It has been my experience, working law enforcement in western Colorado, at the county level, that as a general thought, boondockers tend to be more observant of their surroundings. Not always but most boondockers have been at RVing for some time, tend not to have spent their lives as city slickers, etc.
So it was no surprise, when I was working, that most of the calls for RV related issues, were from the campgrounds, private and government, not from boondockers. I can only remember one boondocker call, that I had to respond to, was for a guy and his wife that had locked their TC and truck, gone for a hike and the guy lost the keys to their rig. Not something you want to do with your spouse is with you. She wanted to break out a truck side window to get to their spare set of keys, but he didn't want to do that so they hiked about 4 or 5 miles to a hill top, where they had some cell service to call 911. Dispatch sent me out and in a couple of minutes I had used my slim jim to open their truck door. The wife got made at me, for requiring them to show me proof of ownership, of the rig before I took off.
But on the other hand, we must have received 20 calls from organized campgrounds, private and governmental ones. The magic word involved is, opportunity. Most thefts from RVs are not the work of professional perps. Most were not by the work or other RVers. If a person wants to steal something to resale quickly, where would they go, to drive on some remote trail/road, to see if anyone is camping and not at their rig? Or would they drive near a campground, park and walk in to see what is available to steal. Some evenings, while on patrol, if everything was quiet and calm, I would cruise through the different campgrounds, and was always amazed at the items people had setting outside their rigs, in open site, not even appearing to be locked, towed or tow vehicles also not locked.
So if you wish to be safe, go boondocking, if you want to have to be very careful and always vigilant of your surroundings, then go to a campground. LOL
Good articles Bryan, many good thought provoking things to consider. I especially like your comments, about the ladders,many of us have mounted on the back of our rigs.
I do have what I call my 5 mile rule,in that I won't boondock within 5 miles of any town or village, whether in the Lower 48 or in Canada or Alaska. Too many times the roads near by to a town/village, are used by the teenagers and others that like to use them as turn arounds, as they cruise the streets at night. The last thing any of us want to have to deal with is a group of teenagers, possibly impaired ones, that have decided to have a little fun with the RV fellow.
Had this happen one night when I was tired and stopped too close to town. Was just south of Anchorage, by Potter's Marsh and had pulled off on a site where there had previously been a state weigh station. About midnight a couple of cars full of drunk kids decided to party at that same location. Started bang on the sides of our RV, etc. I wish I had a video of the looks on their faces when I stepped out of the RV, with my police badge on a chain around my neck and my off duty weapon on my belt with a star on it as well. Never saw a group of people sober up so quickly in my life. LOL A couple of the kids were not drinking so I appointed them to be the designated drivers and informed them if they were still there in a minute after our conversation, I would be calling the municipal cops to come take give them a ride to jail. Not mean bad kids, just teenagers being obnoxious, that were interrupting my sleep. LOL
