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04-05-2018, 01:21 PM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 13
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Skoolie being stolen/broken into?
Sorry if this isn't in the right forum..
Just wanted to see what peoples thoughts and experiences were with theft and break ins?
I've installed a kill switch on my batteries up front so I can kill the engine when I leave my bus to go mountain biking so it cant be hot wired etc etc.. unless they manage to find where I did the wiring for it but then they would have to run new wires lol... I also bolted down a safe under my sofa/storage thing for laptops and money as well. Still feel uneasy about it though? Im sure it doesn't happen that much but when it does I bet it sucks?
Thoughts?
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04-05-2018, 02:09 PM
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#2
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 1,413
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: CAT 3126
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Good thing all of us are honest!
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04-05-2018, 02:34 PM
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#3
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Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Flagstaff AZ
Posts: 149
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Vista 36pp
Engine: 7.3 L diesel
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Stealing a school bus especially a custom painted one Would be one pretty dumb vehicle to steal . to say you stick out like a soar thumb is an understatement. And idk where you are mountain biking but the places I go for rock climbing / outdoor recreation are pretty crime free. I leave my vehicles unlocked all the time when I'm in the wilderness .
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04-05-2018, 02:46 PM
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#4
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikerob643
Stealing a school bus especially a custom painted one Would be one pretty dumb vehicle to steal . to say you stick out like a soar thumb is an understatement. And idk where you are mountain biking but the places I go for rock climbing / outdoor recreation are pretty crime free. I leave my vehicles unlocked all the time when I'm in the wilderness .
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I think people worry more about contents being stolen, than losing the vehicle.
Even a cheaper conversion probably has thousands of dollars worth of equipment inside.
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04-05-2018, 03:05 PM
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#5
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Pendleton Indiana
Posts: 348
Year: 2010
Coachwork: IC
Engine: MF DT466
Rated Cap: 81
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg
I think people worry more about contents being stolen, than losing the vehicle.
Even a cheaper conversion probably has thousands of dollars worth of equipment inside.
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Agree. Alot of fulltimers have all there possessions computer,tv,camera's,money and heck even if someone took all your clothes except for the ones on your back thats pricey to replace. Most car alarms wire to microswitch that could be put on door that be where I would start. I feel most are skoolie people are honest and chill but being out adventuring and some campgrounds I would see wanting to lock up.
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04-05-2018, 04:00 PM
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#6
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Colorado
Posts: 164
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Amtrans
Chassis: Genesis
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 20 (9 window handicap)
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I have heard of people having problems with their RV's, basically anything that isn't nailed down on the outside (outside access panels) can be fair game in some parts of town or a low end campground.
Most of that is third party info, so some of it may be simply rumors.
But a friend of mine did loose his generator while he was at work from his RV because he left is outside and hooked up (not running) when he left for work. I think he had lost some other smaller things as well at a different campsite, but don't remember the details of what went missing.
While theft isn't a huge problem where I live, the thieves have gotten smart enough to target trail heads and such where you could potentially be gone for a while. Mostly it was things out of unlocked cars, but a few broken windows as well.
I think that most school buses have a limit to how secure you can make them. I think outright theft would be unlikely because of how conspicuous you would be in a stolen bus, but your possessions may be vulnerable so it might be a good idea to at least put away your valuable portable stuff like a laptop.
Unfortunately when our area was threatened with fire, we had some thieves targeting uhauls and pickups from people that had been evacuated and were staying at hotels.
So there are just enough despicable people out there that I think it wise to take some precautions. But I am also not willing to make my bus look like a prison transport to keep people out.
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04-05-2018, 04:25 PM
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#7
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Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Flagstaff AZ
Posts: 149
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Vista 36pp
Engine: 7.3 L diesel
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Things being stolen from inside makes a lot more sense than the bus being stolen. I'm lucky to still live in a place where a lot of houses and vehicles always remain unlocked and theft is relatively low . so while I am locking my bus I'm not to worried about it while in town during the build. On the road may be another story .
Also after rereading my first comment I apologize if it came off as condescending.
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04-05-2018, 05:50 PM
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#8
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Fayetteville Arkansas
Posts: 419
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: GMC G3500 Vandura
Engine: V-8 5.7L Gas
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I go to a lot of festivals where you're camping amongst sometimes thousands of random people while seeing concerts.
What I did was build my bed frame out of 2 by 12s screwed into the floor and on the inside corner built a box that was also screwed to the floor and the bed frame. It locks and opens facing away from you which is awkward but makes it nearly impossible to break into.
On top of that frame my box spring is screwed to a hinge with a lock on the flip side near the middle where you can't see or feel it without reaching pretty far.
It makes it seem like the box spring is attached to the bed frame and the floor and doesn't even move or open.
No one has ever looked at it twice also because the carpet on the floor also covers the 2 by 12 running wall to wall so it discreetly looks like one finished piece.
I know people usually make their bed higher off the ground and don't use a box spring for more storage but even in that 1 foot tall area under my bed I can fit quite a bit. Tents, chairs, umbrellas, tarps, tools, liquor, and valuables.
Mini lockbox within a larger locked box.
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04-05-2018, 06:05 PM
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#9
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Colorado
Posts: 400
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You can buy a car alarm for around $40. it will have a couple of door sensors, a kill switch and a blinking light.
A gang box(or something similar) bolted down will be difficult to get into.
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