Secure Your Campsite: Anti-Theft Measures for RV Campers

Secure Your Campsite: Anti-Theft Measures for RV Campers

None of us wants to have to think about the darker sides of life when excitedly planning and taking an RV camping trip. After all, isn't that kind of thing we're hoping to get away from? That's why the potential actions of others cannot be allowed to spoil the fun and ruin the experience. In this article, we have gathered the top tips and tricks on how to keep your campsite secure and protect your belongings, as recommended by our experienced, knowledgeable team members at RV Parts Express. 

Before setting off

There are a plethora of items and products you can take along on your RV adventure that will assist you in securing your belongings or have some other useful part to play in the grander scheme of overall safety and security. Most should not be too difficult or costly to source and some are common items most RV campers will have anyway but might not have considered in terms of their security applications.

Take out insurance 

Speak to your insurance providers before setting off on your exciting trip and get a better understanding of the things they won't cover in terms of theft or damage and any stipulations they have. If you have not taken reasonable, demonstrable precautions to prevent your belongings from being stolen, insurance companies can be reluctant to pay the full amount for anything lost.

  • Take photographs of your equipment with your security devices in situ as proof you made a good-faith effort should the worst happen.

Securing your vehicle

As with most incidents of theft in the modern age, vehicular or otherwise, opportunism is the key. Thieves will not want to take the complex ignition systems and alarm threats of newer vehicles, and they won't have to if you make their lives too easy. Leaving your keys in the ignition is inviting disaster, and if your RV is left unattended, even briefly, don't have the keys hanging somewhere obvious inside, ready to be picked like easy, low-hanging fruit. 

  • Stow your GPS device somewhere out of sight when not in use, preferably not the glove compartment
  • In some Australian states, it is illegal to leave your car unattended with the keys in the lock or even just the windows open

Additional RV door locks

Coming in a range of different styles and designs, RV and caravan door locks are a serious barrier to anybody wanting to enter the vehicle, often with sturdy metal bars that cross the opening and are secured to the body of the vehicle. Some can be padlocked separately and make it almost impossible to enter your vehicle through the main door without making an almighty racket and virtually tearing the door off its hinges. 

Heavy-duty coupling lock

A wheeled trailer full of goodies and expensive toys is the perfect target for thieves and can be silently rolled away if sensible precautions are not taken. A virtually indestructible coupling lock handles that nicely and makes things much more complicated and less appealing for thieves. 

  • Remember, the key is to make things seem like too much trouble and raise the risk of being caught in the act. Most thieves are looking for the quickest, safest possible way to steal things and get away unseen. 

That’s not to say you have completely mitigated the danger if you’ve got a trailer full of dirt bikes that have been targeted by thieves from a distance. In this case, additional tactics will be required. 

How to keep your campsite secure

It is unrealistic and impractical to think we can never leave anything alone when we go off adventuring away from our RV. This is not an exercise in paranoia but a way to reduce risk while keeping the focus on having fun. Assess the items you have on display around your RV, put yourselves in the shoes of the thieves, and ask yourself: 

  • Which items are worth the most money?
  • Can anything be easily picked up and walked away with?
  • Are the more expensive objects secured to anything?

That's not to say petty thieves won't stoop as low as to steal your cooler or campfire chairs, but at least those are lower in the pecking order in terms of expense. To prevent having to constantly check the site before leaving it for even a few minutes, secure certain items with chains and padlocks as soon as you arrive. Focus on:

  • Solar panels
  • Free-standing gas BBQs
  • Gas tanks (use the cable locks to secure these to the unit)

Flashlights 

Issue each member of your party with the strongest beams you can find. These are useful in any number of ways, including highlighting, scaring, and temporarily blinding thieves in the night.

Introduce yourself to fellow campers

You don’t have to form lasting friendships with your camping neighbours, but it can never hurt to be friendly and civil. It will make others much more inclined to take note of any unusual activity around your gear, and you can ask them directly to keep an eye on your stuff whenever you're away and they're relaxing by their RV. Camping is not for everyone and already represents a kind of alternative community, so join in, do your part, and be sure to reciprocate when asked. 

Avoid advertising your trip

When heading off on a glorious RV adventure, it makes no sense to advertise your absence to all and sundry online. Resist the urge to brag to your friends and post pictures of your trip until you return. Thieves can simply target your home while they know it’s empty or may even recognise the area you are camping in and decide to come and have a look at that tasty fishing gear you’ve got with you. 

Final tips

  • Leave nothing on display
  • Have only your phone number, not your address on any key fobs and items

We never advocate allowing yourself to be unduly worried by thoughts of potential thieves targeting your gear. What we do advocate is a series of sensible items and precautions to reduce your viability as an easy target and allow you to rest easy knowing your precious belongings are safe and secure.

Contact us

At RV Parts Express, we offer a huge range of security devices, accessories, and gadgets of all kinds. Take some time to browse our products, and we think you'll be impressed with the quality and the thought we have put into ensuring your RV trip is as safe and secure as possible. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions or comments.Â