No, not mine!A friend at work, also a LEO, had his '96 popup stolen out of his front driveway this morning at about 3am. His dog started barking like crazy and when he got up to see what was wrong, the trailer was gone! He immediately called dispatch. As it happens, not too far away, a deputy saw a truck pulling a popup drive right by him, the popup had magnetic tow lights on it. He thought, "That seems weird." and pulled in behind it just as the call aired. The plate matched and the deputy stopped the vehicle. The suspects were NOT cooperative and had to be taken out a gunpoint. Trailer recovered with no damage, 2 in custody!The suspects had one of those tow hitches with three different size balls on it, several tow chains and magnetic tow lights like tow trucks use. One suspect was from CA and the other a local CO resident. No motive yet.My friend usually locks the coupler and chains a wheel, but his son borrowed it recently and forgot to lock it up!Be aware out there with the camping season beginning!-Lab

Yea, there's always someone out there trying to take advantage. I'm starting to think that prison should be run like a "work camp". You don't work - you don't eat.Oh and I think "PINK" definitely should be the color of choice for prisoners....

too bad they weren't a tad more uncooperative when stopped and then we wouldn't be faced with them back on the street. glad his PU was recovered.

Wow they really had this planned. To be that prepared, I wonder what the TV was?

Wow. Glad the perps were caught so quickly and the trailer recovered so quickly. I think I'll go check the ball lock on my TT right now, not that it would be possible to get my rig out because it has to go across a muddy plain right now due to the excessive rains we've had this last week.

Wow - talk about serendipity!! Just think of all the unlocked RVs/utility trailers those guys won't be stealing, now that they've been caught. Sounds like they made a habit of this since they were well-prepared; and that's kind of scary.In the event of something like that being stolen.... there's a website called searchtempest.com that will search websites like ebay and Craig's list for huge distances; assuming these guys were going to resell the popup. I had a friend who recovered a stolen kayak by watching these "local" sales websites.

Stolen Trailer This Morning | Good Sam Community

24 Replies

down_home
Explorer II
May 10, 2013
mlts22 wrote:
3 dog nights wrote:
mlts22 wrote:
Anywhere someone can back a vehicle up seems like fair game these days, even if it is on someone's property.

I always recommend to people to get the Gorilla "The System" locking lug nuts (which every single lug nut gets replaced), and a high test security chain for the wheels with a serious padlock (I use ABUS, Medeco, Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, Kryptonite, or SOBO as brands for something I consider "real" security.) Add to that a long shackled padlock and a hitch lock (although those both can be bypassed by using hitch chains.)

So they just back a lowboy up to it and drag it on. Take it to their shop and work on it at their convenience.
If they want it, they will get it. Insurance!

Very true. Or even without a lowboy, a cordless angle grinder will make short work of almost anything. However, there is a point where security ends, and insurance policies begin. I make sure that someone at least has to work some for their ill-gotten gains.

I've found the best bang for buck is making sure your stuff is secured just a bit better than everyone else. You don't have to outrun the bear, just not be the slowest guy fleeing.

Our local Dealer use to and probably still does loose quite aa few sets of tires and wheels, catalytic converters and vehicles. Asked him why he didn't put up a fence. The idea was it was too expensive, hurt business etc and they have insurance.
ddschuman
Explorer
May 10, 2013
I heard of a TT getting stolen yesterday in broad daylight from a used car lot in a small town 20 miles from me. How they were able to get hooked up and the jack raised without anyone noticing is beyond me ( the dealership was open at the time and the lot is on a busy hwy) but they did. An employee/manager/owner (not sure which) saw the trailer leaving and managed to get a picture with his cell phone of the vehicle & TT as it hurriedly took out of the lot. Although the picture was a tad blurry, the vehicle was identified as a white Cadillac Escalade. This is a crazy world we live in.
mlts22
Explorer II
May 10, 2013
3 dog nights wrote:
mlts22 wrote:
Anywhere someone can back a vehicle up seems like fair game these days, even if it is on someone's property.

I always recommend to people to get the Gorilla "The System" locking lug nuts (which every single lug nut gets replaced), and a high test security chain for the wheels with a serious padlock (I use ABUS, Medeco, Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, Kryptonite, or SOBO as brands for something I consider "real" security.) Add to that a long shackled padlock and a hitch lock (although those both can be bypassed by using hitch chains.)

So they just back a lowboy up to it and drag it on. Take it to their shop and work on it at their convenience.
If they want it, they will get it. Insurance!

Very true. Or even without a lowboy, a cordless angle grinder will make short work of almost anything. However, there is a point where security ends, and insurance policies begin. I make sure that someone at least has to work some for their ill-gotten gains.

I've found the best bang for buck is making sure your stuff is secured just a bit better than everyone else. You don't have to outrun the bear, just not be the slowest guy fleeing.
slickest1
Explorer
May 10, 2013
The bad part is now you have to provide them with a roof over their heads and three squares a day. But then again Bubba's waiting.
noe-place
Explorer
May 10, 2013
Around our part of the country these goofs like to steal utility trailers that are unsecured. Also they love the local tractor dealers that leave display models near the highway. We used to have a tractor a month disappear off the local dealer lots till we caught them. They'd back up with a trailer, load the tractor and be gone before you could blink. Now all the dealers (cars, agriculture equipment, rental places) have bright lighting.
JJBIRISH
Explorer
May 10, 2013
click

click
Pool
Explorer
May 09, 2013
rk911 wrote:
too bad they weren't a tad more uncooperative when stopped and then we wouldn't be faced with them back on the street. glad his PU was recovered.

X2
3_dog_nights
Explorer
May 09, 2013
mlts22 wrote:
Anywhere someone can back a vehicle up seems like fair game these days, even if it is on someone's property.

I always recommend to people to get the Gorilla "The System" locking lug nuts (which every single lug nut gets replaced), and a high test security chain for the wheels with a serious padlock (I use ABUS, Medeco, Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, Kryptonite, or SOBO as brands for something I consider "real" security.) Add to that a long shackled padlock and a hitch lock (although those both can be bypassed by using hitch chains.)

So they just back a lowboy up to it and drag it on. Take it to their shop and work on it at their convenience.
If they want it, they will get it. Insurance!
Water-Bug
Explorer II
May 09, 2013
Bucky Badger wrote:
Just goes to show that home are no safer than storage lots...What a shame

Except, if the trailer was at a storage lot, it would have been gone for weeks befor being reported missing. Like all crime, the first 24 hours are usually key to recovery and solution of the crime.
mlts22
Explorer II
May 09, 2013
Anywhere someone can back a vehicle up seems like fair game these days, even if it is on someone's property.

I always recommend to people to get the Gorilla "The System" locking lug nuts (which every single lug nut gets replaced), and a high test security chain for the wheels with a serious padlock (I use ABUS, Medeco, Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, Kryptonite, or SOBO as brands for something I consider "real" security.) Add to that a long shackled padlock and a hitch lock (although those both can be bypassed by using hitch chains.)