How to keep thieves from stealing our 16' trailer?

[Blue_Warbler]

We have a small camping/travel trailer that we're leaving at home when we're snow birding. We bought it this year and were wondering how to secure it. Removing the wheels, chaining it to a tree, or? We don't have a garage. Thanks.

[mgirardo]

patperry2766 wrote:
2nd, get some kind of wifi motion sensor camera that can send pics/videos to your phone. There are several hunting trail cameras that can do the job but you have to look at battery life. Some of them can be a few weeks to a few months. Position them for the most visibility of your camera while being as covertly hidden as possible. We have a Ring doorbell that works great for guarding our front porch. They have also expanded their offerings to security cameras as well.

Reolink makes a battery operated camera that can be recharged with a small solar panel. The Argus 2 with the optional solar panel is about $160. It is wireless, so doesn't need to be wired to the internet. It also accepts up to a 64 GB microSD card that records video on. No subscription cloud service needed. The video can be viewed from a computer and through the app on a mobile device. It can also be download to give to law enforcement if needed. I have several Reolink Cameras and find them to work very well, day and night.

Cameras won't deter theft, but you will record it happening and hopefully help law enforcement.

-Michael

[patperry2766]

In addition to what others have said and if your leaving it at home, I'd get a couple of motion activated lights. They don't have to be expensive. Amazon has some solar rechargeable lights that you can place anywhere.

2nd, get some kind of wifi motion sensor camera that can send pics/videos to your phone. There are several hunting trail cameras that can do the job but you have to look at battery life. Some of them can be a few weeks to a few months. Position them for the most visibility of your camera while being as covertly hidden as possible. We have a Ring doorbell that works great for guarding our front porch. They have also expanded their offerings to security cameras as well.

We get almost instantaneous response to our phone anytime the doorbell or motion is triggered. At least we might have a pretty decent pic/video of someone who is messing with our stuff in case something is stolen.

3rd, have good neighbors who will keep an eye on things.

4th, get a couple of signs to put around the house that the property is being monitored. You can get some fake but realistic security cameras to mount around the perimeter of the house if you don't want to spring for the real deal.

Bottom line is that a determined thief will take whatever they want, the goal is to deter the opportunistic thief who just wants to make a quick steal with minimal risk.

https://www.trailcampro.com/collections/trail-camera-reviews/products/spypoint-link-dark-at-t

https://shop.ring.com/collections/security-cams

[colliehauler]

If you live in a high theft area I would take the wheels off. All the locks mentioned can be easily cut off with a battery powered tool or bolt cutters. Turning the trailer around where the tongue faces the house is another. Thieves are opportunist and lazy looking for a easy target. Motion-sensing lights is another along with security cameras. The more difficult you make it the more likely they are to move on to a easier target. I take it you already have full coverage insurance?

Personally I would take it down to your seasonal and use it for side trips to different areas and explore. A bonus is you don't need a motel for the trip down and back. The drawback is having a place to store it at the seasonal.

[valhalla360]

Insurance...

Reality if it looks overly secure, they might think it's worth stealing and if you make it hard, they can destroy it doing more damage to find out what's inside.

[goducks10]

Put Thor stickers on it. Consensus is most think Thor is bad.

[OkieGene]

Get a roll of yellow crime scene tape and a roll of biohazard tape, wrap well around the trailer. If you can get one, a sign on the door reading Crime Scene, Do Not Enter, Contagious, Blood and Pathogens inside.

I'm kidding.....Or maybe not.

[Rover_Bill]

Call or stop by some of the RV parks near you. Even though they may be officially closed for the season, the park owner may offer winter storage on his site for a very cheap rate (some near me charge only $30/mo). Your modest TT will not appear as juicy target as the FW's being stored in the same lot.

[CincyGus]

Fastway one step chocks secure the tandem tires and have a place to put a pad lock through them so they can't be removed without cutting the lock. That and a hitch lock would require two things to be cut which is a bigger deterrent than most make their campers to be. Putting a chain around the other set of tires or somewhere else on the camper would be cut 3. AT that point, you've got a very determined thief with obviously a low traffic area with no one around the area that is making them the least bit scared they will be caught.

I use the hitch lock in my driveway, even if I'm gone for a week but it's a relatively safe neighborhood with plenty of activity (school close, older neighbors that are home all day working in their yards and visible, etc. That and being fully insured and I just don't worry about it at that point.

[BobsYourUncle]

If you have to leave it there, get one of those little 12V electric motorized trailer moving dollies. Then turn it around 180 degrees and put the hitch end up against something like a house, garage, tree or whatever so nobody can back up to it.
Then get one or two of those wheel immobilizer locks and secure the most visible wheel.
Then get a high end hitch/tongue lock. And for good measure, some stout high grade chain, around an axle to a tree or light pole. Or the hitch to some immovable object.
A motion sensor with some floodlights trained on the area will help too.

When a thief sees all that, they will move on to the next target.

[romore]

Sometimes thieves destroy what they can't easily steal. Take reasonable steps like a coupler lock or parking a secured vehicle in front of it then insure for replacement value. Now enjoy your weekend and quit fretting about something that has a slim chance of happening, b&e is more likely than outright theft.

[Trackrig]

Take the wheels off of it and park another vehicle in front of it. If you don't have a vehicle you leave at home while gone, I'm sure one of the neighbors have one they'd like to park someplace else.

Granted my TT is parked in the fenced back yard and the snow prevents anyone from getting to it, the neighbor parks several of snowplow trucks in my large driveway when we're gone. It gets them out of his driveway and works for both of us.

Bill

[donn0128]

Boot it!

[Lwiddis]

Move to a better neighborhood?

[dave17352]

Know anybody with some property that you can park it at for a small fee. Somebody with a acreage. Do you live in a secluded area I can't see it being stolen from a typical neighborhood.

[rhagfo]

Store it in a gated key code access both in and out storage facility with video security.