RV Security Tools: Locks, Cameras and Safes

When traveling in your RV, it’s extremely important to keep all of your belongings safe and secure, from valuables to the vehicle itself. This is especially true at unfamiliar campgrounds, where you don’t know who your neighbors are or what security measures look like at the site. In this quick video lesson, Carol Jackson of RV Inspection Specialists teaches you how to keep your vehicle and your valuables secure when traveling in an RV. If you follow her guidance and take some simple precautions whenever possible, you can avoid items being stolen and keep your family safe!

RV Security: How to Deter Theft on Your RV

To begin, Carol explains the best way to ensure your items don’t end up in someone else’s hands: limit the amount of things you have out at the campsite. Stick to the essentials unless you know for a fact that no threat exists, or unless you’ll be hanging around your site for a while.

Locks

Beyond that, the most important component of RV security is a lock. Utilize all different varieties of locks depending on what you want to secure. If you’re traveling with bikes (motored or pedaled), be sure to lock your bikes either to a rack that’s mounted on and locked to your vehicle, or to a firmly planted object at your campsite. The same goes for kayaks and other small recreational vehicles.

You should also properly secure objects in your cargo bay and lock the bay doors. Don’t just close the doors at night and have faith that they’ll stay unopened. That’s not how thieves operate! Lock everything that can be locked, including plastic surge guard cases as well as your tow trailer (install coupler and/or pin locks, and wrap cable locks through both tires to keep your trailer from being unhitched and hauled off). If you prefer not to carry a keyring for all of these locks, you might consider using a hide-a-key lock.

Cameras

Carol recommends installing indoor and outdoor battery-powered cameras at your campsite. There are many options available now, most of which are motion-activated and remote, so you can take a look from your phone at your outdoor area as well as any pets you might have onboard.

Safes

If you’re like Carol and her husband, you tend to be out on the road in your RV for long stretches. When you’re gone for so long, you might need to bring important documents such as passports and treasured valuables such as jewelry. To keep these secure, you might consider purchasing a small fire safe that can be hidden in your vehicle.

A few other notes on RV Security

As with most things that can be stolen, objects on and around your RV are always at risk even with security measures. Your goal with these measures is to deter theft long enough that the bad guy either gives up or gets caught. That’s why Carol recommends using a combination of tools such as locks, cameras, and other implements that will slow down or deter your average bandit.

Lastly, Carol discusses what you can do to increase security and provide comfort when you’re traveling alone. She talks about not broadcasting the fact that you’re by yourself to neighbors and other people at the campground. And she also introduces some of the tools she likes to bring along whenever she’s RVing solo, including self-defense items such as pepper/wasp spray, a pocket knife, a whistle or horn, and a baton.

The most crucial aspect of proper RV security is your sixth sense for danger. Always be aware of your surroundings, and take precautions when necessary. Have a nose for iffy situations, and act if you feel like something’s not right. Nine and a half times out of 10, there’s nothing to worry about, but it’s smart to be prepared for that slim chance!