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Old 03-19-2015, 05:58 PM   #1
Micah.TX
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How much security is needed for a TT?

New to RVing. Went to visit my TT at its storage lot the other day. The TT next to mine had a lock on the trailer hitch. (A band kind of like what I have on my Glock.) The owner of the lot told me they haven't had any problems with theft or vandalism. Is a hitch lock a good idea or over-kill? What about at RV parks when the DW and I are out for day?
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Old 03-19-2015, 06:04 PM   #2
BirchyBoy
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I use a hitch lock when it is in storage. It isn't expensive but helps me sleep a bit better at night, even if it is a false sense of security. I will sometimes use it at camp grounds but not all the time.
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Old 03-19-2015, 06:47 PM   #3
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Anything to make your unit harder to take than the one next to it is good. A thief isn't going to take the time trying to defeat a hitch lock, when the one next to it doesn't have one.

I have never given a thought to locking/disabling the hitch at the campground. I suppose a person could, but if you have slideouts and such, they will need to break into your trailer, close it all up and then hitch up.... takes time, and again the would be thief has no idea if your gone for the day or a beer run.

Now you got me thinking . Mine is stored in my backyard behind a fence so no worries there. Guess I may have to start using the king pin lock at the CG.
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Old 03-19-2015, 06:53 PM   #4
Ken / Claudia
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Have a idea why and for what thieves are taking in your area. Travel Trailers likely not many if any. They will steal batteries, propane tanks, TVs. Breaking into any RV takes a screw driver or pry bar and 5 seconds. But, this is why I have a steering wheel lock (the club) on my camry, they are one of the top stolen vehicles, many camry's parked around here. Most without a club, so mine is likely very safe. Put a hitch lock on yours and if there is a theft who wants to steal and can steal a TT he will move onto one without a hitch lock. Campgrounds here have meth heads (likely also where you live) who will drive thru camping area looking for items to pick up and take quickly. Gennys, gas cans, hitch equipment, camping equipment was the reports I had to take and the items were left at the site day or night when stolen. I was a auto theft Det. for 6 years recovered 5030 stolen vehicles and only 1 had a club on the wheel, the thieve removed the wheel some how, put a junk yard wheel on it. (No air bag jeep). Slowing down a thieve will prevent a lot of theft. They are lazy bums and will go else where, most of the time.
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Old 03-19-2015, 07:37 PM   #5
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A good pair of bolt cutters will cut thru a steering wheel , and then the club comes off, same with normal lock that has exposed shackles, some hitches have a nut on the bottom side that you take off and pull the guts out and then its ready to put on a ball, how do I know this? buy something and don't pay for it and I might be the one to come steal it back for the bank, but most thieves go for the quick easy hit , the longer they hang around the better the chance someone will see them,
Just like the 2 hikers that came across a bear , one started putting on running shoes, the other one said you cant out run the bear , the first one said I don't need to I just have to outrun you, just make yours a little tougher to get than the one next to you
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Old 03-19-2015, 07:39 PM   #6
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I agree. I lock my hitch storing in my driveway along my house, mostly as a deterrent. Most crimes are due to opportunity. I also close the shades when in storage. If they they see a big TV and no one around, they are more likely to break in & steal it. Out of site = out of mind! I also agree that they are lazy. As far as when in a campsite, we put our valuable stuff inside and lock up if leaving the site for any length of time, again based on crimes of opportunity. Otherwise, most people never know when you will return. This is mostly based on crimes of opportunity, however I must state that in the 11 years of camping with trailers, most campers are honest and friendly people. At least in my neck of the woods. Most watch out for their neighbors and are willing to help if you ever need anything.
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Old 03-19-2015, 07:50 PM   #7
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How much security is needed for a TT?

Same out here in the west. We all watch out for each other in the campground..I think it's an unwritten rule.
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Old 03-19-2015, 08:36 PM   #8
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Don't do anything at a campground, too much work to close everything and at some, how do they get in. As others said at storage lock the battery and propane tanks or remove them as they tend to walk in some areas.

Does anyone have one or those retractable cables attached to the frame? They look like you wrap them around a tree or something and lock it so if someone pulls it they will need the tree to go as well.

