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Old 09-14-2016, 10:24 PM   #1
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Front box – attempted burglary

Somewhere along I-5, between O'Neill Regional Park and Livermore, CA, most likely at the Rest Stop at the top of the Grapevine, someone nearly broke into our front box, on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016.

They cut through the hasp, and removed the padlock on the driver's side, and were almost through the hasp on the passenger side, see photos. If this was at the top of the Grapevine, we were inside the trailer having lunch, with the door open! Kathy thought she heard something, but I didn't.

I haven't heard about the security of the front box being a problem for other Escape owners, so I'm currently thinking that I'll try to get the same hasps used on Escapes; rather than looking for a harder to break into hasp that would be unlikely to match the front box pop rivet hole pattern.
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Old 09-14-2016, 10:39 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Art M. View Post
Somewhere along I-5, between O'Neill Regional Park and Livermore, CA, most likely at the Rest Stop at the top of the Grapevine, someone nearly broke into our front box, on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016.

They cut through the hasp, and removed the padlock on the driver's side, and were almost through the hasp on the passenger side, see photos. If this was at the top of the Grapevine, we were inside the trailer having lunch, with the door open! Kathy thought she heard something, but I didn't.

I haven't heard about the security of the front box being a problem for other Escape owners, so I'm currently thinking that I'll try to get the same hasps used on Escapes; rather than looking for a harder to break into hasp that would be unlikely to match the front box pop rivet hole pattern.
Wow - very sorry for your misfortune.



And sorry you have to repair this.
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Old 09-14-2016, 10:40 PM   #3
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We had similar looking damage on our box's hasps, but it was no security breach.

Ours was from the box vibrating.

Have a look at the pics of ours, posted in the Vibration When Towing Our New Escape 21 thread. Alas, we lost our lock, so you'll just have to trust me that it was smaller than the one in your picture.

We do think we finally solved the problem. Haven't had any more trouble with it. (Knock on wood!)
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Old 09-14-2016, 10:57 PM   #4
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The lock hole on the stock hasp is relatively small

Is there a very sturdy lock that actually fits the Escape hasp?

Bonus points for being a combination lock.

Yes, I know that most small-ish locks are easily defeatable by brute force.
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Old 09-14-2016, 11:23 PM   #5
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A "puck" style hidden-shackle lock has a concealed shackle and protects the part of the hasp which was cut, as well. This style of lock is usually used with a hasp specifically fitted to it, but should work with the common hasp as well. Unfortunately, they are big and heavy locks, and you might not find one with the shackle diameter and position to work with the original hasp; also, the shackle (pin) on a puck lock is normally vertical, not horizontal as the stock hasp configuration would place it.
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Old 09-15-2016, 12:26 AM   #6
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The hasp is so weak, that a larger padlock would be wasted effort, unless it was the puck type that hides the hasp; but the hole in the hasp is so small that only small padlocks fit.

Actually, I prefer a weak lock. I would rather a thief attacked the lock, rather than the hasp, which is going to involve a significant effort to replace.

Like Mary F, we also had vibration issues with the front box. On ours, it was only the lid; not the whole box like Robert Bryan solved in the thread that Mary F links to. I added self adhesive rubber window seal (7/32" x 3/8" wide, or 5.5 mm x 9.5 mm wide) to the top of the aluminum L-bracket that runs around the top, at the front and sides of the box. It is EPDM rubber, good over a temperature range of -40 to 140 deg. F, and to outperform and outlast foam tapes. This solved the vibration issue on the lid. However, it has only been installed for about 3 months, and already shows significant wear, some of it probably due to sticking to the lid so I have to pull up to break it free. It has a 10 year guarantee, which I expect is honored only if you use it to seal windows.
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Old 09-15-2016, 12:33 AM   #7
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Well that just sucks. You were unlucky in a not so good stop.

Not much one can do if your camper doesn't resemble an armored car.
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Old 09-15-2016, 02:04 AM   #8
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Thieves. Man, I hate thieves. I mean, really despise them. I have more sympathy for someone who commits a terrible crime in a fit of passion than I ever will for a thief. I dealt with many a thief back in the days when I was a cop. I don't miss it.

