1. Prudent Behaviors to Prevent Theft

They say that luck is blind, but on the other hand, bad luck sees very well. To protect against Murphy’s famous law, whereby “if something could go wrong, it surely will,” it is therefore important to prevent potential accidents before they happen.

Fortunately, many behaviors you can take to protect your home on wheels are simple common sense rules, which cost not only a little extra attention, but can go a long way. Below we see these behaviors in detail.

1.1 UNDERSTAND THE VULNERABILITIES OF YOUR CAMPER/CAMPER VAN

First, let’s try to see together what are the vulnerabilities of a vehicle such as an RV:

• The vehicle can move: installing alarms and GPS systems helps signal that a theft is in progress (and probably find the vehicle later), but they do not prevent the vehicle from being stolen

• Doors can be forced: no matter how secure you may think the standard locks are, the truth is that for a skilled thief they are breakable in a few dozen seconds

• Windows can be smashed: as with all other motor vehicles, the windows in RVs are the weakest part of the vehicle, which can easily be smashed.

• Inside the RV, we carry valuables: when traveling in an RV, normally during excursions there are valuable things that are often left in the vehicle (e.g., jewelry, computer, TV, camera etc.)

• When parked, some items may remain outside the vehicle: think bicycles, a generator, coffee table, chairs, a grill etc., which can become easy targets for petty theft

• When you stop at a new place, you normally have no knowledge of the surrounding place: is it safe? Is there a risk of theft or vandalism? What is the right behavior to adopt? What level of alertness should I keep? These are some of the questions to ask yourself before stopping in an unfamiliar area.

1.2 UNDERSTAND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF A THIEF AND HOW THEFT OCCURS

In addition to understanding the vulnerabilities of our vehicle, in order to foil a theft, it is also important to understand the psychology of a potential thief and how theft usually occurs.

In this sense, it is important to keep in mind that a thief before launching into attempting a theft will assess:

• The Ease of Break-in: how easy is it to break in and grab items? Are the doors closed? Are there any locks or signs of potential alarms?

• The Value of the Shot: are there valuable, easy-to-sell items? Can I see them from the outside to be sure?

• Chances of Success: Can I manage to escape without anyone seeing me or otherwise without being caught?

A thief, of course, will be more likely to attempt the theft in a seemingly vulnerable RV, perhaps with valuables in view, or parked in an isolated location where he might act undisturbed for a longer time.

It goes without saying that any care or detail we put into complicating each of these three points seen above will inevitably reduce the chances of theft: a seemingly well-protected vehicle, with nothing of value in sight, and perhaps parked smartly, will surely be less attractive as a heist.

1.3 USEFUL TIPS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF THEFT

Now that we are clear about the vulnerabilities of our vehicle, and the facts of how theft in/of an RV occurs, we can think of strategies to minimize the risk. As you will see in the advice I will give, it is very important at this stage to play on deterrence, that is, to make the situation as unattractive as possible for a potential thief.

Below, I leave you with a list of useful tips:

TIPS FOR SAFE PARKING YOUR VAN / RV

• Watch for other campers. This is usually a positive sign in that the more people around, the less chance there is for a thief to attempt a heist without being seen.

• Keep an eye out for signs that give little confidence. Empty bottles, broken glass, fences and gates in surrounding houses, alarm signs etc. can all be signs that the area is unsafe. If you don’t feel comfortable in one place, the best thing when in doubt is to look for another!

• Park in such a way as to leave the most vulnerable entrances (doors and windows) in view of those passing by. A burglar is most tempted to try a break-in in a dark, hidden area where he may not be seen.

• If you don’t know a rest area, when in doubt, park where it is lighted. It goes without saying, that attempting a heist by light is much riskier for a thief than attempting it in the dark.

• Always keep a watchful eye, and never feel 100 percent safe. It is not a matter of being paranoid, and you absolutely must not stress. Simply keep in mind that you never know when something might happen, and small precautions are best taken at all times (even in a potentially “protected” area).

KEEPING VALUABLES SAFE

• Do not leave anything in the cockpit out of sight. The less you show, the better. Attempting a blind shot is not as tempting as attempting a sure shot.

• When you leave your vehicle, draw the curtains and darken all the windows. As above, leave nothing out of sight!

• Think about investing in a safe (see Chapter 6). In the unfortunate event that someone does get in, it is important that your valuables are not easily accessible anyway.

• Alternatively, place them in the false bottom of a closet, under sheets, behind jackets, or otherwise in hard-to-find places. You know your camper better than anyone, and you certainly know where items may be safest!

• Keep an up-to-date inventory of the items inside your van. In case they are stolen, it is important to have an inventory (possibly with photos!) so that you can declare everything to the insurance company.

