How to prevent theft?

[Scooch_2]

So yestersday my wife got a call from the sheriff asking if she owned a jon boat and if she knew its wherabouts? Never a good question.... Turns out someone stole it from the dock at the back of my house. It was found about 1/2 a mile upstream dragged about 50 feet out of the water. They stole both batteries, my anchors and all my ropes. They left my seats and boat cover. I think they wanted the 35hp outboard, but they couldn't due to the outboard lock. 2 Sheriffs helped me drag it down to the water and a car battery and the trolling motor (that I keep inside) got me home. They also stole the plug (probably just to tick me off).<br /><br />So other than improving the lighting at my dock, and chaining he boat up to the dock, any suggestions on hot to keep the losers away ? I was thinking of trying to adapt one of those laptop cable lock that have a siren on them to make noise if anyone tries to remove the cover?

 

[JasonJ]

Re: How to prevent theft?

Maybe a long cable ran under a bench seat and up through something solidly mounted on the dock with one of those Master locks with the 1/2 inch loop. Dirtbag thieves go after targets of opportunity, and that might make it too much work for them. Since it is your dock, does you homeowners insurance cover the dock and what is docked there?

 

[JB]

Re: How to prevent theft?

Had that happen to me many years ago, Scooch.<br />My boat was chained to the slip in a locked boathouse. They came in by water, cut the chain and took off. <br /><br />Like you, I got a call from the WP. They tried to sink my boat after cutting the engine lock and cleaning out everything, but Boston Whalers wont sink even with the plug out and about half a ton of rocks in it.<br /><br />After that I have always kept my boats on a trailer with a hitch lock on it or in a guarded marina. Of course at The Hideout it would be suicide to try to steal one of my boats or anything else around.

 

[Scooch_2]

Re: How to prevent theft?

I don't think the homeowner's insurance won't cover it, but my boat insurance. But.... I'm betting that the replacement cost of the goods stolen will be less and my deductable.<br /><br />I'm thinking I will go with the long cable to more secure the thing. Still want to find a noise maker that will wake me or my neighbors up if the idiots come back at night. Maybe the gators will get em next time.<br /><br />Not that thrives have any brains to begin with, but these guys didn't even have a knife. The ropes they couldn't untie, they burned and melted until the get them off.

 

[Bob in Calif.]

Re: How to prevent theft?

If you have electrical power to the dock, you might consider installing a motion sensitive flood light setup, with two bulbs. One pointing at your docked boat and the other pointing at your house. <br /><br /> ...Bob in Calif...

 

[roscoe]

Re: How to prevent theft?

I'm thinking a cable hooked to the bow, under water. Put a weight triggered switch under a rubber mat in the boat. The switch triggers a high speed winch that whips the boat up onto the shore, where a large steel cage falls from the trees and traps the thieves.

 

[Bondo]

Re: How to prevent theft?

How bout a cable tied to the collar of a Very Large Pit-Bull......

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: How to prevent theft?

You're in FLA, look for a pet gator named Elvis. Cheap to keep and very effective.

 

[dhammann]

Re: How to prevent theft?

An electric fence charger and small wire will light up their night and their screams will wake you up so you can call the sheriff ( or shoot them)

 

[Rick K]

Re: How to prevent theft?

I keep a Ruger .243 handy for just such an emergency. It's a wonderful anti-theft tool, and works great for hunting too!<br /><br />A couple of strategically placed bullets over the head of a would-be scumbag usually keeps them in line.

 

[DJ]

Re: How to prevent theft?

You CANNOT prevent it, only discourage it. Locks and cables/chains etc only keeps the honest people honest. Of which, there are fewer and fewer everyday.<br /><br />Lights are the best answer. Thieves do not like the possibilty of being discovered.

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: How to prevent theft?

