Leveling block theft

This thread has been quite entertaining. Like a good novel, I had to read every page! However, it wouldn't be so much fun if I were the poster who lost my camping accessories.
There is never a fail safe deterrent to thievery, but, all the replies have given me food for thought on how I will prevent it. Maybe a nice NRA poster, with, "Occupied by a gun owner, returning shortly", or, "Do you feel lucky, today", with a full size blow up of Clint Eastwood?

If you're going to be watching on your phone, why not just pretend to leave then sneak back to the campground and watch your site from the bushes? You could video recorder the offender and turn it over to the authorities who have nothing better to do than nail this leveling block theft ring.

I guess you have to hide it. Also new cameras can be observed with a smart phone and recorded with a smart phone. Camera might be gone. Bad people will be recorded. This is just an idea.

Heapie

booster wrote:

Heapie wrote:
Anybody thought to leave a camera tied to a tree so they can observe their campsite while they are away? Also record what is going on. A little cop action might stop this ****.

Heapie

What are the odds the camera would still be there when you go back? :)

It won't which is why you need another camera watching the camera that will be taken.

Heapie wrote:
Anybody thought to leave a camera tied to a tree so they can observe their campsite while they are away? Also record what is going on. A little cop action might stop this ****.

Heapie

What are the odds the camera would still be there when you go back? :)

My solution is to leave nothing behind. My campsite looks abandoned during the day. If I have to kick some one out of the site when I get back, well it sucks to be you. I am really sorry but unsteak the tent, pick up your firewood and get out of my site.

Alternatively if I get to really cool place and don't come back, all my sxxx is with me.

Anybody thought to leave a camera tied to a tree so they can observe their campsite while they are away? Also record what is going on. A little cop action might stop this ****.

Heapie

This thread has taken many directions but just to remind everyone this is the Class B forum and a Class B in a campground that leaves in the day to go out sightseeing is different from a large RV or trailer that stays on site. We are coming back - and perhaps it just needs to be a given that if a site is empty with property still on it, this does not mean it was forgotten - and often these are things put there to mark the site as still occupied.

I find this to be a great thread. Really gives insight. If you ask me, I'd go by the Golden Rule, and that's the answer, period. I would expect others to as well. Am I really reading posts here that diss the lost and found box principle, and suggest we should save the office the trouble? It kind of comes with the territory that owners of a destination will have to solve what to do when items remain in the lost and found too long, but customers really don't get that luxury. No, a bungee cord does not need to go to lost and found, but items over $5 or $10 do. Finding something in a campground is an easy call, bring it to the ranger or office if nearby. If it has value, leave it with the assumption the owner may come back for it (if they have even really left). Finding something on the roadside is an easy call as well, no lost and found, leave it if it is somewhat obvious the owner will come back for it, help find the owner if the owner is identifiable (wallet, etc.) keep it if there is no likely way to find the owner and value is not enough for them to come back looking for it. It is kind of late in the debate to bring up campgrounds with no manager within 90 minutes. How common are those across the county, and was this discussion about those places, even if they do exist in good numbers in some regions? Golden rule says if in doubt, leave it. I accept the argument of not jumping to conclusions to call someone a thief, but given the items mentioned, if they were not thieves, then they weren't exactly good Samaritans either. It is a no-brainer not to take leveling blocks in any case, ok, maybe 99.9% of the cases.

Scrounging wood may be a different category, especially if you know for certain people have left. Many areas have laws now about transporting firewood, and some people leave wood for others to use. No one really leaves things made out of metal and plastic for the next person to use.

DutchmenSport wrote:

When the campground empties out Sunday at noon, and it is now Tuesday morning and the campsites have not been occupied, and you find something there... is that still "theft?"

How about when you go to occupy the campsite you have previously reserved, and you discover something was left by the previous occupant? What do you do then? ... let's see ... a pair of pliers, a pair of scissors, a kids walkie-talking (only one though, not both), bungie cords, springs that hold those carpet mats to your camper steps, ... oh ... how about all those cigarrette butts thrown on the ground!

What do you do with all of that? Theft!

The State of Georgia has a law on the books: Theft of lost or mislaid property. Basically means the kids rhyme "finders keepers, losers weepers" means that yes it is a crime to take something left behind.