Forum Discussion

DutchmenSport's avatar
DutchmenSport
Explorer
May 28, 2018

Theft

Well, after 30 years of camping we finally had something stolen. We were at Salamonie State Park in Indiana over Memorial Day weekend. I carry a three step step ladder so that I can easily get in and out of the bed of the truck and also reach the awning for cleaning and various things around camper. Sometime last night someone actually got into the back of my pickup truck that has a shell and a door and took the ladder. I really missed it this morning when breaking camp but improvised. Very disappointed. I guess going forward you can't trust anything or anybody anymore. Looks like we'll have to start locking everything up at night daytime and every other time. I don't want to do that and I had faith and I believed in my fellow campers, but someone just ruined it. I guess it's time to keep things locked for sure.
  • jerseyjim's avatar
    jerseyjim
    Explorer
    May 29, 2018
    HADENOUGH: "stealth camping". Meaning WalMart? Just pulling over somewhere and spending the nite...some street somewhere?

    Seems to me you'd be lots better off spending a few bucks at a campground. Much cheaper than a cat converter and tailpipe.......
  • HadEnough's avatar
    HadEnough
    Explorer
    May 28, 2018
    mat60 wrote:
    That stinks. Even up here in Maine I feel the need to hide my stuff that's in the cab of my truck and now that I have a small inverter generator I probably will chain that up along with my ladder. Thay can have my $89 dollar grill. It seems at times that this is what its come to but I also feel most campers wouldnt steal.


    Definitely lock up in Maine! It's nice, but not at all safe from theft.

    I woke up to a slight scratching sound in Maine doing some stealth camping. It was a weird scratching sound. I felt things weren't right so I started the RV. It was horribly loud! Half a second later, I'm staring a guy in the face who popped up right at my drivers side window.

    He runs off into the night and I chased him a little with the RV down the parking lot.

    Next day found he got most of the way through the exhaust system, destroying the catalytic converter and the main pipe connected to it.

    He was trying to steal the catalytic converter. It was extremely expensive to get a new catalytic converter and long main pipe.

    Lock things up. People aren't very honorable anymore.
  • jerseyjim's avatar
    jerseyjim
    Explorer
    May 28, 2018
    Only time I had anything stolen from me was at a NASCAR race. 2 cases of beer left outside during the race.

    Upon letting it be known (loudly) fellow campers (race fans) almost immediately replaced beer with their beer...or as many as they could spare.

    I took this at face value (they were dismayed that happened).Only because none of the "donated" beer was the brand I had.

    Another place, a neighbors kid had his bicycle taken. Found later that day under a nearby camper. No one knew nothing...the campers didn't speak English (ha) the management tossed them out anyway.
  • coolmom42's avatar
    coolmom42
    Explorer II
    May 28, 2018
    kerrlakeRoo wrote:
    Sorry, if thats all they went after it's likely a neighbor that saw you using it yesterday, and thought "what a great idea".

    Mark the next one, make it ugly and gaudy and you will get to keep it.
    My last job in industrial work, I painted my ladders, sledges and prybars pink, none were taken after that.


    Yep.

    We NEVER leave anything unlocked, at home or in the campground. I routinely lock my car in the driveway at home. I've seen too many situations where someone pilfering went through a parking lot or neighborhood, just trying doors. Yes, locks mainly keep out honest people, but they also discourage casual pilfering.

    And there's always the fact that holiday weekends bring out the riff-raff.
  • mat60's avatar
    mat60
    Explorer
    May 28, 2018
    That stinks. Even up here in Maine I feel the need to hide my stuff that's in the cab of my truck and now that I have a small inverter generator I probably will chain that up along with my ladder. Thay can have my $89 dollar grill. It seems at times that this is what its come to but I also feel most campers wouldnt steal.
  • ford_truck_guy's avatar
    ford_truck_guy
    Nomad
    May 28, 2018
    Over all my years, i only had an old pair of sneakers stolen from Myrtle Beach..
    They did ne a favor as I went and got a new pair the next day!
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    May 28, 2018
    Ah that sucks.
    Our experience has been about the same over the years. Never had anything taken but did once see three drunken "ladies" steal some firewood from my neighbors site ( I confronted and shamed them).

    We've had far more nice things happen than bad. Like people leaving firewood and even a campfire all built up and ready to light.
  • scrubjaysnest's avatar
    scrubjaysnest
    Explorer
    May 28, 2018
    Our experience with CG theft is it's not the campers but locals sneaking in at night.
  • Pangaea_Ron's avatar
    Pangaea_Ron
    Explorer
    May 28, 2018
    Maybe should have removed and reattached one of the steps with peanut butter. Look for someone limping around the CG in the morning.
  • kerrlakeRoo's avatar
    kerrlakeRoo
    Explorer
    May 28, 2018
    Sorry, if thats all they went after it's likely a neighbor that saw you using it yesterday, and thought "what a great idea".

    Mark the next one, make it ugly and gaudy and you will get to keep it.
    My last job in industrial work, I painted my ladders, sledges and prybars pink, none were taken after that.

About RV Families

501 PostsLatest Activity: Oct 09, 2024