Stolen Escape 19'

[SimonHayes]

My parents trailer was stolen from in front of their house last night in South Surrey.

It is a White Escape 19" trailer with "Escape 19" written in light blue on the front window cover.
License Plate (which likely has been changed) was URP 88P
There is a Buena Vida Restaurant Sticker on the back spare cover.
There is a Chihuahua Decal on the left rear corner of the trailer.
The front entry step is painted white.
It was a four wheel trailer.

They were advised that it was likely headed for Alberta, to potentially travel further.

Please make sure your trailer is well safeguarded. This one had a hitch lock.

If anybody has any information please respond to this thread.

Thanks.

Simon

[Donna D.]

EVERYONE, get this information OUT. Use your personal connections to social media to spread the word. There is more power in spreading the information than you know.

THANKS!

[WildBirder]

Sad news.
Though the thieves are probably not so bold to have it out around Vancouver I'll put an APB for my coworkers. We're in a mobile service industry and have a fleet of fifteen vehicles cruising Metro-Vancouver daily. Any pics would help.

[tractors1]

Did the trailer have a name in decals on the rear??

Charlie Y

[Donna D.]

It had blue "Escape 19" writing on the front window cover.
It had a Buena Vida Restaurant Sticker on the spare tire cover.
It also had a Chihuahua decal on the left rear corner.
White painted entry step.
Four Wheels.

[Mary F]

There aren't that many of these around - I hope it's found - SOON!

[Nut501]

If this trailer had a hitch lock on it and they still got the trailer. Is there a hitch lock that is better quality that would make it real hard to steal a trailer? What is the best hitch lock to put on your trailer to prevent someone from stealing the trailer?
Thanks!
Carl

[Filbert V.]

I don't know why anyone would want to steal a camping trailer. It's not like a car where you can strip it and sell the body parts that are in high demand. I would post a free ad on sites like Craigslist or similar, with plenty of photos. The decals can be easily removed, and the shell easily painted. I feel sorry for the next owners who buy it not knowing that it's stolen. I hope it pops up as stolen on the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles here in CA) if and when the new owners try to register it in their names. They'll be out their money, but hopefully your parents will recover their trailer. Please post photos here if you can, so we can all keep our eyes peeled for it.

[Glenn Baglo]

Easy way to defeat a hitch lock, and most other devices, is to use a flat-bed tow truck and just winch it aboard, tarp it and drive away.

[Nut501]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Easy way to defeat a hitch lock, and most other devices, is to use a flat-bed tow truck and just winch it aboard, tarp it and drive away.

Glen, thanks for the information. So, the best you can do to lock your camper is to use a hitch lock and hope that hope that no one has a tow truck!
Thanks,
Carl

[Glenn Baglo]

Friend of mine offered to store my boat and trailer. I wasn't home to observe, but he got the unit out from under the carport and onto his flatbed without difficulty.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Nut501

Glen, thanks for the information. So, the best you can do to lock your camper is to use a hitch lock and hope that hope that no one has a tow truck!
Thanks,
Carl

Running a cable lock through one or both wheel rims and then around the axle or leaf springs so the tire(s) lock up and won't turn would at least slow them down.

[Nut501]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

Running a cable lock through one or both wheel rims and then around the axle or leaf springs so the tire(s) lock up and won't turn would at least slow them down.

War Eagle, thanks for the great idea! Then if you put another chain around something very heavy, that would slow them down even more! It is too bad that people have to steal stuff. But, I guess that is the times we live in today!

[Bob Miller]

Trailers have been stolen-to-order for use as hunting and vacation cabins in the deeeep woods, never to be seen again. Neighbors in those parts "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Is there a lot of that kind of country in BC?(LOL)

Where's Sgt. Preston, King and Dudley Do-rite when you need them?

[David Tilston]

Wheel lock?

[beemerphile1]

Originally Posted by Filbert V.

I don't know why anyone would want to steal a camping trailer....

I've read they make great meth labs. If used to cook meth it becomes a haz-mat site and I wouldn't want it back.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Trailers have been stolen-to-order for use as hunting and vacation cabins in the deeeep woods, never to be seen again. Neighbors in those parts "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Is there a lot of that kind of country in BC?(LOL)

Where's Sgt. Preston, King and Dudley Do-rite when you need them?

We live out in the sticks in-and-amongst a lot of private and commercially leased deer hunting property. In the Fall, when the leaves are off the trees, it's not uncommon to catch sight of a small camper setting way off out in the woods. Any curiosity to check a VIN number is quickly dampened by the thought of someone sitting inside (or up a nearby tree stand) with a high power rifle who might just shoot first then tell the judge he thought you were a deer. And he'd probably be back in the deer stand by morning light with the judge as a new hunting buddy. Well, it's probably not quite that bad - but you get the idea why a lot of country folk "don't ask, don't tell". Heck, the G-men are still busting moonshine stills every few months around here, and it's best for your health to not get caught trespassing on private property when there's mash boiling...

[Bob Miller]

Remember, the trailer was stolen in Canada, different rules, different mindset (thankfully) fewer cowboys.....

[RogerDat]

Really sorry to hear of your parents misfortune. Hope they get it safely back home. And the thieves come down with a reoccurring case of systemic poison ivy!

There have been discussions in the past on securing trailers. Generally speaking it comes down to how difficult can you make it. A battery operated 4 inch grinder with a cut off wheel can go through pretty much any lock or chain in a minute.

The options I recall are:
Secured location - fenced back yard, garage etc. can't get to it easily makes it harder to steal. Harder it appears to be to get to less interesting it is to a dishonest person.

Hitch lock - deters casual or impulse snatch and grab. Helps but won't stop a thief prepared with cutting tools or prevent flat bed winch.

Tire locks - Cable or chain rims to axle or springs so they won't turn. Slows them down and if the thief is using a flat bed they may not have a grinder to cut the lock. There are also commercial tire locking devices.

Anchor to fixed object - Chain or cable axle to sunken concrete, fence post or other fixed object. Do not leave enough slack that the trailer can pick up speed and "yank" on the chain. That can pull off your axle. Slows them down, prevents winching onto flat bed without cutting tools.

Noise maker - cable lock a bunch of tin cans or other items to the axle with enough slack that they drag behind the trailer making noise.

Lo-Jack or other GPS tracking - won't prevent but may help recover.

My own thinking is making it so there is defense in layers is best. Thieves may get frustrated and leave if they keep running into an obstacle that is taking more time. Or it may increase the chances of someone spotting them.

I have had success putting a 100 yrd. target up full of bullet holes with "think honest" written on it with black magic marker. Don't know if it was the sign or just lucky but ....

This is also the time of year to be copying trailer for sale ads with prices on our older eggs as documentation of the real value for insurance if our camper is stolen. Insurance company may not want to pay what 20 year old trailer is worth without some documentation of market value.

[Stretcher]

Wouldn't a Denver Boot on a trailer wheel slow thieves down?