Campground theft

[txloser]

So, my wife has been reading on a FB camping group about all the break-ins and theft people experience. I've been broken into at my storage unit. That being said, I don't worry too much at the mostly state parks I use. What say you? I lock my truck and trailer when I leave, but I don't pack up my grill, chairs, etc.

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[DanNJanice]

I have never had anything stolen in all the years I have been camping. I do lock the vehicle and camper. I also put things like the genny, chainsaw, etc discreetly out of sight under the camper.

 

[bankr63]

Been camping for 38 years in one form or another. Never had anything stolen. Don't know anyone who has had anything stolen. Was checking into a SP when a guy came in to complain that someone had stolen his clothesline and a couple of towels. But that was the ONLY thing he left on the site. Have to think someone thought it was abandoned.

IMO - it's not worth sweating over. If someone wants your ****, they'll get it. You can lock it or hide it to keep temptation down, but that's about as far as I ever go. Don't put temptation in an opportunist's way, but a hardened thief will get what they really want no matter what you do.

 

[sundancer330]

At one of our favorite beach campgrounds they have had many bikes stolen by local kids. They hang out on the pier then on the way back to town they take unlocked bikes. Most show up in town the next morning scattered all over, keeps the local cops busy.

 

[Magnolia Tom]

Never had a problem except one time we “lost” a fan. We use a box (tornado) fan outside sometimes to cool things down. We didn’t even notice it was gone till our next trip. Maybe we forgot it or maybe it grew legs, who knows. Funny thing is, it was sitting next to our yeti cooler.


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[clubhouse]

Had a cooler of beer stolen on a NYEs trip, attributed it to teenage kids.

A friend, while we all camped together, had a Honda Generator taken in the night. 6 if them were stolen that night in the CG. Experience thief that had the tools to quickly cut locks and cables.

Both episodes were very disappointing, but we didn’t let it ruin the trip.

There is very little in my TT, Truck or campsite that I would be to upset if it was stolen. I can replace all of it’s near immediately. My biggest issue is the disappointment in humanity that someone thinks they should steal from someone else.

 

[wags999]

I have neveer personnally had anything stolen. And at the 5 campgrounds I have worked at I can only remember someone claiming their lynx blocks were stolen.. After they left in their truck camper for the day and didn't pick them up. I assume someone saw them and thought they were left by mistake and picked them up.

You have theif all over but with some due diligence and a campground where workers are present 24/7 it isn't a big, or even small issue.

 

[Mustang65]

We have never had anything taken, so far. We never leave anything of value out over night, only the grill and chairs. We were in Colorado and stayed at a campground by the Garden of the God's that bordered on a walking trail. The homeless used the trail as a main route, and spent their nights under the overpasses. While there, a lot of items disappeared from a number of campsites, chairs, clothes drying, tools, bikes... We left in 5 days. Security was difficult at this GC as the main entrance crossed the trail. Most of the items ended up under the overpasses and were abandoned. That CG is off our list now. Like any other segment of the population there are a few bad apples that give the whole group a bad rap.

On another topic: My neighbor in that CG had the biggest motorhome I had ever seen. Slides all over the place. He towed a trailer with his car and 2 motorcycles on it. He got a whole 1 MPG in the mountains. So even these high$$$ have their issues, the morning he was leaving his hydraulic pump died, the big slide was 1/2 way in, all the rest were out. Next day mail new pump $$$$$ and an installer $$$$$. No manual cranks on that baby!

Our house is about 200 yards from the Gulf of Mexico and borders the Pinellas Trail (39+ miles of converted railroad line). It is great for biking and walking, but starting around Thanksgiving, the homeless from the north use the trail to head down to southern FL. They head north in April/May. So, everyone takes extra measures to secure their items. Years ago, I decided on a 6' privacy fence around the property, and a alarm system.

This is the first year where we left the TT up at a CG in North GA. Will see how that goes. So far I am not happy about it. I can't go in the back yard and work on it.

Don

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[txloser]

Interesting comments. I'd never really worried too much around the campgrounds we stay at. Generally at night or leaving the site for an extended amount of time I pick up all the lose items, lock the bikes to the trailer and overall just tidy things up, leaving out only the big stuff. Also, I make sure the inside of the TV is clear of stuff so as not to tempt anyone. I hate clutter so this satisfies my OCD there too. I see some sites with stuff scattered all over day and night. Lots of potential for a curious theif.

I think for the most part aside from some of the more urban RV parks, most people in a campground have their own stuff and don't need mine. Also, the tent campers seem to do ok, and they don't even have locks. I guess it boils down to location, and access by those who aren't camping/staying themselves.

