In Boise, Idaho, audacious thieves are hacking their way into the battery storage compartments of parked RVs. Why? To resell the stolen deep cycle batteries at recycling centers or parts stores for as much as $25 each.
Boise TV station KIVI interviewed one victim, and talked to the Boise Police Department to get a sense of what RV owners can do to prevent their batteries from being stolen.
The old saying, “Locks only keep the honest thief honest” certainly applies here. Would-be battery thieves can’t steal the battery that isn’t there!
Do you think it’s worth the extra step of taking the batteries out of your RV? Or do you simply lock the battery compartment in your rig and hope for the best?
Transcript:
Police want to warn owners that crooks are out there. Mike Vogel has the story.
Well, Don, people with recreational vehicles know it’s a constant challenge to things locked up. Last weekend, some thieves were canvassing Boise for deep cycle batteries. And when they were done, more than a dozen RVs were hit.
Get some chain links put on here. Put a chain and a lock on there so that top can’t come off. I have one, I just didn’t have it on.
Peter Petroff sure wishes he had. He was one of the victims last weekend that were hit by thieves stealing RV batteries.
Woke up Saturday morning, go hangout with some friends. And uh, noticed that the lid had been flipped off the top of the battery box, and they were missing.
Police say it’s not a new crime.
They cut the wires, cut the straps right off the battery box.
But it does show someone is targeting the valley.
What officers are finding is that these RVs are parked in front of somebody’s house, on the side, someplace that somebody can drive by and see there’s RV parked there.
RVs parked outside are easy targets. In fact, thieves even tried to swipe his neighbor’s batteries. But for some reason failed. On newer and fancier recreational vehicles you’ll find the batteries secured inside. But when they’re outside, exposed and visible to thieves, police say it’s better to put them out of sight.
Take the batteries out, and put them on a charger in the garage, or someplace that’s secured. So if somebody goes and takes a look, you’re battery just isn’t there.
Even though these crooks can only get about 25 bucks for the stolen batteries, they’re relatively easy to exchange at recycling yards and part stores.
And police say this week it’s RV batteries, next it could be copper or even motorcycles. There advice also applies to other valuables some of us leave outside. Get it out of sight or in your garage.
Resources:
H/T: iRV2
