Lock em up... a long story

[Desert_Captain]

We recently moved to Payson AZ, a small town {20K folks} that sits at 5,000' 75 miles north of Phoenix. One of the many reasons we made the move last year was the friendly small town vibe and very little reported crime. Most of the homes in our neighborhood sit on large {half acre+} parcels and just about everyone has a trailer {utility, travel, fiver, boat etc.} and or a motorhome,
and or an ATV/UTV.

My neighbor from across the street parks his 20' TT on my neighbor to the south's property as there is lots of room. His trailer is just about 25' from the south wall of our house and well over 100' back from the street out front. When snow damaged trees appeared to be threatening the location of the trailer I expressed my concern and he and his kids did a great job of trimming the broken limbs back saving his trailer from probable damage.

About a week later he showed up my door looking none too pleased... someone had stolen his trailer the previous night and he was hoping my security cameras might have picked up the miscreants in action. Unfortunately my Blink Security system cameras, all 6 of them, provide full coverage of my house and property except... you guessed it, the property to the south to include his trailer.

Two days before the theft I was out in the north driveway splitting some wood for the evening fire when a large gray pickup with several tires piled in the bed and a couple of red gas cans pulled several lengths down my driveway from the street. I immediately walked down and asked "Can I help you?" There was a couple in the truck and the guy got out and explained they had lost their dog, a 70# Black Lab and were going door to door hoping someone had seen it. He said he had knocked on my neighbor to the south's door with no response and I told him the elderly gent that lived there won't hear you knock and his doorbell is broken.

In hindsight methinks I may have overshared but being a dog guy I was concerned for the lost doggie offering to take my Rzr SXS and go searching for him in the morning. I got her name and phone number and wished them luck. The trailer was in plain site from anyone coming to the neighbors door and was wrapped in nice new full cover.

Upon discovering this trailer missing my neighbor went door to door and the local police were soon on scene taking their report. I mentioned the truck I'd seen and they perked up. I got them the phone number and provided the best description I could. The next morning my neighbor placed a post on Facebook about his stolen trailer and after a lot of activity he got a call from a lady in Glendale who had seen the truck and trailer on her street {where parking trailers are prohibited} and she called my neighbor. He had her send pics and sure enough it was his trailer and and the same gray pickup I had seen. The Glendale police were notified and quickly on scene.

He will be getting it back eventually, no word yet as to the person or persons who took it and yes boys and girls he will be going out to buy a hitch lock and probably some additional security devices. Evidently the thieves just backed up, hooked up and rolled out probably in a matter of mere minutes.

I used to leave our Class C sitting unlocked in our driveway.... but not anymore. We close our gates every night but have learned my lesson and will step up my admittedly lax security posture.

Lock em up folks.

:C

[ol_Bombero-JC]

azdryheat wrote:
All I can say as a retired cop is ensure all your property is insured.

Unfortunately - for cars, trucks, & RVs- often the insurance doesn't cover the cost of replacement.

😞

.

[Grit_dog]

Eric&Lisa wrote:
I'll bet a fair amount become 'Zombie RVs'. They turn up in dead end streets and side roads all over the metro area. Beat up and run down. But someone is staying there. They get moved every few days. Most have no plates.

We're firmly in the upper echelon of Motorhomeless residents around here and I can't say I recall ever seeing anything remotely "new."
IMO they would garner too much attention. Those RV's are probably sitting up on remote lots up in the foothills, out of sight, cookin mucho metho.

[Grit_dog]

dedmiston wrote:

philh wrote:
I love the Charger/Challenger vehicles, and that one got my attention.

My wife drives a Charger and she would bare-knuckle fight you for lumping Challengers in with the Chargers. :B

(I like the Challengers too. Luckily she never reads this forum.)

As does mine. In Go Mango!
Although I believe she'd be fine rollin dirty in a Chally just the same! (Especially if there was a little cat emblem on the fenders...)

[Jarlaxle]

dedmiston wrote:

philh wrote:
I love the Charger/Challenger vehicles, and that one got my attention.

My wife drives a Charger and she would bare-knuckle fight you for lumping Challengers in with the Chargers. :B

(I like the Challengers too. Luckily she never reads this forum.)

They're the same car. Challenger is essentially a Charger coupe.

[dedmiston]

philh wrote:
I love the Charger/Challenger vehicles, and that one got my attention.

My wife drives a Charger and she would bare-knuckle fight you for lumping Challengers in with the Chargers. :B

(I like the Challengers too. Luckily she never reads this forum.)

[dedmiston]

Eric&Lisa wrote:
I'll bet a fair amount become 'Zombie RVs'. They turn up in dead end streets and side roads all over the metro area. Beat up and run down. But someone is staying there. They get moved every few days. Most have no plates.

My wife and I call them "Motorhomeless".

[philh]

After I helped solve a armed robbery crime because of something odd I saw, I heard from several police that a lot of crimes only get solved because somebody saw something.

Armed robbery, 4 teens lifted a phone off a 10 year old at gun point. How did they get caught, they threw the phone case out of the car nearly in front of my house. Hour later, I saw a FB post from the kids mom that her son was robbed by 4 kids in a black challenger. I love the Charger/Challenger vehicles, and that one got my attention.

[Eric_Lisa]

I'll bet a fair amount become 'Zombie RVs'. They turn up in dead end streets and side roads all over the metro area. Beat up and run down. But someone is staying there. They get moved every few days. Most have no plates.

[ferndaleflyer]

Years ago I was loading for a trip and had the class c sitting at the curb 30ft from the house running. Thief jumped in and took off. Police found it in about an hour stuck in a corn field about a mile away. Everything was ok other than a lot of mud.

[Jim_n_Steph]

A couple years ago new travel trailers where being stolen from storage lots in Elkhart County . They were parting them out selling the appliances, propane bottles etc. Worth more parts and pretty much untraceable

[azdryheat]

All I can say as a retired cop is ensure all your property is insured.

[sprint99]

While we take every precaution we can with locking our RV and trailers, the absolute best thing to have is a great insurance plan/carrier. Another very affordable peace of mind item to have is a GPS Tracker. I installed one in our rigs and know immediately if they are moved and can go live to see almost to the foot of where they are.

Was very helpful when we had to leave a trailer in Florida this past winter that was then hauled to the manufacturer in Indiana. I knew where the rig was every step of the way. At home, each unit is set to alert me via text and email if either are moved. The slightest movement or shake will send an alert. We paid $149 for the unit and yearly service is only $149. Totally worth it to me.

[wa8yxm]

trailernovice wrote:
I am curious: What's the point?

Be aware of your surroundings.. Do not give away secrets like "Doorbell does not work" and put up security cameras to help the police identify the bad guys.

Story from This Is True:
Man told a neighborhod "Sorry to bother you but till this guy pays what he owes me I'm going to be setting off bombs.. You can call the cops, they won't catch me.

Well he set off a bomb (no injuries minor damage) and they called the cops. A security camera showed them who done it and now.... Yup. He's in jail.

[mudhound]

I hate to say it but, A lock only keeps an honest person honest. A dog gone crook will steal no matter what!