How secure are our campers really

[JaycoPhoto]

I was always told to pet your imaginary cat and talk to the ceiling. LOL

[Subaru297]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

After reading this, we picked up a pie iron at Menards for $9.99 yesterday. It's a heavy one.

Awesome! And you can't cook a tasty treat with a 9mm

[DKRITTER]

Had a pickup stolen at a hotel one night a few years ago. The police officer said it took them about 12 seconds longer to steel it with a screwdriver and a pair of large channel locks than if I had just given them the keys.

You or your possessions are not safe at any given time from a thief. Your only ability is to discourage them more than they want to be. I carry 1 to 4 different firearms at all times to help dissuade the poor souls.

[Camper_bob]

I completely agree with many of the sentiments expressed in this discussion, and I believe you can only be so safe, but nothing is perfect. Namely that locks keep honest people honest, I will do whatever it takes to protect my family from harm and will insure my possessions, and I will try to be as hard a target as I can be. That means not being the "easy money". I live in a constant state of yellow with my head on a swivel. I lock it up or hide it and try to ensure the bad guy picks an easier target. I will notice a threatening person and acknowledge that I see him/her, and make sure they see me noticing them (smile, wave and say "hi"). If he decides to enter a domicile that I inhabit, he had better have made peace with his maker, because I've already made peace with sending him there by whatever means necessary. If he wants my possessions and has not or does not pose a threat to me or my family, he can have them, but I'm not going to make it easy for him. That's what I have insurance for.

Of course, at the base of things is to not get yourself into a vulnerable situation to start with.

All that being said, I've never felt threatened while camping, at least not by other humans

[Todd Klassy]

Firearms alone, however, are not a deterrent; unless of course they are in plain view. The question is, how do you subtly deter someone from messing with your RV without brandishing a firearm for everyone to see?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Todd Klassy

...And I hope to get one of these to better secure the front door when I leave my trailer:

HAVEN: The Stronger Smarter Home Lock - HOME

Unless your door swings in, that will not work for you.

[Todd Klassy]

Good catch. I don't know why I didn't think of that. Darn. Thought it was clever.

[William]

we liked camping in the secluded areas of the campgrounds and tell 1994 when we got broken into at East glacier national Park punk teenage kids knifed open our popup and tried stealing our truck with a can of apple pie filling for the pie irons. They didn't steal much but caused a lot of damage it makes you really look twice at which campsite you take and who is camping next to you.

[NC Roamer]

Originally Posted by Todd Klassy

Funny. When I moved to Chicago many years ago after having spent most of my life on the farm and in a small town one of my co-workers gave me some advice.

"If you ever feel cornered and threatened, act like a crazy person. Foam from the mouth, talk in gibberish, do whatever it is you have to do to convince the other person you are crazy. Everyone fears crazy people."

I have also heard that, if you want to bring the neighbors running, do not yell, "Help!" Instead, scream, "Fire!" People will run to see a fire much quicker than they will go to help.

[Donedroolin]

That is the point how to keep you and your family and your camper safe without using a firearm. I was at a campground in 2008 it was next to a public playground, park. It had an access way to it from the campground. We book long weekends Friday to Tues or weds. Well anyway we were in the back and the campground was booked until that Monday , and I watched the campground empty out everyone one around us had left including the seasonal. Its quiet then. Well Monday night my wife and I noticed how dark it was with all the campers gone. Did not think much of it. We went to bed during the night we woke to yelling and screaming outside and people running around our camper slapping the walls and knocking over some of our stuff. I yelled , who ever is out there I am warning you now I am armed and if you don't leave or try to make entry to my camper and try to harm us I will shoot you. The slap pig on the side continued with yelling and laughing. I informed then next I called the police. They started to shake the camper. Well that was it I yelled you better listen to this and I racked the shotgun, not loaded yet, but ready. The shaking stopped it was quiet after that. My wife was nervous the rest of the night, I kept the rifle next to the bed. We notified the campground in the morning after surveying what damage they done. Broken BBQ, table lights and all my candles thrown all over. I was very grate full at the time they did not touch my truck. The campground called the police and a report was taken. The fence was closed off to the park and they paid for our stay. The police asked if we wanted to press charges if they could find them. There were partial prints on our windows. My wife and I were let's just let it go , hopefully we scared them enough with the racking of rifle. We all feel it was teenagers being stupid.

