Trailer / Outboard Motor Theft Protection Ideas

We have low life thugs committing smash and grabs in our area from time to time as well. Seems that security cameras, vigilance, and stiffer sentences might be our best line of defense. There are some informative videos online as to how many of the trailer locks on the market take less than 2 minutes to break. I mention this because newer trailers are targeted also. https://youtu.be/-Lq6_N5K1L4 There is some rust/patina looking paints that some sportsmen are using to decoy their trailers from these thugs prowling ramp parking areas. The thugs take wheels as well as the entire trailer. Reese Towpower 7030600 Professional 5/8" Chrome Receiver Lock and Coupler Lock; https://youtu.be/NrI-2Q-P9SU ; Trimax TCL275 Medium Deluxe Keyed Alike Wheel Chock Lock, (Pack of 2) ; RJ Lock - Nut replacement/Lock for Trailer Ball - Prevent Trailer Theft ;Trimax TDBC22516 2" and 2-5/16" Chrome Tow Ball; (homemade ss outboard motor lock) https://youtu.be/_y0paeuVEtU ;MegaHitch Lock Trek Lock for 2-7/8 and 3 5/16 Couplers . Dock-N-Loc Boat Anti-Theft Device A friend researched these as some of the better options on the market hope it helps someone.

A well placed 240 grain piece of lead will stop a lot of that from happening. I hate thieves and scumbags

You're right on crappiepappa!!

A well lit parking area is first on the list of how to keep the scummies away. Secondly google "motion alarms boat" and check out what is available.
As far as hitch locks they are easy to defeat if the scummy has the space and time. A battery powered side grinder with a 4" cut-off wheel will make quick work of almost any hitch lock. The key is not giving the scummy a quiet dark and secluded place to work. Lights and alarms.

One thing I heard about .... the thieves were not taking the time or making the noise to cut the trailer hitch lock, but instead were simply bringing a wrench and taking the nut off the trailer ball. Then they'd just roll the trailer away from the vehicle & hitch it up to theirs, and off they go in under a few minutes. They'd deal with the lock once they were safely away from the scene.

The "fix" I heard about ... some people were welding the nut to the trailer ball.

I welded mine . You can put in a vice and a pipe wrench will take it off .

Yep...I welded mine years ago

Years ago when I got my Crestliner, I went over this topic in detail with the marina. He smiled. "Ya know, if a thief is intent on getting your stuff, there's nothing on this God's earth you can do to absolutely prevent it." You can put locks on your wheel nuts.....locks on your tongue bolts..... trailer ball locks......engine and TM locks.....etc....etc..... But is there any sure fired way to prevent theft?

I do not believe it exists. About all you can do is lock up what you can and hope for the best. Life is a crap shoot and if your ticket is up.....it's up. I prefer to look at the positive side and live my life as best I can with minimal worry. Life is too short. JMO.

This is the motion alarm I installed inside my locked rod locker. It's pretty loud, especially in the middle of the night in a campground. remote control turns it on and off.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The welded trailer ball thwarts that type of thief, but there are those that just compromise the lock that secures the hitch to the ball. Some of these thugs are relieving boat owners, of their trailers, while the vehicle and trailer are in the ramp parking lots. While shooting them is a definite deterrent, I highly recommend consulting your local laws beforehand so that one of these idiots do not wind up your roommate for the foreseeable future. Typically these individuals are compromising several popular locks on the market without the use of a grinder, because on the noise. YouTube has several videos showing how this is done, and yes thugs watch YouTube also (lol). The locks I listed are some of the best prevention devices I’ve seen. I hope this thread will generate ideas from members so that we can lessen our risk of loss.

There is two times when out boats and trailers are vulnerable. The post I made earlier is for when it is parked at our homes at the campground overnight. The other time our trailers are at risk is when we are out on the water. A few years ago I was strapping down my boat on the trailer when a boat came into the launch ramp and the fellow started yelling about his trailer being gone. It seems that he had locked the tongue to the hitch, but being a receiver hitch the thieves has just pulled the pin, backed the trailer out on the jack wheel and then inserted the hitch into the receiver on their truck and took off. I think a lock on the receiver might have thwarted the thieves as they normally look for easy prey. But as someone above said "If they want it bad enough they will get it." Then only good insurance will help relieve some of the pain.