Some People are just Asking for Trouble

[jeanmarie]

Thieves are everywhere. It is easy for them to watch campsites to know when people are gone.  RV's are easy to break into. Very few of them have safes. So, flashing expensive jewelry and camera equipment and bicycles around strangers or bragging about your $5000 gaming computer and your $1500 drone is probably a bad idea. What do you do to safeguard your own treasures and to make yourself less attractive as a target?

 

[lenny flank]

My setup is pretty minimalist, so I have nothing in my van worth stealing. If they need my sleeping bag THAT bad, they can have it--I can get a new one within ten minutes.

The only things of any value that I have are my camera and my laptop, and those are always with me in my backpack.

 

[WanderingRose]

It is my experience that there is very, very little thieving among campers.

I lock my door at night, but leave my bicycle and whatever outside, and never have had anything stolen.

 

[highdesertranger]

for me I go where the thieves aren't. I haven't stayed in a campground in at least 20 years and that last time it was for a quick overnight stay. if I am in an area that I get a bad feeling about I leave. highdesertranger

 

[jeanmarie]

It is my experience that there is very, very little thieving among campers.

I lock my door at night, but leave my bicycle and whatever outside, and never have had anything stolen.

I guess experiences vary. We had 2 nice Raleigh's stolen when we were at a pay campground. Apparently, some people came into the campground at night, cut the chains, and just rode away on them.

We have also had other issues.

 

[B and C]

I generally camp off to myself so no thieves around. I'll only spend a night in a campground for dumping tanks and such (long shower anyone?). I have never had a problem. I ain't telling anyone where my hidey hole is.

 

[user 2252]

I keep to myself, dress in sweatpants and t-shirts, and mind my own business. I like camping amongst friends, safety in numbers, watching each other's back. So far, no problems.

 

[travelaround]

True that we could run into thieves, etc. but if I let myself get paranoid I'd never go anywhere. I do make an effort to be cautious.

 

[WalkaboutTed]

I had my first thievery incident this year! I had hooked up my trailer to my van as I was leaving early the next morning and someone took the two 2"x6" planks that I had under the jack stand.

My first thought was that they were pretty ballsy to use the electric jack while I was in the trailer. I heard nothing.

First item stolen in 35 years of camping. Life is too short to be neurotic about every little thing. Funny the things that I would miss the most are the least secure-my phone or tablet. It's hard to replace the data from scratch if I don't trust Google.
Ted

 

[Gr8ful]

The ambo has 3 good rifle length storage lockers as thick as gun safes & 3 point doors locks. I have a motion detector for when I'm gone which are cheap.

 

[vanbrat]

We have trouble at home. Had 2 big hooks stolen off my truck had a few tools taken out of our cars, had a tweeker sleep in the house while we were not home but we surprised him by coming home early so he didn't get much just pooped all over the back bathroom, GROSS! but the weirdest one is while we where home and working in the yard someone stole a bunch of meat from our freezer that was in the garage....If they were that hungry they should have stolen some veggies too. Now we have a BIG dog that does not like strangers and I am home working all day with people in and out all day. Things have gotten weird here!!

 

[RoamerRV428]

we do normal small things. out of site, like put up the fishing rods at night in the passthru in the rv.
but most things we just keep out if in a regular old campground, like bikes etc.

only thing in 25 yrs of camping we had stolen was ALL our beer out of our cooler
GEEZ now who would have done that? A few of the teens around? HAHA

We get more trouble from coons than people at our site or some other critter wanting to be annoying!

We don't brag to anyone on what we have and don't have. I mean why bother? Who does that? ugh lol

If we have a theft then we have a theft...all junk can be replaced.

 

[Cammalu]

It’s so creepy to know someone came into your space and stole something. It’s such a violation and wreaks havoc on your peace of mind.

 

[WanderingRose]

From what I have heard, theft occurs most often from people who sneak into campgrounds at night, rather than a neighbor who lifts something of yours that they like.

I was in a number of public campgrounds this past winter that had showers and laundry, and others there reported people coming in at night to use these facilities to avoid paying day use or campsite fees.

