Salvage Yard Warns: Fuel Theft Is Rising. Is Your RV Protected?

A salvage yard that handles vehicles every day just put out a public warning about fuel theft. On October 1, 2026 we came across this post from **Williams Salvage Limited**, a towing and salvage company in Hamilton, New Zealand: > "🛑 ATTENTION: PROTECT YOUR FUEL! 🛑 > > At Williams Salvage, we've been seeing more fuel theft lately. With petrol and diesel prices where they are, thieves are getting more creative and more desperate." [Read the full post from Williams Salvage Limited on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/williamssalvageltd/posts/-attention-protect-your-fuel-at-williams-salvage-weve-been-seeing-more-fuel-thef/1577256414406032/) When the people who tow and recover vehicles for a living start warning the public, it is worth listening. And the same thing is happening here in North America. ## Why RVs are an easy target The car in a typical fuel-theft warning at least has a fuel door. Most motorhomes do not. - **Class C motorhomes** on the Ford E-350 and E-450 have the fuel cap sitting in an open bezel on the side of the coach. - **Class A gas motorhomes** on the Ford F53 and Workhorse chassis are the same: an exposed cap and no door. - **Super C motorhomes** on Ford F-550/F-600 and Freightliner chassis often have exposed diesel fills, and some have a DEF fill right beside them. - **Toy haulers** with an onboard fuel station have a round filler on the outside of the trailer with a plain cap. Add the fact that RVs sit for days or weeks at campgrounds, riding areas and storage lots, and you have a lot of fuel parked in the open. ## It is already happening to RV owners Two of our own customers learned this the hard way: - **Chad V., California:** his locking gas cap was picked inside a locked RV storage facility. He only found out when the low-fuel light came on. [Read Chad's story](/blog/locking-gas-cap-picked-rv-storage-facility-california) - **Margaret K., STEM Quest (New York):** all of the fuel was stolen overnight from a mobile learning lab three months after purchase. [Read the STEM Quest story](/blog/stem-quest-fuel-theft-real-world-story) ## What you can do 1. **Park smart.** Choose well-lit, monitored spots and park with the fuel fill facing a wall or another vehicle when you can. 2. **Check your fuel after storage.** A sudden drop after the RV has been sitting is the first sign. 3. **Do not rely on a locking cap alone.** It still leaves the cap exposed. [Locking gas cap vs. locking fuel door](/lp/stant-gates-locking-gas-cap-alternative) 4. **Lock the fill itself.** A locking fuel door covers the whole fill area so there is no cap to reach. ## The RV Fuel Vault The RV Fuel Vault is a bolt-on, keyed locking fuel door made for motorhomes and toy haulers. Your factory cap stays in place underneath. It installs in about 8 to 15 minutes with no cutting, and it is made in the USA with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. | Setup | Pre-order price | |---|---| | Single door | from $159.95 | | Large single door (Ford E-350/E-450, F53) | $169.95 | | Set of two | $309.95 | | 3-pack with DEF door | $459.95 | No lock is impossible to defeat, but a locked door over the fill moves your RV to the bottom of a thief's list. [Check your RV in Find My Fit →](/#compatibility) | [Pre-order →](/#pre-order)