Robbed at KOA in Forsythe, Georgia

Ray D said:

If you want the dog to do something about the problem, then bigger is also helpful.

Don't you have a herd of Labs?  ;D  That should handle it! 

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Well, I would hardly call Sam a "herd"  although at 95 pounds, he is "substantial." And his bark would chase most anyone away, not to mention his jumping at you. I like the idea of someone trying to climb in the MH window and Sam barking and jumping at them. The person would likely fall off their ladder/picnic table and end up on their arse.

Wendy and Sam

Sorry. Got Sam confused with a different herd.

I do recall your describing Sam as a bit of a pussy-cat. (Those weren't your words - you described it another way.) However, against an intruder, I'm guessing Sam would show his "Tiger" side.

Ray D  ;D

wendycoke said:

I thnk the guy was referring to the main part of his RV as the "cabin." I don't think he was staying in a camper cabin. Of course, if he was, that paints a whole different picture.

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Thanks, Wendy -- that would make more sense. Have never heard "cabin" used as a term describing that part of an RV. Heard it a lot while in the Navy -- but never in an RV. And KOA's are noted for renting cabins.

Then my thought would be -- vs. such a clever crook, why would she/he attempt to rob a rig knowing someone was inside. They must know that some RVers carry weapons -- and, according to the training I received at BASF in Phoenix, if the owner was awakend they would be armed with pointed weapon asking some pretty pointed questions having dialed 911 to record the conversation and ensuing action.

Bob Buchanan said:

... having dialed 911 to record the conversation and ensuing action.

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That's good advice about dialing 911 so that anything that happens is recorded. CYA. Just remember to shout a warning before you blow the guy away.

Wendy

I agree Wendy.  Calling 9-1-1 during a confrontation is a good thing  Worst case perhaps one of the bad dudes will say  his name and give the police a nice lead as to who he is.

That said however.... When I read "Robbed at the KOA"  My mine immed goes to the daylight robbery at the check in desk

What do you think of motion detectors. I was in radio shack and seen them for under ten dollars. even if it took two or three to cover the front of your motor home it would be worth it. If you don't have a dog the noise would chase them away.

Motion Detectors: I like 'em. Not sure how you would place them to avoid a lot of false alarms in the relatively close quarters of an RV Park. I'm sure it could be worked out.

Not sure it's worth while. The event, above, is really very rare. Most likely, this guy works just this RV Park or just this town. Not a lot of them around. He's a local problem unless he's your problem or mine. My first and second guess is that he lives or works at that particular park. Third guess is that he is a resident of, and a headache for, that particular town.

He has enough expertise to pick his victims, carefully, and choose what he steals, in this case cash, only. Everything else is traceable and identifyable. Five minutes after he finished this job, his stolen cash is no different from any other cash. Tough to pin a crime on him.

Really need to not forget, for all the fright of this crime, that no one got hurt. Nothing is damaged. Some cash is missing, but that's all. And, it's actually a burglary, not a robbery. He is an expert at stealth. Most frightening part of it is that it is a "home invasion" at an occupied home. He may get a kick out of the "daring-ness" of the challenge. He could be dangerous, but this time it worked out.

Ray D  :-\

Many moons ago (circa 1981) I installed a motion detector in our stick house. My wife woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me about this terrible noise. I really didn't fully wake before stumbling down the hall to turn off the device that had been set off by air movement (IIRC the furnace had come on). The following day I realized that, had this been an intruder, I would have had no chance given my half-asleep condition, although the noise might have scared off the intruder. I threw the device out.

Some friends had their coach broken into while they were away and had a couple of laptops stolen in addition to other things. They subsequently had a security system installed in the coach, including intrusion detectors on all windows and the door.

Ray, I liked your summary of the situation.

The approved procedure when you are awakened by the intruder alarm is to holler very loud:

"I hear it too honey, you call the cops, I'll get the shotgun"

Now most folks think that the thing burglers fear the most is cops... That is simply not true

The thing they fear most is SHOTGUNS!!!!!

Cops are #2 or #3 on the list, so if there is, in fact, a burgler in the house when you holler SHOTGUN, it's leaving, FAST!  So fast you may well need a new door, or perhaps a new wall where he made his own door.

