Theft Recovery

[DaMScampers]

Proper theft deterrence will always be job #1. But, I keep hearing of fiberglass RV thefts. My Scamp is insured, but the loss of it would be far more than a monetary loss. So I'm thinking thoughts of of theft recovery - on the cheap.

In particular I've been thinking about investing in a 'Tile' (Www.thetileapp.com). It is an inexpensive blue tooth tracking device. It has a great reputation for finding things lost at home (keys) or in densely populated places (a stolen bike in the city), but to think of it leading to a successful camper recovery seems a bit of a stretch.

Then yesterday I saw this: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-a-simple-data

This low-powered, cell network device could act as a homing beacon. Yet it seems to be in the realm of DIY electronics - certainly beyond my knowledge base.

1. I'd love any general comments/helps in simply discussing theft recovery plans as added insurance.

2. I'd love any electronics gurus to weigh in on 'The Spark'.

Here's to hoping this leads to a great discussion...


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[Paul Braun]

The link is for a startup seeking funds to market this product. None the less it does explain the product and what it might do if it gets to market. The have designed or want to design a device that uses a cell plan to notify you of location.

The biggest issue is such a device needs to have electrical power, think of what your cell phone requires and it's battery life. Since a stolen RV might be parked or abandoned for some time and probably off shore power, the on board battery will only be able to transmit for weeks before power is depleted.

A better solution might come from OTR truckers and devices used in tractors and high value trailers. Check out GPS Vehicle Tracking, Devices, Solutions, Units, Equipment, Locator.

[Ian G.]

Deterring theft is what I think is the best, make it hard and time consuming to steal, I use several layers of deterrents. But as mentioned above I also us a GPS tracking system if those deterrents don't work.
Buy GPS Tracking, Personal Locator Beacons @ GPS Central

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by DaMScampers

But, I keep hearing of fiberglass RV thefts.

Please share all these fiberglass RV thefts you've been hearing about. I think we'd all like to know how many and where.

[Carol H]

I can recall three that have been posted here in the last six months or so.... one was recovered but haven't heard anything regarding the other two which were stolen here in BC - one of them was an Escape out of a residential area here in the lower mainland.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I can recall three that have been posted here in the last six months or so.... one was recovered but haven't heard anything regarding the other two which were stolen here in BC - one of them was an Escape out of a residential area here in the lower mainland.

Let's see over the past 30 years there's probably been over 20,000 fiberglass trailer manufactured. The would mean there's been .015% of the trailers out there stolen over the past 6 months or so. According to "Traffic Safety Facts" in 2010, 32,885 people died in traffic accidents vs how many trailers stolen? Seems to me you need to worry more about traffic accidents that your trailer getting stolen.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Let's see over the past 30 years there's probably been over 20,000 fiberglass trailer manufactured. The would mean there's been .015% of the trailers out there stolen over the past 6 months or so. According to "Traffic Safety Facts" in 2010, 32,885 people died in traffic accidents vs how many trailers stolen? Seems to me you need to worry more about traffic accidents that your trailer getting stolen.

All true which is why I am personally not worried. I figure thats what insurance is for

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Carol H

All true which is why I am personally not worried. I figure thats what insurance is for

Have to agree with you and Byron. Sure seems like it's a longshot and I would hate to have my trailer stolen, or anything else, but there are many more things in life a lot more important to worry about than a trailer. Family comes first, everything else you can replace. For example wouldn't your daily driver being stolen cause more trouble for you than something you use once in a while?
Think everyone has heard of the story (true or not) of the Corvette chained to two trees. In the morning the owner found it facing 180* reversed and still chained with a note saying "If we want it we'll take it". We all do what we can for safety but.....
The trailer may be gone but the memories are forever. OK, soapbox is over .

[Donna D.]

Valid question. It has to do with level of comfort. I agree nothing beats good insurance. Does it really matter if there's only one trailer stolen out of a million if that one is yours? Of course it does!

[Cathy P.]

I agree with Donna D. and also, in the 90's we bought the top model Coleman pop-up and used cash. It was a major purchase and something we planned to keep for some time. It was removed from our yard heavy duty hitchlock in place when we were living about 17 miles north of Tucson, AZ. It weighed over 2,000 lbs and it appeared they dragged it to the street and loaded to a flatbed in the middle of the night. We never heard a thing.

What you realize is how vulnerable you and your possessions are. We now use one of the wheel choke locking things.

When the insurance paid out, quickly, they wanted a list of items that were in the camper so that is something to think about.

The camper was found a few months later when the police went to serve a warrant for a different crime, the man wasn't home, the women said that it was borrowed and we probably forgot. It was impounded at the police lot.

[Roger C H]

This is marketed for cheating spouses, but should work for anything:

Vehicle Trackers

Its seems Radio Shack and Best Buy also have security hardware.

also if it is already stolen:

http://stolen911.com/

[David Tilston]

ebay has a number of products that use GPS and cel phone:
gps tracker | eBay