Stolen Trailer

[Shadow66]

Well, my first time out on the Ocean and had a great time. Then we got back and found our brand new Magic Tilt Aluminum trailer had been stolen. It was locked to the hitch and to the reciever and the ball lift was locked.

Boat sat on the ramp and called a local dealer who came and picked us up and asked for nothing. I want to thank Renken boat center in Charleston, SC (Robbie Renken who picked us up) for doing that...they are awesome.

If you are in Charleston and you go to the Wapoo cut boat ramp near the Wappoo river bridge I was told by them that quite a few trailers have been stolen within the last year from that landing.

Not sure why really.

There may a great demand for trailers, but mine was a custom trailer for a 180LX Stingray. A boat would have to be a 180 LX or LS. Unless they are scrapping it for the aluminum.

If anyone sees a new trailer for sale on craigslist (magic tilt, for an 18' boat) or anywhere else in the vacinity that seems suspicious please let me know.

Thanks.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Stolen Trailer

There's only one thing to say...

THAT SUCKS

 

[iBrent]

Re: Stolen Trailer

Well, my first time out on the Ocean and had a great time. Then we got back and found our brand new Magic Tilt Aluminum trailer had been stolen. It was locked to the hitch and to the reciever and the ball lift was locked.

That's exactly what I have for security for my trailer. How did they end up taking it?

 

[Shadow66]

Re: Stolen Trailer

That's exactly what I have for security for my trailer. How did they end up taking it?

They must have brought some sort of a saw or God knows what and broke off my Master Pin lock and took the reciever from my truck. Who does that? Jesus.

 

[GrindKore]

Re: Stolen Trailer

Wow, that sucks. I can't imagine ruining a nice day out by having your trailer or truck stolen. I assume you have already contacted LEO and are filing an insurance claim. However, does the ramp have surveillance video or perhaps a nearby business that the thief had to drive past?

Simple vehicle description and post it on the flier at all marinas and public ramps in the area will likely nail the SOB. In all likelihood this is one criminal is causing all these thefts in the area. How many times do you see an empty boat trialed being hauled? It happens, but it?s rare enough to be scrutinized especially if thefts are common in the area.

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Stolen Trailer

They must have brought some sort of a saw or God knows what and broke off my Master Pin lock and took the reciever from my truck. Who does that? Jesus.

A Gaw%&$*Dam theif

 

[rb8484]

Re: Stolen Trailer

WOW.....what a bummer. I hate crooks! Sorry for the loss......hope insurence takes care of it for you!!

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Stolen Trailer

As to how it was stolen, I have a guess.

I once had my wife drive the boat to a ramp about 20' from our dock. We were going to leave directly from the ramp and were on a tight schedule. I went to put the trailer on the the truck and oops, the key to the coupler lock was on the boat! Not wanting to waste the 40 minutes to go get the key, I used a saws all to cut the lock, it took about 30 seconds.

It was a master lock, came as a set specifically for a coupler and receiver. Complete waste of money.

 

[CAVU V]

Re: Stolen Trailer

I have always felt the locks keep the honest people honest.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Stolen Trailer

Doesn't matter how you lock it, if they want it they will get it. Short of a wheel boot I don't know what else you could do.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Stolen Trailer

I am sorry to hear that man.

 

[LilMan]

Re: Stolen Trailer

I have always felt the locks keep the honest people honest.

Yeah, if a thief wants it they will get it.

Sorry about your trailer man. That is a shame. I hope you can find it.

 

[Shadow66]

Re: Stolen Trailer

I was thinking of a wheel boot (or cable) from now on. The police said they never heard of someone taking a lock off.

What concerns me is that apparently this area is "well known" for stolen trailers. I spoke with the guy at Tire Kingdom here yesterday and he said "Oh yeah, that landing is famous for that."

It's in a decent area, with LOTS of people around and next to a major roadway. I have parked my trailer mainly in barren areas with no issues. Now if this area is so "famous" for that, why not post signs or put up cameras or have someoine stake out the place on a Monday or Tuesday (which I'm thinking of doing)?

Again the worst part was having a great outing, and having no way to get the boat off the water let alone home.

I will have to throw mud and crap all over the trailer and make it look old. Insurance from BoatUS will take about 30 days for a stolen vehicle in case of recovery. They were crazy actually. They had their people out within 20 minutes scouring the area going to different landings. The main guy who I spoke with said there were 5 others in the area looking out so I gave a detailed description.