[wags999]

Having a rifle or a shotgun whichever you had, not loaded is asking for problems in my opinion. In the couple of seconds it may take someone to break in, you will not have the time, or be calm enough to load it. Never point a weapon at someone your not prepared to shoot, and especially never try to fake someone out with an unloaded weapon, those folks are called victims. With adrenaline is pumping your not thinking clearly, trust me.

[rjackson]

I would press charges, letting then get away with it just encourages them to do it to someone else

[wags999]

Originally Posted by rjackson

I would press charges, letting then get away with it just encourages them to do it to someone else

X2

[Donedroolin]

Most of the time the raking of a shotgun makes people think or stop what there doing

[wags999]

Originally Posted by Donedroolin

Most of the time the raking of a shotgun makes people think or stop what there doing

I agree, but, if your not prepared to use it, all you have done is alert the perpetrator and you lose your tactical advantage of surprise.. I would rack it, but have a round in the chamber,with more ready. You rack, they shoot now what ?

Hardest part of a gun fight is being mentally prepared to take a life.

[Hitch Pin]

Originally Posted by Donedroolin

I know when I'm camping in my trailer I feel completely safe. However let's say your camping it is near a prison. There is a news alert saying the prison had an uprising and three prisoners escaped. They are warning people to lock up and stay inside. What would you do to make your camper safer.

Let's see now, you said 3 prisoners, so I'm thinking that my 6 shot revolver would do the job, that's 2 shots for each prisoner.

[Paintinfool3]

well I have never been bothered camping but my camper was broken into on the back lot at work .. they didn't steal anything but tore my stereo up trying to get it out and took a dump in my toilet which pissed me off... I say I would like to have a come to jesus talk with them but what I say and what I would be able to do and live with are two different things ... my families safety is key and if I had to die trying to save them I would ... hope it never comes to that ... there are a lot of whacked people in the world nowdays

[bumbles75]

This is why I'm glad my wife decided to trade the hybrid. The way the Starcraft bed was made, somebody could just reach under the tent end and grab her in her sleep.

[Tunce the traveler]

I don't carry a gun but my worry is if I'm on the other side of your camper and you fire. I'm not saying you shouldn't carry a gun to protect your belongings but that round doesn't stop in your TT.

[SouthCo]

Originally Posted by Donedroolin

That is the point how to keep you and your family and your camper safe without using a firearm. I was at a campground in 2008 it was next to a public playground, park. It had an access way to it from the campground. We book long weekends Friday to Tues or weds. Well anyway we were in the back and the campground was booked until that Monday , and I watched the campground empty out everyone one around us had left including the seasonal. Its quiet then. Well Monday night my wife and I noticed how dark it was with all the campers gone. Did not think much of it. We went to bed during the night we woke to yelling and screaming outside and people running around our camper slapping the walls and knocking over some of our stuff. I yelled , who ever is out there I am warning you now I am armed and if you don't leave or try to make entry to my camper and try to harm us I will shoot you. The slap pig on the side continued with yelling and laughing. I informed then next I called the police. They started to shake the camper. Well that was it I yelled you better listen to this and I racked the shotgun, not loaded yet, but ready. The shaking stopped it was quiet after that. My wife was nervous the rest of the night, I kept the rifle next to the bed. We notified the campground in the morning after surveying what damage they done. Broken BBQ, table lights and all my candles thrown all over. I was very grate full at the time they did not touch my truck. The campground called the police and a report was taken. The fence was closed off to the park and they paid for our stay. The police asked if we wanted to press charges if they could find them. There were partial prints on our windows. My wife and I were let's just let it go , hopefully we scared them enough with the racking of rifle. We all feel it was teenagers being stupid.

I'm not doubting your scenario, but if they are outside yelling and beating on your camper how could they hear you yelling back or racking your shotgun while they are running around? IDK, but I would have called the police, called the campground and then had my wife lock the door behind me as I went out....