RV on BLM forest - leave for eight hours regular?

[Goshawk]

Lets say you are working every day.  So you need to leave your RV to go to work for eight hours.  How safe would that RV be on BLM or national forest land to do that?  Somehow think that it would be broken into, if anyone profiles your activities.  Maybe you are safer on the paid RV campground. 

Now lets say you want to go hiking all day, and you drive away from your RV (TT, 5th wheel, Class A) to go hiking or visiting the area.

1)  Do you need to alarm and low-jack (GPS tracking) that remaining parked RV?
2)  Is there areas that are remote and subject to targeted teenager thieves?  (used to be like that in NH white mountains that kids would break into cars parked remote is given the chance).
3)  How long will it take to get a LEO to that vehicle if you get a remote alarm, and are false alarms something that LEO will give you a ticket for?

 

[LoupGarou]

I'd install a couple of Game Cameras at the site. You may be able to ID someone later should something go amiss.

I'd install some window film to add protection against broken window smash and grabs.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

1)  Do you need to alarm and low-jack (GPS tracking) that remaining parked RV?

How often do you pay attention to a car alarm going off in a parking lot?  How far away would it be heard and would anyone bother to check it out?
GPS tracking will only work if you are concerned with the camper being stolen.

2)  Is there areas that are remote and subject to targeted teenager thieves?  (used to be like that in NH white mountains that kids would break into cars parked remote is given the chance).

Your best bet is to research crime statistics for the area of interest and talk to whatever law enforcement agency has jurisdiction.

3)  How long will it take to get a LEO to that vehicle if you get a remote alarm, and are false alarms something that LEO will give you a ticket for?

Again, talk to the LEA for the area of interest.  WAG: Someone will show up that day or the next, they would be really pissed at a false alarm, and probably would not show up for the next alarm.  It takes ~20 minutes to get a cop to show up in my neighborhood if not life threatening.  How long does it take to ransack a camper?

Spiff's general rules of thumb:

• The closer you are to a populated area the more likely you are to have issues with theft.  The higher the crime rate/drug use the greater the problem.
• The more popular the area the greater the risk.
• The easier the access road the bigger the chance of theft. 
• The easier you are to see from a road . . . you get the idea.

I have been broken into in my own driveway (6X) more often than in the back country (1X).
When boondocking, I usually leave my camper for 4 - 12 hours at a time, always out of sight, out of hearing.
I try to make camp where I am not seen from the road.
I know a lot of hunters in the mountain west that leave a very expensive camper in the back country for the hunting season with no problems.

 -- Spiff

 

[DuneElliot]

We had issues in the Bighorn Mtns of Wyoming with people breaking into campers that are left by hunters for several weeks at a time. This is a very low crime area, but they were crimes of opportunity and easy to target because no one was watching them for days or weeks at a time. Of course the owners were dumb enough to leave their firearms in the campers which made the pickings appealing too.

If a trailer/camper is left for a day, during the day, I would think it is not likely to have an issue. It's only when RVs and such are left for longer periods that they risk getting broken into.

My fifth wheel has an unusual hitch system on it so it's not easy to steal but can still be broken into. The jacks can also only be raised or lowered from inside a compartment. I do have a game cam that I will probably make use of from time to time. Signs on the outside suggesting surveillance and lowjack might be a good deterrent. Don't leave valuables in the RV and keep blinds closed. Leave nothing outside to suggest you have anything valuable inside. Have a good insurance policy that covers your RV as a dwelling so that it also covers anything stolen from the inside.

 

[Goshawk]

Yes to insurance for theft and game cameras. Wonder if an alarm that's states "cellphone has called police to this GPS location" would scare anyone upon break-enter.


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[INTJohn]

I use my trailer for a base camp and leave it often - sometimes for days and then sleep in the truck. I've never had any issues. Crime on RV's is so rare that the FBI doesn't even keep a statistical category on it - and the FBI has statistics on EVERYTHING! haha.

I choose to camp the trailer in the BLM LTVA's and the seasonal pass is 180$ for 8 months - a dollar a day - big deal. There's good security and if I'm going to be gone for awhile to stealth camp at the beach in San Diego or something I just tell the 'Camp Cop' i'll be gone for awhile.

Tiz kool...............INTjohn

 

[bcbullet]

Note on door "Hey Jim, went out with the dogs to sight in the new rifle...won't be long"

 

[GrayWhale]

Maybe a cheap and quick deterrent: leave a radio on high volume, plugged into a timer that cycles on and off, as well as a light. Not awesome, but should help.

If I were a burglar, I'd think that an RV parked out in nowhere would be a good score for a generator, camping equipment, and probably guns & ammo. And the burglar is probably from around there and would be the type that can use all of this stuff, as he's probably an outdoorsman himself.

 

[speedhighway46]

Note on door "Hey Jim, went out with the dogs to sight in the new rifle...won't be long"

Also put a coffee can of fired 12 gauge shotgun shells on the ground by the door.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

A few of these strategically placed around camp should do the trick!

 

[GrayWhale]

Also put a coffee can of fired 12 gauge shotgun shells on the ground by the door.

Guns & ammo are a huge score though. I think this will almost guarantee you getting robbed if they knew you had guns. Criminals are pretty smart. They will case the place first and not just rush in and risk getting shot.  At least knock on the door  for a  long time to see if anyone's home.

Here's a scumbag who was casing my car. He lived a few doors down. This was in, I dunno.....Honduras ..... and my car had East Coast plates. He parked his car, almost touching mine when the street was near empty. He wanted to see if anyone was watching, I think. I was peeking through the blinds and filming. I had a 9mm on me, but I don't think it would have been Kosher in this state. Insurance would have covered most of it and cheaper than hiring lawyer(s) afterward.

He did walk around my car, trying to peek in but the tint is 20%. He gave it up and didn't do anything. I was sure glad I didn't do anything neither. Looked like a Gang-Banger.