Community Forums

RED2010 · 03-30-2011, 11:52 AM

I have been looking for an RV Security System as I am also in a gated, video-protected, 10' tall, electrified fence, storage facility. I am more concerned when I am on-the-road. I have not made a purchase decision yet, however, this site seems to have the best 12 volt, cell-phone products (on paper). Hope this helps.

**JohnRR** · 03-30-2011, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RED2010

I have been looking for an RV Security System as I am also in a gated, video-protected, 10' tall, electrified fence, storage facility. I am more concerned when I am on-the-road. I have not made a purchase decision yet, however, this site seems to have the best 12 volt, cell-phone products (on paper). Hope this helps.

It sounds like you have a little bit of security at home!

RED2010 · 03-30-2011, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnRR

It sounds like you have a little bit of security at home!

Thanks for the edit.

Hipshot · 03-30-2011, 04:18 PM

My MH was broken into 4 weeks ago along with 8 others. It was parked in a so called secure storage lot. Found out their advertised security cameras only covered the front gate and the office, theives cut the fence in the back of the lot. Here's the problem with alarm systems. They did $4100 in damage destroying the entry door to steal a $40 DVD player. Thats all they took a 3 year old RCA DVD player, no damage inside the MH. We had just got the MH 2 weeks before and had not put anything in it. An alarm system would not have prevented the $4100 in damage. The MH now sits on a slab in my back yard with motion sensor flood lights and I will be installing an alarm system that calls my cell phone.

ksg5000 · 03-30-2011, 05:16 PM

If someone doesn't mind doing some damage to a rig they can open the door in about 15 seconds. Your lucky they went through a window.

If it were me I would probably put a sign on the rig saying it was protected by a security system - then buy one of inexpensive devices which have a constant small blinking red light that run on AAA batteries and put it where the light is visible. If their cautious maybe they will go to the next rig in line. If there not cautious there going to break into to rig anyway and probably steal your expensive anti theft system.

HeapBigEngin · 03-30-2011, 11:40 PM

Komac....Wow, you had a very bad experience. I think everybody's lucky that the police nailed the guy so quickly. Not always the case. Some 20+ years ago, we had our home broken into while we were away. It was an awful experience, especially on our kids, who didn't sleep well for weeks.

One question....does that storage facility offer 24-hour availability? Ours does not. It is only open between certain hours.....like 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. And that is just fine for me!

Please let us know what the final results are if possible. I would not rule out the age-old "inside job" possibility, with friends or relatives of the inside guy involved. One never knows about the "help" these days, and who would know the place and have better access than such a bum. Take care.....

RVhauler · 03-30-2011, 11:58 PM

Believe that Walmart/Camping world use to carry a small battery operated infra system that covered 180 degrees and had a small siren attached. Believe it sold for about $25 dollars. May not be available anymore tho

sfrantz · 03-31-2011, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thelastplace

crime is on the rise everywhere.

Actually, crime rates have been dropping for years.

Crime in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

bldrbob · 03-31-2011, 07:39 AM

Locks keep honest prople honest.A thief does not care how much damage he does to get in.Having some sort of warning may send them elseware if they are not too high to notice.Another problem is they will be back on the street before the officers are thru with the paper work.

komac · 04-07-2011, 05:40 AM

This is a follow-up on the burglary of my MH on 24 March. The person who tried to pawn my stolen .38 is claiming that he found the pistol on the roadside. He is being charged with possession of a stolen weapon with attempt to sell. The pistol is being held by the police at this time as evidence of a crime. The person or persons who burglarized the MH came fully prepared to steal the built-in TV, along with any other items they could quickly get. The evidence for their preparation came two days ago when I had a replacement TV installed at Camping World. I was not aware of the fact that an internal steel cable had been attached to the chassis of the TV by Four Winds at the factory during the building of the coach in 2010. Camping World showed me that the steel cable had been cut or sawed apart by the theives so they could remove the TV. So the theives came prepared with a cable cutter or a hacksaw. They knew what they were doing, and they knew exactly how the TV was installed. So far, the incident has cost me over $1,200.00, not counting the future costs of replacing the other stolen items. My insurance won't pay for personal items stolen, but will pay for the items which came with the coach. However, I've decided not to make a claim. I have a $500.00 deductible policy, and the balance above the deductible is not worth putting my low insurance premiums in jeopardy. Yesterday, I bought a cheap motion-sensor alarm at Walmarts and installed it within 20 minutes. It is battery operated and armed/disarmed with a remote that I keep on my entrance keys. It emits a red light upon sensing motion and then a very loud siren sound 30 seconds later if motion continues. I found it in the hardware section of the store for less than $25.00. It may not stop a determined theif, but the sound is loud enough to at least raise his or her anxiety level. Some of us in the class A section of the storage area are getting together to install an outside security camera. That's all for now. Komac

**JohnRR** · 04-07-2011, 07:34 AM

Thank you for the update. Would home owners or renters insurance cover the personal items your coach insurance did not?

HeapBigEngin · 04-07-2011, 12:11 PM

komac.....thanks VERY much for the additional info.

Bummer about all the "stuff" you are going thru as a result of the break-in. The cable thing convinces me that your unit was probably being "cased" for awhile by somebody that had the opportunity AND the time to do that. Like you said, they knew what they were doing and they knew who they wanted to do it to. IMO, it still sounds like an "inside job" to me....either somebody who works there, somebody who has serviced an RV there or somebody who has an RV or, most likely, rents storage there. It just had to be someone who had access to your storage area and who would not arouse too much suspicion. It just doesn't sound like a couple of guys scaling a fence at 3 in the morning looking randomly for stuff to grab....and then re-scaling that fence with TV et all under their arms. That would be way too amatuerish.

By the way, I forget, does your storage area have any outside security cameras? Also, have you discussed with the storage owners about their insurance responsibilty? Just 'cause they claim they are not responsible, in many states....they are. Doesn't matter how many signs they have or how many things you sign. I believe storage for money (just like parking lots) is considered a bailment under contract law as regulated in most states. They ARE responsible for damage and/or theft if you can prove any type of dereliction of their security reponsiblity. I would suggest you research that and keep it in your memory bank if it turns out to be what I suggested above. Pursuing that, however, is sometimes more than it's worth...

And thanks for the Walmart alarm info....I will definitely check that out. Please keep us posted....thanks!