Any Way to Secure Basement Doors?

[Boris and Natasha]

No camping for us this weekend. We checked in on our Winnie at its storage place this afternoon and discovered that the passenger front basement bay door had been "jimmied" open. Our grill and accessories were gone.

Thankfully, no damage. It could have been worse. But, it raises a question: What can we do to better secure our basement doors?

We can't wait to get out on the road...where it's safer!

Thanks for your help,
Boris and Natasha

[Boris and Natasha]

No camping for us this weekend. We checked in on our Winnie at its storage place this afternoon and discovered that the passenger front basement bay door had been "jimmied" open. Our grill and accessories were gone.

Thankfully, no damage. It could have been worse. But, it raises a question: What can we do to better secure our basement doors?

We can't wait to get out on the road...where it's safer!

Thanks for your help,
Boris and Natasha

[AFChap]

Not much way to "better secure" the doors unless you want to put a metal strap from the door around the bottom of the frame!! Many of your fellow Winnie owners probably could open your compartment doors with their key. And even if not, most compartment doors could be "popped" open by pulling sharply to break the plastic slide-lock pieces off. But the easiest way on mine is to use a thin screwdriver, stick it between the doors, and just remove the latch catch!! I had several bad latches early on, and quickly figured out how to get into any of my compartment doors in 30 seconds or less!! Unfortunately, anyone who wants to get into your compartments, and has time and no observers, pretty much has a free hand...

[NeilV]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Boris and Natasha:
No camping for us this weekend. We checked in on our Winnie at its storage place this afternoon and discovered that the passenger front basement bay door had been "jimmied" open. Our grill and accessories were gone.

Thankfully, no damage. It could have been worse. But, it raises a question: What can we do to better secure our basement doors?

We can't wait to get out on the road...where it's safer!

Thanks for your help,
Boris and Natasha </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If you better the secure them they will break them next time and you'll have to repair the broken bay doors also. A double edged sword because a determined thief is going to get in no matter what.

[John_Canfield]

I agree with Neil - they will break in given enough time and simply cause more damage in the process.

Alarms are generally more trouble than they're worth due to their propensity to activate when they shouldn't. Nobody pays attention to car alarms, and the same is probably true for vehicles in storage.

You should consider changing storage places. Maybe check with the local sheriff or police to evaluate storage facilities security (reported crimes.)

Thievery infuriates me - sorry about your loss.