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Preventing Trailer Theft


Cool Ghoul

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Oliver owners have posted a variety of theft prevention locks, chains, coupler locks, etc. While a determined and well equipped thief can defeat almost any theft prevention device, it is worth remembering - The vast majority of places we camp/park our Oliver's  are usually not high theft areas. It is jut not a target rich environment  - especially if your out boondocking.

I use a lock and coupler covering device that would be hard to overcome - but not impossible - heck just unbolt the coupler off the frame. Run a HD hardened chain through the wheels, works but still - defeatable. 

I'm one that doesn't worry about it much. Casual theft - may be a larger risk - breaking into the RV, stealing chairs, grills, etc,  is perhaps something that happens more frequently, but I've not experienced it in 40+ years.

Oliver's are very rare - a stolen one would be rather simple to find I would think. A few all points bulletins posted here and on the FB place would have a good response I would think.  

RB

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Cindy,  Russell and  "Harley dog" . Home is our little farm near Winchester TN

2018 Oliver Legacy Elite II - 2018 GMC 2500 Duramax 

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I always use a relatively inexpensive lock on the bulldog hitch in order to "prevent" someone from casually lifting the lever which closes the hitch around the ball.  I had this happen once some twenty years ago while parked in a motel lot and I almost didn't see it before leaving.  BoB makes good points above, particularly regarding prevention while traveling.  While in storage I use two hitch locks plus a "boot".  There are some owners that use devices that can track the Oliver.  Good luck.

Bill

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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I use this bulldog hitch with a disk lock when we’re hooked up and when we’re not.

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I use this in addition to the above when we’re not hooked up.  It was a door prize at a past Oliver rally.  Seems to work okay.  They are all just deterents!

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Edited by Mike and Carol
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Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

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BackofBeyond said it best. It is difficult to justify spending too much on a lock when the hitch can simply be removed. Insurance is the best form of protection.

If you are looking for something better than the average lock, this is the best I've seen for bulldog style couplers:

https://www.provenlocks.com/products/model-2178-b

https://besttrailerlocks.com/ appears to sell blemished versions of the above lock but I can't vouch for the company

Edited by Jairon
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The bulldog collar that Mike pictured is a great preventive mischief device. We've had that from pretty much day one. 

Some kind of device that fills the hitch ball space,  like mike's, or even a 2" bearing that John Davies has used, or the proven lock, etc. All are fine. We have something similar, but inferior to Mike's.  

We have a good insurance policy, as well, and call it done .

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I know prices vary, age, driving record, and deductibles etc,  plus it's a bit of a personal question but can some give a range of guesstimates on about how much "full" coverage would cost on a fully optioned Ollie 2? (I'm currently in Mexico without yet U.S. coverage.)

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Bikerabbi... You need to go to some of the insurance company sites and fill out the “give me a quote” page. There is no other way to get a very meaningful answer. Prudential charges me $450 annually, with the Ollie stored inside a secure garage in a small city. Experienced RVer. No roadside assistance. Full replacement for five years, then after that, what I paid for the trailer. If somebody here says $1500 or $2500, how can that help you to get a price for your particular situation? And mine is not for Mexico, that is for sure! If you want trailer security there, make sure it comes with a full auto selector. Get a quote.😀

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited by John E Davies

SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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I pretty much agree with the insurance thing, since we store our trailer at our home I do not lock the trailer from thief there and when camping in campgrounds I don't there either. I'm not a person who locks up everything with locks, or devices that I have to spend time with, I just use the commonsense method and that is, if you pickup around the campsite and don't invite thieves, you probably won't have a problem. If I worried about everytime I went to Walmart and had to lockup and put up everything, I would spend all my time packing and unpacking. I've been camping for 40 plus years and to date we have lost nothing to a thief, only the raccoons. 

 

trainman

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2019 RAM 1500, 5.7 Hemi, 4X4, Crew Cab, 5'7" bed, Towing Package, 3.92 Gears.

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I like the bull dog collar as well nice little insurance when your towing , the rest is only going to stop the amateur thief and make you fell good, still need to do it just to keep people honest. Things we have to do to help society out. Safe travels enjoy and go camping. 