Notice that you don't actually NEED to own a shotgun for this to be effective

I hear you John, but isn't it a little like pointing a gun at someone when you don't intend to shoot them?

I don't think I would want a robber to be waiting for me to appear with a shotgun when I didn't really have one.

JIGGS said:

What do you think of motion detectors.

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If you do not have the ability to place other types of fixed alarms triggers, they are great -- in a stick house. I have had three homes in 2 cities with motion detectors covering areas that a window or door trigger would not work as well.

IMHO, based on and according to all the articles I've read and the Police that survey homes for security, the number one thing one wants to happen is "noise".  Once the bad guy hears the siren -- they are gone. And an ensuing encounter is highly unlikely. That is much better than a silent or no alarm. The idea of silent alarms is that the thief might be caught -- unaware that the alarm has been tripped. But according to all my sources, having them leave after hearing an alarm is much better than what may happen between the time the silent alarm goes off and the good guys show up. The probability of catching a thief during a break-in is highly unlikely. Mine would go off occasionally, but that was better than leaving my home (and me) unprotected.

In an RV such an alarm would be useful if I were away from my coach. I doubt an intruder would break a window to enter a coach knowing it was occupied. However, if occupied, the alarm noise would again be the best deterrent. For the fellow in question here, a much more inexpensive device would have been a note to himself somewhere that he must see before retiring, reading, "Lock all Windows and Doors".  If he "had" had a motion detector -- the intruder would have aborted the effort, and his pants would not be outside the coach the next AM.

One of the few things I know about, being a newby. So, I'll inject another two cents. (Getting close to a dime invested, so far.)  ;D

Bob is right. Thinking over the motion alarm idea, placement is too difficult to be worthwhile. Fixed alarms on the doors and windows will work, and well. Still, a lot of expense, work, extra things to do every night in your bedtime routine, for the risk involved. The risk is super low.

John's idea is workable and will work. Almost always. The problem is that the one time it doesn't might be your turn. It bothers me that this guy accepts that if any blood is spilled, it will be his. How many people are willing to accept that? I am not! 

I tried everything there was, in my "Drug War Years." There was something wrong with everything I tried! Kept working on it for a long time - thousands of dollars - until I got my first Boxer. First perfect system I ever had, and proved out, over the years. Good alarm system. Great "do something about it" system. Wonderful friend. I vote for the dogs. Yes, I have a gun, and yes, I used it. Pretty good back-up, when all else fails. Dog came along and I might as well have retired the gun. He never gave me a chance to get into the action!

One thing I tried, and still have, worked out. But, not for its intended purpose. Some experienced burglars will trip your alarms, either unintentionally or purposefully. They then hide, til the excitement dies down. Then, they try, again. Discourages you and the police, with "false alarms" that ARE NOT FALSE! Very discouraging. He was supposed to run away and stay away.

So, finally, I invested the big bucks. I bought a Night Vision scope. The alarm went off, and the cops came. False alarm. Oh, well. Had that scope for some time, before the opportunity came. After the cops went away, I sulked in the dark, in the house. no use trying to go back to sleep.

I think an hour had passed, and I was ready to go back to bed. Remembered the scope. What the heck! I got it out. Man, those things are amazing! He stood out like a bright light! He was crouched in the bushes, by the fence, some distance away. Through the dark and the leaves and brances of the bushes, I could see him, clearly! The light he was giving off actually washed out the leaves as if they were transparent!

I called 911, again! I carefully explained what I had, to dispatch. I asked that the cops approach, silently. They cooperated. Finally, I see what can only be a cop, by the back fence, not far from the BG. Then, there are some more. I gave dispatch directions, telling her I could see the cops, quite clearly. Short story, bunch of flashlights came on and they got him. Only time that ever worked, but priceless! Didn't go to sleep at all, that night!  ;D

Lot of bucks to spend, for a few minutes of entertainment! Never happened, again. But, all is not lost. On vacation, one night, we heard a bump in the night. Got the scope out, to see what was going on. Had a herd of deer, close to the cabin. One of them did it. Have watched deer, raccoons, one cougar, all sorts of stuff. Cheapest serious entertainment device I ever bought. Have spent hours, watching the wildlife, at night. Love it!  ;D

Yeah, I know - Off Topic! I'll go away.

