Think someone would steal a camper in the city?

[patrickkidd]

I have a 1993 FWC Ranger 2 and love in a good neighborhood in Northwest DC (Tenleytown). I would love to get the camper off the truck which is my commuter, and that would mean leaving it in the driveway in our alley, visible from the road. I have electric jacks, that obviously don’t lower it to the ground so they would have to be left on.

Has anyone stored a camper in these conditions? Has anyone had one stolen? Any way to “lock” it in place? Seems it would be easy to operate the push-button jacks to raise it into another 1/2-ton truck bed - maybe lower it onto a crate or something to store the jacks inside?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers,
-Patrick

 

[ardvark]

Patrick,

My thought is the best you can do is make it tough for thefts of convenience. Pros will always find a way, but most losses are no due to professionals. I would make sure the battery is disconnected and ideally removed. That will make it much harder to load the camper. Since you say you are in a good neighborhood, that is as far as I would go.

Steve

 

[ClimberRob]

Build a platform or sawhorses for it to sit on. Lower it onto the platform, and either remove or disconnect the jacks.

 

[JaSAn]

^^
I'd remove the jacks and store elsewhere.

 

[Beach]

AS climber rob said, put it on a low platform. Then remove the jacks and orient it or block with something so a truck can't back up to it. Maybe invest in a game camera or similar thing so you can monitor it or at least get an ID if something did happen

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I agree with the idea of putting it on some kind of platform and removing the jacks. But it would have to a really SOLID platform, not sawhorses. I would be concerned that some stupid, bored teenagers would come along and somehow tip it off just for the hell of it.

As for the likelihood of it being stolen, I'm under the impression that most thieves steal stuff they can easily fence for cash, not stuff they want to keep for themselves. I'm not sure how easy it would be to sell a stolen camper. I imagine it would be quite a risk for them to store a stolen camper while waiting to sell it.

 

[ardvark]

Question - does anyone have first hand verifiable knowledge of a truck camper being stolen while off the truck?

 

[patrickkidd]

Question - does anyone have first hand verifiable knowledge of a truck camper being stolen while off the truck?

Yes, this was part of my question.

 

[ardvark]

Yes, this was part of my question.

To me, how likely an event to occur is crucial. For example, when someone says they live in a "good neighborhood", I am assuming things like theft or vandalism are rare events. My camper sits on sawhorses and has for a number of years. I have never had my jacks off, nor have I considered it. You can see our camper from the street and can back right up the driveway to load it.

Now vandalizing those sawhorses would be possible, but it is going to take a heck of big sledge hammer, not the kind of things kids are going to be carrying around. And I guess if they truly have evil on their minds, they are going to do damage no matter what I do. the same thing with theft.

In the end it all comes down to how safe you want to be, in my opinion. I am willing to do what is necessary to avoid crimes of convenience, however if you want your camper to be absolutely safe no matter what, I think it should be inside a locked garage. But if I had to do that, I would relocate!

 

[ski3pin]

Although we also live in a good neighborhood and thefts of RV's have not occurred, neighbors have discovered people living in and using stored campers and trailers.

 

[ardvark]

I wasn't of the impression the OP was storing it. I understood it was at his residence. I wouldn't store one any place unless I was checking on it routinely or there was regular security as there is where we store our fifth wheel.

 

[ski3pin]

I wasn't of the impression the OP was storing it. I understood it was at his residence. I wouldn't store one any place unless I was checking on it routinely or there was regular security as there is where we store our fifth wheel.

Sorry for being unclear. In my comment I was speaking of units stored at home in driveways, beside garages, etc. They have discovered people sleeping/ using campers and travel trailers. I was not referring to storage facilities.

 

[ardvark]

Sorry for being unclear. In my comment I was speaking of units stored at home in driveways, beside garages, etc. They have discovered people sleeping/ using campers and travel trailers. I was not referring to storage facilities.

Got it, thanks for clarifying.

Steve

 

[roverjohn]

Hasn't there been reports of stolen campers fairly recently here on WTW? I seem to remember a couple, both in the PNW where the owners were hoping to refind their campers, which then turned into 'we need to be tougher on crime' threads or maybe one turned into a 'back in my day' thread..

 

[ardvark]

I think where it occurred is crucial. I know theft is a problem when things are left unattended in the BLM as I have heard accounts of that myself. I think the issue is how often it occurs at someone's home in a good neighborhood.

My two cents

Steve

 

[ski3pin]

I would just secure it - on platform, etc., as others have suggested here and not worry too much about theft. Of more concern to me would be a cover or shelter from the elements. The one/first winter we stored our camper outside off the truck was a hassle because we deal with heavy snow and snow load, probably not an issue for you. Good luck with your solution.

 

[smlobx]

^^^

I agree with Ski. Are there any mini warehouses near you? Storing the camper in a building would solve the theft/vandalism problem along with degradation due to constantly being exposed to the weather.