Bad Juju

[hayesfamily]

Since I have owned a coach and it's been visible in my yard I'm starting to run into more and more people who are campers. Not all of them have Coach but never the less they frequent campgrounds.

One guy tells me that while in a campground in Florida that someone put a lock on the fifth wheel pin ... so he was unable to back the truck up and move the trailer.

Another guy I ran into at the Travel Center of America shared with me that while camping outside of Las Vegas someone came into the campground and stole his tow bar.

And the stories continue to get more ridiculous as the next gentleman I ran into says that he was at a campground and the area outside of Myrtle Beach and someone's used a siphon to suck gas out of his coach to the tune of 60 gallons.

So should I just chalk this up to Tall Tales and bad juju or does this stuff really happen? I believe there is a correlation between seeing Maryland tags and pretty much being assured that a gun doesn't live on board because I have friends that live in Texas and I have friends that are from Pennsylvania and Florida and even Virginia that said they have never ever ever had problems.

I would love to hear what the masses has to say and please tell me if there are places that I probably should not go. 

[kaypsmith]

Leon, we have camped for more than 35 years,  motorhome for most of those, and only had a little mischief happen one time. Those type things that you mention, can and will happen though. But 60 gallons siphoned? That's 12 5 gallon cans full, lock on the fifth, I bet that he puts his own lock on it now. Best to ere on caution wherever you go, meet the neighbors that are parked next to you if you can, we are all out here for the same reasons, to enjoy ourselves and have a reasonably good time. I find it best to try to do just that, but use common sense at the same time. No matter where you go, even at home the old devil will be lurking, so as the BOY SCOUTS motto goes, "BE PREPARED".  Also you could proudly display a "NRA" sign close to your tag and front door, I may be wrong but I bet even Maryland owners are allowed shotguns in the vehicle properly placed and unloaded, not to say it can't be loaded elsewhere. Video surveillance signs are not a bad idea either, most motorhomes do have a backup camera these days, a thief doesn't know if it is for both or not. Happy motoring and check out the campground, if it looks sleazy, it probably is.

[jleamont]

Keon, I believe its all where you are parked that is the concern. There is a campground in VA on RT13 just before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel that we would frequent every year. When you went there if it wasn't bolted down it was a risk for theft, coolers, bicycles, grills, you name it was a target. I was convinced it was the staff stealing everything, there was no way in my mind that on such a regular occurrence you could have that many "bad eggs" in the same place all throughout the season. Since they have security on patrol, and at the entrance 24/7 it seemed fishy to me. Needless to say we haven't been back, while I have never had anything taken you heard about it everyday.

My tow bar is always locked to the coach. With my background and training I can sense when trouble is in the air, when I get that feeling I pull the electrical cord and air hose off the back and they go into the basement (my safety chains are attached to the tow bar by design), and most stuff will remain locked down in the basement, at night the chairs get folded and put away and most if not all of the site gets broken down. Short trips we don't put much out anyway.

I would say other than that place mentioned above I don't get that feeling often. I can assure you I analyze the staff from the moment I step in the door to the people as we head back to park the coach, just cant help it.

[manholt]

Keon.  Back when we had $4.25 to $4.75 a gallon for diesel, I can bite into 20 gallons walking away...not 60.   I have had water hose and sewage lines, learning to walk a couple of times.  But, that's it, in 49+ years of Class A's !  Most have happened in the past 10 years !

I have a Life member NRA sticker on toad and a 12" tall, Shriners sticker on front door.

Carl

[nitehawk]

Might I suggest putting some colorful tape in conspicious places on the slinky and the electrical cord. Makes them look as if there are not in the best of shape, and thus less desirable to steal.

[blakeloke]

Hi Keon,

Our juju has been for the most part the good kind during a camping life of over 50 years.  Actually, the only time I've had a problem was when tent camping in the high Sierras and the bad guy into our food box and ate our last package of cinnamon rolls we had saved for the next morning (I knew he was stealing it but being the kind hearted soul I am I let him alone.....the bad guy was a bear!).

