Newbie question about security

[ptchap]

After having my A194HW stolen from my side yard in broad daylight, I'm taking several steps to see that the T21TBHW that I am picking up on the 21st doesn't disappear the same way. About the only 'security' I had on that one was that the jacks were all down. The thieves dug grooves with them as they crossed my driveway. I had no idea that trailer theft is a common problem.

So here's what I have so far: 1) a hitch lock with enough room to lock up the chains as well, 2) a wheel lock, 3) locking lug nuts - two per tire. I realize that this will only stop the less determined thieves, but I feel like it's a good start.

So here's my question: Would there be any advantage to pulling out the brake cable to lock the brakes as well? Is there an easy way for a thief to circumvent a missing brake cable?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Phillip

[CaptnJohn]

Easier than all that is to remove the tire(s) from one side of the unit and lock it (them) in your garage. Everything else you did is 5 minutes to a determined thief.

[bikendan]

Since the brakes are powered by the trailer battery, pulling the emergency brake pin, will drain the battery and probably damage the electric brakes.

[chuck9997]

I think whatever you do is only a deterrent . I do these things to slow down a thief.. hitch pin lock, hitch ball lock, heavy duty cable with a heavy duty padlock. The cable goes around the frame, at the tongue and around the carport upright. In addition I have covers over the jack and the camper. I just want to slow them down as much as possible. If I am going to be away from home for very many days..... I park the spare vehicle in front of the camper. Most important: I have good insurance.

[mtnlvr]

Another inexpensive option to help foil would be thieves when parked at your home are the phony security cameras with the blinking red light( battery powered and available on Amazon. Use a PVC pole and it will hide the phony non- existant electrical.) I had one in use in the parking garage at an apartment building I owned in a crummy neighborhood. All the tenants thought it was real. It did the job & deferred theft. (My brother's idea to save money- he was the manager.)

[Big Vic]

Park another vehicle in front of it
Locking wheel boot that also protects lugs or remove wheels
hide some kind of gps device inside the trailer
Find a nearby empty garage that will let you store it inside

[wahoonc]

All you can do is slow them down. Years ago someone we know had a pop up stolen. They had a tongue lock on it, chains through the wheels to loops embedded in the concrete slab, inside a locked chain link fence. They also had a security camera on it. From the time the guys cut the gate lock to the time they rolled off was under 3 minutes.

I have to secure construction trailers, the absolute best method is to remove wheels if possible. We also use wheel boot similar to what the police departments use for unpaid parking fines. We haven't lost a booted or wheel removed trailer recently. We did loose one without the wheels a couple of years ago, they backed up to it with a rollback and winched it on board.

Aaron

[vasnipe]

I'm always amazed at the ingenuity of thieves, the lengths they will go to in order to get something for free. If the thieves put half of their bad efforts to an honest job they could do great things.
I worked at the orange big box store in hardware, the tools section. The "Toy Box" we called it. I never caught anyone, but would sometimes find empty packages hidden in the racks when straightening things up at the end of shift. Ticked me off it did.

[Teamfour]

Have you thought of moving?

[MillerTime]

I just pay my insurance premium and don't worry about a thing!
We leave ours at a seasonal site all year, no lock on my king pin or anything.
If they want to break camp and take it....they can have it. Doubt they will be there long before our landlord runs them off though!

My thought is a cable ran thru the wheels and thru the frame would be better than anything. We use to do that on our boat trailers.

[jkoenig24]

My enclosed car trailer was stolen from the front of Charger Enterprises (opposite the Dynamax factory) while my Dynamax Super C was being worked on. Dynamax had recommended Charger (there would be a long delay before they could fit me in). The police officer who took the theft report told me that trailer theft was rampant in Elkhart, IN. Trailer was chocked and locked.

More than a few bad experiences dealing with Dynamax, Rance Aluminum Trailer (both Forest River subsidies) and Charger Enterprises (recommended by Dynamax).

[slipf18]

X2 on the advice from captnjohn. Remove tires on one side. Most effective. Good luck to you.

[ptchap]

You've all given me a lot to consider. I will probably go with the removed tire while in storage at the house. I will use the hitch lock and the wheel lock at campgrounds. I'm already a big believer in insurance, mine paid about 93% of the purchase price of my first trailer.

Good to know about the brake cable - I hadn't thought about the electrical implications.

As far as moving... Where would you move where thieves couldn't get to you?

Thanks to all - but I do have one more newbie question regarding removing the tire. Would I need to put a jack stand under the axle on the side of the removed tire or could it sit without a wheel on the trailer's own jacks?

Thanks again!

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by ptchap

You've all given me a lot to consider. I will probably go with the removed tire while in storage at the house. I will use the hitch lock and the wheel lock at campgrounds. I'm already a big believer in insurance, mine paid about 93% of the purchase price of my first trailer.

Good to know about the brake cable - I hadn't thought about the electrical implications.

As far as moving... Where would you move where thieves couldn't get to you?

Thanks to all - but I do have one more newbie question regarding removing the tire. Would I need to put a jack stand under the axle on the side of the removed tire or could it sit without a wheel on the trailer's own jacks?

Thanks again!

Jack stand. The stabilizer jacks on your camper arn't designed to support weight, only stabilize the camper. The tongue jack is the only one designed to hold any weigh.

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by chuck9997

I think whatever you do is only a deterrent . I do these things to slow down a thief.. hitch pin lock, hitch ball lock, heavy duty cable with a heavy duty padlock. The cable goes around the frame, at the tongue and around the carport upright. In addition I have covers over the jack and the camper. I just want to slow them down as much as possible. If I am going to be away from home for very many days..... I park the spare vehicle in front of the camper. Most important: I have good insurance.

Full coverage insurance is important.

An old saying, locks are for honest people. I don't care what you do if someone wants something bad enough they will get it.

I have a wireless alarm system on my house. I bought an extra door contact and put it on my trailer door. I can activate/de-activate it ass needed. It would be easy enough to put one on the trailer so that if it was moved the alarm would go off. Just a thought.

Jim

[Kels4g]

I figure if someone wants it, they will get it. The only thing that worries me is that my dogs may be inside at the time.

[Butch Wilson]

Originally Posted by Kels4g

I figure if someone wants it, they will get it. The only thing that worries me is that my dogs may be inside at the time.

Just a guess ! Your dogs are not pit bulls !

[Kels4g]

Originally Posted by Butch Wilson

Just a guess ! Your dogs are not pit bulls !

No, they are crated small muffins of love Otherwise known as a Chihuahua, a westie, and a "shorkie" or my preference a yorkie/shih tzu mix.

[Herk7769]

Larger campers have more options (Kill switch to power jack - front landing gear; King Pin Lock - Tongue socket lock)

Smaller trailers rely on making them "immovable" (remove wheels; chains through spokes; Unbolt tongue socket).

Fake security cameras, lets face it, look fake. Real ones glow from the IR LEDs and can be seen even in daylight.

[woodpile]

I hear a good set of china bombs will work like magic.