Securing you rig from theft (truck and camper)

[Freeborn530]

How to secure the truck and camper from theft. I will be staying in some urban areas visiting (think L.A.) Curious as to what is the to protect the truck and camper from being stolen, broken into? I have the club that fits over the steering wheel. Thinking of alarm for the truck? Lojack type system? Alarms that demobilize the ignition. What is you experience and any thoughts?

[cartmancartman]

I wouldn't recommend The Club get a lock that locks the brake pedal. That with a basic alarm, GPS tracking, cutoff switch and using better common sense should help you.

[whazoo]

I prefer a Trunk Monkey myself. I’m sure there’s a Camper Monkey out there somewhere.
Trunk Monkey

[K_Mac]

A kid I worked with years ago, had a part time job with a tow company and he use to borrow their "yellow" wheel boot when he would be out with his race car in his trailer.

[loggenrock]

Get a http://faketv.com/ - makes it look like a TV is on. Turns on a dusk for several hours. Designed for home, but actual power input is 9VDC, I run mine from a 12VDC lighter plug to 9VDC adapter - plugs right in. Minimal draw, so great in camper, too. Motion activated solar powered lights mounted to each side of rig work great, too! Got mine thru Amazon.

[zcookiemonstar]

You can install a fuel shutoff valve manual or electric. Jacks down is a good idea unless you have to be able to pull away quick. Best thing you can do is have insurance don't bring anything that you can't replace. Most important if possible don't put yourself or others with you in harms way.

[mountainkowboy]

Since Red is a manual, I've eliminated 80% of the thieves...LOL

[Bedlam]

Unfortunately traps that cause injury or death are not legal unless you are directly protecting lives by arming them. Live traps are legal, but impractical when trying to protect a vehicle. The best you can do is reduce temptation to steal items by keeping them out of view and adding enough deterrence that it will take too long to bypass or cause too much attention.

Self powered high db noise makers and strobes that activate on a trigger signal and do not timeout until the power source is depleted can be placed in locations that are extremely inaccessible.

Vehicle ignition cutoffs, fuel starvation and brake line locks are some methods to keep your vehicle disabled beyond mechanical/physical means.

Something that was not discussed to deter theft is to leave your slides open and jacks grounded when you park your camper. Now the thief will have to break into the truck to get it started and into the camper to close things up before he can attempt to leave without creating undue attention. He will also have to ask himself whether you are actually gone or just sleeping in the back...

[Optimistic_Para]

towpro wrote:
I don't care if they steal the truck and or camper (that is what insurance is for). I just use good judgement and stay out of harms way as best as I can.
I just don't want to be inside the camper if they steal it. 😞

A valid concern. And while some people here might think that "Great! When they get where the're going, I'll be right there with my trusty shotgun/magnum/45/etc." You are, in fact, far better off NOT having to shoot somebody and/or getting into a position where you might get shot yourself. Leaving aside the possibility the bozos might get you into an accident while trying to make they're getaway.

I don't know how handy you are with tools, but it wouldn't be hard to cut the hot wire to the electric fuel pump and splice a switch in the camper into it. This would allow you to shut the truck down from the camper if something like that happened.

[towpro]

I don't care if they steal the truck and or camper (that is what insurance is for). I just use good judgement and stay out of harms way as best as I can.
I just don't want to be inside the camper if they steal it. 😞

[Kayteg1]

I would be carefull with any electrical tampering with new trucks, that have SCN coding.
Probably nothing will happen if you put the relay back before turning the ignition on, but one time you might forget and then you won't be able to start the truck without visit to dealer.
Meaning flatbed towing with camper?

[theoldwizard1]

jfkmk wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:
The quickest theft deterrent is to remove the fuse or relay that powers the fuel injection computer or fuel pump. They are not likely to haul it away with a tow truck or push it very far.

Just beware that removing some relays for any length of time can turn on your CEL.

The worst thing that would happen with a fuel injection computer is that is would forget any stored OBD-II codes and it would have to re-learn any adaptive driving.

Newer (after about 2010?) have OBD-II code stored in true "non-volatile" memory. No power required to remember fault codes (so the old trick about disconnecting the battery so that it forgets the error no longer works).

[jfkmk]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
The quickest theft deterrent is to remove the fuse or relay that powers the fuel injection computer or fuel pump. They are not likely to haul it away with a tow truck or push it very far.

Just beware that removing some relays for any length of time can turn on your CEL.

[theoldwizard1]

The quickest theft deterrent is to remove the fuse or relay that powers the fuel injection computer or fuel pump. They are not likely to haul it away with a tow truck or push it very far.

The only other solution is a total independent active, exterior and interior motion sensor system with its own power and siren and cell phone call out.

[free_radical]

Freeborn530 wrote:
How to secure the truck and camper from theft. I will be staying in some urban areas visiting (think L.A.) Curious as to what is the to protect the truck and camper from being stolen, broken into? I have the club that fits over the steering wheel. Thinking of alarm for the truck? Lojack type system? Alarms that demobilize the ignition. What is you experience and any thoughts?

Put a sign in the window that says;
NO MONEY or valuables inside

Heres some more ideas
https://youtu.be/-zbC6T6sfZM

Also park in such a way it cant be towed away,