I've been robbed.

[mamaloya]

I live on post in military housing and my van was broken into. All of my chargers and my hands free was stolen. I just went to my camper to do my pretrip check list and found that both sets of my keys to the camper were stolen as well. I know I should not have kept both sets in there, but they somehow both got left in the glove compartment. We are supposed to leave Saturday.

I am also very angry because I live on post, on a military installation. There have been numerous burglaries here because we live next to a gate that is closed at not, but not secure. Anyone can step over the barricade that goes up at night. They have done nothing about this.

Now I have to figure out how to get my camper rekeyed before Friday. Does anybody know if a regular locksmith will do this? Also, will my car or RV insurance cover this?

[mamaloya]

I live on post in military housing and my van was broken into. All of my chargers and my hands free was stolen. I just went to my camper to do my pretrip check list and found that both sets of my keys to the camper were stolen as well. I know I should not have kept both sets in there, but they somehow both got left in the glove compartment. We are supposed to leave Saturday.

I am also very angry because I live on post, on a military installation. There have been numerous burglaries here because we live next to a gate that is closed at not, but not secure. Anyone can step over the barricade that goes up at night. They have done nothing about this.

Now I have to figure out how to get my camper rekeyed before Friday. Does anybody know if a regular locksmith will do this? Also, will my car or RV insurance cover this?

[Don (W5IT)]

Momma Lou, you can go to a RV supply/dealership and buy a new lock/door latch. It is a simple swap. Four screws in the handle lock you can see from the inside of the door. Then you remove the two screws on the latch that sticks out the end of the door.

Watch how it comes apart so you can replace it with the new lock/door latch.

Takes me about 10 minutes total (If that much) to change them.

IF you are lucky, take off the four screws on the inside part of the door. After you take that half off there should be a number on the latch. Usually two letters and thre numbers. (I.e. EF 213 etc.) The RV dealership/supply place MIGHT have a key with that number. If so you don't have to change the whole lock.

The lock set costs around $60.00. The keys two or three.....

[Hitchhiker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mamaloya:
Also, will my car or RV insurance cover this? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sandra,

If you carry comprehensive insurance on the van it probably will cover the contents theft, minus any deductible you might have. Call your insurance company and tell them what happened and what was stolen.

[Muncie_6spd]

Question, how is she going to get to the screws inside the door if it is locked.

[NeilV]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mamaloya:
I live on post in military housing and my van was broken into. All of my chargers and my hands free was stolen. I just went to my camper to do my pretrip check list and found that both sets of my keys to the camper were stolen as well. I know I should not have kept both sets in there, but they somehow both got left in the glove compartment. We are supposed to leave Saturday.

I am also very angry because I live on post, on a military installation. There have been numerous burglaries here because we live next to a gate that is closed at not, but not secure. Anyone can step over the barricade that goes up at night. They have done nothing about this.

Now I have to figure out how to get my camper rekeyed before Friday. Does anybody know if a regular locksmith will do this? Also, will my car or RV insurance cover this? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Are you a AAA member or an equivalent elsewhere? They can usually send out a mobile locksmith to get you in and possibly match the keys or replace just the lock cylinders.

[mamaloya]

Well, last night was a long night. The MPs sent an investigator out who fingerprinted my van. No useable prints of course. Then they took my statement and such and basically said that they are not going to catch these guys even though someone is getting hit pretty much every night. I found out that a neighbor's jeep had his window cut open. Another neighbor, whose husband is deployed, had a car stolen. Radios have been attempted to be stolen, etc. I cannot believe they can't get them. We live on post because we want to be safe. I grew up in a small time where we never locked the doors (except for a short time to keep my sleep walking sister INSIDE). This is very disturbing to me.

While the MPs were sitting in my living room, my dd6 attempted to make popcorn, unbeknownst to me. I was so upset that I did not notice it was burning. ds15 comes down the stairs and says "Mom something is burning in the kitchen, look at all the smoke." I ran into the kitchen to find the microwave timer set to 1 hour. One MP said, "I thought that was smoke but was not sure." DUHHHHH!!! No wonder they can't find these guys if the MPs cannot even identify smoke. And burnt popcorn is not a subtle odor. They would have sat there while my house burned down. ARGH!!!

Anyway, back on topic here. I called AAA and they said that since I only had AAA and not AAA RV, that they could not help me. All they could do was recommend a locksmith and call them for me if I wanted, but the cost would be all mine. I called Progressive who insures both the van and the camper and we have comprehensive on both of them. On the camper we also have trip insurance where they pay for a hotel if something happens while on vacation. Anyway, they sent it to the RV claims office which was closed for the day, but they did call me to tell me they would send someone this morning. At least with both at the same company they can't play the "it is their claim" game. Either way, it is their claim.

As for the locks. I went to camping world online and saw the door lock set for $85 and a 4 pack of locks for the storage compartments for $25. When the local camper dealership opens, I will call them. The dealer we bought the camper from is almost 2 hrs away or 1.5 hours.

As for it being locked and how do we get in, I am sure I can pick the lock if I have to. Not sure if the lock would still be good, but if I am going to replace it anyway. It is taking forever for 9am to get here so I can take care of all of this business.

I guess this is a wakeup call that not all people are good. Even on a military base I need to be vigilant. I am now very glad I got my dog. Even as small as he is, his bark would scare off any sensible person as he sounds quite ferocious.

