Seasonal RV Security?

[mtofell1]

I'm looking at purchasing a piece or property in a manufactured home park and using it to store/use my 5th wheel, and maybe someday a larger Destination Trailer. The spot I'm currently looking at is located in a vacation-ish town on the Oregon Coast and is just your basic coastal town of 10 thousand people or so. Lots of "opportunistic" crime but I think a little deterring goes a long way.

I realize the town and local crime statistics are the best source of information but am also wondering if/what people do when leaving trailers for long periods.

I just have all sorts of thoughts and questions swirling around in my head:

Obviously, make friends with neighbors and bribe them nicely with apple pies, bottles of Jack Daniels or whatever else they like, to keep an eye on my place.

Security system, lights, cameras?

Realistically, there's nothing of much value in the trailer when I'm not there other than the trailer and that's insured. So, do I really do anything?

Signs and cameras threatening security and surveillance?

I'd love to hear past experiences and what all you wise folks do/have done in that past.

[Only_True_Mosno]

I use 4 of these fake cameras. They have a red LED that blinks. (4 cameras for $20 bucks on Amazon)

If I had WiFi on my lake place I would buy the new Ring Security Cameras..which are awesome..and real


http://www.securitycameras.ie/ekmps/shops/evolutioncctv/images/dummy-cctv-camera-559-p.jpg

[colliehauler]

mtofell1 wrote:

Tvov wrote:
"Manufactured home park"? Is that a Trailer Park? Or a neighborhood with pre-made homes? Or something else?

Originally, it was a manufactured home park with rented spaces and they were all divided up into individual tax lots and sold off a while back. 90% of lots have manufactured homes sitting on them. A couple have RVs and there are a few big shop buildings that people may be storing equipment in. I think the zoning is pretty open for people to do whatever they want.

Yeah, I agree about having to watch the people in the park as much as anyone else. They know my patterns and such.

Can't speak for your area of the country, you know you're fellow Oregonian's better then I. I have had a seasonal for 11 years and nothing has ever been taken. We are like family and watch out for each other.

[mtofell1]

Tvov wrote:
"Manufactured home park"? Is that a Trailer Park? Or a neighborhood with pre-made homes? Or something else?

Originally, it was a manufactured home park with rented spaces and they were all divided up into individual tax lots and sold off a while back. 90% of lots have manufactured homes sitting on them. A couple have RVs and there are a few big shop buildings that people may be storing equipment in. I think the zoning is pretty open for people to do whatever they want.

Yeah, I agree about having to watch the people in the park as much as anyone else. They know my patterns and such.

[Tvov]

"Manufactured home park"? Is that a Trailer Park? Or a neighborhood with pre-made homes? Or something else?

[Ralph_Cramden]

rjf7g wrote:
I probably have a key to your large outside storage compartment (most campers share the same storage compartment keys) and could unlock it, crawl in and then walk out your currently locked door with whatever I could carry out. Of course, I won't bother your stuff! Your neighbors who are there all of the time will be your best bet.

We camp in a seasonal campground. We didn't lock anything until we had a $4,000 golf cart stolen during the season during the week. So, the Weber is locked to the picnic table, the golf cart is locked to the deck, the sheds are locked and we lock the camper as well as all of the outside storage compartments.

If I was a betting man, which I am, I would bet a whole stack of black chips you were ripped off by one of your seasonal neighbors who knew the park well, and more importantly knew what time to do it.

Security is a perception, especially with an RV. All you have is some thin aluminum or fiberglass and luan plywood. Any of them can be entered is less than 30 seconds with a crowbar or large screwdriver, or a cordless drill, sawzall, etc.

INSURANCE!

[zcookiemonstar]

Hey if you send me that Apple pie I promise I will not bother your stuff:)

[rjf7g]

I probably have a key to your large outside storage compartment (most campers share the same storage compartment keys) and could unlock it, crawl in and then walk out your currently locked door with whatever I could carry out. Of course, I won't bother your stuff! Your neighbors who are there all of the time will be your best bet.

We camp in a seasonal campground. We didn't lock anything until we had a $4,000 golf cart stolen during the season during the week. So, the Weber is locked to the picnic table, the golf cart is locked to the deck, the sheds are locked and we lock the camper as well as all of the outside storage compartments.

[Dennis12]

Put up a sign that there is one at each door. Try me, you can see that they are loaded.

[bdpreece]

If you purchase in a manufactured home park you are probably about as safe as you can get. Keep some kind of heat on and hook up a light to a timer. Your bigger problem as mentioned is the dampness and salt air. Several years ago we built a house on the Oregon coast on which we installed a metal front door. Before we could finish the house the front door rusted through and the door handle fell off. Prior to that we had a mobile home on the coast. The first year we did not keep heat on and when we went down to use it had mushrooms growing in the carpet.

[old_guy]

one thing that would stop me from parking my TT onthe oregon coast for any length of time is the rust from the sea air. I've seen TT's that have come from the coast and they appear to be falling apart due to the rust on them

[kerrlakeRoo]

Most of those communities have small lots. Activity is easily noticed. So install a couple of motion sensor lights, at least they may get your neighbors to look, a sign, at the door asking them to wait while their picture is uploaded might be fun as well.
I just remembered something an uncle did. Somebody had broken into his tc, he wired a car horn to a switch so when the door opened the horn blew, it went off once and he had no more problems, but it was probably just kids.

[free_radical]

The least you can do is placing a big sign in the window saying

NO MONEY OR VALUABLES INSIDE

[path1]

Even though there are aps for this now. Put a temp gauge that is easy to read and where your friend can look thru your window to make sure your heater is keeping unit above what ever you set t-stat for.

[stickdog]

I'd be more worried about it turning green with algae.