At this time of year, the campgrounds are probably going to have less traffic and there will be fewer people around your travel trailer. Even so, you don’t want to forget the importance of travel trailer security. With fewer campers around, there are more opportunities for thieves to try and make a quick grab. Read on for a few tips to keep you safe and secure during the cold months.
Parking Your Travel Trailer
The easiest way to deter thieves is to strategically park your travel trailer. If possible, try to choose a location that’s both removed from the main roads and still close to the campers who stay in the park through the winter. This way, you won’t be as accessible and you’ll still be able to use the idea of safety in numbers to your favor.
With a travel trailer, you can also park it so the hitch is facing away from the road, which will make it harder for thieves to hook up their own vehicle to the RV and drive off with it. There are a few ways this can happen. Pull-thru sites can help you more easily park your travel trailer at whatever angle you want (although it might still leave the hitch exposed to the road). You can also use a wheel jockey to maneuver the trailer without a tow vehicle in order to get the hitch pointing in the opposite direction. Just remember that if there are hookups on your site, you’ll still want to make sure they can reach the trailer.
Keep it Locked
Just like any place of residence, you’ll want to keep the doors locked when appropriate. This should include when you’re away from the RV and at night when you’re asleep. You might also want to lock the doors if you know you’re going to be inside for a while, so no one can walk in willy-nilly.
Also, you can look into getting a hitch lock for your travel trailer. This will assist in keeping it safe from someone who might want to hook up their own tow vehicle and drive off with your RV. You can even get a boot for the wheel for a little extra security.
Reducing Temptations
You might have noticed that many public parking spaces advise you to remove all valuables from your car. This makes it less tempting for thieves, as there won’t be anything they can walk off with if they get inside. The same idea applies to your travel trailer. Keep all valuables out of view of the windows, stowing away anything that might draw attention from unwanted visitors. For particularly valuable items, you can get a safe to keep them locked away. This can include important ownership documents and firearms.
Other Tips
There are other ways to protect yourself and your travel trailer. One of the most effective, but also the most expensive, is to invest in a security system. You can also speak to local law enforcement about tracking devices and tags, which may not stop theft, but they can help you get the trailer back should the worst happen. Another easy way to prove a stolen trailer is yours is to simply customize it with paint jobs and decals.
Taking the time to protect yourself from theft can make you feel safer and more secure, so now that you might have some extra time on your hands, take the time to update your security methods or implement ones you never had.
If you’re looking to buy a travel trailer, check out the selection at Pete’s RV Center Indiana. We are located in Schererville, Indiana. We also serve those in Champaign and Decatur, Illinois, as well as Indianapolis, Indiana.
