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Old 10-15-2006, 05:20 AM   #1
Montana_6246
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Burglarized in an RV Park

I am posting this experience so that you may profit by it and hopefully the same thing never happens to you.

I was gone for the weekend and my Montana was in a very respectable Good Sam RV Park. When I returned last Sunday I discovered my Montana had been broken into and burglarized. They tried prying the door open and when that proved too much trouble they popped the cargo hatch next to the door and entered the Montana through the laundry hamper door in the floor of the bedroom. Problem was the bathroom door was open over the hatch so they kicked the hamper door off its hinges and then entered. Fortunately I did not keep anything of much value and the loss was confined to what they could carry out with them. I did not have anything in the safe and it was unlocked so they struck out there.

If you have ever been the victim of a crime you understand the feelings of violation, anger, etc., that go with it.

As I look back I realize that there are lessons to be learned and I should have been more careful and less trusting.

I was parked in a more remote area of the park next to a river. There were plenty of steet lights and the RV was flooded with light. The burglars came from the river side unseen and left the same way. That particular weekend there weren't as many fellow RV'ers around me. I had always heard from the magazines and forums that RV parks are about the safest place you can be.

Lessons learned:
Leave lights on and a TV or radio playing.
Notify others in the park that you are leaving and ask them to keep any eye on things.
Secluded spots are not always best.
Get rid of the laundry hamper door or seal it off permanently.
Cargo hatches are easily pryed open with a screw driver even if
locked. I found the screw driver they used.
Many of you may know this but I did not. Your cargo hatch key fits every other RV regardless of brand. Changing the locks will not help because the door can still be pryed open easily.

The owners of the RV park have owned it for eleven years and tell me that this is the first burglary they have had. There's always a first time. I can see now that mine was an easy target waiting to be hit. As they used to say on Hill Street Blues after roll call "Let's be careful out there."
 
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Old 10-15-2006, 06:00 AM   #2
LonnieB
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We are very sorry this has happened to you. We know the feeling of being victimized, our stickhouse was burglarized a few years ago. The thief did more damage getting in than what he took was worth. I've been trying to think of a way to lock the laundry door from the underside so you could still get in if needed, but have decided it would be a waste of time. If a thief really wants in, they will get in, all we can do is make it difficult for them, so maybe they get caught in the act. It kinda makes a person want to keep a rattlesnake in the basement, .
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Old 10-15-2006, 06:26 AM   #3
txkrumm
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Here's a good quote, "Locks are for honest people." Steve
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Old 10-15-2006, 07:24 AM   #4
rrheik
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So sorry to hear about your experience. I think we all feel very secure in leaving our rvs in a reputable rv park. We also have had our stick house broken into. We lived right next door to Chief of Police, who was watching our house. Having spent my last 15 years in law enforcement, I can guarantee where there is a will there is a way. Let's face it, crooks do it for a living, and spend many hours and have lots of practice honing their skills. The best thing we can do is look out for each other, besides of course securing our homes and rvs the best we can. It is amazing most of the time you can leave everything you own sitting out around your rv and nobody ever touches it, unless they move it out of the weather for you. Thank goodness rv park are still the safest places to stay.

barb and bob
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Old 10-15-2006, 08:19 AM   #5
Cat320
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Bad experience, sorry it had to happen. When we leave the camper for a few days, we treat it like the stick house when we leave it for a few days...four timers on various lights on/off at various times, radio on a timer (sometimes the TV), whole house water off, tell the neighbors, etc.
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Old 10-15-2006, 11:11 AM   #6
Driftwoodgal
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Sorry to hear that you came home to such a mess. Our home was broken into when we were at work. I too felt very violated. I was so angry when it happened. It turned out to be kids, and because of the law I wasn't even allowed to know their names. To this day I am not sure if they got any type of punishment.

