View 24J… Is This A Security Concern?

[Mike Barbour]

Hey everyone, I am a first time Motorhome owner, just bought a 2024 View 24J. We have owned a pull behind for years, but this is our first motorhome.

I have heard of a possible security issue, being that the storage compartment below the bed has an exterior access door with a minimal lock on the handle. I have heard some have had a problem with that door being broken into and then access is gained to the main living area by climbing in and pushing up the bed.
The previous owner installed a simple padlock hasp to prevent anyone from pushing up the bed from underneath.

Does anyone have any other precautions they have taken with their View 24J?

Thank you

 

[Eagle5]

Greetings Mike,
It seems like that would be an awkward way to get into your View, but I guess it must have happened to the previous owner. It certainly would be entertaining to watch somebody get in that way.
On my Minnie Winnie exterior hatch beneath the bed, I had one key lock and one plain latch. The access door to the generator was the same. I moved the generator's one key lock and traded it with the plain latch on the exterior hatch so that now it has two key locks. The generator now has two plain latches. I guess you do what you can, and hope for the best, right?
Welcome to the forum.
Eagle5

 

[Morich]

That seems a pretty low grade risk to me when I consider how RV are built and what one would have to know!
I think of what it takes to open a can of beans and compare it to our RV?
Knowing that there is a way to crawl in if we use the correct doors and know they get where we can then open another space for access? That makes me think of a highly experienced and dedicated person. Not the sort who roams through campgrounds looking for easy pickings! Why break in when it is so easy to just pick up the stuff left out?
So is breaking a glass window much easier and quicker than opening a can of beans?
Around here the standard issue is simply breaking a glass and getting the good stuff people leave in sight!

 

[Mike Barbour]

Greetings Mike,
It seems like that would be an awkward way to get into your View, but I guess it must have happened to the previous owner. It certainly would be entertaining to watch somebody get in that way.
On my Minnie Winnie exterior hatch beneath the bed, I had one key lock and one plain latch. The access door to the generator was the same. I moved the generator's one key lock and traded it with the plain latch on the exterior hatch so that now it has two key locks. The generator now has two plain latches. I guess you do what you can, and hope for the best, right?
Welcome to the forum.
Eagle5

Thanks for the input

 

[Pointyears]

Hey everyone, I am a first time Motorhome owner, just bought a 2024 View 24J. We have owned a pull behind for years, but this is our first motorhome.

I have heard of a possible security issue, being that the storage compartment below the bed has an exterior access door with a minimal lock on the handle. I have heard some have had a problem with that door being broken into and then access is gained to the main living area by climbing in and pushing up the bed.
The previous owner installed a simple padlock hasp to prevent anyone from pushing up the bed from underneath.

Does anyone have any other precautions they have taken with their View 24J?

Thank you

So wouldn't the basement and the underbed storage need to be empty for an attacker to leverage this method of ingress?
I don't want to make light of your concern, but a thief would have to know a) a lot about RVs to know that it's a weakness b) find an empty one (or empty it himself which takes time and makes noise) and c) while having such intimate knowledge of RVs to burgle in such a convoluted manner, not knowing how flimsy and cheap RV door locks are. One yank with a pry bar and the thief is in (or if he's more subtle it took me about 15 seconds to pick my stock WBGO lock).

 

[Morich]

I think the point on houses or RV is that they are so easy for the trained folks who do it for a living that they really have no need to look for the hard places to get in!
Have you seen the items sold as "emergency tools" to break glass?
With a sharp point, it is not all hard to walk up to a car, hold the tool behind your back and look like you are just hanging around.
When there is nobody nearby, lean heavily on the tool and the glass is gone with only a small amount of noise!
If it is coordinated with a driver who pulls up at just the right time thanks to cell phones, they can be in and done in a flash!

Driving around parking lots or in places like hiking trailheads, you may see mounds of the broken glass left over?
Tempered glass comes out in little pieces like 1/4 inch!

Amazon.com

 

[Mike Barbour]

I think the point on houses or RV is that they are so easy for the trained folks who do it for a living that they really have no need to look for the hard places to get in!
Have you seen the items sold as "emergency tools" to break glass?
With a sharp point, it is not all hard to walk up to a car, hold the tool behind your back and look like you are just hanging around.
When there is nobody nearby, lean heavily on the tool and the glass is gone with only a small amount of noise!
If it is coordinated with a driver who pulls up at just the right time thanks to cell phones, they can be in and done in a flash!

