Locks are only to keep an honest person honest

raqball

Jun 04, 2026

Yesterday at 5:06 pm

I was out on a camping and 4-wheelin' trip last week and on day 2 while out on the trails, my dispersed campsite was hit by thieves..

I left camp early in the morning and my Howl R4 was still very hot. Since it was still very hot, I locked it to the tongue of my camper instead of what I would normally do which is put it inside.. It was only secured with a cheap Master Cable type lock. This one: Master Lock

I come back to camp about 8 hours later to find the lock cut, R4 gone and the lock on the rear door of my camper damaged. It looked like they took a pick or a screwdriver to the lock in an attempt to get it open.

Luckily they didn't pry on the door in an attempt to pry it open. Damage to the door could have been a serious issue since Taxa is no more and getting it replaced would have been impossible I assume...

My chair and table were put inside the camper before I left for the trails so they were safe. I filed a police report but that was probably useless since I was out in the middle of nowhere and was dispersed camping about 50 feet from the trail edge..

I'll keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace and eBay and see if one pops up for sale..

No sense claiming it on my insurance as I was told since it was left out side it would not be covered even though it was secured to the camper by a lock.

Meh, people suck sometimes. I am not going to buy another R4 as it was expensive and a one time splurge. Think I'll order another R1 and call it good enough..

TL;DR: People suck and locks are only to keep an honest person honest..

onX Trail Guide & Tread Lightly Member

Sam I Am 1966, 615_Bronco

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Yesterday at 6:39 pm

raqball
I was out on a camping and 4-wheelin' trip last week and on day 2 while out on the trails, my dispersed campsite was hit by thieves..

I left camp early in the morning and my Howl R4 was still very hot. Since it was still very hot, I locked it to the tongue of my camper instead of what I would normally do which is put it inside.. It was only secured with a cheap Master Cable type lock. This one: Master Lock

I come back to camp about 8 hours later to find the lock cut, R4 gone and the lock on the rear door of my camper damaged. It looked like they took a pick or a screwdriver to the lock in an attempt to get it open.

Luckily they didn't pry on the door in an attempt to pry it open. Damage to the door could have been a serious issue since Taxa is no more and getting it replaced would have been impossible I assume...

My chair and table were put inside the camper before I left for the trails so they were safe. I filed a police report but that was probably useless since I was out in the middle of nowhere and was dispersed camping about 50 feet from the trail edge..

I'll keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace and eBay and see if one pops up for sale..

No sense claiming it own my insurance as I was told since it was left out side it would not be covered even though it was secured to the camper by a lock.

Meh, people suck sometimes. I am not going to buy another R4 as it was expensive and a one time splurge. Think I'll order another R1 and call it good enough..

TL;DR: People suck and locks are only to keep an honest person honest..

sorry to hear that. 😞 it's especially annoying when these things happen to good people.

Supreme Leader of the Wandering but NOT Lost
2022 OBX Cyber Orange Metallic with random acutriments.

Jakob1972, raqball

Yesterday at 7:09 pm

OrangecrushBronco
sorry to hear that. 😞 it's especially annoying when these things happen to good people.

The Ranger I spoke with said there has been an increase in thefts. He said they are mainly happening at the established camp sites and mine was the 1st he had heard of at a dispersed site..

The R4 was glorious for the 2 hours I got to use it the night before, and the 2 hours of use the morning of, though....

onX Trail Guide & Tread Lightly Member

Yesterday at 7:18 pm

Sorry to hear this happened, @raqball. Some humans can just be 💩.

I would've also thought that dispersed sites would, to a degree, be less prone to thieves since the sites were "out further".

2023 Wildtrak 4D Lux MIC Tow Oxford White

James77, Jakob1972

Yesterday at 7:24 pm

UserError
Sorry to hear this happened, @raqball. Some humans can just be 💩.

I would've also thought that dispersed sites would, to a degree, be less prone to thieves since the sites were "out further".

Yeah, I should have waited for the R4 to cool down and put it inside my camper like I normally do before I hit the trails but I wanted to get out on the trails early..

I assumed, like you said, that being out in the middle of nowhere, it would be fine locked to the tongue but it was not..

I didn't see a single person, or vehicle, on either day of the trip. Bad luck, and stupidity on my part for not letting it cool so it could be locked inside my camper..

I left the next morning because I didn't want to continue the trip and have them come back when I was back out on the trails and finish the job on the rear door of my camper.

I ordered another rear lock this morning and I went ahead and ordered an R1 to replace the R4...

Lesson learned..

onX Trail Guide & Tread Lightly Member

Yesterday at 9:44 pm

Man that is just sad. sorry this happened @raqball
Carma will get them.

BN 1100, Desert Sand Everglades. Reservation 7/30/20. ordered 1/22/21, reordered 10/15/21 dropped tow and hard top, reordered 3/9/22 changed to Everglades. production date 9/7/22 rescheduled 9/14/22 completed 9/26/22, shipped 10/7/22, arrived 10/31/22, delivered 11/03/22

raqball, OrangecrushBronco

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