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Old 09-16-2013, 03:54 AM   #1
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I have lived in my neighborhood now for over 2 years. About 3 weeks ago a Police Officer shows up at my door saying my neighbor across the street doesn't like the look of my 5ver sitting in MY OWN drive and that it is bringing down his property value. I was like are you serious? So like a neighbor should do I cross the street to have a chat with my "neighbor". There are no home owners association laws or city ordinances against having a camper on your property. While calmly speaking with him he said he woke up at 4:30 in the morning and the site of my camper pissed him off and I was lowering the value of his home. Our conversation went on, but I won't waste everyone's time with it, I'll just end by saying he's not a very nice guy. I don't even leave my camper in the drive. I usually get it on Thursday night, we leave on Friday after work and then take the camper back to storage either Sunday night on Monday night. The end of part 1 of this story.

So Thursday I get my camper and leave it hooked up over night because we were leaving first thing Friday morning. As always I checked and double checked to make sure everything is hitched correctly. I walk out the next morning and look to make sure the jaws were around the king pin and they were and got in my truck to take off, well I made it about a half of block and a loud crash. I look back to see my 5ver now resting on the bed of my truck. I get out and look at my hitch to see that "someone" had lifted the safety latch that goes across the bar you pull to loosen the jaws on the hitch. I guess "someone" wanted to make a point, even though I can't prove who did this.

Lesson learned, check and double check everything every time you move your camper, even when your in your own neighborhood. I will now be putting a paddle lock through the latch instead of just a pin. Just glad this happened at slow speeds and not the interstate.

Please be careful out there, you never now when something crazy like this will happen. Another life lesson learned.
Edited by: longhauler
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Old 09-16-2013, 03:58 AM   #2
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That's horrible!!!!
To bad you didn't have a bear trap set by the rear wheel.
There wouldn't be any doubt as to who did it.



Edited by: Old Farmer
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Old 09-16-2013, 04:23 AM   #3
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Buy you a game camera and point it toward your truck/trailer and turn it on when you bring your trailer to thehouse. Mount it high enough it cannot be reached from the ground. They will take a nice picture day or night. If it is your neighbor messing with it at night and you can get a picture I bet your issue goes away.
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Old 09-16-2013, 04:52 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hunter11
Buy you a game camera and point it toward your truck/trailer and turn it on when you bring your trailer to thehouse. Mount it high enough it cannot be reached from the ground. They will take a nice picture day or night. If it is your neighbor messing with it at night and you can get a picture I bet your issue goes away.

The wife started to look at security camera's to get later that day, its just a shame I have to even think about doing this.
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Old 09-16-2013, 04:56 AM   #5
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Not to mention the damage to your truck. Ouch!! How did the fiver fare? People think I am crazy to put a padlock through the release handle and I also padlock my hitch to the truck bed. Takes a lot of time with a saw to get through them and it only takes 30 seconds to unlock them. I lost faith on people a long time ago. The majority are good, but the minority has gotten much larger in the last 20 years.

Had my brand new truck vandalized in 1996 and figured we knew who did it. (Tailgate stolen, rear window smashed and a tire iron punched through my radiator). Had the truck fixed and set up a camera to watch it when I got it back. Caught the guy we suspected in the act the next week coming back to do more damage - he keyed both sides of the truck. Certain types of vandalism are too extensive to be random!!
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Old 09-16-2013, 05:00 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WildWildWest
Not to mention the damage to your truck. Ouch!! How did the fiver fare? People think I am crazy to put a padlock through the release handle and I also padlock my hitch to the truck bed. Takes a lot of time with a saw to get through them and it only takes 30 seconds to unlock them. I lost faith on people a long time ago. The majority are good, but the minority has gotten much larger in the last 20 years.

Had my brand new truck vandalized in 1996 and figured we knew who did it. (Tailgate stolen, rear window smashed and a tire iron punched through my radiator). Had the truck fixed and set up a camera to watch it when I got it back. Caught the guy we suspected in the act the next week coming back to do more damage - he keyed both sides of the truck. Certain types of vandalism are too extensive to be random!!

