His Locking Gas Cap Was Picked Inside a Locked RV Storage Lot

Short answer: yes, a locking gas cap can be picked, even inside a locked RV storage facility. One of our customers in California found out the hard way. His locking cap was picked so cleanly that he only knew fuel was stolen when the low-fuel light came on.

A true story from a California RV owner

Chad V. owns a 2010 Ford E-350 Class C motorhome. He kept it in a locked, secured storage facility in California, with a locking gas cap on the tank. By most people’s standards, that is doing everything right.

It was not enough. Here is how Chad described it to us, in his own words:

“Picked my locking gas cap. Would never have known if I hadn’t started RV and fuel lite came on. No marks on cap just scraps on little door were key goes. Pros.”
— Chad V., verified RV Fuel Vault buyer, 2010 Ford E-350 Class C

Chad now has The RV Fuel Vault on his motorhome and left us a 5-star Google review.

What this case teaches every RV owner

• A storage gate is not fuel security. The lot was locked, but once inside, the thieves had all the time they needed to work on the cap.
• A locking gas cap can be picked. Many locking caps use small, simple locks. Some share common key codes.
• You may never see the damage. There were no marks on the cap, only tiny scrapes around the keyhole.
• Stored RVs are easy targets. They sit for weeks with a full tank, and the loss is only found on the next trip.

How to check if someone stole fuel from your RV

• The fuel gauge is lower than you left it, or the low-fuel light comes on when you start up.
• Fresh scrapes or scratches around the keyhole or edge of the cap.
• The cap is loose, crooked, or not fully tightened.
• A fuel smell, drips, or stains below the filler.

Tip: take a quick photo of your fuel gauge every time you drop the RV off at storage. Then you have proof if the level drops.

Why a locking fuel door is harder to beat than a locking cap

A locking gas cap puts one small lock right on the filler. The RV Fuel Vault puts a full door in front of it:

• Covers the whole cap. The thief has to get through the door before they can even touch the factory cap.
• Heavy-duty build. Made from 3/16" High Impact Reinforced Material, with its own keyed lock.
• Anti-tamper security screws. The door cannot simply be unscrewed.
• Keeps your factory cap. No cap swap, so no seal or check-engine issues.

No lock on earth is impossible to defeat. The goal is to make your RV slower and harder to get into than the one parked next to it, and a locked door over the cap does exactly that.

Which motorhomes it fits

• Class C gas: Ford E-350 (like Chad’s) and Ford E-450, plus Chevy/GMC Express & Savana cutaway chassis.
• Class A gas: Ford F53 and Workhorse chassis, plus Chevrolet P30/P32.
• Super C diesel: Ford F-550/F-600 and Ram 5500.
• Toy haulers and 5th Wheelers with an onboard fuel station (Round Bezel door).

Install takes about 8 to 15 minutes with basic hand tools. No drilling.

Use Find My Fit → to see the right door for your exact year, make, and model.

Frequently asked questions

Can a locking gas cap be picked?

Yes. Many locking gas caps use small, simple locks, and some use a common key code. RV Fuel Vault customer Chad V. had his locking gas cap picked while his 2010 Ford E-350 Class C motorhome sat in a locked, secured storage facility in California. There were no marks on the cap itself, only small scrapes around the keyhole, so he would not have known if the low-fuel light had not come on.

Is my RV safe from fuel theft in a locked storage facility?

Not always. A gated storage lot keeps casual visitors out, but it does not protect the fuel filler on each RV. In Chad V.’s case the theft happened inside a locked, secured storage facility, and the thieves had time to work on the cap without being noticed. Stored RVs sit for weeks, so theft often goes unnoticed until the next trip.

How do I know if someone stole gas from my RV?

The most common sign is a fuel gauge that is lower than you left it, or a low-fuel light when you start the RV. Also look for fresh scrapes or scratches around the keyhole or edge of the fuel cap or fuel door, a cap that is loose or not fully tightened, and fuel smell or drips near the filler. Chad V. noticed only small scrapes around the keyhole.

What is better than a locking gas cap for an RV?

A locking fuel door. The RV Fuel Vault is a bolt-on door made from 3/16" High Impact Reinforced Material that covers the entire factory fuel cap, locks with its own key, and installs with anti-tamper security screws. A thief has to defeat a full door before they can even reach the cap. It fits Class C motorhomes on the Ford E-350 and E-450, Class A gas motorhomes on the Ford F53 and Workhorse, and Super C motorhomes on the Ford F-550/F-600, and installs in about 8 to 15 minutes.