Protecting your BOV

[Reality Jones]

I have been looking at my BOV recently and wondering how best to protect it if I'm forced to Bug in for a while before I can use it to get the f#ck out of Dodge!

How do I stop it being stolen or looted? Or worse, set fire to in some riot or other post SHTF disturbance? I have made it look as inconspicuous as I can, never washing it has built up a nice layer of grime and leaving all the dents and scratches on the body work have lessened its appeal to would be thieves.
I was thinking that I could take a wheel off or maybe let a couple of tyres down, but what if I needed to bug out unexpectedly in the middle of the night or leave in a hurry during the day and don't have time to replace the wheel or pump up the tyres?? Potentialy I could be trapping myself in a bad situation!

What have you guys done or intend to do to protect your BOV's from possible damage or theft if you are forced to leave it somewhere before you can use it?

[NorthernRaider]

Stolen, take two of the wheels off
Looted, keep the vehicles kits in tubs in the garage
Hi risk threat, sleep in van that night.
or store it in secure yard or garage?

[uks]

Fit a battery isolation switch this way you can isolate the power supply to the starter motor but will also let use the vehicle with a turn of the switch
http://www.electricwinchshop.co.uk/winch...witch.html

[Skean Dhude]

I'm with NR here. If you hve everything put aside, battery on trickle, tested regularly and fully fueled and have the items and the tools at hand then you can get the wheels on and get it loaded quickly.

It is a balancing act 15 mins to get ready and more secure or instantly ready for you or your midnight visitors.

[Skvez]

This isn't supposed to trivialise an important issue.
It's clearly an exaggerated case but something along these lines might help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3oNMFhjfpo

A battery isolator is big, expensive, easy to spot under the bonnet and easy to diagnose (you turn the yet and nothing happens). A spark isolator lets the car crank but don't let it fire. It's smaller, easier to conceal and harder to diagnose.

My biggest (BOV damage before I use it) concern in a SHTF scenario is someone putting a basin under my fuel tank and ramming a screwdriver up into the tank to steal the petrol, that's hard to repair (even if you have spare petrol stored somewhere).

[uks]

Quote:My biggest (BOV damage before I use it) concern in a SHTF scenario is someone putting a basin under my fuel tank and ramming a screwdriver up into the tank to steal the petrol, that’s hard to repair (even if you have spare petrol stored somewhere).

If its a popular vehicle fit a plate steel or alloy fuel tank guard,

http://www.safari-equip.co.uk/index.php?page=66

[preservefreak]

I presume keeping it locked in a garage isn't an option for you?

[NorthernRaider]

A hidden switch on the low tension side of the ignition module costs less than £20

[bigpaul]

anybody got any ideas about camo netting? i'm thinking of getting some to cover the Berlingo after bugging out post SHTF, i'll have to measure the vehicle to see exactly how much i need, but would be greatful for any suggestions!

[Skvez]

Camo netting is relatively inexpensive and available from a host of places on-line.
It's probably more effective at hiding things from the air (viewed from far away) rather than from someone walking closeby.
I've always been a little concerned about how much attention I'd attract by buying it.