The truck is at the body shop today getting looked at, the body shop guy estimated 5 to 6 thousand dollars for the truck and I take the 5ver to the dealership tonight to get looked at, it doesn't look to bad.
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Old 09-16-2013, 05:04 AM   #7
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Some people don't respect the golden rule.
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Old 09-16-2013, 05:08 AM   #8
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My 2 cents would be the camera's,(security camera's), I have multiple installed so all of the yard and all sides of the house are recorded anytime there is movement. I have one monitor installed next to the bed, if we hear anything strange, or if the doorbell rings during the night we just turn the monitor on.
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Old 09-16-2013, 05:13 AM   #9
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I would think the insurance company would be interested in the conversation you had with the neighbor. Especially if you followed it up with pictures of him on your property and around your trailer.

Remember criminal law requires "beyond a reasonable doubt" but civil law has less restrictive provenance.
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Old 09-16-2013, 05:47 AM   #10
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What a dilemna not only the damage to you vehicle and trailer but you have that SOB across the street. Sorry you have to endure that situation. I hope you do catch him so then you could pursue recourse. I hope you folks can get some type of satisifaction.
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Old 09-16-2013, 07:25 AM   #11
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After thinking it over, I believe Keith has the right idea with the game camera. If you get inventive you should be able to situate it/camouflage it, so it won't be noticeable.
That will keep you out of legal trouble and still accomplish the task.
Al tho, I still would like to use my first recommendation.

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Old 09-16-2013, 08:22 AM   #12
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That sucks. Sorry to hear that. Its ashame that there are some people out there that would stoop to that level.
My
in-laws have had a trailer in their driveway for 15-20 years. Then one
year, they got a complaint about it. Our town has a by-law that says
you can't leave your trailer in your driveway for more than 36 hrs
pre/post trip. However, the law is not enforced unless someone makes a
complaint to the town. 8 out of about 40 people on their street had to
find somewhere else to store their trailer most of them at a cost. The
by-law officers threatened to ticket the homeowners if they didn't find
elsewhere to store them. 3 new families moved in on the street that
year. They had an idea which one but could never prove it. My
father-in-laws solution to that problem is he now has a home on a 3 acre
property. No complaints yet.
so far, I have been lucky and leave my trailer in my driveway all summer.






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Old 09-16-2013, 09:34 AM   #13
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My step father drives OTR trucks and has so for a few years. When I bought a fifth wheel he told, not suggested, that I install a lock on the safety latch. Sorry for your troubles.
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Old 09-16-2013, 09:56 AM   #14
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Sorry for your troubles Chris. It seems there is a jerk in every neighborhood.
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Old 09-16-2013, 10:28 AM   #15
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I agree that a lock on the safety latch is a must. I was always taught to do this, even with my old horse trailers. it helps keep that minority out of trouble.
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Old 09-16-2013, 12:48 PM   #16
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Well, went to hook the 5ver up to take it to the shop and found out my hitch is also broke, the jaws wont close around the king pin, looks like a new hitch is added to the list.

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Old 09-16-2013, 12:53 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mwebber78
My step father drives OTR trucks and has so for a few years. When I bought a fifth wheel he told, not suggested, that I install a lock on the safety latch. Sorry for your troubles.
Thanks for the advice Mike, there will be a lock on it from here on out, In the end I know this is my fault for not checking over things better before I hit the road, but I guess I still think like a good ole boy and I'm too trusting of people, like I said a lesson learned.
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Old 09-16-2013, 12:53 PM   #18
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well, I guess now the 5er gets to sit in the driveway even longer while you get a new hitch and all the damage is fixed. I guess he really made his problem better didn't he?
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Old 09-16-2013, 12:56 PM   #19
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my DH just made a good point, make a police report and get it finger printed. if his prints are on it, you've got him. you can get him for damages and reckless endangerment.
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Old 09-16-2013, 11:19 PM   #20
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I have painted my locking jaws white. That way I can tell on a quick walk about if they are locked or not
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