As aluminum trailer manufacturers have become more popular, the price of component parts and resale value has also created an incentive for people to steal trailers right off of a hitch. This especially happens overnight or in remote areas. Trailers themselves usually do not have alarms that trucks have. Fortunately, there are some common-sense strategies you can use to avoid being a victim. 

1. Install Hitch Locks and Wheel Locks 

Any measure that makes unhitching more difficult for a thief, adds time to their process and creates inefficiencies will reduce their chances of success.

• Hitch pin locks will stop a thief from being able to remove the hitch pin. They will not be able to separate the trailer from the hitch.
• Ball pin locks will stop an unhitched trailer from being able to be re-hitched to a new trailer. If by some degree of bad luck, the thief is able to pick the lock on your hitch, they won’t be able to move the trailer anywhere.
• Wheel locks are more cumbersome but achieve a similar goal. Adding a piece of solid metal that clips onto your tire will make it significantly more difficult for the thief to get away with your trailer. 

2. Chain It Up

This is probably the most straightforward and inexpensive solution. Park your trailer next to a tall, sturdy pole. Unhitch it from the truck, then take a large chain and wind it through the frame of the trailer and around the pole. The thicker the gauge of the chain, the less likely it will be that a thief with bolt cutters can get through it. 

3. Park in Crowded Areas

Where witnesses are few, crime can increase. If you park in a remote area, you stand a greater risk of having your trailer stolen. Crowded areas provide the “safety in numbers” often needed to deter crime. Character is who you are when no one is looking. If a person is actively attempting to dismantle locks and chains, it is likely that someone nearby will see or hear, and intervene. 

4. Simple Security

An 18mm hardened steel U-lock (similar to what cyclists use) may also boost security. These locks are relatively inexpensive and may be used by themselves, or in addition to the other strategies mentioned above.

Another clever idea is to use a decoy lock. Think about a time you walked around a neighbourhood and saw a sign that says “Smile! You’re on camera!” Whether or not the camera is actively filming (or even plugged in) is unknown to you, but it probably gives you an uneasy feeling about breaching the property. 

Decoy locks work similarly. Find a basic chain and padlock. Loop it around the hitch a couple of times. You may not even need to latch it or know where the key is. Simply having a chain visible may be enough to deter a would-be thief when considering which trailer to target. 

Millroad: An Aluminum Trailer Manufacturer Who Cares 

We’ve put a lot of time and energy into ensuring that our customers go home with a trailer that is superior to others on the market. That’s why we hate to hear when a customer’s aluminum trailer has been stolen. We want to help you stay informed about the risks and use common-sense strategies for theft prevention. 

We also know that our previous customers tend to come back again, oftentimes referring their friends to us. If you are visiting our website for the first time, use this form to contact us. We’d love to outfit you with the best-performing custom trailers in Canada.