Security from Theft

[atemplesr]

Helo everyone, just a little reminder of security. A friend of mine just arrived a couple of days ago in a campground in Ft. Meyers. He hauls his car on a trailer. The first night his trailer was stolen! He had to store it in a storage area across the street from the campground. He said he had it locked up but evidently not good enough. They only had liability insurance on this brand new flatbed. By the way, he traveled from Massachusetts. If it is not recovered his Wife will have to follow his rig in the car. Yea, there are some bums out there.

[67L48]

If it's not one of these locks, then it's not really locked. Pretty much have to spend hundreds on a lock and then hundreds on a legitimate chain to have any shot at deterring theft. If "master lock" is in your vocabulary (yes, I use them), then you're not really locking anything up.

[Delnari]

Trailers are a tough item to really secure to begin with. Personally, I do everything I can to discourage theft of mine, or even when I rent one. I use a ball hitch lock, ball latch locking pin, motion sensor siren (115 db), and wheel/tire boot. All of which can be defeated, but by using many different ones will make it more obvious when someone tries to steal it, and hopefully the attention will get the Police notified to thwart the robbery.


I watch one guy actually deflate all 4 of his trailer tires after locking it to try keep would be thief's at bay.

[spock123]

I think about the only way you can stop a thief would be to take the tires off. Locks can be cut off or have good insurance

[Blackhat6mike]

I put “Tiles” on everything I own that can be stolen. They don’t stop the thieves, but if you put them where they can’t be seen, you can track down the item. They cost about $25 each, but are worth ever penny.
I put a Tile inside the running light lens of my jet ski trailer and it can not be seen or detected. You have to replace them about every 14 months, but it’s cheap insurance.
A lock and heavy cable through the wheel and around the frame also will slow up a thief especially if they don’t see it. It has been my personal experience that it is much harder to cut a thick cable than a bolt cutter on chain. Chain snaps into where they will have to naw at a cable. Try it and you will see.

[wildcatter]

I use three cables and locks when ever I store it or stop over night, I don't trust anyone. I also use a lock on the tongue and the hitch latch, I run one cable between the rim and trailer frame on each side of the trailer, if the trailer is still attached to the 5th wheel I run one thru the frame of the trailer and the bumper of the 5th wheel along with pin lock on the receiver. Several years ago we were in a campground near Sturgis, they said we could put the trailer in the field adjacent to the camping area, I said no thank you and left it attached to the camper for the week we were there, sure enough an enclosed trailer was stolen out of the lot, per the owners of the campground that was the first time that ever happened. One day I may even remove the tires and still lock it up. and even all this will not stop someone if they really wants it. Have you ever seen the youtube videos of someone stealing a trailer.

[formerFR]

you can't really lock a trailer, you can only contain it within a fenced area.

[wildcatter]

QUOTE: you can't really lock a trailer, you can only contain it within a fenced area.

And that will not even stop the pukes, you can only make it harder for them and maybe they will go down the road to an easier target.

[WoodLark-SC]

Originally Posted by wildcatter

QUOTE: you can't really lock a trailer, you can only contain it within a fenced area.

And that will not even stop the pukes, you can only make it harder for them and maybe they will go down the road to an easier target.

The point of ANY security system is not to stop thieves (it won't), but to make theft difficult enough that they will go looking for an easier target.

[Moosey1]

Originally Posted by Delnari

Trailers are a tough item to really secure to begin with. Personally, I do everything I can to discourage theft of mine, or even when I rent one. I use a ball hitch lock, ball latch locking pin, motion sensor siren (115 db), and wheel/tire boot. All of which can be defeated, but by using many different ones will make it more obvious when someone tries to steal it, and hopefully the attention will get the Police notified to thwart the robbery.


I watch one guy actually deflate all 4 of his trailer tires after locking it to try keep would be thief's at bay.

Hey, please provide the brand and some pics of the type of ball hitch lock, ball latch locking pin, motion sensor siren (115 db), and wheel/tire boot you use.

I like the motion sensor siren, is that on regular batteries or TT batteries?

Thanks

[Moosey1]

Originally Posted by Blackhat6mike

I put “Tiles” on everything I own that can be stolen. They don’t stop the thieves, but if you put them where they can’t be seen, you can track down the item. They cost about $25 each, but are worth ever penny.
I put a Tile inside the running light lens of my jet ski trailer and it can not be seen or detected. You have to replace them about every 14 months, but it’s cheap insurance.
A lock and heavy cable through the wheel and around the frame also will slow up a thief especially if they don’t see it. It has been my personal experience that it is much harder to cut a thick cable than a bolt cutter on chain. Chain snaps into where they will have to naw at a cable. Try it and you will see.

That's a good idea, to use Tiles. I saw commercial on Tiles, if there are different brands, then what brand do you use?

[Oaklevel]

Hate to say it but a flat / car hauler is nearly impossible to recover. Unless the thieves are really dumb I doubt that it will ever be seen again. It is too easy to get tags / title for another trailer and switch it to the stolen one.

[Delnari]

Originally Posted by Moosey1

Hey, please provide the brand and some pics of the type of ball hitch lock, ball latch locking pin, motion sensor siren (115 db), and wheel/tire boot you use.

I like the motion sensor siren, is that on regular batteries or TT batteries?

Thanks

The alarm I use is a simple lock that has motion sensor siren built in.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Sharon455]

It might be interesting to see if there is a similar trailer still sitting in the lot.

[valleyduo]

Originally Posted by spock123

I think about the only way you can stop a thief would be to take the tires off. Locks can be cut off or have good insurance

I'll stick with the insurance. Not that I want my stuff stolen, but neither do I want to spend hours of our getaways removing and installing security devices. We tend to only stay places a couple days and then on to the next.

[babock]

I have a utility trailer that I leave at one of my rental houses. It is chained to a large post and I take a tire off of it. Taking the tire off of it is likely the biggest deterrent.

No locks are thief proof.