammable. Pet. ether does not have the same properties.

Hope that helps :lol:

Dave


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Both have very low flash points not requiring a naked flame for ignition. I wonder why Bradex use the Diethyl I would have thought the toxicity mitigated against its use.


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: Gassing*



Snowey1 said:


> Hi everybody, it probably was just a shrug of the shoulders, I cannot say I quite believe the gas blame, but all I will say is that we had a dog inside that is usually pretty alert, we were all asleep (hadn't had a drink, didn't think we were overtired either, the robber yanked open the lock with probably a screwdriver crept in inches away from where my wife was sleeping and took Jeans and bag from seat where the dog was down below, he was pretty clever if he didn't use anything to make sure we were asleep.
> Snowey1


First thing I did when we bought both motorhomes was buy a safe. Securely bolted and hidden in the MH. Keep all valuables and money in it unless needed. IE cards and cash kept in cab for tolls and once we stop anywhere, they all go in the safe, including my laptop and camera.


----------



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: Gassing*



Snowey1 said:


> he was pretty clever if he didn't use anything to make sure we were asleep


Ah! At last - the Gas evidence.

There is none.  What do they say about "assume"....?

Dougie.


----------



## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Hi,

It is all very well having this armchair debate about the effectiveness of various gases. That debate seems to have reached a definite conclusion that gas attacks cannot work; therefore they must be a myth. 

We should consider the possibility that the French Police probably have more knowledge of the MO of their local highway bandits than we do. 

I don't think we should attribute too much technical expertise in anaesthesia to these robbers. If they believe that squirting a can of gas of any sort into a MH will have a narcotic effect and stop the sleeping occupants waking up then presumably they will do it. If the occupants (and their dog) didn't wake up, that's a result for the robbers. Presumably it will reinforce their belief that their MO worked, so they will keep doing it.


SD


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Robbery*

I know that a lot of the French Authorities deem this to be a pain but have better things to do with their time. I mean after all, why waste time with one of 50 Million tourists who cannot be bothered to use a campsite during reasonable hours, prefering to being inconsiderate and using a motorway Aire.

In any case, they need to concentrate on.....

Speeding Foreigners doing 144Kph rather than 130
Passengers of RHD cars who don't have seatbelts on when pulling away from tolls after reaching for ticket
Anything with a British or indeed foreign plate with too many flies squashed on the screen could warrant a STOP soon!

I have recently seen a few Cops trapping speeders approaching tolls, one even stopped a French Lady the other day!


----------



## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

With reference to break-ins via the cab doors. I recently realized that my (dodgy) ears are quite a considerable distance from the cab doors when laid in the rear corner fixed bed.
So the distance, sleep and OH's snoring would in fact make a skilled break-in quite feasible, even without gas assistance.

We rely on the dog as our protection, but fear he may 'clock off, after dark! :?


----------



## Snowey1 (Jun 9, 2008)

*Roibbery*

I am here now in my Motorhome having a lovely time in wonderful weather, I think some of you think our experience was funny, I can assure you it was not at the time, the only reason I reported it to the forum was to try and help in anyway I could that it didn't happen to anybody else, and people would be more aware of where they stop.
Kind Regards Snowey


----------



## peeter (Aug 6, 2009)

Our local paper reports a number of cases of overnighting MH on the motorway A9 btween Beziers and Montpellier being targeted by organised gangs mainly from Eastern europe.They have attacked mainly German and Dutch travellersThe police have set up special watches for them on the rest areas with some success.It is really not adviseable anymore to overnight unless with others.It is always best in my opinion to leave the motorway and find a place near a village or town,which is usually very easy.The same applies to Spanish motorways.


----------



## apxc15 (Dec 1, 2007)

peeter said:


> Our local paper reports a number of cases of overnighting MH on the motorway A9 btween Beziers and Montpellier being targeted by organised gangs mainly from Eastern europe.They have attacked mainly German and Dutch travellersThe police have set up special watches for them on the rest areas with some success.It is really not adviseable anymore to overnight unless with others.It is always best in my opinion to leave the motorway and find a place near a village or town,which is usually very easy.The same applies to Spanish motorways.


Having been recently robbed myself, in France, whilst asleep.
I know that 
1- No gas was used.
2-The French Police were not interested in making any attempt to pursue the matter, and quite frankly did not care.
3- That the Fiat cab is the easiest cab in the world to break into. Frankly there is little or no point in locking the door's. A 5year old could break in without making a sound. (Hence not waking up, probably)

I have a Hymer A Class now and wonder if these tow rags have been able to get into one of these so easily.

Pete 8)

Think my question is answered as just noticed that the victim in this instance has a Hymer A class and he got done.


----------



## 2escapees (Nov 28, 2008)

It never fails to amaze me that Brits still think it is OK to park overnight at an autoroute aire.

The word is is simple DON'T!


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

apxc15 said:


> peeter said:
> 
> 
> > Our local paper reports a number of cases of overnighting MH on the motorway A9 btween Beziers and Montpellier being targeted by organised gangs mainly from Eastern europe.They have attacked mainly German and Dutch travellersThe police have set up special watches for them on the rest areas with some success.It is really not adviseable anymore to overnight unless with others.It is always best in my opinion to leave the motorway and find a place near a village or town,which is usually very easy.The same applies to Spanish motorways.
> ...


----------

