Theft: the bad, the bad, and the really bad

[Mlewin51]

So we are starting fulltime in June. Although I'm not overly paranoid I am cognizant of my surroundings. That being said going fulltime or anytime for that matter leaves "doors open" in and around the RV. What has been your experience whether with you or someone you know of things gone missing as in stolen? I'm running through possible items such as expensive surge protectors, bicycles, etc. along with coming up with my own list I'm starting to create plans to protect some stuff.

Cheers!

[gfs1943]

wa8yxm wrote:
In over 30 years of Camping only been ripped off once (First time out with my first trailer) I was in a state park and theives came in the night and when I woke up I found I'd lost my breakfast, (lunch, Dinner, Super, everything that was on ice in the cooler).

Got a new cooler, New ice, new food and since there was no room in the triler locked it in the car at night.

Only time I've been ripped off.. I stay mostly in private/membership campgrounds and there is an appearance of security.. this appearance seems to cut down on crime... State and other government parks often do not have that look so thieves feel more comfortable there.. and are.

I kept thinking I needed to get a new cooler, Fill it with ICe and soft drinks but first put a piece of boiler plate in the bottom and about a half inch air craft steel cable to a nearby tree.. Thieves put it in trunk, take off, cable plays out, trunk is ... Opened.. When the boiler plate comes out of the thign

Very impressive, not all that costly

Did a similar action on a USAF base one time. We had a maintenance officer who liked to patrol the flight line in his little Fiat convertible. If he saw a tool box sitting out, he'd grab it and take it to his office, then make the owner report to him to get it back.

Guys welded an iron ring on the bottom of a tool box and used a short piece of chain to lock it to a grounding ring on the concrete. Yep, here came Major Whatsisname, opened his door, grabbed the handle of the tool box, stepped on the gas, and was almost jerked out of the car. He changed his patrol habits after that.

[2lazy4U]

Have camped extensively all my life and never had anything stolen.

The best preventative is to have junk that nobody wants.

[crasster]

Never had a problem myself. I think common sense goes a long way. A lot depends on where you are camping (party RV camping or wilderness camping) too. Get a feel for the environment. Mainly, I wouldn't leave expensive stuff out. Little $12 camping chairs we do and other misc items. The main thing is if they want it they will get it. Take precautions but don't live in paranoia. Consider any Joe Blow with a 3ft. crowbar will be able to break into ANY RV door. A huge pair of bolt cutters will chop any lock. It's just a reality. So go and have fun and be sensible and just take precautions to avoid "tempting" thieves. I would myself lock bikes but not a cooler's handle.

[Jack_Diane_Free]

I have been camping in some form for 50 years or so and have never had anything stolen. I do lock the bikes up but leave out the gas stove, chairs, bar-b, firewood. All good.

[wa8yxm]

In over 30 years of Camping only been ripped off once (First time out with my first trailer) I was in a state park and theives came in the night and when I woke up I found I'd lost my breakfast, (lunch, Dinner, Super, everything that was on ice in the cooler).

Got a new cooler, New ice, new food and since there was no room in the triler locked it in the car at night.

Only time I've been ripped off.. I stay mostly in private/membership campgrounds and there is an appearance of security.. this appearance seems to cut down on crime... State and other government parks often do not have that look so thieves feel more comfortable there.. and are.

I kept thinking I needed to get a new cooler, Fill it with ICe and soft drinks but first put a piece of boiler plate in the bottom and about a half inch air craft steel cable to a nearby tree.. Thieves put it in trunk, take off, cable plays out, trunk is ... Opened.. When the boiler plate comes out of the thign

Very impressive, not all that costly

[mike_brez]

I had a bottle of booze and a few beers taken. Or maybe I drank it.

[mabynack]

I was checking in at a park in Milton, FL when the police showed up. Some guy had walked into an occupied RV and grabbed a woman's purse right off the dining room table. They didn't catch him.

It surprises me how many people lock their homes and cars, but when they come down here to Florida they don't bother locking up their RVs. I came back to mine once and someone had tried to pry the door open. They had bent the lip of the door all up. They stole my battery and took the cable from the breakaway switch.

[barmcd]

I had my sewer hose stolen once. I suspect it was the final act of an altercation we had with some rowdy campers which resulted in several of them being ejected from the state park.

[Valkyriebush]

Never had anything stolen. Mostly stay on Military bases or private RV parks, I do have a cheap dash cam pointed at my pathway X-2 for what its worth, and a steel cable with lock, plus small Video surveillance sign on it. This being stolen would ruin my day. Anything else, not so much.

[lakebum]

I have been camping all my life and we have never experienced any thefts, however as camping/RVing has become so popular and wide spread, you have all walks of life camping, from cabins, tents to Class A. I keep everything locked and move anything I don't want to disappear. I forgot and left my Yeti 65 outside over night this year and in the middle of the night got up (had to wake the son to help) and brought it in doors.

[ctpres]

Lost zero things camping. Virtually every vist to local CW results in some small - pocket size item missing. Last time I double checked bay locks before and after service. EVERYONE of them was unlocked.

[sailor_lou]

We are also in the never had anything stolen club. I usually leave the chairs, grill and snack tables out and some of the basement doors unlocked. We do lock the RV when we leave, but typically the windows are open.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

[dahkota]

The only thing we have had stolen (repeatedly) in two years of full timing are silver valve stem caps. We've lost 12. They typically 'fall off' four at a time.

[DutchmenSport]

rockhillmanor wrote:

Mlewin51 wrote:
So we are starting fulltime in June.
Although I'm not overly paranoid I am cognizant of my surroundings. That being said going fulltime or anytime for that matter leaves "doors open" in and around the RV. What has been your experience whether with you or someone you know of things gone missing as in stolen? I'm running through possible items such as expensive surge protectors, bicycles, etc. along with coming up with my own list I'm starting to create plans to protect some stuff. Cheers!

First of all when you go full time you will find that within a few weeks of being on the road, you will eventually loose that weekend warrior syndrome of....
"put EVERYTHING out like you are having an RV week-end camping party" every time you pull into a CG. :W

After you settle in Full timing. A lawn chair will most likely be the only thing you put outside your RV. :C

This is ALL so true rockhillmanor!

Actually, we're not "full timers", but a few years ago we simply got tired of putting out all the "junk" that served no purpose. We realized we were inflating our own "egos" by putting "stuff" out in site, as if to say ... "Hey everyone! Look at us! See how much stuff we have! We're the ULTIMATE campers!"... no no no! No more!

UGG! We've realized we don't need to "impress" anyone, because in the end ... really ... no one really cares.

Now, it really is just that simple! Pull out the lawn chair and a drink and sit back and relax! Set-up and breaking camp is so much easier now! And really ... no one need to know what kind of "stuff" we have anyway. We use it, and take it back inside. Simple.

[gbopp]

I lock up. Why tempt the relatively honest people?
Locks may slightly slow or inconvenience a thief, maybe.