Securing LED Lights on outside of RV

[RVIrvine]

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone has run into a problem with people stealing exterior lights and how to prevent this from happening.

I bought some lights at an off-road show and they were unscrewed/wires cut after owning them for only two months.

[mlts22]

There are also locations. Most storage lots in an urban area are a "pick and pull" (five-finger discount included) shop for the local tweaker clientele, while more rural areas, one tends to not have stuff vanish from their rigs.

[down_home]

Tell us what they were and where they were installed. Just guessing, are you talking about strip led lights along the lower edge, of the coach?

[time2roll]

Make a bracket to hang them on while in use.

[John_Wayne]

Replace the phillips head screws with allen head screws. Not everyone carries allen head

[bshpilot]

were the items stolen at a camp ground or while in your storage lot ?
anything that makes them more difficult to remove will also make it tougher for the owner to remove or maintain too.

if its possible mount the lights HIGH (out of reach) - but that will only prevent theft at a camp ground, given enough time (at a storage lot) and you'll have to take additional measures to prevent theft.

[tpi]

I've had issues in thefts where the collateral damage was far worse than the items stolen. Consider this with your lights. You can secure them well, but that may mean damage to RV is worse in the event they are stolen. In some ways you may have lucked out that they were merely unscrewed.

Personally, I've had better luck with disguise tactic. Maybe something that looks like garden variety light but has the LED lamps inside. Something not immediately attractive to thieves.

[mlts22]

If you don't mind the screws being in place forever (well, barring a heat gun), LocTite Red has its place.

I have also used security screws with Loctite Blue (removable with hand tools) so someone trying to stick a scissor tip in would not be able to break it free, while the right bit will easily extract the screw.

The best of all worlds is Bryce Fasteners which will give you a custom bit that only you have... but they are not set up for retail sales.

[BarneyS]

Moved to General RVing Issues forum from DIY.

[jimdd810]

my tt is protected by smith and Wesson. And a very large chicken sh@#$t dog

[docnascar]

That really sucks. I hate thieves!!

Was this at a campground or is your camper more permanent?

[ChooChooMan74]

If someone wants something bad enough, they will take it. All you can do is make it harder for them to do it. Security Screws? Welding a cover over the screws?