I got a call yesterday as I was driving back down to Florida that my Casita had been vandalized.

I have a big job I am doing in Palm Beach and it will span several trips over several months.
So last month I dragged the Casita down with me,Camping along the way with the plan of storing it at a clients driveway where I have camped at length before and using it camping in the area while waiting for my time to get into the jobsite.

I was there for 3 weeks and stayed in the house as it was so record breaking hot and then I drove home leaving the Egg cabled to Palm trees front and back and secured in other ways too.

I have a few people sort of watching it while I am gone and one called with the bad news.

It seems the jerks got into the emergency escape window somehow as this was open when the break-in was discovered.
The door lock was jimmied too but it does not look like they gained entry that way?

So they borrowed my TV,a cheap DVD player,a case of water?some food and cleaning stuff?? Maybe more but I really do not remember what was in there.,Fan and flashlights and tools.

They did not vandalize otherwise from what I can tell and did not even really make a huge mess.
They left the Microwave,fancy coffee maker and radio

After calming down....a little! I think I was lucky really.
The TV is gone and I need new blinds and to sanitize the newly sanitized interior and furnishings but it could have been a lot worse.
No broken Fiberglass,regular glass or anything else that I have found so far.

I wonder if I had been more secure if there might have been more damage in the end?

I found some nearby secure storage and moved the Egg there to live between my using it down there.

On the other hand,I do feel VIOLATED,not something I like or recommend.

Ed

Thank goodness your loss wasn't any worse. I would feel violated too.

Hello Ed - so very sorry you had to experience this "invasion" of your Casita, but we echo Frederick's comment - thank goodness there wasn't more serious damage. Glad you found a secure spot to park while you are away from Florida. Take care, L 'n D

I had someone steal a new propane tank right off the front of my trailer in my driveway, and the local police refused to even take a report.

How did they react when you called ? or did you bother?

Sorry for your loss, and I'm not talking about the stuff!

Just curious did you check with your insurance company to see if they would replace the stolen items. My trailer was broken in a couple of years ago. It was parked by my sisters house. There was some vandalism and stolen items. My insurance paid for both repairs and replacement of stolen items.

What a rotten thing to happen. Glad it was only easily replaced stuff. Glad you were safe.

My friend wondered why I don't lock my car when I park at home. Besides being a very safe neighborhood, I told him that there's nothing in the car that's worth a broken window. Two of my sons have had their vehicles broken into; in both cases the thieves stole nothing of real value, but the broken windows were messes to deal with.

I keep my EggCamper secured in my back yard with its door unlocked. If anyone wants to steal what's inside they may, (again, a very slim chance in my neighborhood). I just don't want to have to mess with a jimmied door or a broken window.

Well I have now collected the Casita and done the Forensics on the break-in and am feeling lucky really the damage was not too severe.

I think they slipped something in between panes on the escape window to throw the latch open. It is different than all the other windows.
Then they sliced the screen and just unlatched the red latches and slithered inside like the cold blooded vermin cowards they are.

They got the TV wrenched off the mount somehow? Starting with a wrench they even left there but then giving that up and just breaking the mounting arm off,scratching the fiberglass in the process.
They also got a cheap DVD player,a case of bottled water?,some food and several other items I discovered or remembered as I used the trailer again.

There was a lot they did not take.

As a subtle form of justice they did not take the TV remote control,without which this TV is almost useless or at least very inconvenient to use.

Anyway after considering the whole episode I feel grateful almost that they didn't cause more damage just for the heck of it.
I don't see ,e leaving the door unlocked but I also do not see making half-attempts to secure things that would require a more damagaing entry method should it happen again.

I found "Secure" storage and went "Native" by putting a blue tarp over the entire roof of the trailer.
The storage lot even has a guy who sleeps outside on the lot to help deter thieves and vandals.

Maybe a giant Iguana inside would stop someone in their tracks?

Ed

Ed

How about stickers on the door and windows that say "Please don't feed the snake"?

Orlen

Ed..... Wondered if the ranger there had anything to say like "never have problem here" or "happens all the time" ? We stay at same place occasionally to visit our son but always there at night.

It can happen anywhere. We had two folding captains chairs taken in broad daylight from our campsite at a KOA several years ago.

Some people are like that. You just have to forget it and move on.

Chris
It happened in the driveway of a private residence.
The police were not interested at all.

The house is in a line of multi-million dollar homes on the Intercoastel waterway in West Palm Beach.

No where is safe anymore.

wow condolances ED

I browse craigslist from time to time and have noticed several trailers stolen recently. To lose a TV or propane tank is annoying, but that pales into insignificance compared to the whole trailer disappearing!

The most recent one is here:
http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/rvs/1486373319.html

STOLEN STOLEN FIBER STREAM Travel Trailer Camper 4 restoration (34010 St RD 54 Zephyrhills, fl 33543)