Another theft-My trailer this time

I normally try to keep my 18' flatbed car hauler inside the shop but I've left it outside in front under lights for the past month due to needing room in the shop for more "stuff" and space to work to add more lighting in a storage area. When I arrived at the shop last Monday I noticed it was knocked off the block I normally keep under the tongue jack. Upon further investigation I saw that the tool box hasp had been pried loose. I checked inside the tool box and nothing was missing so I assumed some kids were getting their jollies. I repaired the hasp and thought to myself that I really need to get that back inside.

I arrived at the shop Friday and guess what.......no trailer, the A-holes had been back. Of course, I did some cursing and ranting but the theives didn't seem to care. I thought it was fairly secure with a lock on the hitch but it turned out to be an easy lock to break with a big hammer.

I made a police theft report but I doubt I'll ever see it again. It is insured but who knows how the adjuster will set the value.

You folks have any good ideas on how to secure the next one if I need to leave it outside for a short period in the future? I was thinking of a buried post and hooking a chain over an axle and locking it to the post under the trailer so it wasn't obvious it was attached to anything. Might give the next a-hole a jolt when he tries to drive off.

Thanks for letting me rant..............I do feel better. Larry

 

lost mine the same way. kept it out behind the shop. it was there on a friday, gone the following monday. i hope the guy that took it dies a slow painful death someday.

 

I'm not making a joke, but in Kansas? I've never been there but always read about how down home it is.

As far as protecting the new one? I'd not leave it outside even one night. If you can't get it in yet, don't buy it yet. the person who took the old one might want the newer one.

 

Motion activated lights and a shotgun...

 

Several years ago mine was stolen from inside our locked fence at work. I work at a small family business and I kept it there because we could use it sometimes for hauling things for work.

It was only 4 months old. They cut the chain link fence on the side lot, then worked on the tongue lock I had on the trailer. Once that was done they busted through the wooden fence up front and took off with it.

They stole it on a Sunday night. Had the cops out on Monday, they basically said they weren't going to look for it. He said it was probably already converted to a lawn maintenance trailer already.

To top it off, that next night the bastards came back and stole our shop truck. They found it in Katy after it was used to smash in the door of a transmission shop. The truck ended up getting totaled. We now have huge gates, and MUCH stronger fences. The cameras don't hurt either hehehe.

When we called the cop out the second time, he said they usually come back the next night if they didn't get everything they were after. Wish he would have told me that before they came back for our truck.

I hate thieves!

-Dave

 

It might not stop it from being stolen but what we do is paint our business license # in big letters on the roof. You can use your plate #. Makes it easier to identify.

 

It's a pain in the butt but with the impact wrench it only takes five minutes to pull all four wheels and tires off and put them inside. Put the lug nuts inside with them.

or if it has drums or no brakes pull the cotter key and take the spindle nut off and roll the whole setup inside hubs and all.

 

Not to get down on you, and sorry it got stolen, but you had a warning that most never get, yet it still remained outside? I am in the process of making a trailer that will have a removable hitch assembly of my own design that you will need to tow it.

The hitch padlocks come in different designs, i have see some that are up inside the ball scocket, very hard to remove. In a pinch i have removed the clasp inside the socket and have gone as far as removing a wheel AND hub.

I hope they get them and your trailer back, i'm getting real sick of seeing these threads. People just can't keep their hands off others hard earned property......HAMBers, are your parts and rides locked up or in a safe place?

 

'Hope the dirt-bags get bitten in the ass by Karma, and die a slow, painful death...

 

You have to jockey the trailer around by hand a little but I welded a tow ball to the end of a 4' pc of 2" box steel then set it into a 5gal pail of cement and buried it into the ground. I disconnect the trailer and lock it on there like its on a hitch. Its worked so far.

 

damn good idea!

 

After getting my first car hauler stolen, when I built the next one I made the hitch where it slides off like a receiver hitch on a pickup. Its hard to steel a trailer with no hitch.

 

my buddies trailer sits out in a business park with no fences around or anything. the only thing on the front of his trailer is a round tube. there is nothing to hitch to. he just slides the whole thing out and takes it with him..



EDIT:^^^^^ , great minds think alike

 

This. . . It doesn't cost you anything except for a little elbow grease.

 

Had my utility trailer stolen the same way... But i got lucky since the stupid F**kers didnt know how to latch the lock, it was in a ditch half mile down the road... But the cops made a tow truck come pick it up and that cost me 60 bucks... Installed cameras and motion activated lights. My enclosed car hauler trailer has brakes that are locked down unless its plugged into a truck, and I have a breaker inside the trailer so i can keep them off to keep anyone from messing with it... Namely my brother...

 

I know what im doing tomorrow. I have a wood flat bed so its not ike they can get the paint out. GREAT IDEA!!!

 

Paint it top and bottom.

 

Larry,

I am sorry to hear of your loss. Hopefully, you will have a good adjuster.

Hogan

 

Larry,

I am sorry to hear of your loss. Hopefully, you will have a good adjuster.

Hogan

 

But as said, the lock may be the weak link...

 

I for one would not count on these ideas 100 percent, sure it will keep most thieves away, but a quick loop of chain to hang the trailer off the truck hitch and they can get away.

 

Locks only keep honest people out/away from stuff, all a person can do is make it as inconvienent as possible to take....such as a removable hitch ect. If someone wants it bad enough they will take it no matter what you do!

 

WTF is wrong with people.

 

i was in the back yard with my dad when the asses tried stealing his single axle utility trailer from his front yard. they had the wrong ball and it kept falling off while they were taking off. my dad went to the front and said dammit they stole my trailer i started looking around and it was up against his neighbors house three houses down. the kicker is his neighbor across the street was on his roof watching the hole thing and never said a damn thing

 

Hey folks, been around a while reading the posts but I had to put in my 2 cents here. Having been a cop I can tell you there is nothing you can do to stop a determined thief. Sure you can slow them down but if you got it and they want it bad enough they will get it.
I have been making removable trailer tongues for friends for a while now and so far they haven't taken their trailers, yet. I just cut the hitch off the trailer, and bought receiver tube, welded it in and put the latch on the hitch tube. Slide it in, put in a hitch pin and there you go.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions! I can't believe I didn't think of removing the wheels, duh! I know my next trailer will also be modified to be able to remove the ball hitch.
As stated, they will most likely get it if they want it bad enough but I want to make it as difficult as possible. Boy, I'd like to be there with my 12ga when they show up next time. I guess I might consider a camera or two just to see what is happening when I'm not there. Thanks again.

 

Now that is a great idea! They would be a sitting duck and wouldn't know it.

 

One of the best deals out there infrared flash game cameras. It won't keep it from being stolen but you can give the cops a good pictire of who took it.

 

Just had someone come on my 6 acres and empty two of my sheds. Motion lights and a shotgun don't do squat when it's broad daylight and you're not home. Sheriff found most of my stuff two days later at a pawn shop. I probably won't see any of it for a couple months but at least it's safe. Good luck with your trailer and do as much footwork as possible and report everything to the police. Any info is good info.

 

Friend of mine builds and modifies a lot of trailers for farmers and boat people. He started offering a trailer tongue for the boat people that could be extended at the ramp. It worked so well that he now offers a removable tongue on all his custom trailers and he does retrofits as well. A trailer without a hitch and tongue is hard to steal.