Driving around parking lots or in places like hiking trailheads, you may see mounds of the broken glass left over?
Tempered glass comes out in little pieces like 1/4 inch!

Amazon.com

Ok everyone i get it, the risk is low and many better ways to get in.

I just thought some might say something like call Winnebago they came up with a Higher security lock. Or something simple.

Remember the camp ground is not the only place these things are parked.


PLEASE if you don't have a suggestion please don't post a response.

So far out of 4 responses i have only had 1 tip.

I guess i was hoping the Winnieowners group would be a good place to ask questions but maybe i was wrong.

 

[Eagle5]

Hi Mike,
Yes, I get up in the morning and realized we have all become a group of cantankerous old men! Still, great to have you in the group.
If you really want to see some useful suggestions, ask what kind of holding tank treatment would be best. Pretty much any question concerning the Black Tanks really gets folks going around here. After that, we just might need to return to door locks.
Thanks, Eagle5

 

[Pointyears]

Ok everyone i get it, the risk is low and many better ways to get in.

I just thought some might say something like call Winnebago they came up with a Higher security lock. Or something simple.

Remember the camp ground is not the only place these things are parked.


PLEASE if you don't have a suggestion please don't post a response.

So far out of 4 responses i have only had 1 tip.

I guess i was hoping the Winnieowners group would be a good place to ask questions but maybe i was wrong.

RVLocks.com has replacement storage bay locks. Never seen one but I can say that their replacement door lock is keyed better than the stock lock.

 

[Mike Barbour]

RVLocks.com has replacement storage bay locks. Never seen one but I can say that their replacement door lock is keyed better than the stock lock.

Thank you, i appreciate the guidance.

 

[Mike Barbour]

Hi Mike,
Yes, I get up in the morning and realized we have all become a group of cantankerous old men! Still, great to have you in the group.
If you really want to see some useful suggestions, ask what kind of holding tank treatment would be best. Pretty much any question concerning the Black Tanks really gets folks going around here. After that, we just might need to return to door locks.
Thanks, Eagle5

Lol, your post was the only that offered up a suggestion and i appreciated it. But noted on the black tank question, will proceed after i ponder our furst trip


Thank you

 

[Morich]

One reason many might be cranky is the fact that so many never thanks others for trying to help.
Cranky is as cranky does? Fly off the handle and you are likely to get ignored as the easy way most have now chosen!

If you want the best way to protect valuables, don't leave them in an RV!

Every day I look up and see we are going to hell in a rush and nobody is stopping the fools!

 

[Oneilkeys]

Hey everyone, I am a first time Motorhome owner, just bought a 2024 View 24J. We have owned a pull behind for years, but this is our first motorhome.

I have heard of a possible security issue, being that the storage compartment below the bed has an exterior access door with a minimal lock on the handle. I have heard some have had a problem with that door being broken into and then access is gained to the main living area by climbing in and pushing up the bed.
The previous owner installed a simple padlock hasp to prevent anyone from pushing up the bed from underneath.

Does anyone have any other precautions they have taken with their View 24J?

Thank you

One thing I did immediately on my Class C and small Class A’s (Axis/Vegas) was to replace all the locks on the outside compartments with new stronger, randomly keyed locks. You can purchase multiple locks keyed the same.

 

[Mike Barbour]

One thing I did immediately on my Class C and small Class A’s (Axis/Vegas) was to replace all the locks on the outside compartments with new stronger, randomly keyed locks. You can purchase multiple locks keyed the same.

Thanks for the feedback. Where did you find new stringer locks?

 

[RayIN]

Look closely at how outside doors are made. Anyone with a large screwdriver can pry one open somewhat easily. If the locking lever doesn't break or bend, the door will.
IMO you're over-reacting to what someone has said. We've been camping in either a 5th wheel trailer or MH since 1996 and have never even seen an RV that was broken into in a CG, RV park, anywhere in North America.
It seems the vast majority of break-ins happen at "secure" storage locations.
If you want to replace OEM locks on storage doors there are many designs from which to choose. Good luck with your decision.
Barrel locks, as used on soda pop machines used to be very safe, but now the keys are sold online.

 

[Tillie]

Personally, I think it would be nice to know that you have an emergency way to get in your RV if you lock yourself out. As many people said there’s a lot easier ways to get into an RV if you’re looking to steal.