Campsite security

[Heymon]

I'm not sure where to post this question but since I have a TT I'll start here. Been using the trailer for about 5 years and other than a couple of things stolen while in the storage yard, our camping experience has been quite crime free.

That changed this year when a few items were pilfered overnight from our county-run campsite in Victorville, CA. This is a rural desert area, but a nice place in the winter when we go. There are no rangers, etc. at the campground overnight. There is now a transient population that is nearby, and they "raided" several sites near the border of the campground, stealing things like lanterns, coolers, and propane canisters. Mostly stuff homeless people would use. They made their way in through a cut in a barbed wire fence, as well as going under it. The county repaired the fence the next day (pretty good service) but each night the thieves hit someone.

My question is kind of broad, but what do you do as far as securing your camp overnight? We don't necessarily want to put everything away every night, but obviously things like lanterns and propane canisters we can (from now on) put in the tow vehicle or trailer. I am a little more concerned about people rummaging through my site when my son (age 11) and I are asleep inside with no rangers around to provide any security. We could leave some lights on all night (neighbors are far enough away that they would not be disturbed) or do lights just make it easier for thieves to steal your stuff? I have heard about motion sensor perimeter alarms and/or lights which would go off if someone comes through, but then what? Go out there and confront them? Maybe not the best plan. Maybe surveillance cameras if such a thing exists for camping? I bummed that I even have to worry about this, but maybe someone has some helpful insight.

Thanks,
Andre

[ppine]

Be careful who you camp near. Make friends with our neighbors so you can watch each others stuff. Don't leave anything out in plain sight when you are not there. Common sense and situational awareness take care of most of the issue.

I would not camp near Victorville if you paid me.

[Heymon]

This campground is "owned" by San Bernardino County. They actually do a pretty good job of taking care of it, except perhaps the bathrooms. There is a barbed wire fence surrounding the property. It was cut this time around and I notified the staff. They were out there the next day repairing it. I was impressed with that, since I know they have a minimal budget. They close this campground 2 days a week to save costs, that's how tight it is right now.

I am not keen on leaving stuff out (like water) to encourage these people. There are plenty of places to help them, and they know it. They typically don't want to interact with others and want to stay off the grid.

As far as cameras, they are not at all useless. I want to know who or what is outside without going out there. I want to know if anyone actually went through my site overnight and if so was it a transient or another camper? If I record a theft or something else, I can give it to law enforcement so they can make an arrest. They can use it for evidence if need be.

I can see the barking dog speaker going off all night when coyotes come through. I don't think the neighbors would like that and the crooks wouldn't pay it any attention.

[wrvond]

Heymon wrote:
Maybe surveillance cameras if such a thing exists for camping? I bummed that I even have to worry about this, but maybe someone has some helpful insight.

Thanks,
Andre

Cameras are really useless unless you are going to provide evidence in court.
I'd get one of those wireless alarm type things and connect it to a dog barking loud speaker.

[DiskDoctr]

I haven't heard anything about what the CAMPGROUND OWNER is doing about the theft and danger in his campground?

If you are friends with the owner and other 'regulars' I can understand why you want to stick with him and figure out a way to resist/combat the problem.

Maybe he can build a FENCE to make it inconvenient to cross and more inconvenient to traverse with goods in tow for the perpetrators?

If you feel compelled, you can take cases of bottled water and put on the other side of the fence.

Lots of options, depending how deeply you want to become involved and the amount of exposure you desire.

Good luck and keep us updated!

[Heymon]

I would agree to all of this. There aren't bars on the windows of the neighborhoods near this campground. There isn't graffiti nearby (but in some areas there is, just like almost any city).

I don't think motion lights or maybe remote control lights that I can click on if need be from inside the trailer are all that diminishing for my application at this particular campground.

I already have a dog. A black Lab. If he goes with me he stays inside at night and is not much of deterrent. Haven't ever seen someone with a guard dog outside their trailer all night, so I think that suggestion is kind of unworkable.

[toedtoes]

For me, the deciding factor would be if the "precautions" I felt I needed were worse than the joy of being there. If I need scare lights and/or alarms outside my camper to feel safe and prevent repeated thefts, then I would find somewhere else - simply because I enjoy the night and its sounds where I camp and those precautions would detract from that.

And, I don't want to be my childhood neighbor who had to get up and do a perimeter check every time his lights went on outside (it's quite possible those lights came on just to make him get up and check...)

I normally have very limited things outside - a couple chairs and a side table. I prefer the simplicity. And as I camp in bear territory, I never leave food, drinks or coolers outside.

Oh and I know it's a common suggestion, but don't "get a dog" because you want security. Get a dog because you want a dog. It's a living creature and unless you are prepared and willing to do all that comes with caring for a living creature, you are better off getting a gun that doesn't require food, shelter, love, attention and medical care.