If someone wants the trailer they will wrap a cable around the frame near the hitch and lift or drag it to a spot they can work on it more, heard some will use a tow truck, sad...
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Old 03-19-2015, 08:41 PM   #9
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Hitch lock $15. New RV $45,000. Hitch lock wins.
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Old 03-19-2015, 09:13 PM   #10
Ken / Claudia
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wesaysoracing, every lock, every alarm system, can be defeated. You and I know that and so do some crooks. I just do not give them advice. At least here while I did auto theft about 40,000 vehicles in PDX where stolen and only 1 we ever were informed about (read in a report) or found with the steering wheel lock defeated. That little silly lock made thieves look for another vehicle to steal because most owners did not use them. There was a attempted theft of another one, crook drove it with the lock still on it for about 2 blocks and left the car on the sidewalk. ( I guess that counts as stolen.)
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Old 03-20-2015, 05:02 AM   #11
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As every LEO I have spoken to has said, thieves are lazy.
They don't want a challenge.
They are looking to exploit the weak.
They will walk parking lots looking for an unlocked car, especially one with the keys still in it.
They will look for the house without the security system and the dog.
They will take the bike without the cable lock.
There's just so much low hanging fruit.
My goal is to not be the low hanging fruit.
I use very visible protection so that they don't even have to get up close and personal.
I have a hitch lock plus a wheel clamp (made by the club people).
I also have locking wheel nuts.
I also changed the cylinders on the passthru doors.
Sure there is nothing that is going to protect your stuff 100%,
but all I need is something simple, cheap and easy just to convince the bad guy to go next door.
Regards,
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Old 03-20-2015, 12:00 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia View Post
Have a idea... Put a hitch lock on yours and if there is a theft who wants to steal and can steal a TT he will move onto one without a hitch lock... Slowing down a thieve will prevent a lot of theft. They are lazy bums and will go else where, most of the time.
X2 My thinking too. Have 2 hitch locks, a propane tank chain/lock, a battery chain/lock, a spare tire chain/lock. I should probably change the standard storage compartment locks too but don't have much there. Hopefully they'll move on to an easier RV if they happen to be in our neck of the woods.
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Old 03-20-2015, 03:54 PM   #13
buzzcop63
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Better safe then sorry, I keep a padlock on our trailer hitch at all times. I put cables around frame and our two house batteries as their are too many stories of batteries being stolen. Also I keep my Tundra car key by my bed side at night as it has a feature that when you push a red button the horn honks, its for finding a vehicle in a parking lot but I think that it would be a good deterrent if an animal or person was out messing with our trailer or truck, better to scare them off then send my 100Lb wife out to chase a Bear or thief away. I am now too old to want to tussle with either one!
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Old 03-20-2015, 03:55 PM   #14
wesaysoracing
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strange thing about it our peak season for camper thefts is about 1 month before deer season here
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Old 03-21-2015, 02:42 PM   #15
sourdough
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x10 on the locks. I have two separate locks on the hitch along with chains on the propane tanks and cables on the batteries. Not much trouble or money and hopefully makes the thief look elsewhere.
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Old 03-25-2015, 11:01 AM   #16
koko
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We've owned campers since 1978 and have never had anything stolen, but we always make sure we're securely locked up wherever we go. There's always a first time.
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Old 03-26-2015, 05:02 AM   #17
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I leave a hitch lock on mine when in storage or even my driveway. Both places are outfitted with cameras. I also use it most of the time in the campground. It takes all of 2 seconds to install.

Our storage lot is pretty secure though, they have a guy that drives around pretty much all night, gates that can only be accessed with the right "clicker", and cameras and such. Some there leave their stuff without a lock, some like me don't. Personal preference I guess. They also house brand new vehicles for a local dodge dealer. SRT chargers and such. Its kinda why I settled on this place over others...if they are ok with it, thats much nicer than my trailer or anything inside of it. It might not be the most low hanging of fruit...but a much more premium piece lol.
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Old 03-26-2015, 02:46 PM   #18
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A Security Survey

Do all of you implement separate security depending on where you are?

For example:
1. Store RV at your home
2. Store RV at a commercial lot
3. Store RV at a commercial campground
4. Parked RV at a commercial campground while on the road
5. Parked RV at a national, state, city park while on the road

If so, why?

Steve.
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Old 03-26-2015, 03:56 PM   #19
Ken / Claudia
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I do not. RV stored in driveway. I keep the doors locked. Batteries and propane on the trailer. Camping I do not leave much out, maybe grill, cooler. If I take the genny, it always gets cable locked to trailer or tree etc. Doors get locked when we leave campsite.
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Old 08-21-2017, 05:54 PM   #20
MikeWild
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We keep our TT in the driveway next to the house. We have a tongue lock, wheel lock, propane tanks chained to the frame, battery lock, motion sensor alarm pointed at the trailer that will beep inside the house if someone comes creeping, an alarm on the door that when opened goes off immediately and is annoyingly loud and 2 large dogs, one of them a rottweiler that barks at a cricket fart. I think we've got it covered!

Although I will be doing the cylinder lock change out on the storage bays after reading a thread here about them. I'd rather be paranoid and have a trailer with all it's goodies than not be paranoid and have an empty driveway.
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