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Old 08-26-2015, 02:48 PM   #41
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Name: Linda
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Geeze. Where are you guys camping that you need so much security?
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Old 08-26-2015, 03:00 PM   #42
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Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA View Post
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.
We have a special Master padlock that has a hardened steel shackle, and extra shields that "prevent" cutting with a bolt cutter. That is for the hitch latch
There are other Ball locks out there that use hardened steel and a dummy ball that fills the hitch socket.
WHile parked by our garage, I always crank down the rear stabilizers and hitch jack to take some load off the tires.
You can never completely prevent a determined thief. But you can slow him down. If it takes too long to hook on and go, he is more likely to leave it alone.
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Old 08-26-2015, 03:50 PM   #43
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Originally Posted by Linda Stewart View Post
Geeze. Where are you guys camping that you need so much security?
This is not really about theft while camping but about folks stealing camper from driveway or storage. I'm sure that at least some campers may get stolen while in use I'm pretty sure that on trips it is mostly items such as cameras to coolers that get stolen not campers.

You know possibly the worst thing about a camper that is visible and stored at the home is when it is gone it screams "on vacation here".

I think that both meth labs and some unscrupulous folks with property where they can use and hide a camper are the main drivers for stealing campers. Not ever going to be registered at DMV just driven into the woods and stay there.

If you are willing to go to the county sheriff or other law enforcement to get the numbers verified it is a pretty good bet that you don't think the trailer might be stolen or the numbers modified. Police station would be to my mind the best place to conduct a Craig's list transaction for anything expensive like camera equipment or such. Betting a thief won't want to be on parking lot surveillance video selling the camera or lens to you. And much less likely to get robbed there.
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Old 08-26-2015, 06:15 PM   #44
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Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
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Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
Are you saying you could drive up with an original-condition Bigfoot trailer, state that you built it yourself, and the registration clerk will simply believe you...? I'm assuming there is some kind of inspection involved with a never-before-registered home-built trailer and having a hard time believing vehicle registration folks could be that naive...
My son built a homemade trailer for deer hunting. He just walked into the DMV , filled out the necessary paper work , paid the fee , got a VIN # and plates for the trailer and out the door he went. NO one from the DMV inspected the trailer . It was the middle of winter and 20 below zero , no one even mentioned
walking outdoors to look at the trailer.
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Old 08-26-2015, 06:51 PM   #45
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
My son built a homemade trailer for deer hunting. He just walked into the DMV , filled out the necessary paper work , paid the fee , got a VIN # and plates for the trailer and out the door he went. NO one from the DMV inspected the trailer . It was the middle of winter and 20 below zero , no one even mentioned
walking outdoors to look at the trailer.
I am going to suggest that perhaps the state of Minnesota is not overly concerned with trying to keep a lid on the number of stolen trailers running around.
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Old 08-26-2015, 06:57 PM   #46
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Trailer: 1989 Lil Bigfoot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
I am going to suggest that perhaps the state of Minnesota is not overly concerned with trying to keep a lid on the number of stolen trailers running around.
Or maybe the Minnesota DMV only sticks to the book in the spring and summer, when it's above 32 degrees outside?
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Old 08-26-2015, 08:05 PM   #47
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Name: alan
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Originally Posted by Wayne Collins View Post
We have a special Master padlock that has a hardened steel shackle, and extra shields that "prevent" cutting with a bolt cutter. ...
While I have no way or actually knowing it, I believe that modern shackles on non-junk locks are sound. What I am unsure of is the base plate that secures the cylinder. When I was a kid (around the time of the Peloponnesian War) the "weapon-of-choice" for the intellectual thug class was an auto-body work tool called a slap hammer. One would screw the end of the slap hammer into the lock cylinder and then slam the weight (hence intellectual thug class!) towards the handle. The cylinder would be ripped out easily. Growing up in Brooklyn you didn't have to be larcenous to be knowledgeable about larceny!
At any rate I'd like to know how well protected the cylinders are now.

