Trailer safety & theft

[socks]

Hi all,

Nooby question here, maybe worth asking or just a worrier?

how do you secure your Casita in isolated areas when taking site-seeing excursions with your TV? Is there a type of lock or something on the hitch? Or don't you worry about things like that? Just ordered a 17 foot Casita for next year & still learning about things. Have never owned a trailer before.

Thanks, Joseph

[Byron Kinnaman]

A determined thief will take no matter what you do.

Now good side. I put a hitch lock on the trailer and a padlock type lock through hitch latching handle.
One of the best ways I know of to prevent thefts is to get to know your neighbors if you're in a campground. Most of us will watch out for others property.
If in an isolated dispersed site, I just wouldn't worry about it. The odds are in your favor.
Most trailer thefts happen in storage lots or home driveways. Not while camping.

[socks]

Hi Byron,

yea kinda what i thought. I wonder if there are "GPS" Lojack type things you can install in the trailer.

Thanks, JQ

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by socks

Hi Byron,

yea kinda what i thought. I wonder if there are "GPS" Lojack type things you can install in the trailer.

Thanks, JQ

Yes there are and it has been discussed here before.. sorry that I am pressed for time or I would try to find the thread(s) for you. I also recall someone left one of their cell phones in the trailer in case it was stolen so they could track it.

I agree the threat is slight, and a theft of a few small things is a lot more likely than the theft of the entire trailer. To that end, don't advertise any valuables (look poor).

[Bob Miller]

Sure, there are lots of different GPS locators. They use them on semi trailers and high value shipments of all sorts. Try goggling for them but, like loJack, the transmitters and service isn't cheap. If you are really worried, a chain woven through the wheels and axle will slow down most cg thieves. Historically it seems that storage yards are one of the more dangerous places for GTT because the perp has lots of time to scope out the target and strike at their leisure.

[David Tilston]

Cheap is exactly the word I would use. The device is less then $40, and the service, a pay as you go account is $100/year. This assumes that you don't change out the sim card every six months or so to use up the $100 before it expires in a year. That would change your phone #, so some may not want to do that, but I would. That is if I were concerned about theft, which I am not. I have a ball lock and pad lock like Byron, and most of my trailers are in my back yard, which has no gate. I'm not telling how I get them back there.

Amazon.com : WickedHD GPS-103A Tracking Drive Vehicle Car Tracker Gps/gsm/gprs System Real-time Google Map Tracking : GPS & Navigation

[Carol H]

I simple put a lock on the hitch and put any higher value items away and buy insurance.... as others have indicated if someone wants the trailer they will take it.... more likely to lose a cooler, chairs, stove or a BQ left out - over the years I have lost all of those plus some.

[honda03842]

In our 15 years of travel, averaging 8 months a year, staying in some bad looking campgrounds, often in places with no one watching over us, in every state and province and have never had a single item stolen.

That said, I think the gps tracking device would be a worthwhile device for any one afraid of having their trailer stolen. Items. like Carol had stolen, to me would be the cost of doing business, though I would not like it.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by honda03842

In our 15 years of travel, averaging 8 months a year, staying in some bad looking campgrounds, often in places with no one watching over us, in every state and province and have never had a single item stolen.

That said, I think the gps tracking device would be a worthwhile device for any one afraid of having their trailer stolen. Items. like Carol had stolen, to me would be the cost of doing business, though I would not like it.

Funny enough the theft of items has more often than not happened while camping in a busy campground such as a state or provincial park. Have never lost anything when camping in less busy more remote locations on the other hand I once camped at a music festival for 5 days with 30,000 people .... lost nothing...

[Cathi]

Originally Posted by socks

Hi all,

Nooby question here, maybe worth asking or just a worrier?

how do you secure your Casita in isolated areas when taking site-seeing excursions with your TV? Is there a type of lock or something on the hitch? Or don't you worry about things like that? Just ordered a 17 foot Casita for next year & still learning about things. Have never owned a trailer before.

Thanks, Joseph

A lot of people use a coupler lock, which is no guarantee at all but may slow someone down a little, and they can often be seen at auto parts stores.

[HAPPYSCAMPER76]

I am new to this whole trailer thing but the PO gave us some sort of lock that slips on the end of the tongue, where it would go over the ball (if one was towing). I plan to just put a small lock through the hole where you normally put a bolt or pin into when towing and I also plan to put a lock that you can get at any major auto store that is for the hitch, so someone can't just unhook the whole hitch, slip it into their receiver and be on their way with my new to me wagon. Plus when I leave the hitch/ball in the receiver and drive around town without towing, someone can't just steal it as well.

[Cathi]

Yes, a ball mount receiver pin lock can be used while towing and a lock through the coupler latch needs to be used while towing --- that one may not be worth much as far as a thief but hopefully works for towing to keep the coupler in place.

We also have a coupler lock that partly goes up inside the coupler (where the ball would be) that can only be used when not towing.

[HAPPYSCAMPER76]

Sounds like I will have the same set up as you, and I think that will be plenty for a $4000 dollar Scamp.

[Glenn Baglo]

I ran an experiment where for six months I locked my hitch and my trailer wasn't stolen. Then, for six months I didn't bother, and my trailer wasn't stolen.
I filled the trailer with dryer sheets, and still nobody stole it.
I'm thinking if I get LoJack, maybe somebody will steal it.

[Borrego Dave]

Good test Glenn and the dryer sheets are a nice touch . I do use a tongue lock but I really believe if folks think about it, it's only the things that are left around outside that would be a target. In the last few years I can only remember 2 or 3 trailers that were stolen and reported here, one was found soon after. Just do what you can to keep the honest honest. Use it and have a good time and rock chips are just beauty marks .

[Cathi]

There was an 19' Escape stolen from someone's driveway. Never recovered. He was paid the insurance.

[Donna D.]

In the grand scheme of things, here on FiberglassRV we're a very small segment of travel trailer owners. Just because we haven't heard of a bunch of trailers being stolen doesn't mean it's not happening. Or, maybe it's not. We really don't know. Just do whatever gives you peace of mind. GPS, chains, locks, motion detectors, good insurance... whatever.

In the end, whether someone else's trailer is stolen won't affect you... but, if it's yours... heartbreak.

Good luck!

[mary and bob]

I'm using this when parked and a padlock through the coupler when towing

[David Tilston]

It should be noted that if you are locking the hitch, then locking up the chains is also a good idea. Some trailers have been stolen using just the chains.

[BatDude]

Compared to Byron and others here I am still a rank Newbie with only a year since picking up our 16' Scamp and 5+ months on the road with it.

So far just the receiver locking pin and hitch lock through the hole.

I was told by a fishing buddy who worries about his fishing boat... that those wanting your trailer can use a modified vertical pin type of hitch and still tow it way even if the hitch clasp is locked.

Keeping it insured is my main thing.

Learning as I go.


As John Cleese would frequently say..
"Now for something completely different."

Being a research kinda guy I finally looked into the question that was keeping me up nights while Scamping...

"What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?"
- Bertolt Brecht

Turns out...
It is still there!

However, once the cheese outline is gone you can no longer see it delineated from the background area.

If you Google this you might find a Swiss cheese hole illumination device like they use on CSI!

Although these may still be classified.