Sorry this happened to you. I think you're on the right track though about the hasps. Probably better, at least from an appearance standpoint, to replace them with identical ones. Unfortunately, the lock isn't the weakest link here - it's the flimsy hasp loop.
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Old 09-15-2016, 08:05 AM   #9
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Mary, you still using the towel on the brace method since april? Thanks in advance.

Like above, i've heard plenty of broad daylight crackhead stories from my Cali Highway patrol friends. I'm sorry they gave you something to now deal with Art.
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Old 09-15-2016, 08:25 AM   #10
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I don't lock ours for that reason. I would rather replace a hose or tire chalk than deal with the damage of a thief. I figure if they look in ours they are going to be disappointed at what they find. Heck I don't lock the camper most of the time because I would rather they take my pots and pans than destroy my door. If they want in they are going to get in and don't care what they damage in the process.

I cant stand are a thief and have no use for them.
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Old 09-15-2016, 08:27 AM   #11
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Mary, you still using the towel on the brace method since april? Thanks in advance.
Yes, we are still using a folded towel laid across the top of that center brace. This does seem to only be a problem with the box on the 21. "Gocamp," I think yours will be fine with your 17.
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Old 09-15-2016, 08:33 AM   #12
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Feel bad for you about the damage to your front box. I doubt that putting a better lock on is the best solution.


Any determined thieve could be in and out of my storage box in no time. I leave one hasp on one side of the box with no lock, and keep a small dollar store lock on the other side, just to deter those casual thieves. I do only use my front box for power cords, water hose, wooden blocks, sewer pipe fittings, a coleman stove, and a few other odds and ends; so there is nothing in mine that has enough value to be worth having the box severely damaged by a thief trying to gain access. While at a campground, I will often just leave the lock attached but left open.
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Old 09-15-2016, 08:37 AM   #13
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Storage box

We had box #1 on our 19 and used it for about 3 years with the original attachment components and then a 21 box for the last 3 years as the box is now mounted. Lots of miles but no failures. I do stuff the box full, of course under 100#, when I close the lid it pulls slightly on the box edge, and I push the lid down and then I use a stainless latch on one side and a medium sized antique lock on the other side for the benefit of the almost honest people. I just checked and see no wear anywhere. Maybe the box needs to be full of the mat, two sun screens, broom, rubber made box with all of my awning items I might need to secure the awning in strong winds and many other items that might be dirty.
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Old 09-15-2016, 08:42 AM   #14
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Now I'm really glad I have a front dinette with window because you never know who (or if) someone is out there.
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Old 09-15-2016, 08:53 AM   #15
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Front box

One of the reasons we have a window over the bed in our 21.
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Old 09-15-2016, 09:04 AM   #16
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We had box #1 on our 19 and used it for about 3 years with the original attachment components and then a 21 box for the last 3 years as the box is now mounted. Lots of miles but no failures. I do stuff the box full, of course under 100#, when I close the lid it pulls slightly on the box edge, and I push the lid down and then I use a stainless latch on one side and a medium sized antique lock on the other side for the benefit of the almost honest people. I just checked and see no wear anywhere. Maybe the box needs to be full of the mat, two sun screens, broom, rubber made box with all of my awning items I might need to secure the awning in strong winds and many other items that might be dirty.
Jack
I think you're onto something, Jack! As long as you're under 100 lbs, the more bulk inside the box, the less bouncing around of the contents = the better...
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Old 09-15-2016, 09:04 AM   #17
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Now I'm really glad I have a front dinette with window because you never know who (or if) someone is out there.
Yelp, what or who is out your front window?
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Old 09-15-2016, 09:10 AM   #18
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Or, out your back window.
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Old 09-15-2016, 09:22 AM   #19
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Art when I zoom in on the pictures of the remaining lock, to me, it looks like intense wear from the lock swinging back and forth. The hasp and lock both have wear marks. The other picture looks a bit strange to me as to what tool the thief would have used. The only way I could imagine him getting it done so quietly is with a very large bolt cutter and that hasp, to me, doesn't look like it is cut that way.

Maybe I am missing something, not the first time for sure, but I'm wondering if it might not have been theft attempt but something else.
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Old 09-15-2016, 09:45 AM   #20
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"Something else" gets my vote. My latch is so low-rent no burglar would waste his time peeking inside the box.
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