• Download parking apps (such as Caramaps or Park4Night). With these apps you can read about the parking experiences of other campers, find the quietest and safest places and avoid the riskiest ones. If you want more information about these apps, I recommend reading the article The 15 Best Apps for Traveling by Camper. 🙂

INSTALL THE MOST SUITABLE ANTITHEFT SYSTEM(S) FOR YOUR VAN / RV

Below in brief, I anticipate the types of anti-theft devices we will discuss in the next chapters, to begin to orient you to what we are going to look at:

• Antitheft Deterrents: should be noticed from the outside, serve to give the idea that the shot is too difficult, takes too long, and is not worth the risk. These include stickers, alarms, padlocks and other flashy anti-theft devices.

• Anti-Intrusion AntiTheft Devices: these are the anti-theft devices that prevent physical access of the thief inside the vehicle. These include door padlocks, deadbolts, lock reinforcements and, in extreme cases, bars on windows.

• Mechanical Antitheft Devices: mechanical antitheft devices are devices that physically prevent the vehicle from moving: steering locks, wheel jaws, pedal stops etc.

• Electric Antitheft Devices: are antitheft devices that prevent the vehicle from starting or otherwise use electrical technology to operate. These include killswitches, GPS systems, motion alarms etc.

Normally, to be sure of doing a good job both in terms of deterrence and the actual protection of the vehicle from theft, it is advisable to install and use a combination of antitheft devices (e.g., an alarm and a mechanical antitheft device, or antiintrusion locks and alarm stickers, etc.).

While, as we have said, there is no one antitheft system that will guarantee 100 percent security for your vehicle, it is also true that combining more than one together can complicate the life of a potential attacker so much that theft is inappetible and almost impossible.

Let us now begin to see and analyze the best RV antitheft devices currently on the market 🙂

2. RV/Van Antitheft Devices : Deterrents.

The first category of RV burglar alarms we see are deterrents, which are those systems created to discourage the thief from attempting theft. Simply put, they are deterrence systems that try to convey to the thief the idea that the vehicle is not easy to steal or that it is otherwise risky to do so.

3. RV/Van Antitheft Devices : Anti-Intrusion.

The second category of RV/Van antitheft devices that we see is anti-intrusion systems, which are those devices designed to reinforce the most vulnerable parts of your RV (doors and windows) and designed to keep the thief out of the vehicle or otherwise hinder his access and stall him as much as possible.

In fact, what every thief hopes during a theft is to take as little time as possible, thus reducing the risk of being caught. Because of this, when confronted with solid anti-intrusion devices, a thief might give up and abandon the heist.

As you will soon see, theft deterrence and deterrence are factors that we will constantly find in even the most elaborate anti-theft systems: after all, prevention is better than cure! 🙂

4. RV/Van Antitheft Devices : Mechanical

The third category of RV antitheft devices we see are the mechanical antitheft devices, which are those devices that “mechanically“ prevent the vehicle from moving or being maneuvered properly.

As you will notice, many of these devices are created in very garish colors to be noticed easily by the thief and to be conspicuous (again, we find the deterrence effect with the goal of making the thief abandon the heist before trying)

5. RV/Van Antitheft Devices – Electric and Digital

Electric or digital antitheft devices, are burglar alarms that work with electric current which take advantage of new technologies (GPS, WiFi, Rooms etc.) to deter, hinder, locate or track the thief. There are various types and for all budgets. Below I show you the ones that I think are currently the best on the market (and that I have installed!).

6. How to Keep Precious Objects Safe.

Last, it is important to think about how to secure your valuables in the unfortunate event that a thief manages to break into your little house on wheels.

In our case for example, we often happen to leave the computers we work with in the RV, or perhaps a camera or drone (they are heavy to carry around all day if not needed!).

At present, we are leaving them in the most hidden recesses of our van, so that they are not easy for a hurried thief to find anyway. Below I leave you a few photos of some of the places we sometimes use:

In addition, we noticed that having installed a UFO3 on the rear doors, thegarage area under the dinette basically becomes a natural safe, which would require straining both the rear UFO and the door lock (very difficult).

That said, surely you know your vehicle better than anyone else and so surely you are the best person to identify the best places to leave your valuables.

Other ideas that can help safeguard one’s items may include:

• Drawers with double bottoms,
• Cabinets with double walls,
• padlocks to furniture,
• Behind the refrigerator,
• In the garage,
• Install a small safe.

In the case of the safe, it is very important to attach it to the structure of the vehicle so that the thief cannot steal it all in one piece (under the seats is a good place to attach it for example).

Below I show you 3 types of RV safes that you might be interested in.

We are currently planning a world tour starting in the fall, and although we have not yet installed a safe at the moment, we are sure that we will definitely install one before we leave. Leaving one’s most cherished items unattended in the van, even if well camouflaged and hidden, never leaves us 100 percent comfortable.