trailer theft

[Skates1969]

I am in the middle of building a tear drop, and I have been reading a lot of online posts about people securing their trailers against theft. I have camped most of my life, mostly in campgrounds or in wilderness areas, and have never had any experience with theft of any serious nature. How serious is the threat of a trailer getting stolen? I would think there would be much more tangible risks that I hear nothing about, like fire, severe weather, etc. Please let me know if you have any experience with theft in the woods, as I am trying to figure out whether it is worth the additional engineering to be able to take the trailer coupling off.

[Tom&Shelly]

I am in the middle of building a tear drop, and I have been reading a lot of online posts about people securing their trailers against theft. I have camped most of my life, mostly in campgrounds or in wilderness areas, and have never had any experience with theft of any serious nature. How serious is the threat of a trailer getting stolen? I would think there would be much more tangible risks that I hear nothing about, like fire, severe weather, etc. Please let me know if you have any experience with theft in the woods, as I am trying to figure out whether it is worth the additional engineering to be able to take the trailer coupling off.

Think my experience is identical to yours. I'd leave my (tent) campground for a day, hiking, or whatever, and never worried about it. (Mostly in the Rockies.) Never saw or heard about any theft. However, a teardrop is more expensive than a tent, so the consequences are higher. If we'd thought about it when having the trailer built, we might have had a removable coupler. Instead, we bought a lock that fits inside the coupler. Took it all over the Northeast last Summer; had no problems and heard of no problems.

On the other hand, I wouldn't park our teardrop unattended for any length of time in Albuquerque. Probably other cities too, but we live close enough to Albuquerque to hear the news. Trailers of all kinds are broken into or stolen all the time in motel parking lots, etc. I don't have a solution to suggest, other than to pass through on the interstates and don't stop. A removable coupler won't eliminate the possibility of someone breaking in to steal stuff to hock.

Tom

[tony.latham]

...is worth the additional engineering to be able to take the trailer coupling off.

It may depend on where you will camp and where you will store your camper. (Most are storing where they are stored. And how much you value peace of mind.



Tony

[twisted lines]

Driveway's are where it happen's, maybe a parking lot.
Cop's nearby followed one home and found five more the guy stole

[TimC]

There was a time when I worried about that sort of thing. Especially since my TD is not insured. At least I don't think it is. Maybe my homeowner's would cover it. Probably won't ever check into that unless it disappears someday.

A couple years ago I looked into and installed a tracking device. I went cheap so the result was the tracker would tell me the trailer was across town somewhere. And when I would take a trip sometimes it would track me. So, there's a lesson in there somewhere. Either you get what you pay for or I shouldn't worry about it. I go tracker-less now.

I've left my TD in remote trailhead parking lots for most of a day without a problem. I often go for hikes and leave a radio on in the cabin. Just loud enough to make someone think there might be someone inside. I've camped in remote areas without anyone bothering me. I don't think that many folks look at an obviously homemade trailer and think they would like to make off with it. That may be a problem with some of the more professional looking homemade or factory built models.

There's an ongoing debate about deterring theft. Most of the ideas have merit. I just can't get beyond the idea that someone that wants to steal it will just chain it to their bumper, hitch or no hitch, and drive away.

If I am going to leave it parked unattended somewhere I might jack up the axle and remove a wheel and take it with me. Maybe I could fabricate a square "wheel" to slap on the hub to really confuse someone.

[Squigie]

Fire, weather, etc, get discussed here from time to time. Weather is situational and has regional considerations.
Most of us have at least one fire extinguisher available. Many of us have multiple.
Personally, I upgraded the entire fleet last year, after using the small extinguisher in my truck to help put out a burning Corvette. The little 2-pounder that I had only got the job done because the vehicle owner had knocked most of the flames down with a 5-lb extinguisher. Now the trailers and all but one vehicle have 5-pounders and 2-pounders. The truck has a 10-pounder.

--

Theft consideration depends on the location.

In storage, I lock my trailers together with a 3/8" grade 100 lifting chain and a lock of similar level of overkill. They can still be taken, but you're going to need a grinder or high level lockpicking skill.

