If you’re an RV enthusiast, you know how important it is to keep your home-on-wheels secure. Whether your RV is parked in a storage facility, your driveway, or out in the wild, taking steps to prevent theft is crucial. In this article, we’ll explore five practical tips to help you safeguard your RV from potential thieves.
The RV Gear Far YouTube channel offers some excellent advice on this topic.
1. Maintain an Insurance Policy
“Keeping a current and up-to-date insurance policy on your RV is something that is super inexpensive to do and really is worth the time and investment,” says Joshua from RV Gear Far. While insurance won’t prevent theft, it will give you peace of mind knowing that you are financially protected if the worst happens.
Plus, it’s a small price to pay for a good night’s sleep. And let’s be honest, if your RV does get stolen, at least you can cry into a pile of insurance money.
2. Secure Physical Storage
Where you store your RV plays a significant role in its security. Joshua suggests, “Just be considerate that the different levels of security of the physical location that you’re storing your RV play a lot into how secure the RV is going to be.”
Whether it’s a locked storage facility or a family member’s fenced property, always aim for the highest level of security you can afford. Remember, hiding your RV in plain sight is not a good strategy—unless your RV is disguised as a giant taco truck, then you might be onto something.
3. Use Hitch and Coupler Locks
“Hitchpin locks, ball coupler locks, and safety chain locks are three perfect places to start that every RVer should be doing,” Joshua advises. These locks make it more time-consuming and frustrating for thieves to tow your RV away.
And let’s face it, if a thief is willing to go through all that trouble, they might as well audition for a role in the next Mission Impossible movie.
4. Install Wheel Locks and Chocks
Joshua recommends using X-chocks and locking lug nuts, stating, “They add one more layer of theft deterrence because of the time it would take to get them out.” Additionally, wheel boots, similar to those used by parking enforcement, can be effective. Just imagine a thief trying to steal your RV only to find it immobilized like a booted car—it’s almost poetic justice.
5. Remove Essential Components
To further deter theft, consider removing the battery or key fuses. “If you remove the battery and you have no 12-volt power, all those things would have to be done manually,” Joshua notes.
This adds another layer of difficulty for any would-be thief. It’s like playing a real-life game of “Operation,” but instead of a funny bone, they’re trying to steal your entire RV. Good luck with that!
