Stolen TT - a word of advise

[3_0charlie]

My TT (in signature) was stolen last night on a well lit parking lot, which is located next to my father-in-law home. I have very little faith of ever finding it, and I'm not sure I would want to use it again. Now that being said, it was secured with twin Master locks:

The tongue coupler style (like this: Tongue Master Lock) and the tongue lock was secured with a Master U-lock. None of the 2 locks were found nearby.

The policeman explained that the thieves back up with a towing truck. They attach chains and hooks to the tongue, and lift the A-frame. They then travel to a safe location nearby to remove the locks. There they hook up to a pick-up and off they go into the night.

Next trailer will be secured with twin 3/4" chains: into the trailer wheels, and one to a tree. Heck, I might even remove a wheel.

*******s.

Now to lease a TT for our trip, which is suppose to start this Saturday.

John

[time2roll]

down home wrote:
Nowhere is safe. We caught two people, two weeks ago casing our place. They stopped, on the road and were taking photos, of two flowers and a spruce? Went up the road somewhere turned around and came back by very slow. Two days later Son In Law and I were on the porch again when the very same vehicle, slowed to a very slow crawl this time and went past. They went up the road somewhere turned around and came back very slow looking at two flowers and a spruce?
Son says they are breaking in around the county. I don't talk much with our Policeman the last few years. Guess I need to inquire.

I recommend you start snapping pictures of these people as they drive by.
No need to be conspicuous.

[mikegt4]

Nowhere is safe. We caught two people, two weeks ago casing our place. They stopped, on the road and were taking photos, of two flowers and a spruce? Went up the road somewhere turned around and came back by very slow. Two days later Son In Law and I were on the porch again when the very same vehicle, slowed to a very slow crawl this time and went past. They went up the road somewhere turned around and came back very slow looking at two flowers and a spruce?
Son says they are breaking in around the county. I don't talk much with our Policeman the last few years. Guess I need to inquire.

The next time that they come by run out and take pictures of them, their car and plate number. Make sure that they see you doing it. Unless they are real stupid (a distinct possibility) they won't be back.

Show the photos to your local police, they may be looking for them.

[Ric_Flair]

homedad wrote:
There's crime in Canada?

Not only that, it's full of Canadians!

[down_home]

mikegt4 wrote:
3.0charlie, glad to see that you got it back relatively intact.

After following this thread from the beginning I am surprised (maybe I shouldn't be) of how naive people are to the world around them. Padlocks, chains, even removing the wheels are NOT going to slow down a thief especially with the battery powered cut-off tools common today. A thief with a tow truck and a cut-off saw isn't committing a crime of opportunity.

Perhaps it is because most members of this forum are of the baby boomer generation (including me) that grew up in an era were people were honest and property was respected. Those days are gone. Also boomers have been living in wealthier, safer neighborhoods well insulated from the underbelly of todays society.

Don't take this as a rant or sermon, just my observation.

Nowhere is safe. We caught two people, two weeks ago casing our place. They stopped, on the road and were taking photos, of two flowers and a spruce? Went up the road somewhere turned around and came back by very slow. Two days later Son In Law and I were on the porch again when the very same vehicle, slowed to a very slow crawl this time and went past. They went up the road somewhere turned around and came back very slow looking at two flowers and a spruce?
Son says they are breaking in around the county. I don't talk much with our Policeman the last few years. Guess I need to inquire.

[rollingslow]

freon and a hammer will open any lock in 10 secends

[3_0charlie]

I concur; I have been looking at the various 'safety tools' that are available... they will all fail at one time, depending on the method used by the thief.

I'm considering ordering a Denver Boot, so the petty thief looks at the neighbor's TT - not mine.

Now, for the one that really wants my rig, I ordered one of those (Retrievor), a solar-powered GPS tracking device. Small enough to be concealed on the roof. Can send a position once a day so the battery should last for a very long time (and be recharged by the solar panel), and you can set up a perimeter on a map so if the sensor is carried past, it will send a text message.

I found it pretty neat.

[spoon059]

Glad you got it back and relatively unscathed. Unfortunately there is no way to stop someone from stealing something if they want it bad enough.

One method no one has mentioned is freezing the metal and hitting it with a hammer. My brother in law is in the AC business. He carries liquid nitrogen in a tank. I was showing him my old trailer receiver lock that was rusted on. He blasted it with nitrogen and hit it with a hammer, it shattered. Wasn't even that loud.

All you are doing is trying to make yourself less of a target. Make it so they steal from your neighbor, not you. Unfortunately someone is always the easier or more desirable target.