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Gary & Jona

2016 Silverado 2500 Diesel

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have a Ring battery cam I may try to stick up somewhere (since I already have the stuff) and stream to the cloud (requires getting a Ring plan). And yeah, it requires wifi, but the "deterrent" effect of it might even help, some, never know. I have an electric plugin one as well, and the blinking light with night vision may be a little 'disconcerting' at least, to the average criminal. (O/T, most criminals aren't exactly Einsteins. To wit, I used this set up once to catch a creep harassing me at a sticks and bricks residence. Idiot kept coming by in the middle of the night, making threats. Total stranger (drunk, yelling threats, put a small boulder on the hood of my car, and no it wasn't a bad 'hood). The cops came and saw the footage, Lots of it. Kind of a slam dunk. The game is to do your best to not be the low-hanging fruit. I once had neighbors who left their cars unlocked on their driveways and sent panicked emails to everyone in the development (HOA, shudder) about their car "being broken into." I did a lot of eyerolls. 

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5 hours ago, SherMica said:

I once had neighbors who left their cars unlocked on their driveways and sent panicked emails to everyone in the development (HOA, shudder) about their car "being broken into." I did a lot of eyerolls. 

Welcome back to the forum, I hope you can post some pics and tell us how you are adjusting to your new Ollie lifestyle.

The other way to look at break-ins is to put everything of value, including paperwork, garage remote, etc,  in a small bugout bag, and take it into the house each and every night. Leave the car doors unlocked, a thief will open them and look in the glovebox and console and leave. Lock it up, you end up with a busted window or jimmied lock, and possibly weather (water) damage to the interior. If it is a polite crook you may never even know he was there..... unless you find him asleep in the back.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited by John E Davies
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SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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6 hours ago, SherMica said:

The game is to do your best to not be the low-hanging fruit.

Reminds me of the saying that you don't need to be able to outrun a bear. You just have to run faster than your friend.

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Jim and  Yanna, Woodinville WA

2004 Ford E250 camper conversion

Oliver Elite II hull #709

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On 12/27/2020 at 12:52 AM, John E Davies said:

Bikerabbi... You need to go to some of the insurance company sites and fill out the “give me a quote” page. There is no other way to get a very meaningful answer. Prudential charges me $450 annually, with the Ollie stored inside a secure garage in a small city. Experienced RVer. No roadside assistance. Full replacement for five years, then after that, what I paid for the trailer. If somebody here says $1500 or $2500, how can that help you to get a price for your particular situation? And mine is not for Mexico, that is for sure! If you want trailer security there, make sure it comes with a full auto selector. Get a quote.😀

John Davies

Spokane WA

Thanks.  I sorta new that. I'm putting numbers together as I move back to the States.  Just looking for a few random numbers.

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On 12/8/2020 at 9:33 AM, BackofBeyond said:

Oliver's are very rare - a stolen one would be rather simple to find I would think. A few all points bulletins posted here and on the FB place would have a good response I would think.  

RB

And if you have theft coverage, the insurance company will do the work to search and locate.  They have the means to do that and the incentive to find it as they don't want to have to buy you another Oliver.  On the downside, think of the time you'd have to wait for a new one!!!

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Ray and Susan Huff

Elite II Twin "Pearl" - Hull#699; delivered December 7, 2020

2013 F350 6.7l diesel Super Duty 4x4 long bed crew cab

1UP-USA Heavy-duty bike rack

2017 Leisure Travel Van Unity Twin Bed (sold)

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If you choose to use nothing to secure the Bulldog coupler, and someone hooks up your Ollie and drives off with it, know that you can contact nearby emergency rooms as, most likely, the thief will have ripped off his finger while engaging the Bulldog ! ! !

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Ray and Susan Huff

Elite II Twin "Pearl" - Hull#699; delivered December 7, 2020

2013 F350 6.7l diesel Super Duty 4x4 long bed crew cab

1UP-USA Heavy-duty bike rack

2017 Leisure Travel Van Unity Twin Bed (sold)

AZARCAIDNVNMOKORTNTXUTWAsm.jpg

 

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On 1/14/2021 at 7:37 PM, Ray and Susan Huff said:

And if you have theft coverage, the insurance company will do the work to search and locate.  They have the means to do that and the incentive to find it as they don't want to have to buy you another Oliver.  On the downside, think of the time you'd have to wait for a new one!!!

And I guess with today's technology a GPS tracker should be an easy, 

necessary add on.

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