RV security

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When do you lock your RV?

  • Always. Everytime I walk away from it.

    Votes: 15 19.7%
  • When I am far enough away not to be able to SEE the RV.

    Votes: 36 47.4%
  • When ever I'm going to be away for an extended period of time.

    Votes: 15 19.7%
  • Only if I leave the campground.

    Votes: 6 7.9%
  • I never lock the RV while camping.

    Votes: 4 5.3%
  • I have a Pop-up/Hybrid, I feel locking it unnecessary.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    76
Gary RV_Wizard said:
I guess I'm naive, or maybe a risk taker, but we rarely locked the RV in a campground as long as we were remaining in the immediate area.  Perhaps that was feasible because we avoided places where theft or mischief was more likely, though obviously that's a judgement call.  If we weren't familiar or comfortable with the place, we locked up.

Same here. We stay almost exclusively in State/public parks and only lockup when leaving the campground for shopping, laundry, touring, etc. The few times we've stayed at private parks-- espeically those near metro areas, we're more cautions.

We leave our vicious attack cat in charge in our absence so heaven help anyone that might try to gain entry.

 

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jaunvie said:
My last PU was from a divorce. They had lost their key so the dealer gave them a "master" key. (One of 5-6 for their brand the dealer said)

I didn't really think much of it until I was at a campground one day and saw my neighbor pull up unhitch their PU and a few minutes later drive away without his wife and kids. They didn't set up camp and the woman was just sitting at the picnic table. I went over and asked if everything was ok. She said they forgot the keys at home. An hour drive away. So her husband was driving back to get them.

They had a colman like mine so we decided to try my key just in case and it worked just fine. Including the compartment doors and everything. We were both a bit surprised, but we had the entire campsite set up and she had started cooking by the time her husband came back. So he was probably the most surprised.  ::)

There were only two keys used for the old Coleman pop-ups, so you had a 50/50 chance. I can remember several times that someone would come around looking for a key, because they had left home without one. My sister?s Coleman was keyed differently than mine, so between us we could open any pop-up.
 
Almost considered voting for only owning a Popup with nothing valuabe in it...which is all true.  However we lock it with the factory key.  Here's the funny part, the factory key for our newer RV is the same as the old RV.  The newer RV is Forest River and the older (Toyhauler) was from Livin Lite.  Seriously the same keys from two different companies! 
 
  Fulltime 11 years, we hardly ever lock it in a CG if we're in the area. If we go to town or over to the fishcamp bar for the evening, we lock it.

  Bay doors are another matter. We lock them at Walmart or whatever but never at a CG. I'd much rather someone steal my junk than bust up my irreplaceable bay doors.
 
I feel so safe having a Wsdcam alarm, I was amazed. It was so easy to install and operate. Most wireless alarm systems work on the inside when you close the door or window and when it is opened the alarm sounds. This one you can close the door and arm it from the outside with a remote. The alarm is very loud and won't stop until you disarm it.
 
Year old thread but for me it depends on where I am. With a house you figure out if you are in a bad neighborhood or good pretty quick. With an RV it can change daily so one size doesn't fit all.

I have been liveaboard in what is essentially a retirement community of folks. I rarely lock the door because there are about 10 people watching everyone else all the time and they are all good folks known to me.

When I am on the road it's probably anytime I am out of eyeshot for anything over an hour. It's not that I have any precious things, my important stuff is in a safe, and even that is ultimately replaceable, but I carry a number of firearms and I would not like some dumbass getting a hold of them. In a future remodel I hope to integrate a gun safe into the master br.

Thieves are opportunists - getting burglarized is like getting struck by lightning. Make your place a little tougher than the place next door.
 
I guess I'm naive, or maybe a risk taker, but we rarely locked the RV in a campground as long as we were remaining in the immediate area. Perhaps that was feasible because we avoided places where theft or mischief was more likely, though obviously that's a judgement call. If we weren't familiar or comfortable with the place, we locked up.
This is the way we operate. Also like to meet he neighbor(s) as soon as we can. They know who belongs and watch the place just like we watch thiers. The S&B we don't lock we live too far out back and the only two neighbors know who belongs and have confronted people they didn't recognize.
 
Those portable door alarms are a good idea. But I saw a great suggestion on a travel video that fits here. Keep your vehicle key close to the bed so that if someone attempts entry in the evening just hit the vehicle alarm while you are inside. . That should change the mind of most intruders.
I keep something else close to the bed.......
 
I guess I'm naive, or maybe a risk taker, but we rarely locked the RV in a campground as long as we were remaining in the immediate area.

Fulltime 11 years, we hardly ever lock it in a CG if we're in the area.
We have been traveling by RV since 1972, with the first 10 years in pop-up trailers. We were full-time in a class A for nearly 12 years and have been back to part-time in a travel trailer now for almost 10 years. It has been my experience that RVing is about as safe an activity as exists. The only time that we have ever had an RV broken into it was parked next to our house in Ft. Worth, TX in the late 1990's and we were in the house asleep. Not one time have we had anything stolen from our campsites and while we do put the more tempting things away if not in camp, we don't put up lawn chairs and such, even when we leave to go somewhere.
I feel so safe having a Wsdcam alarm, I was amazed.
If you notice, the guy who posted this is new with only this one post. I'd bet he somehow makes money from the sales and that post is just spam. It is available from Amazon and isn't expensive, so possibly he is just a worrier who owns an RV? RVhometown, if you are still reading this why not respond to tell us more about yourself?
 
If you notice, the guy who posted this is new with only this one post. I'd bet he somehow makes money from the sales and that post is just spam.
Agreed. His only other post was in another year old or so thread, and he pretty much did the same thing. If it walks like a duck....
 
We have been traveling by RV since 1972, with the first 10 years in pop-up trailers. We were full-time in a class A for nearly 12 years and have been back to part-time in a travel trailer now for almost 10 years. It has been my experience that RVing is about as safe an activity as exists. The only time that we have ever had an RV broken into it was parked next to our house in Ft. Worth, TX in the late 1990's and we were in the house asleep. Not one time have we had anything stolen from our campsites and while we do put the more tempting things away if not in camp, we don't put up lawn chairs and such, even when we leave to go somewhere.

If you notice, the guy who posted this is new with only this one post. I'd bet he somehow makes money from the sales and that post is just spam. It is available from Amazon and isn't expensive, so possibly he is just a worrier who owns an RV? RVhometown, if you are still reading this why not respond to tell us more about yourself?
I am a mechanic and I like to go camping. I have trips with my family each weekend on my motorhome. I am here to learn the knowledge from everyone, and I also want to share what I experience over my trips.
 
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