# The Nerve Of Some People!



## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

Well, I guess it was bound to happen eventually...

Wednesday morning I received a call from the owner of the storage lot where I keep my Outback. He told me that there were several trailers broken into recently, and I need to come and check out my trailer. I was stuck at work and couldn't get away for several hours. I was going crazy and expecting the worst.

I finally find some time later that afternoon to get away from the office and drive down to check out my trailer. As I drive into the lot, the owner is walking by so he follows me over to my trailer.

Like I said, I was expecting the worst, so when I rounded the corner so that I could see my trailer, I was starting to feel the pressure ease a little. My electric jack was still there, my batteries were still there, the entrance door was closed and the lock still looked intact. The only thing I saw was all of the storage compartment doors were open!
Before taking a look in any of the compartments, I took a walk around the TT to see if anything else was out of place. Thankfully all of the windows were still tightly shut and in one piece.

So now I figure I better open up the compartments and see what I'm gonna have to replace. Well, I lift the door of each one expecting to find everything gone, but thankfully everything *seems* to be present. The only things of real value that I keep in the compartments is my Equalizer hitch, a high capacity air compressor, and several leveling block sets.

I figure the hitch was too heavy to carry, the blocks aren't worth too much, and the air compressor... well that is the ONLY compartment they didn't open.

What really frustrates me is the ease of getting into those compartments. At first I figured they had a key for the compartments and just opened them up, but then I realized that the compartments were all open, but still LOCKED. What they did was just turn the entire lock housing and it moves the latch right out of the way. I cannot believe that the lock will just turn that way.

Here are a couple pics of the locks...

Looks like they just took hold of the lock handle and just turned it









Another compartment lock. Notice that it didn't take much turning to get this one to unlatch









This is the one lock that was actually destroyed. This is the lock for the outside cooktop.









I have read some of the posts regarding replacing the lock cores so they don't have the standard keys, but it doesn't seem that it will help if all they need to do is turn the entire lock housing.

What can be done so that the entire lock housing cannot be turned to release the latch?

I was thinking that if I remove the little "handle" that fits around the lock, then it would make it more difficult to turn it, but then I think someone would just jam a screwdriver into the lock, turn it that way, and completly destroy the lock (as they did with my cooktop one).

I guess I got out easy on this one. There were several generators and air compressors stolen, and also someone's outboard motor from their boat. They even stole someone's entire cargo trailer.

Not sure if it's worth my time to file a police report. The only damage was to a few of the locks, and as far as I can tell nothing was stolen from my trailer.

If anyone else is concerned about their compartment locks, go out and see if you can open them up by just turning the lock housing with your hands. I was, and I was very surprised how easy it was.

--Greg


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## Piecemaker (Nov 15, 2007)

Greg

I installed the Combi locks on all 3 compartment doors. I drilled new 3/4" holes in the center of the key lock and latch. The combi lock I found works is the 1 1/8". This way there are 2 locks to prevent any unwanteds. Quick and easy to install.

Wish you the best

Brian


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

What if you pull out the old lock cylinder and use a marine grade epoxy to bond the lock to the composite door. This way they would have to break the epoxy to get the lock to turn. James


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## Chabbie1 (Dec 3, 2006)

Sorry to hear that! Luckily they didn't take anything really valuable from your trailer.
Guess we are one of the lfortunate few who are able to store their trailer at home. Still it worries me at home as well. And you would think that your trailer would be safe in a storage facility.
I guess nothing is really "safe" these days. So terribly sad!

It is so sad to hear of these thieves who will take anything.

I am a firm believer of what comes around goes around!

Again, sorry it happened to you.
Chabbie1


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Sorry to hear about the vandals striking. glad it wasn't worse. hearing about this stuff really makes me wonder about people. they just think everything is theirs.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

I disagree about making it harder for folks to get in.... trailers by their very nature are easy to bust into...

If the vandels had not been able to turn the locks so easily then they probably would have used a crowbar and tore the heck out of the door instead doing much more damage then they did.

Be grateful that all you are out are a couple of locks.....

Make it difficult for them to get in -- and they will increase the damage accordingly to do so....

.02


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## Airboss (Jul 14, 2007)

Ghosty said:


> Make it difficult for them to get in -- and they will increase the damage accordingly to do so....


I agree. If they want in there is nothing we can do to stop them.

Did the storage lot have video cameras? I would think that this would be the best deterrent.


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## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

Airboss said:


> Make it difficult for them to get in -- and they will increase the damage accordingly to do so....


I agree. If they want in there is nothing we can do to stop them.

Did the storage lot have video cameras? I would think that this would be the best deterrent.
[/quote]
I also agree that if it were harder to open the locks, then much more damage would have occured. The lock on the outside cooktop was the only one that was not able to freely turn, and that was the one that was completly damaged.

Unfortunately there are no cameras in the storage lot. The owner has now restricted the gate hours (was 24hr entry before). Hopefully that will deter someone a little more.


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## shaela21 (Aug 16, 2005)

That sucks, but like the others have said, it could have been a lot worst. And I agree that the locks for the side compartment is pretty cheesy. I believe that it is there to keep the honest people out. And it is a universal key. CH751 is used by a lot of RV builders, and you can get that key anywhere. Ebay sells the keys all the time, so all someone has to do is order a bunch of keys and wander around and open these compartments at their leisure. When we bought the OB, the sales dude told me that pretty much anyone that has a RV probably has that key and to not keep expensive stuff in there.

Again, I am glad that your OB was damaged too badly.


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## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

Ever notice that theft and burglarys go up when Congress is in recess? Coincidence???









Regards, Glenn


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## fizzy (Jul 31, 2008)

Where are you storing your trailer? I see you are in Folsom. I am just down the road in Rancho Cordova and store mine at American River RV & Boat Storage. They
limit the gate hours - 6 AM to 11PM and have surveillance cameras. So far I havent had any problems.


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## Flat Red (May 18, 2008)

Sucks to hear your story. Some people are really stupid. Though I s'pose with the economy, it'll only get worse as people look for anything they can turn around and make a couple of bucks.

We've gone with the logic (so far) of keeping the generic key entry. If someone wants my kids' bike helmets or beach pails, so be it. Just means I don't have to pack their bikes or take them to the beach!


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