[dmatt]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
I pass through Victorville a couple of times every year. I don't feel comfortable stopping to fill up for gas. I never expect a campsite to be an Oasis that doesn't in any way reflect the neighborhood. If there are a lot of homeless, transients and crime in the area, there is going to be homeless, transients and crime in the park. My go to tipoff is are the windows in the area secured with iron bars? Tipoff number two is there gang graffiti everywhere?
If the answer to either question is "yes", the chances I will be camping in the area is nil.
Victorville warrants a strong "YES" on both questions.

^^^^^^THIS^^^^^

We pass through there on the way to our cabin in big Bear and especially at night I would not stop. There are quite a few scary individuals walking around at night.

[dmatt]

ooops

[Heymon]

No, not Jamaican, but I have been there and liked it. I got the handle from that skit on the show "Living Color". I used it as a screen name in a bar trivia contest and it pretty much stuck after that.

I get the caution on these people, I really do, and I take it into consideration. I've been around the block so I am fairly aware of the relative risks with these types of people. I am not going to confront them even if I see them stealing. I also have a bathroom in my TT so hopefully I don't get shanked in there, that would be completely inglorious.

My plan is to give this place another chance with appropriate precautions taken. I'm not one of those people that just has to be right, but having been there 4 years running I am not feeling that it is overrun with danger at this point. If I sense I am wrong we will just leave. I honestly don't think our personal safety is at great risk, just some of my stuff. Someone steals your bike from your campsite you lock it better next time, but you don't give up your favorite campground because of it. At least, I don't.

[am1958]

Heymon:

You Jamaican? I ask because it's a common greeting there and I love the place - spent a few months living there... 🙂 🙂

As has been mentioned, these people aren't just stealing because they need that $20 grill that is now used and worth $5... They are stealing for "other" things and, as has been pointed out, you can't know how they will react if they are caught in the act. Being stabbed in the dark because you were going to the bathroom is an inglorious way to die.

A sensible person, (I count myself in that group), would choose safer places. It simply isn't worth the risk/hassle. On the other hand, if I have few other choices I'd make sure that if they enter my campground they will probably find themselves looking down some size barrel depending what I'm carrying at the time...

Your life is worth a bit more than messing with people like that...

[Heymon]

am1958, you said, "You're avoiding the problem just like the OP..." I am the OP and was asking you how I was avoiding the problem. I'm not leaving valueless items, but I can certainly see the strategy pullin2 is employing. They say locks only keep honest people out, so if he is offering up some sacrificial item in order to preserve valuable stuff it seems to have some merit. He also said he doesn't experience much crime, so I don't think his sacrificial items are even getting taken very often. So he won't run out of that stuff. But again, I wonder why you think I am avoiding the problem by employing my precautions?

PS I already have a big dog, but he's a black lab so he won't scare people off except by excessive licking. Maybe he can retrieve my stolen items though, I hadn't thought about that.

[am1958]

Heymon wrote:
Exactly how am I "avoiding the problem"? Avoiding the problem is giving up on camping. I'm addressing the problem by taking certain precautions. I guess there's a chance that one of these creeps assaults me. There's that same chance wherever you go. Ask the guy who went tent camping with his 2 young daughters in the hills above Malibu and was shot and killed. Malibu. So if you want to curl up into a little ball and camp somewhere where there is no one around and nothing to do, have at it. I happen to enjoy the areas I camp in. However, there is some degradation at one of the campgrounds now. I choose to continue using the campground and preventing the problem from affecting me. Had I done this last year, we would not be having this conversation because I would not have been aware of the problem. But since I know what the deal is and what their m.o. is--petty theft--I am going to deter the people that would perpetrate this by giving them nothing to steal and attempting to dissuade them from even looking. That is a reasonable response to the "threat level" we are talking about here. Boondocking in the middle of a 100 square mile dry lake bed is not.

You are paying "protection money" by leaving out stuff that you "don't value" for them to take. That is avoiding the issue. Eventually you will run out of things you don't value and will have to start giving up things of little value and then things elevate to some value etc. etc. etc

Since you already take the time to lock away the stuff you do value it seems such a waste of time, effort and no value stuff.

[HTElectrical]

A large dog like a German Shepard, Rottweiler, on a leash would help, definitely leave the lights on, and get a PIR motion type alarm.
Click

[Heymon]

Exactly how am I "avoiding the problem"? Avoiding the problem is giving up on camping. I'm addressing the problem by taking certain precautions. I guess there's a chance that one of these creeps assaults me. There's that same chance wherever you go. Ask the guy who went tent camping with his 2 young daughters in the hills above Malibu and was shot and killed. Malibu. So if you want to curl up into a little ball and camp somewhere where there is no one around and nothing to do, have at it. I happen to enjoy the areas I camp in. However, there is some degradation at one of the campgrounds now. I choose to continue using the campground and preventing the problem from affecting me. Had I done this last year, we would not be having this conversation because I would not have been aware of the problem. But since I know what the deal is and what their m.o. is--petty theft--I am going to deter the people that would perpetrate this by giving them nothing to steal and attempting to dissuade them from even looking. That is a reasonable response to the "threat level" we are talking about here. Boondocking in the middle of a 100 square mile dry lake bed is not.