Well, here is something I had never thought about until a friend mentioned it.... My trailer is insured, so if it were stolen I'm assuming my insurance company would pay for me to replace it. However, that would be a total PITA - being without the trailer and its contents in addition to dealing with an insurance claim is not anyone's idea of a good time. A friend recently asked me if I'd done anything to prevent my trailer from being stolen in the first place. Well, in a word, no. !?
So, I ask you all: What could I possibly do that would make my trailer difficult or impossible for a truly dedicated trailer thief to steal? Stealing a 3H GN trailer, while not necessarily a difficult undertaking, is not a casual spur-of-the-moment activity. Most places I'd be parking my trailer have gates and/or people and/or other trailers around. Someone would pretty much have to drive right up with a truck and appropriate hitch and give a darned good impression that he owned my trailer. How would I prevent someone that slick from stealing my trailer?
As a side note, there's been a 3 or 4H GN trailer parked periodically on a vacant lot near here with a For Sale sign on it for the past several months. When it's there, it's left all day and possibly overnight, and nobody has stolen it yet, LOL. I haven't gone up close to see if the owner has done anything to prevent theft, but if there's anyone in our area contemplating stealing any trailers, that one sure seems to be asking to be stolen! I suppose they could be hoping it will be stolen, but it's not a bad-looking trailer, certainly not a junker, so that seems unlikely.
Posted 2008-05-09 4:03 PM (#83602 - in reply to #83600) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Originally written by FrancaV on 2008-05-09 3:44 PM
Stealing a 3H GN trailer, while not necessarily a difficult undertaking, is not a casual spur-of-the-moment activity. Most places I'd be parking my trailer have gates and/or people and/or other trailers around. Someone would pretty much have to drive right up with a truck and appropriate hitch and give a darned good impression that he owned my trailer. .
You can ask Ponytammy how hard she thinks it is,her LQ was stolen right out of their yard in daylight.Also,the guy who had his stolen while they were camped at East Fork Stable in TN,I can't remember his name,maybe he will volunteer his story and tell you how easily it can be done.
Basically you have three choices...coupler lock, jack lock, and wheel lock. Me personally, I am for the wheel lock. I can be fairly resourceful, and if I were a thief that was stealing a trailer, it would slow me down the most. Other than an armed guard, I guess.
Posted 2008-05-09 5:06 PM (#83606 - in reply to #83602) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Originally written by crowleysridgegirl on 2008-05-09 2:03 PM
You can ask Ponytammy how hard she thinks it is,her LQ was stolen right out of their yard in daylight.Also,the guy who had his stolen while they were camped at East Fork Stable in TN,I can't remember his name,maybe he will volunteer his story and tell you how easily it can be done.
Heh - yeah, thanks ... I did find that thread after I posted my question. However, now that I think about ... I defy a thief to get my trailer out of its current parking place (the property was set up for 2H BP parking, just barely) without some tricky maneuvering accompanied by plenty of noise and swearing, and serious potential for damaging the "merchandise" on its way out. Thieves are slick and very good at what they do and one of the things that makes them that way is they are smart enough to pick the easy targets and not waste their time on the difficult ones. ;) A good thief would know at a glance not to bother and a bad thief would probably give up as soon as he got the trailer stuck and realized he was not gonna just drive right out.
Now as for parking when travelling ... I've bookmarked the links to a number of the locking options mentioned in the thread and am trying to sort out which ones make the most sense.... I'd like something fairly thief-proof without making it owner-proof. ;)
Posted 2008-05-09 5:25 PM (#83608 - in reply to #83603) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Originally written by Tresvolte on 2008-05-09 2:06 PM
There isn't anything to make it impossible.
That's kind of what I suspected.
Check out this link. There is alot in there on locks along with another link on the same subject. href="http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=9386&posts=21">http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=9386&posts=21
Basically you have three choices...coupler lock, jack lock, and wheel lock. Me personally, I am for the wheel lock. I can be fairly resourceful, and if I were a thief that was stealing a trailer, it would slow me down the most. Other than an armed guard, I guess.
I found that thread and am in the process of comparing and contrasting the various options. My first thoughts favor the wheel lock, but am wondering how easy it would be to use; I can't tell from the photo exactly how it attaches. I've got "simulators" on my trailer's wheels and I've discovered they make doing even routine maintenance on the wheels a bit of a pain, but I suppose I'll get used to them eventually - I haven't had a chance to mess with them much yet. But they might be a factor in the ability to use a wheel lock ... ?
Sorry for stupid questions - this trailer is still very new to me!
As for the other locking options, probably a multi-faceted approach would be best ... coupler lock plus jack lock? All of which naturally makes everything a bit less handy for legitimate owner usage. The price we pay to keep the bad guys at bay. Y'know if the "bad guys" would use just a fraction of their skills and ingenuity working on something that benefited rather than degraded society, imagine where we all might be! Sigh.
Posted 2008-05-10 1:10 AM (#83633 - in reply to #83631) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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I think it took me an hour to back it in.... Much longer than it took to get it out, LOL. It's very secure where it is! Am hoping next time will be a bit quicker, but am looking forward to moving it to the ranch where I board. That won't be a piece of cake either, but it should at least be easier than where it is now!
