Campground theft - part 2!

**sande005** · 09-21-2019, 10:07 PM

Geez, this is getting old. I posted previously about the irritating, and potentially major hassle, problem of small things stolen from the rig while in camp. In that, someone walking by took one of the lynch pins for my ProPride hitch. Meaning I could not hitch up to the trailer. Luckily, I was able to get by by scavenging parts from the jack...

So on the trip this week, went to a campground in a whole 'nother state. Set up camp, then drove into the small tourist town for dinner. Spent the night in camp, and then early the next morning headed home to get my boat. Removed the "stinger" for the ProPride (so I could mount a regular ball for the boat), and locked it in the truck. Failed to notice anything amiss. Got my boat, and went back to camp - spent the week fishin' and campin'. Today reversed the process - took the boat home, then back for the trailer. Pulled the "stinger" out of the locked back of the truck...and yep, this time BOTH lynch pins were missing! Could only have been taken while at dinner, or in the dark the first night. Lucky I had two spares from the last adventure. Guess it's off to Home Depot to get a dozen to have on hand, and to work on retraining myself to put them in a safe, locked location!

Sure, I get it, worrying about generators, bikes, and even whole trailers. But it is this theft of little, but critical, bits that is really frosting me now!

**ArmyLifer** · 09-22-2019, 04:43 AM

That sucks.

When I get to my camping location, I pull the stinger from the truck and stick it in the pass through on a thin sheet of plywood. This is so I don’t smack my knees/shins on it as I move around the back of my Excursion. Guess a secondary benefit is i also don’t lose any lynch pins?

**Calbar** · 09-22-2019, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by sande005

Geez, this is getting old. I posted previously about the irritating, and potentially major hassle, problem of small things stolen from the rig while in camp. In that, someone walking by took one of the lynch pins for my ProPride hitch. Meaning I could not hitch up to the trailer. Luckily, I was able to get by by scavenging parts from the jack...

So on the trip this week, went to a campground in a whole 'nother state. Set up camp, then drove into the small tourist town for dinner. Spent the night in camp, and then early the next morning headed home to get my boat. Removed the "stinger" for the ProPride (so I could mount a regular ball for the boat), and locked it in the truck. Failed to notice anything amiss. Got my boat, and went back to camp - spent the week fishin' and campin'. Today reversed the process - took the boat home, then back for the trailer. Pulled the "stinger" out of the locked back of the truck...and yep, this time BOTH lynch pins were missing! Could only have been taken while at dinner, or in the dark the first night. Lucky I had two spares from the last adventure. Guess it's off to Home Depot to get a dozen to have on hand, and to work on retraining myself to put them in a safe, locked location!

Sure, I get it, worrying about generators, bikes, and even whole trailers. But it is this theft of little, but critical, bits that is really frosting me now!

It really is pathetic what some people do. Theft of any kind is really unacceptable whether big or small. What is going on with people these days that you have to keep everything under lock and key. If you it doesn't belong to you keep you hands off of it.

Rob

**Jerryr** · 09-22-2019, 06:24 AM

Really odd? Two different campgrounds in two different states and lynch pins were missing?

When I had my ProPride I misplaced my Lynch pins once. What I did was place them on the truck bumper after removing them. Found replacements at local Tractor Supply store. I believe after unhitching I didn’t snap them back into the holes and left them just laying on the truck bumper and when I drove away they fell off.

**cfowler55** · 09-22-2019, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by Jerryr

Really odd? Two different campgrounds in two different states and lynch pins were missing?

When I had my ProPride I misplaced my Lynch pins once. What I did was place them on the truck bumper after removing them. Found replacements at local Tractor Supply store. I believe after unhitching I didn’t snap them back into the holes and left them just laying on the truck bumper and when I drove away they fell off.

Pins , locks , phones. I’ve laid them all and lost them all off the rear bumper.
Charlie

**sande005** · 09-22-2019, 04:26 PM

I would have blamed myself, but as we were getting ready to leave the CG for dinner, the DW said "You leaving the pins in the hitch, after getting stolen last time?". I just laughed. So not a leave-on-the-bumper scenario.

Bought some chain at the Depot, and now have the pins chained to the stinger. Easy enough to cut if someone really cares, but will stop the idle joker who thinks it's funny to pocket them.

**el Rojo** · 09-23-2019, 06:25 AM

Just curious. Where and what type of park are you having trouble in? CORP, City, County?

Red

**sande005** · 09-23-2019, 09:23 AM

First incident was a private campground "resort" near a very small town in southern Minn. Being a crabby old man, I blame "kids" walking by the parked truck. Second was a private campground in northern Wisconsin - again very rural, that caters to fishermen. Both very large, long established operations that are over half devoted to seasonal campers. Dinner was in the only town nearby - small tourist town, about 15 miles away.
I've had bumper caps taken in small, rural, just off the interstate overnight stop places in the past. I guess it is easier to go "shopping" in the campground one is at, than to find an RV dealer that may be many miles away, if one needs a part....or there are more people who think it is "funny" to grab something than I would have thought.

At the same time, after many years, I have never suffered from a bigger more valuable loss - bikes, fishing boat full of expensive fishing gear, etc., etc. - nor heard about anyone else suffering from same in similar places. So I attribute it to more of a "prankster" than someone out looking for real gain.

**RV Fan** · 09-28-2019, 05:06 PM

I just had my brand new Ram 2500 HD pickup keyed by someone on the driver's side (street side) at a nice county CG. There's about a 4' scratch that I'm hoping just went through the clear coat so I can rub it out. It's not only theft but vandalism in the parks occurs now as well!

**Davidki** · 09-28-2019, 06:08 PM

On point that makes me think about it is Kids... thinking it's funny... thinking by doing so someone might lose a trailer worse case or be stuck in the CG because of the missing pins.. Like others, I keep spares in my truck in the glove compartment, who knows that if they take it from the truck.. .the locks on the trailers are not that strong.... and m truck has the alarm on at all times.... but in general I agree, it sucks either way!