A picture of a slap hammer is at http://www.explorerforum.com/photopo..._end_plug_.JPG
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Old 08-26-2015, 08:18 PM   #48
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Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
I am going to suggest that perhaps the state of Minnesota is not overly concerned with trying to keep a lid on the number of stolen trailers running around.
I never said it was the State of Minnesota in my post. You assumed it was Minnesota.
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Old 08-26-2015, 10:00 PM   #49
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Hubby is a worrier. He found a hurky galvanized cast iron locking device that covers the whole hitch. Came. With a weird key. It would take a while to cut off with a grinder. Hopefully that will deter thieves. I live in fear we will one day lose the key!


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Old 08-26-2015, 10:55 PM   #50
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Decades ago, I purchased a home-made double-axle 16' utility trailer that had no markings or ID numbers on it at all. When I went to the Alabama DMV to register it and get tags, their paperwork (it was before all this computerized stuff) required a VIN. They didn't care what it was, it just had to have one. So I borrowed a steel punch set from a friend and numbered it myself to became the proud owner of VIN "1". I'm pretty sure I couldn't get by with that again in this day and age.
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Old 08-26-2015, 10:57 PM   #51
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It's interesting that it's so easy for tow truck actually pick up one these little trailers and haul it off. All the lock and wheel locks, removing a wheel will do no good.

I had an old utility trailer that lost a wheel the two truck simply hooked on the trailer with it's wench and wenched onto the truck as though it was nothing.

Convince tow truck driver it's your trailer and you need it moved to someplace else and it's gone.
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Old 08-27-2015, 05:05 AM   #52
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Most of the suggestions I've read in this thread are quite helpful in deterring trailer theft. A few thoughts:

I spent many years in law enforcement, and some of those years in stolen vehicle recovery/theft task forces.

During my time doing this, there were several common themes regarding MOST stolen vehicles. The most common theme was a vehicle or trailer that was completely unsecured and unattended. I never saw a single report of a trailer that was stolen after being reasonably secured, although it can happen with a determined thief.

The only advice I would give is this: if you are concerned about theft (and generally, it's unlikely that even your unsecured trailer will be stolen) then take SIMPLE precautions to prevent it. Think like a thief. This can be hard for an honorable and decent person to do, because we don't look at life as a series of opportunities to exploit or do harm, but I guarantee you that a thief does.

If a thief is deciding on what to steal next, he is looking for the easiest, least noticeable target to take. In a row of visibly and reasonably secured trailers for example, the thief will take the least secured and easiest target every time.

Although I've seen plenty of evidence that some people are rotten to the core, I refuse to let it jade me. I don't spend much time worrying about theft, and would rather use a decent lock or two, store the trailer in an area with decent security, and then forget about it. Have good insurance, do the basics, and live life.


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Old 08-27-2015, 07:13 AM   #53
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A friend has rural timber acreage and leaves a small farm tractor and 4-wheeler on-site that were always at risk of being stolen when he wasn't there. When pouring the concrete slab for a new small utility shed to house them out of the weather (which provided some security in itself), he took four pieces of 3/4" steel reinforcement bar stock ("rebar"), bent each into "omega" shaped loops with long bottom legs and set one near each inside corner before pouring the concrete. When the concrete floor was finished, he had a loop of 3/4" steel rebar protruding about 4" out of the floor near each inside corner of the utility shed that he could then use to chain/cable lock the tractor, 4-wheeler and other valuable equipment to for more deterrence. I share all that simply as a suggestion to anyone contemplating pouring a new concrete slab for their camper to consider setting a couple such rebar loops in the concrete to secure the axle, tongue, etc. Just more deterrence that may help and couldn't hurt.
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Old 08-27-2015, 10:07 PM   #54
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Name: Ellpea
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Some GPS ideas

Some ideas were discussed recently here: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ker-70068.html

Also note post #8. These units are all coming down in price!
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Old 09-02-2015, 11:22 AM   #55
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Name: Bex
Trailer: Casita
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I use a hitch lock and highly recommend. As others have mentioned, nothing will stop a determined thief, but you can deter all the opportunist thiefs. I also put a bicycle cable around one wheel too. You can see my hitch lock in action in my video here.

https://youtu.be/KD1WBsewdgA?t=3m20s

And here is the hitch lock I bought.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UW0HFXS

Of course, I also have the standard latch lock too.
LoveMyCasita Amazon Store - Master Lock 37KA Keyed Alike Armored Trailer Lock with Shackle Guard

This basically makes the thief go through three different locks to steal my tiny home!
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