How can we prevent theft of our FGRV?

[EllPea in CA]

Those of you who have great solutions, I hope you will add them to this thread. If there's an older thread with this info, let's link it. News about that stolen Boler is very disheartening.

My trailer came with a lock on the hitch, but I'm not confident it would prevent a theft. Any thief worth his (or her) salt would carry a heavy duty bolt cutter. Is there something else that can be done? I've even wondered about removing one of the wheels (and the spare) if it's going to be parked by itself for any length of time.

[sokhapkin]

Maybe it would be better to move to a low crime neighbourhood?

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA

Those of you who have great solutions, I hope you will add them to this thread. If there's an older thread with this info, let's link it. News about that stolen Boler is very disheartening.

My trailer came with a lock on the hitch, but I'm not confident it would prevent a theft. Any thief worth his (or her) salt would carry a heavy duty bolt cutter. Is there something else that can be done? I've even wondered about removing one of the wheels (and the spare) if it's going to be parked by itself for any length of time.

Or a battery powered grinder . Used one last week to cut off a lock
Took a whole 15 seconds.

[Jon in AZ]

I keep a coupler lock on ours and it sits up on jack stands. Whenever we are gone overnight without the trailer, I park our second vehicle to block access to the trailer. If both cars are going to be gone overnight... we pay our premiums and take our chances.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by sokhapkin

Maybe it would be better to move to a low crime neighbourhood?

I think it's reasonable to assume most people are living in the best neighborhood (whatever that might mean) that their circumstances allow. Precautions make sense even in "good" neighborhoods.

[C&G in FL]

In reality, there is little you can do to prevent an unattended trailer from being stolen, if some low life wants it badly enough. A lock or two simply ain't gonna protect it. The better question is how can you recover it if it is stolen, and make sure the thief/thieves get prosecuted to the full extent of the law (or handled by the mob if you have the right connections!). And the best answer is some sort of GPS based electronics like LoJack. It is, however, somewhat expensive peace of mind, but the chances of recovery and capture of the perpetrator(s) are greatly increased.


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[Glenn Baglo]

If my trailer were stolen, I wouldn't want it recovered ( after likely being trashed ). I have full replacement insurance and use a cheap coupler lock, mostly to ensure I'm securely hooked up, but since I have it I also use it when I'm away from the trailer.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

If my trailer were stolen, I wouldn't want it recovered ( after likely being trashed ). I have full replacement insurance and use a cheap coupler lock, mostly to ensure I'm securely hooked up, but since I have it I also use it when I'm away from the trailer.

Most thieves steal trailers in order to sell them, not to trash them, and nobody is going to purchase a trailer that has been trashed. The purpose of fast recovery is to get it back before it can be transported a long distance and sold. And full replacement insurance is not going to replace the year or more of camping you miss waiting in line if you plan to purchase another Escape to replace the one that is stolen.


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[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I think it's reasonable to assume most people are living in the best neighborhood (whatever that might mean) that their circumstances allow. Precautions make sense even in "good" neighborhoods.

[EllPea in CA]

Well, oddly, I wasn't speaking of my trailer being stolen from my neighborhood. It is sitting behind a locked gate, but of course, even locks can be snipped or ground off.

I'm more worried about parking the trailer at an RV park, or camping in a somewhat remote location, and then driving out to the store or to dinner. If we're only there overnight, removing a wheel would be OVERKILL, obviously.

But what other precautions would be advisable?

[War Eagle]

A bright yellow hitch lock makes a good visual deterrent and will slow the bad guys down, but as long as the wheels still turn, they will find a way to drag it down the road or winch it up onto a drop-bed trailer. I tend to feel a bit more comfortable leaving a trailer/camper unattended when I also cable-locking at least one wheel on each side of the trailer to the axle. Take a "robust" 6 foot long bicycle cable, pass one end through the spokes of a wheel, wrap that end of the cable over/around the axle, pass it back through another spoke gap, then use a "robust" padlock to lock the two cable loop ends together leaving the padlock visible as more deterrent. Repeat on the other side. Even if they try to remove a wheel to put the spare on, they will still have to deal with the original wheel cable locked to the axle dragging under the trailer and the suspicion that would raise going down the road. And with two wheels locked, and only one spare on the trailer, they would have had to think ahead and bring a second spare with them and now be dragging two. Hopefully, when someone bent on stealing a trailer sees the hitch lock and multiple wheels padlocked to the axle, they will look elsewhere for something easier to steal. Others on this forum, in similar previous threads, have suggested purchasing the same kind of wheel lock that police put on cars with too many parking violations, but those things are expensive, heavy to haul around and large/awkward to store when not in use. In contrast, a couple of 6' cables and a pair of padlocks are relatively inexpensive, light and easy to store when not in use and can be used to secure other things, like bicycles and grills, when not being used to secure the camper. Just my two cents....

[Zennifer]

I've actually read of people removing a wheel at camp. Or, using a removable coupler. I've seen people using the "boot" type wheel locks, too.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA

Well, oddly, I wasn't speaking of my trailer being stolen from my neighborhood. It is sitting behind a locked gate, but of course, even locks can be snipped or ground off.

I'm more worried about parking the trailer at an RV park, or camping in a somewhat remote location, and then driving out to the store or to dinner. If we're only there overnight, removing a wheel would be OVERKILL, obviously.

But what other precautions would be advisable?

Having a trailer stolen while camping is something I've never heard of happening. The best if you're in a campground or an RV resort is get to know the neighbors. Other than that a simple hitch lock is about all you can do. As they say paranoia will git ya.