I had a friend that had the same problem he solved this by getting the following Items.<br /><br />1. Strong chain.<br />2. Spot & flood Lights<br />3. 2 motion sensors<br />4. Police Siren<br />5. Large doberman.<br /><br />The chain was run thru the stern I and through the piling, was also encased in thick flexable tubing.<br /><br />The spot and flood lightas were connected to one of the motion sensors and lit up the dock, boat, and yard.<br /><br />The other motion sensor was set uo to just cover the boat with a short detection range and set for the shortest time 1 minute, and then connected to the police siren. Trust me when I say it would scare the @&*$% out of you.<br /><br />And if that didn't stop you the siren woke up the Dog.

 

[jam39vw995]

Re: How to prevent theft?

I agree with almost every suggestion so far. <br /><br />A large dog is a great deterrant to theft.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: How to prevent theft?

Take it the next step and install some of that X10 stuff. You could hook a motion sensor/Floodlight/Camera combo to the dial out transceiver and you could see who did it and get notified exactly when. You could also activate a siren. This is cool stuff and pretty inexpensive.<br /><br />www.x10.com

 

[Topmason]

Re: How to prevent theft?

I had my Glasply sitting on the trailer outside of my storage unit for sale for ONE night.<br />Totally fenced in and locked up, the thieves used bolt cutters to get through the cyclone fence, then had to cut a 3/8 galvanized chain in 3 places and cut the padlock to get to my 8hp Honda trolling motor.<br />Luckily I had the cabin locked or they'd been able to get to all the electronics and gear as well.<br />This all happened on a well lit street corner.<br />Brazin bastages, they are!

 

[BR549]

Re: How to prevent theft?

For my lake cabin so far the best deterrent has been neighbors with better stuff. Only thing I can think of that has not been mentioned is to use one of those game cameras - at least you might get a picture of the lowlife. Really not much you can do to prevent a determined thief, just try to eliminate the crimes of opportunity.

 

[Scooch_2]

Re: How to prevent theft?

Thanks everyone for the tips. I like the dog idea, but my two brilliant dogs would most likely bring the thieves the keys to the boat. I'm going to get an additional motion light and some chain/cable.

 

[BrianFD]

Re: How to prevent theft?

roscoe, your reply reminds me of that old board game, "Mouse Trap!!", lol!<br />I got a little worried last year on a vacation trip to Lake Cumberland, KY. At the Jamestown Lodge, because of limited parking space, you can't keep your trailer with your car. They provide a 'secure' lot (right!! NOT!) to park your trailer. Went to the local KMart and bought a Master trailer hitch lock for $20. Don't know if it would stop a would-be thief, but it gave me peace of mind that the trailer would still be there after a week of boating (kept the boat at the rented slip, viewable from my room). I know that wouldn't help you, Scooch, in your situation. Also, don't know how far your dock is from your house, but when I was having problems with my daughter sneaking out of her bedroom window, I found a battery-powered window alarm (also at KMart) that used magnets to keep the alarm contacts open. When the window was opened, the alarm went off. Maybe you could adapt something like that? It was pretty loud, but other than scare the bejeebers out of 'em, don't know if you'd hear it from very far away. My $0.02...<br />Brian

 

[11 footer]

Re: How to prevent theft?

Lights are all I would put up. Its no use spending time and money to try to stop theft, it someone wants to steel something and they put their mind to it they are gonna do it, no matter what you do.<br /><br />My dad and I stopped for lunch at the place in sumervill, MA its a city right next to boston. He parked his truck right outside the window, it was a buzy place too, someone stole everything that was in the tool box. It was locked but they smashed the lock and busted it open, they stole about $700-$1,000 worth of stuff......nothing we could have done to stop it, it was just someone with big balls who got away with it.<br /><br />Just get insurance.

 

[jam39vw995]

Re: How to prevent theft?

I love this thread. <br /><br />Everything from killer dogs, neighours with better stuff, bullets, electrocution, and noises loud enough to burst ear drums. <br /><br />I just thought of something in addition to chains, locks, lights etc. I do this with my truck or car. Take the rotor or some other key ignition component with you. No way it will start and how many theives carry a selection of ignition components?<br /><br />Theives are basically lazy, if you make it too much work they'll head to the neighours who have better stuff anyway.