Another stolen camper (6) story

[RCF13]

As a person that have been on and in Meth areas. Most of the time I'm there because something went wrong and started a fire. If Meth is made in a area the area has it on ever thing. Some rentals that was used to make Meth had to be tore down. There are test kits you can get of check for it. You can get 25 test kits for under $15 on Amazon. It's a shame we have to do this but you will know if meth was used or made in the trailer or home or anything you want to buy used.

[Vtec]

We were out west a few years ago and were approached by a nice couple who said they used to have a Casita until it was stolen. Because of the compact easy to tow away size these are pretty high on the theft scale I suspect.

My experience with reporting stuff like theft to police is they don't have the time for it and just make a file, no follow up, just another stat. And many places and states are lax on license plates/registrations. Only way to get caught with something stolen like a camper, ATV/UTV, motorcycles, trailers, etc. is pretty much because they committed another unrelated crime. And if you look around your neighborhood in a rural area on google earth there are tons of campers and stuff tucked far away from sight on private land. A few hours after the theft there is little chance of ever being caught so no small wonder it's happening more and more.

I almost wonder if states should set up a registration agency to combat small movable object theft. A handful of officers in each state, given power to enter property much like a wildlife warden, who's only job is to check VIN's, and would be paid for only by the fines and convictions, a self sustaining department.

Again, this is just a thought off the top of my head, I didn't post it to be personally bashed. I just know a lot of people who have had stuff stolen over the years (don't we all know victims of theft?) and almost everything was never recovered. I just really hate thieves of any kind.

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by Vtec

I almost wonder if states should set up a registration agency to combat small movable object theft. A handful of officers in each state, given power to enter property much like a wildlife warden, who's only job is to check VIN's, and would be paid for only by the fines and convictions, a self sustaining department.

Nope way to much or a rights violation.

Now making sure that it is hard to tow would be a good start. One thing I have thought of is an internal gelcell battery in the camper then hooked to the brakes. Normally it would not even draw power when the unit is in the locked position. (witch in the camper only you know where it is). But it has a motion trigger that regularly applies full brake power to one wheel at a time. That would be a total b word to tow.

[slowpat]

I've wondered about unhooking the breakaway brake. For some unknown reason, I've had it come loose whilst parked and trailer would not budge until I figured it out. Perhaps thieves might not be familiar with such a thing?

[vin]

Two years ago At John Prince County Campground, West Palm Fla. area, you have to show ownership of the camper or you don't camp there. County rule since a stolen camper was found there. 1st. time for everything. Never went back due to police activity every night.

[Steve Outlaw]

Originally Posted by slowpat

I've wondered about unhooking the breakaway brake. For some unknown reason, I've had it come loose whilst parked and trailer would not budge until I figured it out. Perhaps thieves might not be familiar with such a thing?

You'll burn out the electro-magnets and run down your battery.

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by Steve Outlaw

You'll burn out the electro-magnets and run down your battery.

Sadly that is very true. And mine doesn't have a brake away.

That was why I thought of what I discusssed. You would have to do some interesting circuitry to make it work. Although just randomly putting on both brakes as it was moving would also cause some problems. But I have had the misfortune of having to try and move a trailer (not a camper) with malfunctioning brakes which started randomly applying themselves while on the road one brake at a time.

I had to quickly pull to the side of the road and even that was a challenge. And I can assure you that my driving while I realized I had a problem(not long) and what was going on and then getting to the side of the road was such that it would give the cops probable cause for a lot of checking out the situation in depth.

Would worry about liability if this did cause an accident.

[gordon2]

Its not an unreasonable idea to attached the break-away cable to a ground anchor to help prevent theft... chances are that a thief trying to make a quick get away with your camper would not notice it. When the trailer starts to roll away and the switch plug gets pulled the brakes would lock the wheels. That would not stop a theft but might slow it down enough that the thief would give up, or at least be noticed trying to drive away dragging a trailer with locked wheels.

Of course:
1. Tires, brakes and battery could be damaged but repairs would cost than the entire loss of the camper (not considering insurance).
2. It should only be considered a last ditch effort after other theft prevention methods
3. A smart thief would figure it out and just cut the breakaway switch power lead.

All in all I would not bother, but it's a fair idea.

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Its not an unreasonable idea to attached the break-away cable to a ground anchor to help prevent theft... chances are that a thief trying to make a quick get away with your camper would not notice it. When the trailer starts to roll away and the switch plug gets pulled the brakes would lock the wheels. That would not stop a theft but might slow it down enough that the thief would give up, or at least be noticed trying to drive away dragging a trailer with locked wheels.

Of course:
1. Tires, brakes and battery could be damaged but repairs would cost than the entire loss of the camper (not considering insurance).
2. It should only be considered a last ditch effort after other theft prevention methods
3. A smart thief would figure it out and just cut the breakaway switch power lead.

All in all I would not bother, but it's a fair idea.

Do think the best thing would be find a way to embed tracking in the trailer. And that could doubly help. Look at the recent incident where the police tracked a car with a hidden tracker the owner had in it. They found a whole truck load of cars. Doubt in most cases that would find a load of campers. Might find someone with several stolen, but even more unlikely than finding the truck of them. However as has been pointed out trailers are frequently stolen to engage in other crimes and finding the other crimes would be good. And that adds to the risk of doing the grabbing a trailer to commit the crime. Making it more risky would help a lot.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by computerspook

Do think the best thing would be find a way to embed tracking in the trailer. ..

If you are really worried about theft, then I agree. I'm not worried about theft. Might be the area I live in and the areas I camp in.

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by gordon2

If you are really worried about theft, then I agree. I'm not worried about theft. Might be the area I live in and the areas I camp in.

Well not supposed to be a problem anywhere, but it can be everywhere. Especially on the road. And the more we make it more risky for the bad guys the better off we all will be.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by computerspook

Well not supposed to be a problem anywhere, but it can be everywhere. Especially on the road. And the more we make it more risky for the bad guys the better off we all will be.

Tracking doesn't sound like "land of the free" to me. What about privacy?

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Tracking doesn't sound like "land of the free" to me. What about privacy?

Most tracking systems would allow you to decide when to turn them on. So about the only privacy you would be invading or freedom being removed would be the thief's. Not sure I am worried about the privacy of theives.