[War Eagle]

Oh, and in addition to the previous post, we also have an electric tongue jack with a kill switch inside the camper. Once set up at an RV campsite with some weight on the two rear stabilizer jacks and some on the front electric tongue jack, and power turned off to the electric tongue jack from inside the camper, the camper wouldn't be easy to move. Attempting to do so would surely bend the jacks and make a ruckus that should draw someone's suspicion/attention (if others are camping nearby). But again, in reality, it's all just a matter of deterrence. Bad guys intent on doing bad things will find a way, but they will usually take the path of least resistance. So the more resistance you can put up, the better your chances of keeping your camper - unfortunately at the expense of someone else less prepared.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I think part of the way to avoid theft is where you park the trailer. RV parks and resorts have the ring of money, where National Parks don't exude money. Besides it cost money to just get into a National Park. National Forests are a bit more primitive and remote. The farther out of town the more difficult the theft.

I purchased my trailer after years and I do mean years of tent camping, mostly in a two person backpacking tent. The trailer is a big step up, but still provides the main reason for camping. That is to get away from the crowds and stress of city living. The trailer is a tool to do that. I sleep better, and far less worries when out. If by going out and/or owning a trailer caused me to worry about things it would not be the stress reliever I wanted. Therefore the trailer would be of no value to me, and I would sell it to relieve the unwanted stress. So if you fuss about trailer theft or about what might get you while out, you might be better off staying in a high rise and forget about getting out of town.

[EllPea in CA]

Dale, I've noticed those cables in photos posted here, and wondered about them. Passing them through the axle makes sense.

I'm just now looking for hitch locks, and found a yellow one at Lowe's. This is the first review that came up:

"Rick
Location:Columbia, SC, USATime of Purchase: over 1 year agoPlace of Purchase: in storeLevel of Expertise: Expert
April 3, 2015
Features:
1 / 51 / 5
Value:
1 / 51 / 5
Design:
1 / 51 / 5
Quality:
1 / 51 / 5
Ease of use:
1 / 51 / 5
I liked the idea of having the same key for all 3 items. Bought 3 of these to use on my company trailers. I thought with the Reese name they would be a quality product.
Two of my 3 trailers were stolen the same night. Luckily I had one of them with me while I was out of town. The thieves cut the lock(the brass part with bolt cutters). The U-bolt and piece that inserts into the hitch were laying on the ground next to were my trailers use to be. The police could not determine if the lock was picked or forced off of the U-bolt piece.
Don't buy this product and think that you are protected. Three of these cost me over $11,000.00 You will be just as well of putting a sign on the tongue of your trailer that says "Free Trailer""

Here is the second review:

"LocationtahTime of Purchase: 3-6 months agoPlace of Purchase: in storeLevel of Expertise: Expert
December 18, 2013
Someone just cut it with bolt cutter and off went my trailer. Steel is way to soft, it basically just keeps people from hooking it to their truck but if they want it it doesn't take much to remove."

Are there others more reliable?

[Glenn Baglo]

While I was off camping, my buddy came over to pick up my boat ( on a trailer ). It was in my carport. He was taking it to his storage lot.
He simply backed up his flat bed truck, equipped with a mobile crane, and lifted boat and trailer out from under the carport and on to his flatbed.

The search function here would reveal all the previous suggestions to prevent theft and all the ways that they can be defeated.

[EllPea in CA]

Well, I understand the concept of over-thinking and over-worrying.

The solution is to find a balance between those two things and not being careful enough (or being totally dumb).

When we got married 10 years ago, my DH bought a woody Snipe so we could sail together (his other two boats were single-handed vessels). Our first time out there were whitecaps and the wind was great. The boat was great. We were screaming along. He's a great skipper, but the *crew* has to be capable of certain things. It turns out that while I'm hiked way out, I can't (couldn't) uncleat the jib. Capsizing -- and turtling -- ensues. (Whiskeytown Lake water is 40 degrees. It was about 35 minutes before the rescue barge arrived.)

I think back to screaming along and hiking out under spooky conditions. I didn't know enough about sailing at the time to understand if this was just how *it is*, or if there was a risk. And wonder, was I really really brave? Or really really stupid?

The upshot of this and other experiences just means I like to dig into stuff, and discover the options and possibilities, and then take the most sensible route.

And, I really don't like high-rises.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by CPW

Most thieves steal trailers in order to sell them, not to trash them, and nobody is going to purchase a trailer that has been trashed.

The two trailers I personally know of that were stolen & then recovered were trashed! Simple stolen for a one or two night use and then trashed.

The odds of stolen trailer being resold are not high in these parts. More probable it ends up in the back country to use as a summer cottage or hunting cabin or accommodation in the Alberta oil fields.

May be a BC thing though as its really hard to sell a stolen trailer in these parts as they all have to carry their own insurance, plates and owners registration - one needs to have the owner transfer the registration papers over to the buyer in order for it to be registered and new plates issued to a new owner. One would also need that paper work in order to take it into the US as well.

We have at least two members here who despite being warned not to buy any trailer in BC that they could not get the signed registration for who learned this lesson the hard way. One very nice Bigfoot as well as a Boler where taken apart and sold as parts only so the purchasers of said trailers could get back at least some of the money they spent on purchasing the trailers.

[JRTrillium]

We've had three trailers stolen in our area. An rpod from a campground (had hitch lock only to her regret) and two from a dealership.