to the best of my ability I think this is how it is happening, I do not want to try reproduce myself in-case of a ban for exploiting/duping
1. set up small civilian tent.
2. put items on ground outside tent so you can drag them to the tent, (I was doing this so I could sort through anything inside my protector cases and take anything out I may have needed for the trip/looting mission.
3. drag items into tent
4. go looting/shooting zombies (I would get in the truck drive to a town then head back to camp)
5. take items that you put in tent back to your character for safer storage.
6. log out
7. log back in and see if items are lying on ground, in the places you dropped them to sort through before placing them into the tent initially...