Worrying findings show that trailer theft in the UK has gone up by 69% in 2022. What’s more, it’s expected to further increase as trailers are in high demand and sold at inflated costs. Keep reading this guide by Trackershop to find out what you can do to protect your own trailer.
Fitting a GPS tracking device
In case someone steals your trailer, a GPS tracking device will be able to trace its live location accurately. Such trackers allow you to view where your trailer is. All you need to do is install the app on a device such as your phone, tablet, or computer and track the trailer’s previous and current movements.
GPS trackers enable nonstop protection by offering instant alerts should anything happen to your trailer. Such monitoring gadgets also let you set alarms for places you choose to select so that you’ll always know if your trailer is in a certain spot or if it leaves a particular area.
How does the trailer tracker work?
Tracking devices use GPS technology to send signals to receivers. The receivers process the signals they receive in order to accurately gather the live location and speed. The Global Positioning System (GPS) has 27 satellites that orbit the planet once every 12 hours to send signals to receivers. There are many stations in the world that control this system by receiving signals from satellites and transforming that information into data about location and speed.
Other ways to protect your trailer
While fitting a trailer tracker is the most efficient way to ensure your trailer’s protection, there are other things you can do, as well. They are the following:
Getting wheel clamps
Wheel clamps make a great deterrent and anti-theft device by holding the trailer in place and being easy to spot, thereby putting thieves off stealing. Wheel clamps make your trailer’s wheels immobilised completely, which is also helpful when you park the trailer on an incline, as it will keep it in place. Wheel clamps are available in many different sizes and designs, so you’re spoilt for choice when looking for these immobilisers.
Purchasing hitch locks
You might think that a trailer is safe if it’s hitched to a car, but that isn’t actually the case. An efficient hitch lock is going to secure the trailer to the tow bar. Criminals are able to bypass such a hitch lock, although it takes much more effort. The best thing you can do is combine the hitch lock with the wheel clamps and increase your trailer’s protection in this way. There’s a wide variety of hitch locks available on the market, as well.
Buying wheel locks
Wheel locks represent yet another effective method of immobilising your trailer. As the name suggests, they work by immobilising the wheels with locks, also called locking wheel nuts. They replace the lug nuts on the outer side of the wheel. You only remove such locks with a special key. The locking wheel nuts are also diverse in size and design.
