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Souljourner · 07-01-2021, 04:21 AM

Realizing how easy it would be for someone to hook up to a TT and drive away, wondering how others secure their TT when leaving it detached from the TV and unattended for many hours?

tuffr2 · 07-01-2021, 04:40 AM

It is not as easy as you think. 1st you need to retract the stabilizers. Then pull in the slides (they need to break into the trailer now). Oh, unhook the water, unhook the sewage, unhook the cable, unhook the electric, bring in the awning.

Now - if they were going to travel they would eventually need new plates and get the trailer registered. This is not easy even if you are the right owner.

If they were going to part it out that makes more sense. But that would not be easy either.

I have a lock on my coupler that I use to lock it to the ball when I tow to keep it from possibly comming loose. I keep the coupler locked also while I camp.

Now - someone could easily steal my bicycle or kayak or portable grill but in 12 years noone has stolen anything of mine.

Sent from my SM-G930V using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

jondrew55 · 07-01-2021, 05:41 AM

There's a very entertaining YouTube channel called "The Lockpicking Lawyer". This guy picks every kind of lock you can imagine and comments on other methods to defeat security measures. He's been really tough on standard trailer locks. But he seems to like this Proven Lock brand. It's expensive but I got one and like it. Personally, I don't secure my trailer at the campgrounds I go to. As tuffr2 mentioned, disconnecting and pulling a trailer when it's set up is not an easy task. But while in the storage lot, I use the Proven Lock.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

richard5933 · 07-01-2021, 06:06 AM

I had a welder come out to repair my couplers, and we talked about this topic for a while since they do lots of work on trailers.

He said that to steal a TT guys will come equipped with a length of chassis C-channel with a coupler welded to one end, which can be clamped alongside the tongue of the trailer. Allows them to take any trailer thru want regardless of the lock on the hitch.

His suggestion was to boot one of the wheels. I'm looking into that now.

amosnandy · 07-01-2021, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Souljourner

Realizing how easy it would be for someone to hook up to a TT and drive away, wondering how others secure their TT when leaving it detached from the TV and unattended for many hours?

I'm an insurance adjuster and have had two thefts in the last month.

The first one was at a repair facility, had a lock in the coupler, so they just hooked the safety chains up and took off.

The second one was from a storage facility, supposedly gated locked and security cameras. No lock on it. The video only went back 30 days and when the guy went to pick it up it was gone. Went back on video 30 days and it was gone a month at least.

Found it because the cops tagged and towed it for being parked on the street too long. When they guy got to the impound, the coupler was locked, so the thieves were more worried about it being stolen than the owner.

jondrew55 · 07-01-2021, 06:37 AM

Wheel locks are among the easiest things to defeat if you have a determined thief. A good lock will at best make a thief look somewhere else. If they want your trailer, it's almost impossible to stop them. It's really what we have insurance for. If mine got stollen, I can honestly say I had it in a secured storage lot or at an occupied campground, and I had a high quality locking device. I'll take the settlement and go buy another one.

Fiesta48 · 07-01-2021, 06:54 AM

If they want it, you can't stop them.
I don't lock any of my lower compartments. The doors cost more than all the stuff inside.
Park it in a place few thieves want to go is the best thing to do.

arcaguy · 07-01-2021, 07:09 AM

First off you aren't going to stop a professional thief, they're too quick and too good. You can stop the amateur/opportunist with just about any lock. I used to travel a lot with my motorcycle in an enclosed trailer. I bought one of those corkscrew type things you can chain your dog to and had a friend weld the look shut. I then put the corkscrew in the ground and locked the safety chains to it. Could it have been stolen? Yes. Were they going to have to use a grinder or a torch if they couldn't pick the lock? Again yes. Use a little security and keep your insurance premium up to date.

Seon · 07-01-2021, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiesta48

If they want it, you can't stop them...

Insurance will cover the loss.

Campfire Jedi · 07-01-2021, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcaguy

...you aren't going to stop a professional thief...

Agreed. We live by the saying "locks keep honest people honest." We take reasonable precautions to deter crimes of opportunity. The professional thief will have the necessary tools to defeat just about any precautions ... but as previously stated, that's what insurance is for.

We have a basic lock on the coupler all the times (connected or unconnected). When parked, we also have a chain wrapped through one wheel and around the axle. This is a little unorthodox but our little trailer is so small it can be moved by hand and has no hookups. It could easily be taken in less than 60 seconds.

That said, we've also never had anything stolen. I like a sound bite I heard on YouTube once ... it was something to the effect of "if you're worried about things being stolen, you should probably pack up and move to a different park."

Martian · 07-01-2021, 08:35 AM

"That said, we've also never had anything stolen. I like a sound bite I heard on YouTube once ... it was something to the effect of "if you're worried about things being stolen, you should probably pack up and move to a different park.""
We have been camping since 1995 and totally agree with the above statement. We take reasonable precautions like not leaving valuables visible and do lock the doors and storage compartments. We have camped in 38 states in everything from state of the art to questionable campgrounds and have found many things left by the previous tenants but have never had anything taken. There are even some jurisdictions that require trailer couplers to be unlocked so they can be moved in case of a fire. Only ran across a couple of them many years ago. We have left our units in a campsite for up to three days at a time for side trips and the worst that has happened is the units being discovered by ants.
If security is such an important issue, maybe a different hobby would be more appropriate for you.

BPTS · 07-01-2021, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiesta48

If they want it, you can't stop them.
.

Yup
I spent a few years in the repossession business. Keep in mind a good repo agent is nothing more than an efficient, legal thief.
I was good at it.
The only "absolute" methods IMO are to keep your trailer in a secured (i.e. locked and alarmed) enclosed building or in a secured lot blocked in on 4 sides with vehicles.
Your best defense is layers of security. Don't rely on just one thing to secure your trailer. A coupler lock, wrapping safety chains around the tongue/jack and locking them, a wheel boot or cable lock strung between wheels are very effective and cost efficient measures. Remove your jack crank handle if it is a manual, install a hidden switch if electric.
Keep a clean camp, leave them nothing to use against you.
The more you can do to:
A- slow down a thief
B- make your trailer a less attractive target
The better the odds are of your items not very desirable and them moving on to an easier mark.

Thieves are inherently lazy, they will always go after whatever item is going to be the quickest and easiest to get.
Insure your rig and personal property accordingly.

Abner Mality · 07-02-2021, 10:28 PM

My TT was just stolen this past Sunday, in a "secured" storage lot with a wheel lock and coupler lock... watched the security video, took 3 guys 7 minutes to remove the locks and hitch it up and pull out. Makes DW and I just sick.

Souljourner · 07-03-2021, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abner Mality

My TT was just stolen this past Sunday, in a "secured" storage lot with a wheel lock and coupler lock... watched the security video, took 3 guys 7 minutes to remove the locks and hitch it up and pull out. Makes DW and I just sick.

Oh wow! I am so sorry to hear about your loss. You had both deterrents I was considering - and they took your TT anyway! Knowing how important my TT is to me - my heart goes out to you.

Some respondents suggested the answer is to make sure your unit is well insured. But I suspect whatever amount is given to you will not cover a replacement, even if you could find one.

I was feeling a bit foolish about posting my original question about TT security, especially after one responder suggested I find another hobby if I’m going to be concerned about theft. But your experience points out the very real possibility of a TT being stolen in spite of taking precautions.

So maybe it’s time to repost my original question - What ARE the best ways of securing a TT left unattended for a period of time?