If you own a trailer, you need to take a few steps to keep both your trailer and the items in it safe from theft. You can deter many thieves just by taking a few simple steps every time you stop your trailer and using a few inexpensive pieces of equipment.
Try Not To Advertise Your Belongings
The first way to protect your motorcycle trailer is to make sure it is not an appealing target for thieves. Although custom logos and designs can look amazing, you may want to select a more subtle, plain paint job to make sure you do not draw too much unnecessary attention to your trailer. Unless you are actively loading or unloading items, keep your trailer doors closed so that curious people cannot peek in and assess whether you have anything worth stealing.
Finally, avoid commenting on the contents of your trailer in public spaces. Letting people know that you have thousands of dollars worth of equipment sitting in the parking lot while you are at a bar can inspire a thief that otherwise has no intention of taking your belongings.
Keep the Trailer Attached to the Towing Vehicle
A common way to steal trailers is called a drive-off and involves a thief simply hitching your trailer to their vehicle and driving away with it. This allows them to open the trailer at their leisure. One of the best ways to prevent this is to keep the trailer attached to its pulling vehicle with a hitch lock in place, making it difficult or impossible to unhitch the trailer without the appropriate key or code. It is important to make sure the vehicle towing the trailer is properly secured when you leave it so that the thief cannot steal your whole rig.
Other Methods to Prevent Drive-offs
If you cannot keep your trailer attached to the towing vehicle, you should consider installing other methods to prevent a drive off. You can add a hitch-lock, which will lock the trailer hitch even if it is not attached to a vehicle.
Alternatively or additionally, you can install a high-quality wheel lock, also called a wheel boot, to make it difficult to drive away if the thief attaches the trailer to a vehicle with webbing or rope. Wheel locks come in a variety of styles and prices, and it is important to make sure you buy a quality lock that covers your lug nuts and cannot be easily broken or bent and removed.
Prevent Access to the Interior of the Trailer
If a thief cannot drive off with your trailer, they may try to access the belongings in it. You should always keep your doors shut and locked when the trailer is not being actively used. You should also install an alarm system to let you know if someone accesses your trailer without your permission. Although a sign that a trailer is protected by an alarm can be a helpful deterrent, not placing a sign and having a loud alarm that goes off and surprises a thief may cause an inexperienced thief to quickly abandon their task.
Keep Yourself Informed About the Status and Location of Your Trailer
With modern advancements in technology, it is easy to connect an alarm system to your smart phone. You can also install a device on your trailer to let you know the location of your trailer at all times. Many modern tracking devices are cheap and easy to use with a smartphone. These options can keep you informed about where your trailer is and let you know if there is a problem so that you can handle it yourself or notify the proper authorities about it.
For more information on how to secure a trailer, or for help finding one that will meet your needs, look for enclosed motorcylce trailer sales in your area.
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