Posted 2008-05-10 8:38 AM (#83642 - in reply to #83633) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
Originally written by FrancaV on 2008-05-10 12:10 AM
I think it took me an hour to back it in.... Much longer than it took to get it out, LOL. It's very secure where it is! Am hoping next time will be a bit quicker, but am looking forward to moving it to the ranch where I board. That won't be a piece of cake either, but it should at least be easier than where it is now!
Congrats on your new trailer. Remember a thief doesn't care as much as you if the trailer is damaged in the taking process. He's putting a small fraction of the time you did to acquire it.
It'll be a moot point soon... unless the new boarding place can keep track of everybody like a home, a thief can just hitch up to your trailer and be gone before anyone realizes it's wrong.
Posted 2008-05-10 9:25 AM (#83644 - in reply to #83633) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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If I were you,when I move it to the boarding facility,I would get the wheel lock,I'd probably also have coupler lock,bolt lock,ect.
You might consider having your name and town you live in graphics put on the door of your trailer.Not a farm name,just your name,"handle" you may go by,or something,and the town,city.We have ours on our trailer door,and our insurance man said that it is a good idea.NOT a deterrent by any means,I realize,but,hey,it's on there and it takes a little effort to get it off then cover up the shadow of it.It could and has been done,I'm sure.Most thieves aren't that energetic.Too much "work" involved.
Posted 2008-05-10 9:54 AM (#83646 - in reply to #83644) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 98 Location: Midwest USA
Heck, if the trailer is going to sit there for any amount of time, pull the coupler out and take it with ya !!! Can't hook to it without a coupler if it is a GN !!!.....or they do sell alarm systems for trailers now....I think the one I saw was called "Trailer Guard"....
Posted 2008-05-10 1:08 PM (#83656 - in reply to #83642) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Originally written by hosspuller on 2008-05-10 6:38 AM
Originally written by FrancaV on 2008-05-10 12:10 AM
I think it took me an hour to back it in.... Much longer than it took to get it out, LOL. It's very secure where it is! Am hoping next time will be a bit quicker, but am looking forward to moving it to the ranch where I board. That won't be a piece of cake either, but it should at least be easier than where it is now!
Congrats on your new trailer. Remember a thief doesn't care as much as you if the trailer is damaged in the taking process. He's putting a small fraction of the time you did to acquire it.
It'll be a moot point soon... unless the new boarding place can keep track of everybody like a home, a thief can just hitch up to your trailer and be gone before anyone realizes it's wrong.
Both the old place and the new place are private homes with small numbers of boarders who all know each other - they're just not my home. ;) There's no problem at all if anyone is on the premises in either place because everybody knows whose trailer it is, who should be hitching it up, and with what vehicle. And like I said, it's not going to be as simple as hitching up and driving right out. Of course there will be times when nobody is around, but a thief would have to be watching and keeping track of that, and anybody "watching" would stick out like a sore thumb on our dead end road. You'd have to see the setup to understand. ;) But I'm still concerned about when we're travelling!
Posted 2008-05-10 1:18 PM (#83658 - in reply to #83644) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Some type of wheel lock is sounding like the best security measure, but graphics on the door in addition to some sort of locking system ... that's an interesting idea! I can think of a number of possibilities ... thanks!
Posted 2008-05-10 1:29 PM (#83660 - in reply to #83646) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Originally written by 3yrHitch2Bumper on 2008-05-10 7:54 AM
Heck, if the trailer is going to sit there for any amount of time, pull the coupler out and take it with ya !!! Can't hook to it without a coupler if it is a GN !!!.....or they do sell alarm systems for trailers now....I think the one I saw was called "Trailer Guard"....
I wonder how and where that would hook up so it couldn't be easily disabled? That's definitely worth researching, especially as a backup to some sort of locking system - the cool thing about alarm systems is they make a lot of NOISE, and my trailer will nearly always be parked within earshot of somebody, even when I'm travelling. If an alarm went off while the thief was still trying to figure out how to disable the locking system I'd think he'd skedaddle.
Too bad I'm not a techie geek. Combination of locking system, alarm system, and video cam could be a lot of fun, LOL.
Posted 2008-05-10 9:40 PM (#83676 - in reply to #83600) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 781 Location: La Cygne, KS
To answer your question on contents, you might want to take pics of your tack and LQ contents. LQ stuff such as dishes towels etc will easily be replaced by insurance. Tack on the other hand might fall under a farm policy or your homeowners. Check with your insurance. Also add extra insurance for any tack that would be hard to replace.... learned this the hard way.
As far as more theft prevention ideas, I sloped our drive down so the gooseneck sits about 4 feet from the ground to be level. If you are thinking about getting a hydraulic or electric jack, get one that will only operate with a key. And then all the other locks that other posters mentioned - Gooseneck, gooseneck bolt lock, and wheel lock. I have even thought about hiding a cheap cell phone (GPS enabled) inside the trailer with the power hooked up in a non-conspicuous place.
