7 Ways to Make Your Camp Less Attractive

A quick online search confirms what most camp leaders already know: camp property can be an attractive target for vandals. Vandalism can happen at any time, but the possibility can increase during off-season when your property may be vacant. 

Those looking to cause damage often target kitchen areas, maintenance and storage sheds, and sleeping areas. Often, it’s materials found unsecured on camp property, like paint, food items, and cleaning supplies that mischief-makers use to wreak havoc. Burned bunk mattresses, broken windows, and destroyed camp vehicles and equipment are the often-seen results of camp vandalism cases.

Can you deter vandals before they strike? The key is to make your property less accessible and less attractive to would-be criminals. Here are seven areas that could help:

1. Light Up the Night

• Install adequate exterior lighting near property entrances, in parking lots, facility doors, and behind buildings. Perform regular checks to identify burned-out or broken bulbs and replace them as soon as possible. Consider installing motion-sensitive lights.

• Position exterior lighting out of reach. Lights should be high enough to prevent criminals from disabling them. Consider tamper-resistant lighting fixtures and vandal-proof lighting shields and enclosures.

• For non-sleeping areas and in the off-season, use a timer or light-sensitive switch to create the illusion that the building is occupied. 

2. Move Valuables Out of Sight

• Store expensive equipment, such as laptops, sound systems, and musical equipment, in securely locked rooms.

• Close window shades, curtains, or blinds each evening to hide valuables from view.

• Use a safe to store petty cash and small valuables. Secure the safe by bolting it to the floor or a slab. 

Note: never “hide” keys above a door frame, under a mat, in a wheel well of a vehicle, or in a hide-a-key fake rock. Vandals know all the hiding places you think are secure. Instead, develop a key control system. This may include centralized locked key boxes that use PIN codes, key tracking procedures, tighter controls on duplicate keys, and more. 

3. Alarm Intruders

• Invest in a security alarm system for doors and windows. Look for one that provides an audible alarm, 24-hour monitoring, and decals to warn would-be criminals that the property is protected.

• Conduct regular tests to ensure that your security and fire alarms are working properly. Avoid deferred maintenance on systems that are not functioning.

• Because camps experience seasonal turnover, change the alarm’s security code often. Keep an updated log of who receives the code. Instruct those people not to share the code with anyone, especially previous staff.

• Add alarm sensors to all gates, especially for employee-only entrances and access roads.

4. Spruce up Camp

• Trim shrubs, trees, and long grass to remove hiding places and reduce arson risk.

• Store garbage away from the building, in fire-resistant containers. Ask your waste management company about locking bars for commercial dumpsters—using this type of lock discourages intruders from strewing garbage around your property, illegal dumping, and theft of sensitive materials. 

• Remove graffiti or signs of vandalism immediately. Clean, well-maintained areas attract less crime.

• Where possible, remove “items of opportunity” that can be used to break windows and damage equipment. Look for throwable rocks, crowbars or other hand-held tools left in the open, and unsecured painting and cleaning supplies. 

5. Secure Vehicles

• Keep vehicles, watercraft, and maintenance equipment in locked garages or storage sheds, if possible.

• Consider taking camp vehicles home on weekends and in the off-season. Vandalism is less likely in a busy residential neighborhood than on empty camp property.

• Equip all vehicles with alarms.

6. Invest in Surveillance

• Invest in exterior security cameras for all buildings.

• Test cameras regularly to make sure they’re working and mounted properly. Ensure that nothing is obstructing the view or that no one has tampered with field of vision.

• Record and store video footage, so you can share it with law enforcement.

7. Encourage Community Support

• Develop a relationship with local police. Ask if they can add camp property to regular patrols, especially at night, on weekends, and in the off-season.

• Ask local businesses to watch for suspicious activity. Advise them to avoid confrontations, make detailed observations, and report information to the police.

• If your camp is near a residential district, start a neighborhood watch program. Contact your local law enforcement agency or visit the National Neighborhood Watch website for more information.

Report Vandalism Immediately

Report any act of vandalism to local law enforcement and call your insurance agent. Filing a police report helps the police document patterns of vandalism and other threats in the area. Take photos of the vandalism to include in your report. Ask for a case number, then give that number and your photos to your insurance agent.

If you witness vandalism in action at your camp, get to safety and immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. Try to note the number of people involved, any physical descriptions, and descriptions of vehicles, if applicable. Anything you notice can be of help. Only dial 911 if active vandalism is occurring. 

Related Resources

Take a 360 View of Your Security
Mold and Legionella Lurk in Unused Buildings
The High Cost of Deferred Maintenance

Posted July 2022 

The information provided in this article is intended to be helpful, but it does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice from a licensed attorney in your area. We strongly encourage you to regularly consult with a local attorney as part of your risk management program.