For coach camping, our tow bar is locked to the receiver.  The safety chains and umbilical are placed in a bay and our table, chairs, grill are put right up next to the coach.  Once inside we are "prepared Texans".

I am actually on higher alert when we are stopped for fuel or at rest areas for brief breaks.

Blake

 

 

[f442485]

My wife and I have been camping for over 40 years and have not experienced any sort of theft issues, but I'm careful about the area the camp ground is located in. If i'm not comfortable with the camp ground appearance , I don't stop.

[BillAdams]

I did have a pin pulled on my tow bar while at a truck stop so be sure that you ALWAYS inspect your RV, tow setup and tow anytime you leave it unattended and before driving.

We have had a couple of minor thefts and one theft averted by a neighbor while at a beach front RV park in Hungtington Beach.  Guy was walking off the beach and headed for the chairs we left out (my mistake).  The neighbor walked over, picked up the chairs and walked back to their site.  The guy just walked away.  That's what RVing is most about so don't fret the small stuff but don't be stupid either!

[hayesfamily]

 you know the sad part is you can't go anywhere these days and have clean on the sun without a knucklehead or two potentially ruining a good thing. The DW and I were talking and I was just sharing with her that even though I have a Maryland carry permit and I also have a Utah carrying permit to cover me and some other states who wants to sit there packing on the beach when you're supposed to just have on some Speedos. Who really wants to worry about how fast they can get to the shotgun under the bed when you're trying to have a wonderful time with the family.

I think it's kind of crazy to have to keep everything under lock and key and a campground but then again Common Sense has to Prevail it sometime and if the place looks smells or seems sketchy of course you protect your belongings. I think that's one of the reasons why I did not go out and buy $150 hose for the Poo, I found an expensive water hoses and things like that, quality butt if somebody really wanted it that bad they can have it. I have a cheap $50 Grill vs $190 one that I wanted because that aggravation of losing it would probably hurt more then guess replacing a $50 Grill.

Everyone on here that I have talked to have been doing the camping thing much longer than me so I assured her that we would take the proper precautions but inevitably if something is going to happen it's going to happen and there is nothing that we can do about it. I am a life member of the NRA so I'm going to order a placard and put it on the coach and I'm also going to buy a locking hitch pin. The only problem with those locking pins is rust comma I left one on my Durango one time and had to take an air chisel to it. If there is a specific brand out there that is stainless steel please let me know because I need to get that one.

I just thought it was a little strange that people would have this much of a problem in a campground. Most of the ones that I've been to you in this area seem pretty secure like they have dated access and are pretty much off the beaten path. The few that I looked at in Florida were kind of wide open, I just drove in and started looking around and nobody really ask too many questions. I guess because I was there offseason it wasn't that much of a risk but they still had security gates and things of that nature and it was Florida. Doing the wrong thing at the wrong time will get you the right Whammy shell if you're not careful

[wayne77590]

I don't worry much about chairs as we have the cheap kind.  However, I do lock the Progressive PT-50C surge protector to the pedestal with a very heavy chain.  However, that is just going to keep the honest people from stealing it. My reason for locking it is that most campgrounds are drive through...that is not control gate so anyone can come in the wee hours of the morning and "fetch" things.  In the many years of camping we have never had a problem.

There is a KOA in New Orleans that when you are driving through the neighborhood you can get an eerie feeling. When I asked the manger/owner he stated that they have never had a problem with things being stolen.  Yet, there are stories of some of the up-scale RV Resorts having "minor" problems of items walking away.

The lock on the 5th wheel pin should have never prevented him from connecting. I have busted common padlocks with a 50 cent piece and the heel of a shoe when in the military.  A hammer, or any other tool would have made minced lock out of it.

Just be cautious and check your surroundings periodically and your tow hook-ups. Just in case.