[mikegt4]

3.0charlie, glad to see that you got it back relatively intact.

After following this thread from the beginning I am surprised (maybe I shouldn't be) of how naive people are to the world around them. Padlocks, chains, even removing the wheels are NOT going to slow down a thief especially with the battery powered cut-off tools common today. A thief with a tow truck and a cut-off saw isn't committing a crime of opportunity.

Perhaps it is because most members of this forum are of the baby boomer generation (including me) that grew up in an era were people were honest and property was respected. Those days are gone. Also boomers have been living in wealthier, safer neighborhoods well insulated from the underbelly of todays society.

Don't take this as a rant or sermon, just my observation.

[3_0charlie]

Interesting questions, who did it... The TT was found on a private lot 20 miles away. From the information I gathered, no relationship with anyone around where the TT was stowed. I have many ideas why it was stolen, but I think we'll never know the exact one.

The lot owners are back from vacation this Saturday, the Provincial Police are waiting on them for interrogation. We'll see.

[CavemanCharlie]

3.0charlie wrote:
An update. Provincial Police found the TT last night, and I made a visit this afternoon to see the damage done. I was expecting some serious issues, like an interior torn apart, torn frame... but no.

Biggest damage is to the rear bay window, which they tore apart a smaller window to gain access to the inside. Main window is unaffected though. The electric tongue jack leg took a hit, and needs replacement. All locks have been removed from the inside - I found the screws at the door sills. The slide-out is not fully retracted, but is sticking out at both ends from an equal distance - like it's simply not fully closed.

They stole most personal belongings, but the large items are still present? Like the Arvika bike rack, the PI EMS, the water filter - heck, even the RhinoFlex black water hose is still there. The Reese DC arms and chains are accounted for, just like the spring bars (I built a rack for the bars, they are still there...).

I'm pretty sure it was not used for the 3 weeks it was stolen. Tables and countertop surfaces a clean, fridge is clean, bathroom is impeccable.... Weird.

John

Let me be the first to say . COOOOOL!!! :C I'm glad you found it back! SEE, I told you there was hope. You just never know.

I'm sorry you lost some of your personal stuff. They must have been after one item and were not that interested in everything else. They just took it as long as they were in there.

Now the next question is who did it??? Because they didn't strip it or turn it into a meth lab then in my opinion it was maybe someone that was keeping a close eye on it. Might even be someone you know, or someone that a person you know, knows. Neighbors got any teenage kids???

[3_0charlie]

K3WE wrote:

3.0charlie wrote:

CavemanCharlie wrote:
Might as well post a picture on here too. You just never know.

Why not.

Why not?

Because now we know you are one of those half ton TV types that are the scourge of the earth.

Maybe the weight police just confiscated your rig for said violations.

Thank you, you made me smile. I needed that.

As of tonight, the TT is in at my favorite RV place, for a complete inspection: from the axles to the roof, and of all systems (electrical, plumbing, propane). I spent a few hours next to it, and I'm very surprised by the little amount of damage - rear window hinge being the biggest one. Though for the rest of the season, it can simply be sealed, and replaced once the large, complete bay window is received from Dutchmen.

[CANAMKID]

Glad you have it back

[hawkeye-08]

3.0charlie wrote:
An update. Provincial Police found the TT last night, and I made a visit this afternoon to see the damage done. I was expecting some serious issues, like an interior torn apart, torn frame... but no.

Biggest damage is to the rear bay window, which they tore apart a smaller window to gain access to the inside. Main window is unaffected though. The electric tongue jack leg took a hit, and needs replacement. All locks have been removed from the inside - I found the screws at the door sills. The slide-out is not fully retracted, but is sticking out at both ends from an equal distance - like it's simply not fully closed.

They stole most personal belongings, but the large items are still present? Like the Arvika bike rack, the PI EMS, the water filter - heck, even the RhinoFlex black water hose is still there. The Reese DC arms and chains are accounted for, just like the spring bars (I built a rack for the bars, they are still there...).

I'm pretty sure it was not used for the 3 weeks it was stolen. Tables and countertop surfaces a clean, fridge is clean, bathroom is impeccable.... Weird.

John

Hopefully you can get it fixed back up. Around here, the stolen items often show up on craigslist for sale.

[RoyB]

It certainly is hard to deal with the thieves when they carry these two tools with them... Only takes a few seconds to cut through your defenses...



It is amazing what damage this little DREMEL tool will do as well...


Roy ken