New criminal activity

[AustexGP]

Well this was a new one on me.

We had some friends who just had the TT stolen and when it was recovered (really dumb move by thieves to be caught) the entire inside had been gutted and tons of stolen merchandise was in the TT. Here's how this plays out - the thieves stake out a storage facility, usually with storage garages, and rent a storage space. Then they do there dastardly deeds and put the stolen stuff into the TT while removing parts of the TT. Since it's a slow operation no one suspects anything - out with one TV in with another, etc. They even hit the storage garages in the yard. Then they hook up the TT and off they go. Pull into an RV lot, unload the stuff at market days, farmers markets, etc.

As the police told us, even when the storage garages got broken into who's going to suspect that the stolen stuff was put into a TT.

There TT would probably have never been recovered except that they parked it on someone's land and the land owner called the police about trespassing. What a surprise when they opened up the TT. It had about 10 80" TV's, stereos, car radios, many more TV's. Bad thing is the insurance company will have to total the TT.

[TucsonJim]

If you store your travel trailer in a storage lot, you want to make it harder to steal than other units nearby. I use a hitch lock from Proven Industries. It's expensive, but tests show it's about the best lock available. And you can attach the chains inside of the lock for additional security.

Proven Industries Locks

Jim

[jneubig]

That's a crazy story. Never would have thought of that, but criminals can be pretty inventive. Glad we keep ours on the side of my home.

[AustexGP]

New Update on Criminal Activity: Sense this is the "off season" in Texas most folks don't go to the storage place to check on their trailers. When the police went back to the RV site and got a list of trailers that SHOULD have been there and started calling the owners. Many replied that they did not have their TT at the house it was at the storage lot. Many were gone. Seems like this was a pretty large theft ring and they would load up the trailers with stolen goods and off they went. Maybe stayed in Texas, maybe went to Louisiana or New Mexico, Ok or beyond.

Most had a trailer lock, but the theft ring was able to remove the lock without to much trouble. In our friends case they got the trailer because they made a mistake and parked on private land instead of the public driveway that was to be used for the trade days and got caught. If they hadn't make that little mistake then the TT would not have been recovered.

And the storage unit that the theft ring had rented had some of the TT stuff inside. Seems like they would strip the TT and place adds on craigslist for the stove, refrigerators, TV's, etc. and the rest they would take to the landfill.

At least our friends are able to show the TT and damage to the insurance, but the poor folks who's TT are gone and not recovered are in a pickle.

[Rivercityjeff]

Surveillance cameras are so cheap. I would not store an RV (or rent a storage unit) if the lot didn't have them. Coded entry is a must too.

[Jerryr]

Surveillance cameras are so cheap. I would not store an RV (or rent a storage unit) if the lot didn't have them. Coded entry is a must too.

Jeff, agreed.

We pay big bucks for our storage lot. We can’t keep our RV at home due to HOA rules.

Our storage lot keeps the trailer out of rain and sun. It has security cameras, very well lit and coded entry. In addition we use a pretty secure locking system on the Andersen Coupler.

[AustexGP]

The place had security cameras. But since they had rented a space it was not unusual for them to come in and out several times a day. Many times - especially in rural area - contractors rent storage areas to keep their tools and supplies while working on a project. An electrician may keep wire, interior electrical boxes, exterior boxes and panels in the storage unit so that they will not have to drive to the shop or supply store each day. So they are in and out putting one tool up and getting another and most security cameras cover the front gate and the front of the storage building. So they would not show what was going in or out of the unit.

And - at last report - the majority of the TT had a lock in the hitch. But no lock is completely fail safe. They all can be cut off if the person(s) wants the TT bad enough. I've even heard - 3rd hand so don't quote me - that in one storage lot a thief changed out the 5th wheel hitch pin with another. Hooked up the truck and drove off with the 5th wheel. Security camera videoed the person and the truck plates (stolen of course) so not much help in recovering the 5th wheel.

I guess the moral of the story is to check on your 5th wheel or TT at least once a month or as many times as possible. The old days of a thief pulling up with a U-Haul trailer and driving off have changed to where they have found out that a TT full of stolen property doesn't raise as much suspension as a U-Haul full of TV's does. We're all guilty of parking the TT or 5th wheel at the end of the season and just visiting once or twice during the off season until it's camping season again, then we'll start making our list of mod's, new stuff to buy and what maintenance needs to be done before the first trip. Imagine the surprise when you go get your TT and it isn't there. Was there in October, where did it go and when?

[TwoElkhounds]

The moral to the story I think is to not buy a house in an area with a HOA!!

Got my fiver parked at the end of the driveway and have security cameras and sensors on it at all times.

[howson]

If I had to store my trailer in a storage lot I'd get a small, battery-powered GPS tracker so I'd known almost instantly if the trailer was moved. I don't have an personal experience with the devices but have read about them for years in various motorcycle magazines.

[ExtremeDuty]

Years ago some friends found a squatter living in their stored in the backyard TT. No idea how long he'd been there. So, you have to check, even if home..