MY PIN LOCK--- and my rejects

[geotex1]

If thieves want it, and have enough time they will defeat any lock.
I don't obsess over it, that's what insurance is for.

Fortunately, ours is berthed at home when not on the road. My Goosebox wears a keep the honest, honest lock. However, should anyone dishonest be involved, we have the coverage, but it will also be an event because everyone in the campground or neighborhood will hear it and it's not going to roll easily... Amazing what you can build out of a pile of relays, wires, and left over DEI components...

[dryfly]

Fortunately, ours is berthed at home when not on the road. My Goosebox wears a keep the honest, honest lock. However, should anyone dishonest be involved, we have the coverage, but it will also be an event because everyone in the campground or neighborhood will hear it and it's not going to roll easily... Amazing what you can build out of a pile of relays, wires, and left over DEI components...

I've often thought about building something like you are using. Since I doubt there are any "trailer thiefs" monitoring this forum, could you give us some basics on how your system works?

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Hmmm.And then there's me. Stored out front of the house (rural area), no lock on the King pin, storage doors left unlocked, entrance door unlocked.
Has anybody on the forum had a trailer stolen from their home? I get storage areas, thieves have ages to defeat locks and get way without anybody noticing.

[Hoopy Frood]

TBH, I've read of more trailers stolen from peoples' home storage than from any other place. OTOH, I don't think there's an epidemic of trailer thefts.

[geotex1]

I've often thought about building something like you are using. Since I doubt there are any "trailer thiefs" monitoring this forum, could you give us some basics on how your system works?

Very much like a car alarm with immobilizer. Used an old Python 790xv brain and fobs. Cannot get to my coach's battery, so not easily defeated. Armed, and it cuts the ability to raise the jacks. Set it off, there's obnoxious sirens and it energizes the brakes clamping them full force. Did a neat little modification with a line lock solenoid so as to not cook my hydraulic actuator. Alarm triggered by mercury tilt switch and a little something else of my own design. After having some things stolen during last year's travels, I've also put magnetic contacts on all compartment doors. Cost me nothing but time as I had everything from decades of my passion for cars... And yes, I hooked up all the exterior lights to flash if set off as well so everyone in earshot or view is going to know!

[geotex1]

TBH, I've read of more trailers stolen from peoples' home storage than from any other place. OTOH, I don't think there's an epidemic of trailer thefts.

If you look at crime stats over the pandemic, RV thefts were way up. There was an real market for parts for those flipping campers. Now it's been targeted theft of eBikes, generators and cordless tools because every YouTube RVer has to display all their toys... So...

[trailrydr]

We use a simple cheap CURT 23255 king pin lock. Anything someone wants into can be defeated. IMO, there are several 5ers in our secure storage area and some have a form of lock and others dont, the likely thief will go after the easier ones without. And if they do decide to take ours we got coverage for it with full replacement cost. Just dont want it back after they destroy or damage it. We also put on the lock at CGs too when unhooked and camping..... again, usually plenty out there without locks to choose from besides ours.

[dryfly]

Very much like a car alarm with immobilizer. Used an old Python 790xv brain and fobs. Cannot get to my coach's battery, so not easily defeated. Armed, and it cuts the ability to raise the jacks. Set it off, there's obnoxious sirens and it energizes the brakes clamping them full force. Did a neat little modification with a line lock solenoid so as to not cook my hydraulic actuator. Alarm triggered by mercury tilt switch and a little something else of my own design. After having some things stolen during last year's travels, I've also put magnetic contacts on all compartment doors. Cost me nothing but time as I had everything from decades of my passion for cars... And yes, I hooked up all the exterior lights to flash if set off as well so everyone in earshot or view is going to know!

Very clever design!

Although not near as effective, I'm thinking a simple hidden switch to the 12vdc supply of my Ground Control system would prevent all jacks from being raised. I'm not concerned about theft at my home, but the day may come when campground theft may be even more of an issue.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

If you look at crime stats over the pandemic, RV thefts were way up. There was an real market for parts for those flipping campers. Now it's been targeted theft of eBikes, generators and cordless tools because every YouTube RVer has to display all their toys... So...

I tried finding stats.
Best I could find was 115 RV's stolen in 2021. That was Canada and USA combined. Texas and Cali being the worst. Of those 115 reported stolen, 82% travel trailers. 2.5% fifth wheels. https://www.rvtravel.com/stolen-rv-protect-rvt-1069/

They could still be way up over previous years, but the numbers are pretty low. So I think your chances of waking up to your trailer gone are pretty slim.

I like the idea of preventing theft by leaving slides out. No one is gonna try pulling that down the road...lol

[geotex1]

I tried finding stats.
Best I could find was 115 RV's stolen in 2021. That was Canada and USA combined. Texas and Cali being the worst. Of those 115 reported stolen, 82% travel trailers. 2.5% fifth wheels. https://www.rvtravel.com/stolen-rv-protect-rvt-1069/

They could still be way up over previous years, but the numbers are pretty low. So I think your chances of waking up to your trailer gone are pretty slim.

I like the idea of preventing theft by leaving slides out. No one is gonna try pulling that down the road...lol

No, the data is incorrect. Up until recently, theft of campers were lumped into either vehicle thefts for motorcoach and trailers for towables. Very few PDs made any distinction in the US. However, during thr pandemic spike, a number of insurers banded together to fund research to go back 5 years of thefts in several major metro to actually delineate the true picture. The numbers were in the thousands just from those snapshots. Overwhelming majority from storage facilities, which is why insurers are now wanting the whereabouts of where stored. In the bigger pictures, statistically per number of Americans, RV theft is low. However, focusing on the group only being RV community, that statistic is more concerning. The question is whether RV theft is now boutique like exotic cars and targeted? I wear no tinfoil hat, but statistics are tangible... Further, I truly attribute YouTube RVers and the huge influx into this subculture to the rise in campground thefts. All the decades we've camped, tent through RV, with no issue at all to having been hit a couple times in completely different parts of the country! It's not the loss of stuff that gets to me, but the degrading of the subculture my wife and I have enjoyed our entire lives...