Even adding that, the incidence of theft seems relatively low.

Not trying to beat a dead horse, I feel it is important especially for those just starting out to know that a) using basic common sense will keep you safe out there, most of the time, and b) you and your things are generally safe from those around you.

There are those who fear anyone who doesn’t look like them, dress like them or live like them, and I feel compelled to dispel that myth as it detracts from enjoying the diversity in our country,

We’re all more alike than we are different, is the truth, so smile and say hello, use basic common sense and give others basic benefit of the doubt.

In my experience, and my opinion. 

 

[highdesertranger]

ok I deleted a couple of posts.

no politics and no grouping people into categories.

highdesertranger

 

[Rajendora1]

At Doheny State Campgrounds, CA, on our second morning April 2018, the robins (or bluebirds or what ever they call them now at that age) girlscout troop in the next 2 spaces over all took off to the beach for a hike to the next cove at 8 am and left EVERYTHING laying around. I went out to fire up the cue for bacon and eggs and caught a guy with a sack come out of their leader's tent, just walking through the grounds picking up what ever he could, including a darned Barbi doll on of the girls had left sitting up on a table along with her little pink barbie back pack. I reported him and the host and a ranger caught him on the other side of the camp and recovered everything. He said it was the third time they had caught this guy. These parks are now magnets for people who do this sort of thing. Nail it down or lose it in the more popular and well advertised camps.

 

[highdesertranger]

now see that story about Doheny State Beach doesn't surprise me at all. that is the exact type of place that I was talking about that I would never camp at. highdesertranger

 

[jeanmarie]

We chain and lock our low-end bikes and the grill and the tool bin. Chains and cables can be cut, but that is all we can do. Our electronics are old except for the phones, not likely to induce envy. The phones and watches are good, but are usually with us. My cameras are old. They haven't made my old Kodak for years, but it still works fine. The battery is going. When it finally goes for good, I'll just use my phone. I have good quality pillows and sheets and towels that regularly get put out to air, but who is going to steal that? Maybe the guy stealing Barbie dolls?

The dog is an old, goofy mutt that sometimes I would happily give away. I already gave my DIL most of my good jewelry. She will get it all eventually, anyway. The rest is in their safe, where I can't get at it but she can borrow it whenever she wants. Our important paperwork and car titles are there, too. I do like wearing jewelry, so I have some inexpensive silver, some of the gold colored plated stuff that you buy at tourist shops by the inch, and a LOT of cheap (but tasteful!) beaded things that I take with me. None of it is worth stealing.But the crows, at least, are impressed. One of them grabbed an elastic bracelet with small, bright beads off the picnic table flew off with it. Apparently, even the wildlife has a larcenous streak.

Our car is a low-end, scratched up, 4-cylinder, manual transmission beater. No self-respecting thief would be caught dead in it. Most probably could not drive it, anyway. But it is paid for and runs like a champ, probably in fear of being dragged off to the junk yard if it doesn't.

We are not poor. We have no debt. Our bank accounts and investments are adequate. But we do spend time in places were we are vulnerable. So we don't talk about what we do or do not have and few people ask.

 

[tamewolf]

In the KOA in South Padre Island I returned to the laundry room to find a couple removing my clothing from the washer into another one. They were stealing the wash! So now I highly favor those locking ones. Another CG I wakened one night to see someone siphoning gas from the tank. He probably went out every night to get a couple gallons without being noticed. That one also had someone who cut through lots frequently. I saw her a couple times exiting other people’s RVs with an armful (of what I don’t know). Always lock up when you leave. I have found people trying my door with a big ring of keys, and several times woken to the sound and sight of my doorknob moving. A friend has night vision goggles. He said I would not believe the number of people slipping around campsites at night. I take particular care to leave a place, or person, where I’m being assured that it is so safe so I “shouldn’t “ or “don’t need to “ lock or put items away. In National Parks I have seen people who do a walkthrough right before leaving, going for a grill or chair that’s been left out — until they see me watching.
We gotta look out for each other at the more expensive places.

 

[highdesertranger]

wolf you are camping in the wrong places. highdesertranger