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[NC Roamer]

At one of our favorite beach campgrounds they have had many bikes stolen by local kids. They hang out on the pier then on the way back to town they take unlocked bikes. Most show up in town the next morning scattered all over, keeps the local cops busy.

At our favorite beach state park we were cautioned by the ranger to not leave our bikes unlocked at their pier. They have trouble with non-campers from condos outside the park who walk to the pier but then grab a bike to ride back.

We primarily stay in state parks and, other than the above, have not heard of or had anything stolen. I usually leave the bikes and chairs under the awning while gone. We lock the entry door but not the cargo hatches.

 

[JFlightRisk]

We've been very lucky, as nothing has ever been taken in the 30 years of camping. We are cautious about not making things overly inviting to prying eyes, and the fur baby "alarm" I'm sure is somewhat of a deterrent. The only things left out at night, are the grill, the cooler, and chairs folded up, and put under the awning. We usually don't stay near any really large urban areas, and mostly in state parks which are patrolled by the Park Police.

 

[bluegill1]

We camp exclusely at State Parks, On most occasions we have an extra vehicle at the CG so it'll stay on the site, kinda makes it look like someone's there.
Wife always likes me to lock camper up when we leave. Peace of mind for her. Chairs, tables are left out. Generally I leave the Weber Grill out, but their have been a few times I've stashed it away if I know I'm going to be away . Good to lock up if any purses, computers etc.....are left in camper while gone. We've only heard of one time, and it was when my son and his family were checking in,the office staff gave um the heads up that the past weekend some items had been stolen thru the campground.
Other than that one time, I find campers pretty hospitable and respectful.

 

[Bookemdanno]

Only thing I’ve had stolen while camping was a 1 rubber wheel chalk out of the bed of my truck. Guess they only needed 1, as they left the other one.


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[Mosehi]

We camped last weekend at Apache Campground in Myrtle Beach, SC. Several golf carts stolen.

 

[RVhiker]

We've camped at hundreds of campgrounds. The only thing I've had stolen is an aluminum tubular framed lawn chair; you know, the kind with nylon strapping. Sold for $4.99 a while back.

We leave out a propane grill,loungers and other stuff. The only thing I lock up if it is out is my generator and of course we keep our trailer locked if we are not there.

 

[SloPoke-TC]

In all of our years of camping... we have had mixed results, all depending on where we are camping and who is nearby. Most of our experience is without any issues, but we have learned to lock up our Coolers and our Camp Chef.

We attend a 4-day outdoor concert venue every year, thousands of people camping in hay-fields packed in together. We had our BBQ and Propane bottle stolen on the second day, and we found it a day later sitting in a vacant camp site.

Now - we stretch a 1/8" cable thru our stuff where it is set up in camp. We have seen attempts to take our stuff with this approach, but nothing left camp that was locked up.

 

[jasum]

I remember camping in the Everglades near Ft. Lauderdale a few years ago and the guy next to me was working on something outside, went inside his RV to get something and when he came back out, someone had grabbed his battery operated drill. He was only gone he said not even a minute............there were FAST thieves in that campground.

In a nicer campground in Ft. Lauderdale they stole the RV parks golf cart that the workers used.

I always try to remember to keep all compartment doors and main door locked if we are bike riding or away from trailer.

 

[Midnightmoon]

A few weeks back, I started a thread on ways of securing my generator in the bed of my truck. Still haven't decided on the option that I will use. But anyway, that worry is driven by the fact that property crimes have increased dramatically in our area recently mostly due to the ongoing drug crisis in rural Pennsylvania.

I guess that it is a sign of the times and I hope that I am just being paranoid, but the days of just leaving things sit outside around our campsite are over I'm afraid.

 

[bankr63]

It does remind me of one story from a couple of years ago. There was one of "those" campsites with a bunch of very loud very drunk twentysomethings partying very late. I'm guessing it was one of them who went down to the beach and decided to launch every canoe or kayak they could. We do keep our kayaks chained because the beach is a bit of a way away from the campsites, so we weren't hit. Many of us who still had our boats spent the better part of the next day on the water hunting down and towing back the wayward vessels. We personally gave up the hunt around 3:00 and all had been found but one; didn't find out if it ever got found. I think there 10-12 that went out, and some drifted a pretty fair distance.
I don't know why I choose to blame these guys, maybe because they already proved themselves stupid and disrespectful. But I really enjoyed how all of the campers came together to help those who were impacted. 99% percent nice, 1% idiots.

 

[spoon059]

I've had the "L" snap pins stolen at a campground before. I took off my bars and leaned the bars and "L" clips against the A-frame. Went to leave... "L" clips were gone. I lock them up in the front storage hatch now!

We don't lock up our chairs, but we have our names written across the back. I don't lock up my Weber q100 grill either. I guess I am either too lazy or too trusting to look it up.