Thanks for the tip about the cargo doors. I didn't know that all keys are the same.
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Old 10-15-2006, 12:55 PM   #7
snfexpress
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So sorry to hear about this...We are planning to leave ours in a park for about a week. Now, I am wondering...
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Old 10-15-2006, 01:16 PM   #8
Parrothead
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Michael, we done it many times in the 15 years or so. Never had a problem. Tell the management, neighbors, etc. Turn off water and if not cold, propane. Leave a light on and sometimes we left the outside decorative lights that are on a timer on. Only one place we ever stayed were we worried (some trashy units) but we had such good neighbors in the area we were in they even took down our awning for us in a violent storm. You can't go through life being scared.
Happy trails....................
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Old 10-15-2006, 01:47 PM   #9
SKOOBDO
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Sorry to hear about your situation. One of the best security measure is a "nosey neighbor". I always tell my neighbors when I'm gone. We all look out for each other. Timers are good....make your unit looks occupied and the thugs will go elsewhere and look for an easier target.
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Old 10-15-2006, 04:17 PM   #10
rickfox
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Sorry to hear about the break in.

How about a burglar alarm along with a sign? I have been told that this will usually sends the bad guys on to another "easier target".

What do others think about this idea?
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Old 10-15-2006, 05:52 PM   #11
Trailer Trash 2
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Been there dune it, or should I say, I had it dune to me.
You and your property were violated by the slime of the earth, they come in the dark and don't care what damage they do to your property.
Well at least you didn't get wiped out, and you are ok too.

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Tow vehicle is a 2009 RED RAM 3500 DRW.
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Old 10-15-2006, 10:51 PM   #12
Montana Sky
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There is nothing more frustrating than someone violating your personal property. While we take all the precautions that we can to keep ourselves and coach safe, sometimes the deck is just stacked against us. The important thing is nobody was hurt, material items can always be replaced.
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Old 10-16-2006, 06:08 AM   #13
VanMan
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I'd like to see the local law enforcement setup a trap in a few weeks - you know the scumbags will be back since the got away with it once !! One or two need to get caught (or shot) to set an example for the rest !!
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Old 10-16-2006, 06:52 AM   #14
Montana_6332
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Sorry for the misfortune. I have not been violated like that and hope it doesn't happen but like said before, there is no way to stop them. The alarm sign will point them in another direction though. Sometimes it is cheaper just to leave the thing unlocked - sad but true.
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Old 10-16-2006, 01:34 PM   #15
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So sorry to hear about this...I fully agree with leaving lights on..this past weekend we were at a nice campground and someone stoled our firewood in the middle of the night. We did not have neighbors on the one side but neighbors on the backside and across. They came at night b/c it was dark...we left no lights on..Now we leave a light on as a lesson learned. Some people are just downright cruel and have no regard for other people.
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Old 10-16-2006, 02:42 PM   #16
bigbob7777
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Would you please tell us in what city this happened? I think it's good info.

So very sorry for you. The feeling of violation is overwhelming.

bob
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Old 10-16-2006, 05:21 PM   #17
mobrownies
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Sorry for your loss.
We put a light on a timer to go on and off each day when we are away from home. We also changed the locks on the cargo doors and put two locks on each of the three big cargo doors (moved the thumb latch to the middle). We even put locks on the propane doors. But the bottom line is, if someone wants in bad enough they will find a way.
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Old 10-16-2006, 06:50 PM   #18
Ronnelly
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I was under the impression that if you left the bathroom door open, people could not come thru the laundry chute opening. We better secure that opening, since I don't use it for laundry. Thanks for letting us know
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Old 10-16-2006, 11:20 PM   #19
HamRad
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by mobrownies

We even put locks on the propane doors. But the bottom line is, if someone wants in bad enough they will find a way.
Greytdogs,

Sorry to hear of your problem. Sure would be nice if they could catch the folks who did this.

We agree that if someone wants to get in they will find a way.

The reason there are no locks on the propane doors is due to safety reasons. In the event emergency personnel need to access the tanks in an emergency situation they can get to the tanks.

Ronnelly,
The perpetrator could NOT get in thru the chute because the door was over it. But they then proceeded to simply kick out the hinge side of the opening! So the door worked as it should have. The rig must have been in a really isolated sight because all that kicking would have caused a lot of noise.

HamRad
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Old 10-17-2006, 03:47 PM   #20
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So sorry to hear about your break-in. Thanks for sharing with us to make us more aware of ways to avoid the same problem.
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