After 12 years at the same campground without any issues, this winter we were not so lucky. 49 different sites in the campground got broken into. Good news is that the thief was caught red-handed and is sitting in a correctional facility awaiting his court date. What was really interesting is that with some RVs he broke into, he was able to just "POP" the door open on many different manufacturers but others he had to really destroy the door to get in. Our camper door and the frame have to be replaced because we used the dead bolt to lock the door and we had long screws securing the dead bolt. The guy had to try at least 12 times to get our door open.The police told me that the RVers should treat their doors like the doors on their homes and use better/longer screws to secure the strike plate for the locks. If someone is intent on gaining entry they are still going to get in, but they are going to have to really work at it.

Been there, but it was at a storage lot, not a campground. Sorry you have to go through with it. While in storage, I just used the door, didn't bother with the deadbolt and the "thief" busted that lock easily. I figured they were looking for items to steal, we had none. So I locked the deadbolt figuring that would keep them out. It did keep them out, but they sure tried to get in. They broke the window and tore the metal at the window trying to get in. They never did get in, but I had to replace the door and frame as well.At least they caught the guy that broke into yours. Never did find out who broke into ours and I don't think the police really cared.-Michael

You can get into any RV with a flathead screwdriver or if you're really intent just a few sets of keys will open most of the RV on any given lot.Why get your rig all busted up trying to keep them out?? Locks are only there to keep honest people honest, the rest are coming in.

The police figure that the guy did more than $100,000 worth of damage to the RVs as well as 9 homes around the lake. In the homes he took the copper piping, the furnaces and anything that he could sell. In the RVs he took whatever he could sell and it doesn't appear that he damaged anything but the entry point.

They get in thru the skylights, too.

At one of the storage lots we had our RV at, the thieves used pry bars to bend up the lower corner of each door enough to reach in and undo any locks if the door had no window. If the door had a window (like ours) they smashed the window and reached in to undo the deadbolt and door lock. Luckily we were at the end of the line, I guess they ran out of carrying space, so they only took a couple of ski vests and a portable radio.

Trailer got broken into. Thief totally destroyed the door.

mgirardo
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
Been there, but it was at a storage lot, not a campground. Sorry you have to go through with it. While in storage, I just used the door, didn't bother with the deadbolt and the "thief" busted that lock easily. I figured they were looking for items to steal, we had none. So I locked the deadbolt figuring that would keep them out.

It did keep them out, but they sure tried to get in. They broke the window and tore the metal at the window trying to get in. They never did get in, but I had to replace the door and frame as well.

At least they caught the guy that broke into yours. Never did find out who broke into ours and I don't think the police really cared.

-Michael
shum02
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
You can get into any RV with a flathead screwdriver or if you're really intent just a few sets of keys will open most of the RV on any given lot.

Why get your rig all busted up trying to keep them out?? Locks are only there to keep honest people honest, the rest are coming in.
Mainevacationer
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
The police figure that the guy did more than $100,000 worth of damage to the RVs as well as 9 homes around the lake. In the homes he took the copper piping, the furnaces and anything that he could sell. In the RVs he took whatever he could sell and it doesn't appear that he damaged anything but the entry point.
Go_Dogs
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
They get in thru the skylights, too.
the_bear_II
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
At one of the storage lots we had our RV at, the thieves used pry bars to bend up the lower corner of each door enough to reach in and undo any locks if the door had no window. If the door had a window (like ours) they smashed the window and reached in to undo the deadbolt and door lock. Luckily we were at the end of the line, I guess they ran out of carrying space, so they only took a couple of ski vests and a portable radio.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Apr 01, 2015
Sorry to hear you have to deal with this. Very happy they caught the guy. Probably can't get blood from a turnip though.
jplante4
Explorer II
Apr 01, 2015
Well, my take-away from this post is to leave the rig unlocked and remove everything of value when in long term storage. That way they get nothing and don't damage the coach breaking in.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
They way our legal system works, if after a year he gets a court date, he'll find creative ways for continuances, one after another after another. Then enough time will go by and the whole matter will be dropped. If it's not dropped, some judge will most likely give him "time served" and set free. Or he may find a way to plea bargain and get some laxidazial probation with time served. He'll never have to pay a restitution to the victims whose property was damaged. And even if he is ordered to pay a fine, he'll never pay. Then you go through the process of attempting to garnish wages, just to find out he's skipped, and it takes a few more years to find the guy on the lam. When you do catch up with him (because he back in jail for another offense), you finally get a court date for "just cause", just to find he he's 100% unemployed, derelict and has no intention of ever paying anything. It's frustrating, mind blowing, aggitating, and makes your blood boil and steam into oblivion at the foolishness of the legal system. If you are expecting restitution for the damage, you'll never see it. Count your blessing if you can collect insurance on the damage and then move on. (don't ask me how I know all this, it still makes my blood boil!)
gbopp
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
jplante4 wrote:
Well, my take-away from this post is to leave the rig unlocked and remove everything of value when in long term storage. That way they get nothing and don't damage the coach breaking in.

Unfortunately, you're probably right.
icanon
Explorer
Apr 01, 2015
The way the system works criminals has more rights than their victims!