Thanks for listening to me ramble and the info on the camper locks. I will let you guys know how it goes.

[mamaloya]

OK, just got good news and bad news from the local dealer. I gave them my vin number and they said they could look up my key codes. Bad news is that Dutchmen did not keep good records in 2000 so they don't have the code to my door key. Good news is they do have the code to my compartment doors and the dealer has the keys for 99 cents each. YAY!! I was then trying to figure out how to get into the camper. I am not sure if we locked the bunk ends or not, but ds15 said that once we get the compartments open we can send one of little ones in and up through the dinette bench seat to open the door. YAY, I gotta love ds15. I hope that if he locked the bunk ends though that they take the compartment keys as well. If we can't get a new key for the door before our trip, we won't sweat it as the dog will be in the camper when we are not. Or, we can always have a kid lock it and come out a compartment. Just kidding. We will just make sure nothing of value is left in the camper, of course it being a hybrid, it is never totally secure anyway.

Now, I just need to figure out how to get the hitch lock off. It is a master lock. I need to see if the MPs will cut it off for me.

Well, things are looking up anyway.

[RustyJC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mamaloya:
OK, just got good news and bad news from the local dealer. I gave them my vin number and they said they could look up my key codes....Good news is they do have the code to my compartment doors and the dealer has the keys for 99 cents each. YAY!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Let me guess.....CH751??

Rusty

[Don (W5IT)]

Mammalou, if yall did not lock the "Deadbolt" (Bottom lock) on the door your Dealer should have a set of master keys that will open the top lock. I have a set of these but I am a FEW miles away. (Yes I am the "Shop manager" at a dealership for those wondering WHY I have a set) The locks can easily be "Picked" or opened by a locksmith.

Again, if you do get acess to the inside you can get the key code from lock mechanisim under the interior latch cover and the dealer can get some replacements.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Question, how is she going to get to the screws inside the door if it is locked. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Even if the dead bolt is locked on a standard RV door latch/lock I can be in your rig within a few minutes. With the frequent misplacement of keys around the shop I have gotten pretty darn good at opening locked rig doors. The locks are really for honest folks.

Actually a person in the campground at last years National Rally LOST his keys while on an outing. Could not get into his own rig. After makeing SURE it really was his rig, I opened both locks for him. His wife was VERY happy. (He was even happier not to be in the doghouse so to speak with his wife)

So it is an easy job for a locksmith....

[Don (W5IT)]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RustyJC:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mamaloya:
OK, just got good news and bad news from the local dealer. I gave them my vin number and they said they could look up my key codes....Good news is they do have the code to my compartment doors and the dealer has the keys for 99 cents each. YAY!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Let me guess.....CH751??

Rusty </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

or 756, 738 and a FEW others....

[aa6vh]

Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but on my Aerolite '01 Cub 23 the bunk end doors used the same key as the storage lockers. Which we all know is the usual CH751 (and easily obtained). So essentially anyone with an RV could open up the bunk ends usign their storage door key, and gain access by climbing in that way.

I changed out all of my storage door (and bunk end) locks for this reason.

I am shocked that bad guys have such easy access to that military base. Out here on the left coast, our bases are locked down tight, and you have to have proper ID to get past the armed guards stationed at each gate.

Dave
00 Ford F150
01 Cub 23

[mamaloya]

Yep, CH751. And I though I was special. And yep, they worked on the bunk ends too.

Well, got my keys and got into the camper to do my pretrip stuff. dd6 felt so special that she was the one to slide in and open the door. She said she was a "hero". It was cute. Now we can open from the inside, but not the outside.

I then called AAA to send a locksmith to cut off the masterlock from the coupler. He did that and picked the lock on the door. Now we can open from the outside too. I will look up the keycode soon. If we pass an RV dealer on our way up we will take a few minutes and stop for new keys or a new lock set if we can't get keys. I am just relieved that it all got done and we are set to leave in 2 hours as planned.

As for the security of our base, I was told it is a pretty public base. Anyone can drive on at anytime as long as they have a driver's license and their cars registration, they just search your car but do not right down any info. At night, the gate by my house is closed, but easy to slip in on foot. Will all the thefts, they need to put a guy there all night. I don't know why there are so many people allowed on here. Pope Air Force base adjoins Bragg, but even when you pass from Bragg to Pope, there is a gate guard (an MP, Bragg uses a private security company) who stops you and you have to have ID. I was denied entrance one day because I did not have a DoD sticker even though I had my ID. That base is much more secure.

I also know that Ft. Polk is secure because before dh got in he had to do some interviews at Polk a couple of times and we had to stop at the gate and they checked to make sure he had business there and then they took down our license and vehicle info and wrote it down and issued a pass. I will feel much safer there.

Well, thanks for all the help again guys. We are off to Williamsburg!!!!!!!

[lrgrdrvr]

Off subject but had to add this,as far as the MPs at Fort Bragg.My Wife and I deliver to the asp at Bragg often and about 3 tears(I typed that wrong but really better)a military truck hit our new truck siting at the asp.With od paint over the dents and scratches the Sergent that came out asked"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK IT WAS AN ARMY TRUCK".DUH!!HERES YOUR SIGN ! God Bless