Avoid Trailer Theft. Are you a landscaper who keeps his equipment on a trailer? A farmer that keeps many of his tools with him in his truck as he visits place to place? Or could you be the sweets driver that carries his Little Debbie supplies in his trailer while making rounds at stores dropping off orders? If you can relate to any situation such as these, and you’ve experienced the theft of your trailer, or the loss of some equipment, then you could be considering different types of anti-theft precautions. Below, you’ll be able to learn more information about recent thefts in the US.
FreightWatch International (FWI) reports the most stolen of vehicle/cargo type is trailers/containers. This is followedng behind at a close second would be deceptive pickup, and thirdly last-mile courier.
Stolen Cargo Stats:
- foods (19%)
- electronics (16%)
- gardening goods (14%)
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The report states 90% of the stolen goods taken happened when cargo was left stationary or unattended. Additionally 87% of trailer theft occurred to what FreightWatch deems as “unsecured parking.” Had these vehicles been parked in a well-lit area, the trailer theft not have happened.
In order to avoid situations of trailer theft, here are some tips to help keep your things safe.
Use your surroundings to your advantage
Park near buildings and other cars. Thieves are less likely to pry open your cargo doors when other people are present around, or near security cameras.
Watch the things you say
“Loose lips sinking ships” as the old World War II saying goes. Be aware as to who knows what is carried in your load and where it may be going. This warning goes on to social media such as Facebook and Twitter, thieves take a safe bet that what the destination is for the cargo is on your social media page.
Maintain awareness at all times
Being aware of the situation at all times. It is the key to safety.
If you’re being followed or tailed
It’s common to be on the highway, or in a busy suburb, when working. Determine if you are followed. Slow down. Change lanes. If the vehicle passes, write down or snap a picture of the license number. However, if the vehicle continues to follow, then try getting off at the next exit. If they still continue to follow, and you are a hundred percent sure that you may encounter a problem, contact your fleet manager or the police.
Use padlocks on trailer doors
Though it may sound simple and low-tech, but it does work. Use a professional grade padlock. Also, if budgets allow install a security system:
- Satellite controlled locking pins
- Huck-bolted hardware and frames
- Horizontal pins
- Brightly colored undercoating
Trailer theft sky rocketed in Oklahoma since the beginning of 2015. Oklahoma’s KOCO found unregistered trailers are more often targeted then sold at auctions or flea markets. One officer goes on to say, “Just last year alone, trailer theft added up to 2 million dollars.”
Avoid the Problem
There’s an easy solution; the box truck. The box truck, also known as cube truck, cube van, rolling toaster, box van, or straight truck, is a truck that provides you with more security than what a trailer could. A box truck provides you with a space that is secure. The box on the vehicle is difficult to removed and switched over, unlike a trailer. These trucks also provide more room, less trips, and things blowing out whilst driving (unlike the open ended trailer).
Protection Tips
- Tinting windows
- Requiring all drivers to remove or hide all valuables out of site
- Installing alarms on the vehicle
- And adopting a layered anti-trailer theft program
At Truck-n-Trailer, we can customize any truck to suit your specific needs. We have already taken it upon ourselves to create a customized landscaping truck. No matter what type of request you have or business you are in, our team of truck specialist will work with you to develop the best solution for your truck needs!
For more information on how you can obtain a box truck today, call us at 405.912.5800!
