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Old 05-14-2011, 04:02 PM   #1
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RV Security – Preventing Theft

http://www.rvblognow.com/products/rv...venting-theft/

By: Raechelle Janzen – RVBlogNOW.com

How many times have you left your RV in a campground and then headed out to go to the grocery store or maybe spend some time on the lake? We all do it and don’t think much about it. However, it only takes a few minutes for someone to back up with their truck and latch on to your trailer or fifth-wheel and take off with it along with everything inside. Even if other people are nearby, they will likely see nothing out of the ordinary about someone hitching up and leaving with your RV. In campgrounds people are coming and going so nothing will seem amiss.

There are several things that you can do to make things more secure. One thing to consider is a tongue lock. There are many brands and styles of these available for purchase and they are available for both fifth-wheels and travel trailers. They work by obstructing the ability to hook up the trailer to a ball or fifth wheel hitch. It has a locking mechanism that requires a key to remove. This is a good deterrent for would-be thieves. Hopefully, they will decide that they won’t want to mess with it. A simple solution is to park a vehicle directly in front of your RV to block it and discourage anyone from trying. It is also good to use a hitch lock to prevent anyone from removing the trailer hitch from the truck’s receiver.

Unfortunately, a big problem in the RV industry is the use of many of the exact same locks on many RV’s. Not only does this occur for entry doors but also for the outside storage compartment doors. It is a good possibility that the keys that I have for my travel trailer will fit your RV too. You could literally be asleep in your bed and someone could gain access to your storage with a key and take anything they can carry off. Worse, they could come right inside your RV!

There are things that you can do to help prevent or reduce the chance of these things happening to you. You can have the entry door locks re-keyed or replaced. You could also change the locks on your outside compartment doors. Always lock your screen doors and dead bolts at night and don’t forget about securing your RV’s windows too.

An increasingly popular choice for RV owners is installing a security system. Some alarms are made specifically for RV use and are wireless with video cameras .They can send a text message along with a video clip to your cell phone if someone breaks into your RV. The alarms can be made silent or you can set it to blast a siren like a traditional home security systems. Hopefully this would scare intruders away! There are many manufacturers and several different features to choose from. Motion detector lighting is another option. If anyone comes close to your RV, it will light up and make a thief less likely to stick around.

There’s a common saying that locks will simply keep honest people honest and if a thief really wants something, they will get it. Hopefully, if you throw a few stumbling blocks in their way, they will leave you alone and look for someone else who didn’t secure their RV as well as you.
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Old 05-15-2011, 06:41 AM   #2
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Personally, I use a 38 special.
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Old 05-15-2011, 07:11 AM   #3
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Personally, I use a 38 special.
That dont work when your 10 miles away...
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Old 05-15-2011, 02:27 PM   #4
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That dont work when your 10 miles away...
Good point. Unfortunately neither will a lock. Most times a scum bag thief will do more damage to the rig getting in than they steal. In many years of camping, we have never had a problem with anyone stealing anything from our campsite.

It pays more to be careful where you camp in the end than other things.
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Old 05-15-2011, 07:56 PM   #5
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I don't know that I've ever heard of somebody having their entire trailer stolen and I've been camping for over 40 years.
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Old 05-15-2011, 08:03 PM   #6
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I don't know that I've ever heard of somebody having their entire trailer stolen and I've been camping for over 40 years.
I have heard of a couple in the last few years where they hitched up at a campground and took off with the trailer. It is rare, but it does happen. I at least keep a rudimentary tongue lock on mine - wont stop a determined thief, but will hopefully keep the casual opportunist from picking me.



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Old 05-15-2011, 08:07 PM   #7
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I have an alarm with it's own battery in my TT that I installed 3 years ago when we purchased the trailer.
Most *&^#&^$ thieves will do more damage to any vehicle than most property they steal is worth and it really causes more headache for (you) the owner in the end.
Our alarm is to distract any *&^#&^$ that thinks they can take something from our TT. If they want it bad enough, they will take it anyway, no matter who or what may be in their way.
Most times I do not even "Arm" the alarm because we do not leave the area.
When we do leave the campground or the site, we set the alarm. We also let the people as camphosts or owners know that we have an alarm on the TT and if it goes ............. call us or take action then call us.
As of today, we have never had the alarm go off or received a call.
I may not put an alarm in our next TT.
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Old 05-16-2011, 12:04 PM   #8
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I have an alarm with it's own battery in my TT that I installed 3 years ago when we purchased the trailer.
Most *&^#&^$ thieves will do more damage to any vehicle than most property they steal is worth and it really causes more headache for (you) the owner in the end.
Our alarm is to distract any *&^#&^$ that thinks they can take something from our TT. If they want it bad enough, they will take it anyway, no matter who or what may be in their way.
Most times I do not even "Arm" the alarm because we do not leave the area.
When we do leave the campground or the site, we set the alarm. We also let the people as camphosts or owners know that we have an alarm on the TT and if it goes ............. call us or take action then call us.
As of today, we have never had the alarm go off or received a call.
I may not put an alarm in our next TT.
Better to have the alarm and not need it than to need it and not have it... 200 db screamer in the TT will rip their eardrums out...
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Old 05-16-2011, 12:12 PM   #9
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I am a firm believer with live theft prevention. We go camping with our dog Stout and leave the blinds open enough for him to be seen. My philosophy is that unless some one is targeting me or my camper specifically (don't know why they would) they will target a camper for opportunity. Why break into an RV which houses a 75lbs dog?
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Old 05-16-2011, 12:25 PM   #10
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Better to have the alarm and not need it than to need it and not have it... 200 db screamer in the TT will rip their eardrums out...
I have two sirens installed inside the trailer. Each produce 125dB.
It's not very loud outside the trailer, but you can hear it.

Inside the trailer is a different story.

They are located so they get the most reverb inside the trailer and it will hurt your hears. If I could (Legally) install 200dB screamer sirens, believe me I WOULD.
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