Trailer thieves. .. bypassing your hitch lock

Slightly sideways but related.
Two weeks ago, our numberplates were stolen. Never heard a thing, and as the dog (inside) didn't bark I think we can 'not' accuse a certain ethnic group for this one...
A week later, noticed another car in the same street with similar empty spot on it's rear...

$26 here (WA) for new plates, and around $20 for various 'Security' screws.

Yes, I know, just look up youtube for a quick how-to remove those 'non-unscrewable' Security Screws....
But, being a devious old(er) bugger, .....
,
Trick is - and you need safe access INside the boot lid - to only tighten up the screws as much as needed to stop the rattling, then lock-nut it with a second nut. - and liberal amounts of the appropriate loctite, for good measure add a third nut as a locker...

- Brains Trust comes along... "undoes" the bolt-head and wonders why it's spinning freely and not coming out.
One or two 'Security' screws or nut/bolt sets should be enough to dissuade most of the idiots.
But making it obvious, that you're Serious, with various 'security screws, pop-rivets and allen-heads, non-reversables and lots of them, should get the message across.
Failing that, and for front mounts, perhaps filing the edges to make them "challenging". At worst, they may leave some DNA behind !

Checked a newish Mercedes, , and the rear plates are mounted onto short PLASTIC pillars ! Totally insecure....

Yeah, had our plates stolen too. First I knew is when a Police Officer called me and asked if we had had any plates stolen. I said 'No, don't think so'. She asked me to go look and sure enough, they were gone off SWMBO car.

While the plates cost here, the Cop Shop keeps a big box of various security screws which they hand out free of charge when asked. 👍

Got back from annual leave to learn that thieves stole from work, and a few business nearby, the water meters (and possibly some kind of valve as well). They turn off the water then just chop the copper pipe and meter & valve out. Apparently it was happening last year too. The cops caught someone last year. Wonder if he's out and doing it again.

I am currently rebuilding my old camper.
When i get the top off and access to the chassis i plan to wire in a permanent gps alarm thing.
Plus when ever my camper is outside my house its got my cameras pointed at it as does every other house in the street so very secure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DAMINK

I am currently rebuilding my old camper.
When i get the top off and access to the chassis i plan to wire in a permanent gps alarm thing.
Plus when ever my camper is outside my house its got my cameras pointed at it as does every other house in the street so very secure.

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There is always blury camera footage of peoples stuff getting stolen on the facebook groups. It doesn't seem to achieve much sadly. A camera does not stop stuff getting stolen. If there was a camera pointing to something I wanted to steal it. I'd just smash the camera or wear a cap and look down ..... seems to work for everyone else.

Nothing will stop a determined theif (Well being there and smashing there knees with a baseball bat might work). But you can't be there watching all of the time!

seeya,
Shane L.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

There is always blury camera footage of peoples stuff getting stolen on the facebook groups. It doesn't seem to achieve much sadly. A camera does not stop stuff getting stolen. If there was a camera pointing to something I wanted to steal it. I'd just smash the camera or wear a cap and look down ..... seems to work for everyone else.

Nothing will stop a determined theif (Well being there and smashing there knees with a baseball bat might work). But you can't be there watching all of the time!

seeya,
Shane L.

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hahah yea some muppets did exactly that to my cameras about 6 months ago. My cameras record and recorded them smashing it and everything else they did. I think they assumed when you smash the camera you destroy the recordings as well hahahahhah.

I knew instantly who it was. My cameras also broadcast live so i can watch then anywhere anytime.

More importantly is the GPS tracker and alarm i plan to install in the chassis.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6QsAA...Xy7/s-l500.jpg

Thats the king of unit i am thinking of buying, well investigating at this point.
Need to get my head around the network issues though. If 3g gets replaced by 4g for example.
But assuming there is a unit like this that is capable of long term connection (atleast 3 years) then i will get it and install it while the chassis is exposed.

Seems to me to be the best insurance against theft. To be notified early and to be able to track them prevents them from doing too much before you get it back.
And im sure the coppers will love the tracking device. Makes there job easy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DAMINK

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6QsAA...Xy7/s-l500.jpg

Thats the king of unit i am thinking of buying, well investigating at this point.
Need to get my head around the network issues though. If 3g gets replaced by 4g for example.
But assuming there is a unit like this that is capable of long term connection (atleast 3 years) then i will get it and install it while the chassis is exposed.

Seems to me to be the best insurance against theft. To be notified early and to be able to track them prevents them from doing too much before you get it back.
And im sure the coppers will love the tracking device. Makes there job easy.

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And of course when ever someone post`s something like this i go off on a tangent [bighmmm]
Found this and it seems to tick all the box`s at a good price [thumbsupbig]
GPS TRACKER

Of not much use installing a GPS receiver or a mobile network transmitter inside a chassis. Installing it where it can't be seen, eg on the underneath of a low shelf providing it can still receive GPS signals and its transmissions can be heard would be more likely to succeed in providing tracking data.

those gps trackers will be great in a caravan..... no good at all on a trailer though. On a caravan you would hook it to the house battery that is charged all the time by the solar panels. However if you put it on a trailer .... You might remember to charge it for .... maybe 6weeks... before it becomes a useless flat transmitter. If you leave your trailer plugged in the first thing the theives will do is follow the charging lead to the unit... then smash or remove the gps unit.

I have been going in circles trying to figure out a way of doing this in the past too.

seeya,
Shane L.