As I believe Tony intended to say, most trailers are stolen while in storage, rather than when it use.
Like this: https://www.waaytv.com/video/camper-trailer-stolen-in-limestone-county/video_363b778b-96fb-514a-902d-e790f39c30fc.html

When camping, I usually only use a tongue lock. On certain hunting trips, I might chain the trailer to a tree. But that is usually to prevent campsite theft, by the predatory jerks that pull everything out of a campsite and move their own stuff in. (This has become a notable problem in some parts of Utah, especially with non-residents that think they can do whatever they want, because they paid so much more for their tags and trip.)

The southwestern corner of Wyoming and northeastern corner of Utah (Uintahs) had some issues with trailer theft about 10 years ago. But mostly only next to major highways and major secondary roads (paved or not). Targets of opportunity.

In one instance, the one where a repeat offender was finally caught, the guy hooked up to a pop up tent trailer that was set up just off the highway, outside of Farson, WY. (Right about here.) He was going to pull it farther from the highway, pack it up, and then get out of there. But he saw a law enforcement vehicle turning off the highway, and decided to run. The trailer didn't hold up too well to highway speeds, and was eventually destroyed when the truck lost control and rolled through a ditch, with what was left of the trailer ending up tangled in a fence.
I used to have a link to that story, as well as some photos, but can't find it.

[noseoil]

Here's part of our security system, it's the siren for the car alarm I installed during the build. This is actually inside the spare tire, so nothing shows underneath the camper. There's a tamper switch on the tire, so if it drops about 1/4" the siren fires off 6" from your ears & the lights all start blinking. There's also a motion/impact detector, so any bumps while we're away from camp will set off the siren.



We use a heavy tongue lock as well when camped or in storage, so there's a few layers of security involved in our trailer when we're away. Fortunately, we have a garage now to park in while we're waiting for our next trip.

[Skates1969]

Thanks for the insight. I plan on parking the trailer behind my garage, so I am not too worried about theft while in storage. It does sound like a good hitch lock may be prudent to avoid problems while camping. I will look into it. In the meantime, does anyone have any good suggestions?

[noseoil]

Here's what we have, it's good & tough.

[twisted lines]

I like the 18 Volt Milwaukee.

And I am stealing the Siren /lights Idea
Need a wiggle switch

[Tomterrific]

As mentioned, coupler locks can be thwarted by just using the safety chains. Removing a wheel might work but axxholes will drag away anything given the chance. I have a plug on my wiring and a tongue that has a bolt and a pin because it is originally a tilting utility trailer. I can unpin and unbolt the tongue and take it with me. I should replace the bolt with another pin to make it super easy to take the tongue with me when I leave.

Tt

[Gulfcoast]

How does that tamper switch alarm work... is it only for the tire?

[tony.latham]

As mentioned, coupler locks can be thwarted by just using the safety chains.

When I pull my coupler for a jaunt away from camp, I wrap the chains and lock them with a padlock.

Tony

[working on it]

As mentioned, coupler locks can be thwarted by just using the safety chains.

When I pull my coupler for a jaunt away from camp, I wrap the chains and lock them with a padlock.

Tony

* My camping is always with a group of friends, so my trailer is always watched over, even if I've left it. Most of them are armed Texans, too! But, I still run a cable-lock thru a wheel and a leaf spring, use a coupler lock, and also wrap & lock my safety chains around the coupler & lock, as Tony does, since you never know.

* When I was a bit younger & healthier, I was planning to solo-camp, so I looked for other ways to scare off potential thieves (or maybe bears, if I ever made it to the Rockies). I found this noise making device that would've worked fine. Attach it to your trailer, maybe twoo of them in different spots, and I'm sure it'd get the attention of anyone around, to help, or scare off timid thieves. https://fithops.com/products/12-gauge-perimeter-alarm?gclid=CjwKCAiAsYyRBhACEiwAkJFKou553vPFzk0vytMQ7mCfsfiXmw1GmvoRaH5JcJJxOdP_x5PONh3PlBoCAh0QAvD_BwE

12 gauge perimeter trip alarm.JPG (79.12 KiB) Viewed 868 times

[twisted lines]

Warm and Fuzzy Feeling
I Shure Don't get that with a pad lock, Lock.

Giggle (your's) & Open
Year's ago the Crew I worked with got Name Brand lock set's of 5; with 2 keys.
Mine open all of them; Every since

Last place I worked, they changed the locks so much, Same thing mine opened most,
One day: The Big dog, With only 1 key forgot it.
Asked several time's after to borrow mine.

That 12G May do that.
Something Different, unusual, Surprise