Yes... People DO Steal Trailers!

[Buck62]

This one was stolen in Chicago, and the owner is offering a reward!

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/rvs/259302965.html

[Anne H]

Very sad

I've heard that I should stick an extra hitch ball in the coupler and lock it down with a hitch lock when I'm not hooked up to my car. Anything else I should be doing?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Very sad

I've heard that I should stick an extra hitch ball in the coupler and lock it down with a hitch lock when I'm not hooked up to my car. Anything else I should be doing?

Rather than putting a ball in the coupler you might want to get one of these.

I use the model 377. Nothing will stop a determined thief, but should slow them down just a touch.

[james kent]

I don't think that adding a ball lock or other device on the end of the tongue will stop a determined thief. A chain wrapped around tongue and a pickup bumper will still tow the trailer away. Another object parked in front is a better deterrent, or a wheel lock device, or wheel removal.
Saw a strange truck in the neighbourhood last week. It toured the cresent several times before stopping . The chap knocked at the door and asked to see the trailer and if it was for sale. I recognized the truck as a local buisness operator [distinctive advertising] so I didn't mind showing but I don't usually do that. It could just as easily have been someone shopping for the "midnight supply". We discussed the pros and cons of a 13 foot as a family unit and after reassuring him again that it still was NOT for sale I told him that I would keep an eye open and should I see one I would be happy to let him know.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I don't think that adding a ball lock or other device on the end of the tongue will stop a determined thief. A chain wrapped around tongue and a pickup bumper will still tow the trailer away. Another object parked in front is a better deterrent, or a wheel lock device, or wheel removal.
Saw a strange truck in the neighbourhood last week. It toured the cresent several times before stopping . The chap knocked at the door and asked to see the trailer and if it was forsale. I recognized the truck as a local buisness operator [distinctive advertising] so I didn't mind showing but I don't usually do that. It could just as easily have been someone shopping for the "midnight supply". We discussed the pros and cons of a 13 foot as a family unit and after reassuring him again that it still was NOT fpr sale I told him that I would keep an eye open and should I see one I would be happy to let him know.

As I said nothing will stop a determined thief. However a coupler lock slows down the opertunist. He/she can't just back up and connect up if there a coupler lock in the way. Even a wheel lock will not stop a determined thief. He'll just drag it off wheel lock and all.

I always use a coupler lock, just to discourage the drive by opertunist thief. It's kind of like the bear chasing two guys, one guy tightens up his shoe laces, the other says you can't outrun that bear. Guy one say I don't have, I just have outrun you.

Leave the keys in the Tow Vehicle or take them out and lock the door. I look at the same way. Lock the coupler.

[Dan Meyer]

Anything else I should be doing?

If my neighborhood ever gets to the point that I need to worry about my trailer being stolen, it's time to move to a new neighboorhood.

-- DanMeyer

[peterh]

I guess one of the advantages of our 5th wheel is you have to have the right hitch setup in your truck before you can pull the trailer, and every 5th wheel hitch seems to be different.

--Peter

[Frederick L. Simson]

I've heard that I should stick an extra hitch ball in the coupler and lock it down with a hitch lock when I'm not hooked up to my car. Anything else I should be doing?

Rather than putting a ball in the coupler you might want to get one of these.

I use the [b]model 377.

I use that plus a padlock through the bail.

[Jerry Jacobs]

How about a 20 ft plastic coated braided steel cable with lock loops from LOWES, and a big padlock. Lock all three wheel to the frame

[Donna D.]

It was suggested by my hot rod group, if you put a spare ball into the coupler and padlock the coupler down, to be sure to hack off the threads on the ball....nothing left to put a nut on, no sense in giving a thief an easy way to haul off the trailer...if you give them a usable ball to do it with.

The entire idea of making it difficult to steal your stuff, is to make it difficult enough, or time consuming enough...the thief will go elsewhere. That and good insurance is about the best you can do.

[Gina D.]

There have been theft attempts on mine. The trailer has moved on it's own, miraculously but not very far. I have a Denver boot which would require some hefty cutting to remove, my spare it hanging off the back, which when parked, is over a 5 foot drop and against a tree, and I have a hitch lock.

If someone REALLY wants it, they'll get it, but Donna is correct. By the time they got through all the locks etc, there would be 10 nieghbors on top of the thieves.

In one attempt, thats what happened, the neighbor across the street yelled from his deck and the snooping thieves took off.

My dogs make a racket too. Everyone in this neighborhood has had thier gas syphoned but me. I suspect in the middle of the nite when these creeps creep, the dogs call attention to anyone around my cars and they move on.

[Patty S.]

This one was stolen in Chicago, and the owner is offering a reward!

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/rvs/259302965.html

I had a popup stolen. I have a Gorilla Guard for my U-Haul.