Ray D  ;D

Ray,

I think that if I was concerned about intruders, I'd get a pit bull.

Tom,

That'll work!  ;D

Ray D  ;D

When I listen to these type discussions I find it useful to remember that in the upscale neighborhood we lived in in Illinois and in Washington we had several instances of cars stolen, home invasion and other felonies including shootings.

In the 18 months of fulltiming (and the 25 years of RVing before that) we have never been in a campground that had anything more than a missing bicycle that had been left unlocked and a case of a dog biting a woman out for a morning walk. In fact the number of RV related instances we discuss here nationwide is quite small compared to the population in general.

While we maintain common sense diligence about the type campgrounds we stay in and the areas we in which we boondock I do not intend to change our lifestyle unless something changes. As I mentioned a few months ago we have an intrusion system in the Tradewinds and it is disconnected because the only person who has ever set it off was me at 3:30AM when I hit the wrong switch. ;D ;D

Ray D said:

. . . until I got my first Boxer. First perfect system I ever had, and proved out, over the years. Good alarm system. Great "do something about it" system. Wonderful friend. I vote for the dogs. Yes, I have a gun, and yes, I used it. Pretty good back-up, when all else fails. Dog came along and I might as well have retired the gun. He never gave me a chance to get into the action!

One thing I tried, and still have, worked out. But, not for its intended purpose. Some experienced burglars will trip your alarms, either unintentionally or purposefully. They then hide, til the excitement dies down. Then, they try, again. Discourages you and the police, with "false alarms" that ARE NOT FALSE! Very discouraging. He was supposed to run away and stay away.

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My next door neighbor in San Mateo had 2 dobs -- and assured me his home was safer than mine. I had an alarm system -- and an 8 pound Persian cat. Unfortunately, my neighbor was unaware that the serious intruder had long since solved the problem of dogs -- they kill them. The San Mateo home security specialists that I talked with told me that the intruder will case the neighborhood and choose the easiest to enter. They balance the risk against the prize -- and will most always lean to the home with the least protection. The primary benefit of a dog is the deterrent I mentioned in a former post -- noise. And it's much easier to silence a dog than a good alarm system that cannot be disabled.

Again, my info is based on having had my home burglarized a number of years ago prior to the installation of an alarm system -- and having been ripped off a number of times while in my RV. And the ensuing research and discussions with professionals plus the BASF (Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix) training I took to try to lessen the probability in the future.

The motion detectors I was talking about is for inside the HM. You can angle the beams to only hit the windows and or doors. It would be best to use two inside if you are staying in the HM. One on each wall and angle them to leave the center undetected for walking or whatever.
All they do is set off an alarm and a light will come on. No police will be called unless you call. They are portable so you can move them from place to place.  Just an idea

Jeff - Bob: Excellent posts, IMHO. And, contrasty - both correct, from my point of view.

Simply can't resist one comment from Bob. He said, "Unfortunately, my neighbor was unaware that the serious intruder had long since solved the problem of dogs -- they kill them." Honestly, I hate to hear that. I regret the loss of those dogs.

Every system has its weak point. One of the weak points for the dog is that like his family, his life is at risk in an intrusion. That is what the gun is for, if one keeps both dog and gun. Even the dog may need a backup. They are difficult to hit, when in action, but sometimes luck runs bad. I don't know statistics, but my own anecdotal experience tells me dogs are rarely the loser in this situation.

My first Boxer, Duke, was shot twice. Neither injury was life threatening. He died years later, of cancer, a brain tumor. Pretty irritating at the time, when he got shot. I don't allow my dogs out, alone. And then, on a  leash or inside a fence, with me along.

At that time, I lived in an average neighborhood, with a mix of houses. It wasn't an RV Park. I think RV Parks are generally pretty safe, assuming on uses common sense. That said, they are not safe enough that one can be oblivios to one's surroundings. It pays to be at least nominally alert.

Common sense is not perfect, either. We all do the best we can do. Then, we hope backup systems work, also.

Ray D  ;D