Theft-proofing battery??

[War Eagle]

I saw a passing comment in a recent thread from an owner who had "theft-proofed" their tongue-mounted battery. I guess I hadn't even worried about that until I read that post. I can contact them to learn more about how they did it, but in general, how common is it for tongue-mounted batteries to get stolen? If that's a bigger problem than what I had ever imagined, under what circumstances is that most likely to happen? And what's the best way to secure a tongue-mounted battery to prevent theft or at least reduce the likelihood? We have an all-electric EggCamper with three batteries mounted on the tongue for extended power, and I'd hate to lose any of them!

[Gina D.]

under what circumstances is that most likely to happen?

I am sure it has happened to someone, but it's hard to tell exactly.

I would suggest the circumstances would be "Chance" "Opportunity" and "Need". What are the chances that someone will need one and chance by one and take the opportunity? They are a bit awkward, and probably not a great draw for a thief. Whats the core charge these days? 3 bucks, 4,5? Not worth the effort for that. But if someone NEEDS a battery now..could happen.

I have worked in campgrounds for a lotta years and never had a stolen battery complaint. No one has ever touched mine either, but I have had coolers and a battery CHARGER get stolen.

My trailers have also always been parked on the street or in my driveway..no one ever molested my batteries there either..even in sticky fingered So. Cal!

[Carol H]

I have never had a battery stolen off the trailer. I don't recall hearing of to many people who have either but I do know of one party who lost a battery and a propane tank and then eventually the whole trailer while it was parked in a so called secure storage facility though.

[Borrego Dave]

I've never had a problem. I have only heard of a couple people in 50 years of having a battery stolen out of their cars. Like Gina said....opportunity and need. Don't think I would worry to much but I would lock up the bikes and gennys. Worth way more

[Raz]

I seem to recall someone, Roy in TO perhaps, lost one from a trailer parked at his home. Or was that a propane tank?

I have never had anything stolen while camping. Raz

[Huck]

On the Parkliner, the batteries sit in a box right behind the propane tanks. To get to the batteries, the propane tank cover has to be removed.

So I was thinking about using something like a bicycle chain lock to fasten the cover to the tongue. Not foolproof, but would certainly discourage someone from trying to get to the batteries.

[cpaharley2008]

I have never heard of one being taken while camping or in use, normally it can happen while in storage or unattended for an extended period.

[Donna D.]

Interesting this thread just pops up. One of my co-workers lost the 6-volt batteries and 30 lb propane tanks off their sticky last week. Parked in their driveway. Meth heads will steal anything.

[Bob Miller]

I would think that more battery and propane tank thefts would take place in storage areas where the perps know that it will go undetected for a longer period of time. For that reason I would suggest putting propane tanks and accessible batteries inside the coach when stored in storage yards.

As I mentioned earlier, my Mustang convertible was stolen out of a locked storage unit.

[Roy in TO]

Good memory Raz,
It was a propane tank.

[Roger C H]

My father had a battery stolen from his 1957 Rambler in Milwaukee in the 50's.
Tom Young had the batteries stolen from all the trailers he had on a delivery in St Louis.
So I just bought a length of heavy chain and padlocked it around the battery case. Is it fool proof? No. But all locks just slow down the crooks so they will look elsewhere to rob.
That reminds me, I want to padlock the propane tank to the trailer, also.

[papa-t]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I have never heard of one being taken while camping or in use, normally it can happen while in storage or unattended for an extended period.

I agree. I had a cooler full of drinks, beer, ect. taken at the beach one year. Anything is possible. You can only deter against the honest; if they really want to steal something they will. Two guard dogs can be made to be friends with a juicy steak. LOL

[RogerDat]

Battery or full propane tank is heavy to walk off with, and has a low cash value. Meth heads don't frequent campgrounds but I could see people hitting storage facilities where they have a car to haul them away and get several in one or two trips.

Manhole covers worth $10 get stolen because the thieves can get several easily. Locks that make yours a harder target or out of sight both seem like they encourage the ill intentioned to move on.

Had an axe stolen from under the camper once. Think it is like the stolen cooler mentioned, an impulse driven by people that covet the thing when they see it and lack moral character.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by papa-t

I agree. I had a cooler full of drinks, beer, ect. taken at the beach one year.

A number of years ago during one very hot night someone went around a stole every cooler in campground that was outside & had booze in it. The next morning they were about 35 coolers stacked up neatly at the entrance to the campground empty. It was noted there had been a very large beach party going on late into the night the previous evening - suspect they ran out fuel Was glad they were at least nice enough to leave the coolers so we could find them and did not need to buy new ones.

Last year a friend had their bikes stolen off the back of their trailer while they were sleeping even though they were sleeping at the back of the trailer and they had cable locks on them. They didn't hear a thing. First time I had heard of that happening.

If someone wants something bad enough they will take it.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

Had an axe stolen from under the camper once. Think it is like the stolen cooler mentioned, an impulse driven by people that covet the thing when they see it and lack moral character.

Hmmmm... Crime of opportunity?

[Gina D.]

I had cooler thieves in one of my campgrounds a couple years ago. They came in at night with their truck, idled in front of campsites and nabbed the coolers.

The not so clever thieves allowed a piece of mail to fall out of the truck. I found it in front of one of the campsites hit. They were locals, the LEOs knew them and where they camped in a dispersed area..they got popped with about 20 coolers.

[Marv Watson]

I have pad-locked braided, coated 1/2” cable securing my two propane tanks in front and my battery & spare tire in the rear. Make the thieves work for it, anyway.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Gina D.

The not so clever thieves allowed a piece of mail to fall out of the truck. I found it in front of one of the campsites hit. They were locals, the LEOs knew them and where they camped in a dispersed area..they got popped with about 20 coolers.

I can read the Craigslist ad now... "camp coolers for sale."

NOt funny really... I lost a cooler in an Oregon State Park during the day. Full of booze, hadda be kids wanting to act like adults.

[Borrego Dave]

Donna, the first thing that came to mind after reading your post about kids grabbing your ice chest was if it had been filled with Pabst or Schlitz it could have been called tough love as that may have stopped them from drinking beer anymore .
Kind of a funny side note. Years ago in the AF I was stationed on a mountain top communication site in Greece and we had a small "site lounge=bar). I'm sure most of the members here remember the tag line of Schlitz beer, "When your out of Schlitz, you're out of beer" weeeelllllll, that really happened there. When the Schlitz was gone we were out of beer. That's the only advertising line I've ever expirienced that was totally true.