I also agree with what someone said here about boat trailers without boats. It happens but it is rare and should always be suspect...from now on it will be for me. I will follow the guy if I have to (hopefully he's not driving 500 miles).

 

[dwhite1031]

Re: Stolen Trailer

Major highway close by.......that's what they wanted. They grabbed the trailer, hit that thoroughfare and were gone. Probably took them less than 5 minutes to grab and go. I hear the media saying that the increase in crime such as thefts and robberies is due to the bad economy.....I say BS....a thief is a thief in good times or bad and lower than a snake's "daddy parts". I hope you get your trailer back or the insurance takes care of you. These idiots' luck will run out sooner or later.​

 

[SeanT]

Re: Stolen Trailer

Jack-knife the damn thing behind your truck up against a tree. But then I suppose they just take the truck.

 

[david_r]

Re: Stolen Trailer

I was thinking of a wheel boot (or cable) from now on. The police said they never heard of someone taking a lock off.

What concerns me is that apparently this area is "well known" for stolen trailers. I spoke with the guy at Tire Kingdom here yesterday and he said "Oh yeah, that landing is famous for that."

It's in a decent area, with LOTS of people around and next to a major roadway. I have parked my trailer mainly in barren areas with no issues. Now if this area is so "famous" for that, why not post signs or put up cameras or have someoine stake out the place on a Monday or Tuesday (which I'm thinking of doing)?

i would count that trailer as a loss.................... especially if your local pd are so stupid they have never seen anyone cut a lock to steel something............... that really burns my ***................. every cop involved in that conversation should be fired and forced to pay back all his wages for how ever long hes been a cop........... cause he sure aint no public servant.

as far as a steak-out goes..........yeah you would think they would like to catch someone trying to commit a crime.............. instead they are worried about whos wearing seat belts...............

im not trying to attack police done get me wrong............. but come on people lets get our priorities straight, and yes i have friends and family in law inforcement.......... from our local pd, sheriffs office, game warden, and federal....and thats just the family side of it............. and none of them can answer my questions about harrassing people for going 5mph too fast or giving a $25 seatbelt ticket when people are being robbed, women are being raped, people are being killed, and children are being abused.............. the best answer i have been given is time, money , and manpower.... tickets bring in more money than catching a thief and having to do all that paper work.

ok ive griped long enough.................. just hope i dont get zapped/in trouble by mods................... but someone needed to state the obvious.......... it aint getting any better the way things are being ran

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Stolen Trailer

This is getting off topic, but David_r, the answer to your question is money. Police need to supplement their budgets and tickets and enforcement are purely alternative revenue streams (or indirect taxation). It's not an individual cops fault, but the system as a whole.

Either way, it doesn't get Shadow's trailer back. We all pay insurance and take the basic precautions against theft. I expect these things to happen, just like rain on a camping trip. I'm prepared if it does but hope that it doesn't.

Good luck getting your new rig Shadow.

 

[Shadow66]

Re: Stolen Trailer

I suppose my main concern now is just not locking myself in judgement. I do not want to isolate myself by not boating in these great areas because someone stole the trailer. I have to find a way to just keep it safe and realize there are folks out there that feel so damn lacking they have to steal.

I am thankful to God that I don't feel I have to steal at all. When I was a kid I used to think about it "What if I had that...I could just take it..." But now it never even crosses my mind. Maybe we all think that way when we are kids...maybe some of us just keep feeling lack all the time. I don't know.

I think the boot was a great suggestion. I also have a cable (thick one for motorcycle) lock I can wrap around a tire. Does anyone know how long it takes to put that trailer boot on and off? I think I saw one at Cabelas.

Any other (fairly stealthy) suggestions on locking the trailer would be good.

I don't expect the trailer back now. We found a bunch of vague listings on Craigslist yesterday but some were ligit after we checked. There is just no way to tell which is stolen since some of the ligit ones are so badly written and suspicious also.

I already ordered the same exact trailer from the same dealer. I can't wait 30 days for them, the Summer is ticking away.

 

[dlindeblad]

Re: Stolen Trailer

I found that these locks work the best.

http://www.masterlock.com/cgi-bin/s...l/highsecurity/&style_id=A4&sub_style_id=C473

They are not thief proof, but it sure makes it hard for some punk to get a set of cutters or saw in there.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Stolen Trailer

You could paint your trailer some really heinous color. They'd be afraid to swipe such an identifiable trailer.