This is not your normal trespassing case but figured the fire will be a great place to get some input.

First, a little background. I live in the city. Have a driveway next to my house going to the back yard and my travel trailer back there. House on one side and 10' stone wall on the other. I have a habit of not locking the gate or trailer. Never had a problem.

About 6 weeks ago I noticed the door was open. Asked the wife, and she said no hadn't been out there. Since then have found the door open again and once the batteries were dead. Found light had been left on in bedroom. Yesterday the door was open again and upon going inside noticed that a blanket that I KNOW was on the couch was spread out on the bed. Nothing missing or otherwise disturbed.

I am sure that someone is using the bed. I suspect one of the neighbors kids across the street. Two boys and a girl aged from 17 to 21. Used to see one of them parked out front making out in the car, but not in the last month. What do you think? My wife says just lock everything up but I want to know who...

Lock it and put out a black out trail camera.

This could EASILY be interpreted as "Baiting" if your situation there went South.

I'd be damned careful what I put on line,...

Not saying it's right, or has anything to do with justice,...

GTC

I would lock the gate, leave a polite note. I would be careful of a camera, last thing you need is a "sex" tape of a 17 yo. Any traces left on the bed?

Could it be a homeless person?

I'd install one of these, might as well make a little money.

Leave a note that they are on camera,and LOCK IT

If the camera was pointed at trailer to find out who was going in ,then no problem. If it was inside the trailer then ,maybe a problem. How is it ,that law abiding citizens have to be careful of everything they do, on their own property but the law breakers have every right to sue?? Put a no tresspassing sign on gate.

Trail camera and for God's sake lock things up.


Crossfire is right... Post anything and you could get in trouble.

BUT - the best conversation I have ever had with a parent who was in denial about thier kid sneaking out at night ,, I asked them for thier email address so I could send them pictures of thier kid that were taken from my game camera at 2am.

I"d put a black flash camera in the trailer and let er rip until I knew who it was, and what they were up to.

After that contact, let em know its up, and lock er down.

I don't much get folks in the city not being locked up.

We've had home invasions here, 2 in the last 2 weeks for some reason, out in the country and in a town of 4500.....

I'm in the country, 100 acres, off the road, and have a locked security gate, cameras, everything stays locked and plenty of guns around to finish a job if need be, though if the guns are not on us, they are inside a gun safe locked. Inside a concrete vault locked....

I don't trust anyone.

Loud recording of a German Shepard attack bark triggered when the door is opened.

When they start messing with your stuff, it's not trespassing, it's breaking and entering.

From my experience dealing with trespassers (I have a big neighborhood recently developed right next to my property), a couple of well placed "private, no trespassing signs" go a long way if you end calling the cops to apprehend someone in the act and want to have the culprits charged. It's hard for them to argue the old, "got lost..thought it was a public park yadda yadda" routine when they opened a gate with a sign on it.

This may or not help with preventing the trespassing- some people were just poorly raised.

unrelated story: I had a couple teenagers drive onto the property a couple years ago to fish in my pond, they had a printout of google earth on the dash which they'd used to locate it. I pulled in behind their pickup and they both dropped their rods and bolted into the woods. I called the cops and a towtruck but I still wonder if I missed out on a free hunting camp truck.

screw the trail camera

put a security camera that records and grab a bucket of popcorn

I'd get one of these:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/IDEAL-Security-Wireless-Alarm-Set-with-Telephone-Dialer-SK633/203446026

and set it up to call the police and you. :

"This is the occupant of (address). There has been a break-in in the trailer in the rear of the house".

It will keep calling until the battery runs out or the alarm is reset. Hide it in a locked cabinet. Hide the sensor so it trips if someone sits on the bed. They'll still be beating the door of the cabinet when the police arrive.

Mine is wired to a battery that recharges in sunlight and a cellphone that costs me $10/month

Put a camera up, pointed at the door of the trailer or gate. You have to put it high enough that they can't take it. When the flash goes off, they're gonna run. If it's the kids from across the street, go and talk to the parents and let them know what's going on. If it's a homeless person, you better start locking the place up.

Seriously doubt that it is a homeless person. Told another neighbor about it this morning. He lives about 1/2 mile away. Said that just before Thanksgiving his doorbell rang at 2:00am. Went out and there was a teenage boy on his front porch. Naked and hog tied w/duct tape. Friends put him there and rang bell. Had to get scissors to cut him loose.
Will put up trail cam tomorrow.

LMFAO!!!!! Hes tapin dat azz

they're just kids, prone to do stupid things

in this case it sounds like its driven by hormones

keep in mind they aren't damaging anything (other than your sheets).

A simple note on the door might be enough

"If you trespass in here again, I'm telling the authorities (and your parents)


kids today - I just used a sleeping bag in the woods

or if enough alcohol was consumed, tall grass

I'd have fun with it. Couple trail cams, one on the outside, one on the inside set on video and then put a mannequin or dummy in the bed and stage it to look like a suicide or murder. You'll know who it is and they'll never be back and the video would be priceless

As others have said, lock the door to the trailer and your gate. Not doing so can invite more than just a couple of teens "hooking up" as they may begin to do other things in there as they become more comfortable. Another negative is that these types of places begin to be talked about and you might find others besides your neighbor's kids in there and that can lead to other problems.

In addition to locking the doors, I would contact the police on the matter. A squad car sitting in front of the house with an officer going back and looking things over can be a deterrent to further behavior. In any event, it establishes a continuing habit which might be helpful for investigation and/or insurance claims if needed.

Another possibility is what happened to the owners of the cabin next to ours. They were experiencing break ins to their cabin but nothing of substance other than food was taken. Evidence showed whomever was breaking in appeared to be sleeping there rather than stealing. It was deduced it was likely one of the teenagers living on the road. For this reason the owner did not contact the police.

A few moths later, the son of one of the permanent residents shot and killed his stepfather for abuse of him and his sister. Investigation resulted in similar suspicions in another jurisdiction but the investigation was dropped when the family moved.

If such is the case for you, locking the doors may not stop the abuse but involving the police may help uncover such actions.

Put some fire ants in the bed. Guarantee it'll cure the problem.

Tape a note half on the door and half on the trailer frame so that it will rip if anyone opens the door.

List something about breaking and entering, and trespassing.

Have the gate and the trailer locked anyway, just to ensure you are doing your part.