Travel Trailer Theft

[BeerBrewer]

My wife and I are considering buying a travel trailer. I already own a pick-up and we were thinking that we'd buy a "new-ish" used travel travel (within towing limits of my truck) and leisurely tour the country (not full time), now that we have more time.

We thought travel to an area of interest and stop at a camp ground, unhook the trailer and then use our truck to tour the surrounding area. Basically using the TT as a home base. So over the past few months I've done a ton of reading/learning about RVing, towing, travel trailers, etc. Unfortunately, I keep reading more and more that travel trailers are prone to theft. I've read stories about people returning to their campsite to find their rig was broken into or that their entire rig was stolen!

Obviously we have to take precautions but I'm wondering how big this problem is and if it is a real concern. So is it a big concern or are these just isolated incidents? Does anyone know the real statistics on TT or RV theft or where I can find them?

Your comments and experiences are greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

marininn wrote:
Campgrounds should be very safe to leave it.

Out west many people camp along BLM roads or just out in the middle of nowhere. That is a place to be concerned.
I have never unhooked in the desert and left my trailer. Im took scared, it is too easy for a thief to hook up and drive off, too few people around to see also. I have left the trailer hooked and locked to TV and left it though.

Insured, yes. Able to just write a check and continue the trip? never. Game over.

A better question is how safe is leaving a camper in the BLM type area?

(and I mean a nice trailer, not an old popup nobody wants to steal anyway, no offense)

Also, I theorize that a 5th wheeler would be safer as fewer thieves will be able to tow one, or be set up for 5th, and most who have a 5th hitch have enough money so are not petty thieves.

What security measures are best? Wheel locks, hitch locks, removable hitches???

There is none. Cordless tools make any lock, chain, cable or whatever obsolete. IOW's don't leave your trailer abandon out in the wilderness or you are just asking for trouble.

I have many tow truck driver friends. They tell me they can get anything if they want it. And it's not that hard if you know what you're doing. Thieves know what they are doing. At least a lot of them do.

[marininn]

Campgrounds should be very safe to leave it.

Out west many people camp along BLM roads or just out in the middle of nowhere. That is a place to be concerned.
I have never unhooked in the desert and left my trailer. Im took scared, it is too easy for a thief to hook up and drive off, too few people around to see also. I have left the trailer hooked and locked to TV and left it though.

Insured, yes. Able to just write a check and continue the trip? never. Game over.

A better question is how safe is leaving a camper in the BLM type area?

(and I mean a nice trailer, not an old popup nobody wants to steal anyway, no offense)

Also, I theorize that a 5th wheeler would be safer as fewer thieves will be able to tow one, or be set up for 5th, and most who have a 5th hitch have enough money so are not petty thieves.

What security measures are best? Wheel locks, hitch locks, removable hitches???

[ctilsie242]

Here in Texas, TTs are hauled off to use as hunting lodges, meth "kitchens", or venues for nefarious stuff, then torched when done.

I toss a basic long shackle padlock on the latch. The wheels get chained via high security chains, and I use an European "Insurance Lock" (which has to be up to a very high spec) to secure the chains. The lock on the latch is to show that the vehicle is secured, and the wheel chains show that any thief will have to fight for the rig.

[4x4van]

The trailers that seem to be popular for thieves are ToyHaulers, not for the trailer itself, but for the Toys that can be stored inside. Side-by-sides, sand buggies, quads, motorcycles...easy to end up with $20K, $30K, even $100K worth of toys and dump the trailer itself.

As for regular TTs; not much of a black market. More likely to get broken into for valuables; TV, etc, but even that is rare, and would likely occur during storage, not while camping.

[down_home]

There is one thread, I believe here about Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheels and motorhomes being stolen and sometimes found parked in the wilds for someone's hunting camp or making meth in.
Most are probably scraped when found but they were usually stolen from Homes, storage Lots or at places RVers stopped to eat or shop.
I have been trying to remember ones stolen from campgrounds but don't really remember any whole RVs being discussed here.

[wa8yxm]

Well though Trailer (And motorhome) theft is becoming more common. So are Trailers and motorhomes. When you looks at the PERCENTAGE of RV's stolen. I'm not sure the change has been that great if that is there is one.

Several things you can do to improve security. One is to chain it up.. A chain through the rim and wrapped around a frame member. Another is a GPS tracker device. though those can be a problem on a Trailer.

Next: Many PRIVATE parks have security.. I'm trying to get the park I'm in now to add a few things that will make it easier for the 24 hour security guards but (Cameras at the entrance/exits that can spot your tags. both park tag and license plate) this would also assist with recovery of a stolen trailer.

THey do have cameras in many areas... Short story I happend to walk past the manager's office and there were 3 people in there

Assistant park manager
Grandfather
Grandson

THe manager was showing the others a video
The Grandfather was not looking happy
The bicycle theft grandson was looking very contrite.

The sign next to the bicycle rack he was stealing from says THIS AREA UNDER VIDEO SURVEILLANCE.. It did not lie.

[JaxDad]

rvshrinker wrote:
I have the same concerns as we want to be able to boondock, including during the winter where they may be no one else in the area.

Coming back to no trailer at 5 pm on a cold/wet winter day in the middle of nowhere with no cell service might not only be inconvenient, it could start to get dangerous.

I can’t imagine crooks prowling around ‘in the middle of nowhere’ during the winter and with a big enough TV just to steal a camper. Especially if they have to unhook YOUR TV from the camper and move it out of the way to get hitched up.

[Grit_dog]

^ So you're admittedly very concerned about getting your TT stolen but "haven't found" the right heavy chain or lock use? Mmmmkay...

[Optimistic_Para]

rvshrinker wrote:
My solution has been to look for a long heavy duty chain and lock which the average bolt cutter wouldn’t hack. Haven’t found it yet but still looking.

Take a look at these guys:

https://www.1st-chainsupply.com/chain/security_maxx.htm

[rvshrinker]

I have the same concerns as we want to be able to boondock, including during the winter where they may be no one else in the area. My solution has been to look for a long heavy duty chain and lock which the average bolt cutter wouldn’t hack. Haven’t found it yet but still looking.

Coming back to no trailer at 5 pm on a cold/wet winter day in the middle of nowhere with no cell service might not only be inconvenient, it could start to get dangerous.

[ReneeG]

Come to think of it, I've heard of portable surge protectors being stolen from pedestals more often than any other thing. When we had a portable surge protector, we had a lock on it. Now our surge protector is built in.

[down_home]

The holes for locks of plug connections on pedestals don't get used much.
There is or was one or two threads on how they stole power cords.
I believe someone did with insulated bolt cutters or something but if the cover is locked down over the cor plug, yep, someone, generally is going to get a good dose of lectricity and wonn't want it.
If the cove is not secured they just quickly unplug cut the cord near the RV and gone, while you try to figure out if the power is out, or the microwave tripped the breakers.

[westend]

mtrumpet wrote:

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
...Think about some urban thug trying too cut my live 50amp power cord quickly with a pair of bolt cutters.

Now, THAT would be a good one! :B

FYI, thieves don't care. I arrived at Koch Ind. fuel dock to offload ethanol one day and they were unable to offload because thieves had removed 1/4 mile of service wire from the facility. 480V was live at the time it was removed

[mtrumpet]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
...Think about some urban thug trying too cut my live 50amp power cord quickly with a pair of bolt cutters.

Now, THAT would be a good one! :B