Theft of any kind can happen at anytime with people around too. Unfortunately It's just the kind of world we live in now.
Posted 2008-05-11 12:37 AM (#83685 - in reply to #83676) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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I'm sooo sorry about your trailer being stolen, ponytammy! Ugh, I can't even imagine....
I don't have LQ and I didn't ask about the contents of the tack room because the value of the contents, I'm afraid, is virtually inconsequential next to the cost of replacing the trailer - but taking photos is still a good idea. I've already got photos of my saddle (my highest dollar tack item and AFAIK there isn't another exactly like it), but we should definitely take photos of the tack room with all contents when it's fully loaded up. We have the same company insuring both our vehicles and home; I will check with our agent about what's covered under which policy, and whether or not I need to pay extra for any of the items, but I kind of doubt it. Compared to what's in most trailer tack rooms, ours is kind of sparsely populated. ;)
Posted 2009-01-21 4:05 PM (#97949 - in reply to #83600) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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A friend of mine recently had her BP trailer stolen, which got me wondering how one would best secure a BP trailer. All of the threads I've found here relate to GN theft prevention, I believe, though of course a wheel lock could be used on any trailer. As could an alarm system ... but that didn't seem to be an option that many people would choose.
Posted 2009-01-21 10:58 PM (#97965 - in reply to #97949) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
The largest number of trailers stolen around these parts are at the local shows. (Ft.Worth Stock Show, Paint Show in the summer, NCHA and so on). If you was to drive around and see the number of trucks, trailers and tack just laying around in these lots during shows you would see how easy it is to hook up to what you wanted and go. And the good ol' buddy system don't work any more. I would guess that 90% of the items taken during shows is a person that knows people that are entered in the show.
We even have a cable and lock we put on our saddles also during shows. And still get the tack room door shut!
Posted 2009-01-21 11:20 PM (#97966 - in reply to #83600) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 681 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Where can you find a good wheel lock? I remember seeing a heavy-duty metal one on a UPS truck one time.. I bought one off e-bay, but not only did I realize how flimsy it was when it arrived, it didn't fit my wheels.. They were too far apart.. Right now I have a hitch lock and a pin lock where the sleeve is that slides down and holds the hitch in place on the ball. I use a round, anti-cut masterlock, but I suppose any determined theif could use a thin wire or saw and cut through both the master lock and the pin lock. Although I don't leave my tack in the trailer due to the humidity... it will mildew in a short time.. but I do have a nice first aid kit, a bunch of buckets, haybags, my elec fence, etc,etc. There are scratch marks on my tack compartment lock where someone tried to pick the lock one time..I guess it wasn't quite as easy as they thought, or they got interrupted..anyway, I have no other way to secure it except with the factory keys..
Posted 2009-01-21 11:58 PM (#97968 - in reply to #97966) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
The factory keys are a joke. I have looked a trailers at shows and trail rides and have found out that there is actually only a hand full of keys for EVERY TRAILER. I am changing ours out with a keyless dead bolt type lock.
Right now our LQ door has 2 locks and the main lock has a TM number stamped on it, so I went and looked at maybe 20 trailers on 3 lots and found 75% of them has the same key code as ours. same with the manger locks too.
Posted 2009-01-22 12:15 AM (#97969 - in reply to #83600) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 177 Location: East London South Africa
I am very lucky I must say......No one would steal my trailer cos it is the only one in SA... (well I think so anyway) so it would be kind of stupid... and secondly no one here has a hitch to tow it....
So I guess what I am saying is - if you dont want your trailer stolen - move here to South Africa - but not too many of you please....Jokes lol
We have a similar situation with BP trailers at shows... they are normally parked all over the place and it would be so easy to just hook one up and drive out....
I must be honest though it has been a long time since I heard of one being stolen over here...I think out thieves prefer your car...
Posted 2009-01-22 10:20 AM (#97985 - in reply to #83600) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 399 Location: Ottawa, Illinois 61350
We lock all of our trailers on our trailer lots; even though they are behind locked gates and cyclone fence enclosed. We have had two LQ's stolen in the past. One was stolen out of a campground, and the other was stolen right out of a show display (outside display). The theif waited for everyone to go to eat, and than backed uder the trailer and took off. Fortunately, that one was recovered. We use hitch locks; and to go one step further there are locks for the adjusting bolts on the coupler. We also put locks on all bumper pulls also. Don't trust your luck when it comes to theft.
Posted 2009-01-22 12:14 PM (#97995 - in reply to #83600) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Locks are only to keep the honest people (thiefs) away! If someone wants something bad enough they will get it no matter what. A repo man I knew always took an extra gooseneck coupler and a wrench with him to repo trailers. So if they had a lock on the hitch he would just change out the coulper and go.
Posted 2009-01-22 4:00 PM (#98004 - in reply to #83600) Subject: RE: Trailer theft prevention??
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Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
We use a lock on the coupler bolts as well so as to preclude that somewhat if possible, well as the lock on the hitch. I think the addition of a wheel lock would be good.
Trailer theft prevention??
Cheers from Sunny South Africa...