# Beware of how your equipment trailer locks



## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I have a typical 6ft x 12ft enclosed trailer like many contractors have and so many bands use to haul their equipment around in. Mine had an attempted break in today, and I want to make anyone who might be using a trailer like this aware of how easy it is to pull the whole locking assembly off the door.








The latch assembly is held onto the door with really nice looking "tamper-proof" Torx bolts. But all they had to do was put a pry bar in there and those really nice bolts pulled right through the door. The outside is thin sheet metal, the inside of the door is 1/8" plywood. This is the side door. The rear door is a ramp and being a ramp, it is built much tougher. 

If your band trailer has a door like this, you need to reinforce the inside of the door with some 1/8" or better metal where the 2 mounting bolts for the latch comes through to keep the bolts from pulling through the door.
This happened really quick. A smash & grab interrupted.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

interrupted,... as in you got to it in time and they didn't get to anything? 

hopefully


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

Yes, interrupted as in they ran & drove away before they could get inside. Wife says my timing sucks, but I dunno, it was pretty good today.


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## Ricktoberfest (Jun 22, 2014)

Many of our guys use these trailers for construction. It’s also incredibly common to skip the lock and just grind the aluminum handle


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

There's a dozen easy ways into those trailers. Best way to guard them is to park them tight against walls so the doors can't swing open.


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2018)

Skinny crackheads can still squeeze between the wall and the bumper.


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## BSTheTech (Sep 30, 2015)

Lincoln said:


> Yes, interrupted as in they ran & drove away before they could get inside. Wife says my timing sucks, but I dunno, it was pretty good today.


They'll be back.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

cboutilier said:


> There's a dozen easy ways into those trailers. Best way to guard them is to park them tight against walls so the doors can't swing open.


This is what we do most of the time. The other thing is, insure your gear.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I dont have a closed trailer, just a reg 4 X 8 dumper that I use for the cabs , gear and drums. I cover them up with a super thick tar... I never leave anything outside or un-garded... To dangerous these days...

Real happy for you that they were unsuccesfull but I fear that they might come back...


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

BSTheTech said:


> They'll be back.





Frenchy99 said:


> but I fear that they might come back...


I took everything of any value out of there, and leaned a bunch of heavy objects up against the inside of the door. Who ever opens that door is going to learn a few new dance steps.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I WON'T DO IT AGAIN I PROMI....errr, gawd people are assholes.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Wire a motion detector so a light goes on if anyone approaches it along with a sensor that goes off in your house.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Attach a few charged 500V capacitors to the handles.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Steadfastly said:


> Wire a motion detector so a light goes on if anyone approaches it along with a sensor that goes off in your house.


The sensor idea is good, however i would skip the house one. If you have that trailer for work its at the house the least.


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

Wire it with explosives. If you can't have your gear no one can.


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## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

A friend of mine is in a very busy originals/cover band, and they have a trailer like this. No matter how often they gig, it is unloaded every time! He actually takes the lock off too. If someone tries to break in, they don't have too. It's basically open. No damage done by would-be thieves trying to get into an empty trailer. If, and this is rare, if they leave it loaded, he squeezes it into his garage. I know this is not an option for everyone, but the empty unlocked thing is. Unless you find a homeless dude in there every morning.


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## Captn Platypus (May 27, 2017)

Good to know. Going to be touring cross country with a trailer this spring/summer. Big concern is also having the whole thing stolen right off the hitch. At least once we make it out east we will have somewhere to lock it up for the week, but makes me really nervous.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

@Captn Platypus Insurance. I don't think you'll ever stop the pro's, but you can sure slow down the tweekers and the kiddies. Good locks, wheel locks/chocks, and always be aware of your surroundings. The more out in the open you can leave your truck & trailer, the better. Lights, traffic, busy roads, are all your friends.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

When we first opened our shop over 10 years ago we were robbed less than 3 months in. The main target was a Cash Store that was located right next door at the time. They defeated not only our security system but also a much more elaborate system in the cash store. They lifted a safe off their floor that was screwed into the concrete floor and made off with the whole thing. Almost 2 years later I got a call from the cops after they caught them for numerous break ins. They had a Ocean's 11 type warehouse setup with all kinds of security systems for training purposes. They trashed our shop just for the fun of it and stole the computers and whatever else turned them on. They threw bleach all over the place as well. What I learned from that is if they want in bad enough they are going to get in. I would not leave any valuables in a trailer. If you have not been robbed yet it is purely luck.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Captn Platypus said:


> Good to know. Going to be touring cross country with a trailer this spring/summer. Big concern is also having the whole thing stolen right off the hitch. At least once we make it out east we will have somewhere to lock it up for the week, but makes me really nervous.


Why are you detaching it at all on tour?? Sleep in the van, avoid sketchy areas at all costs.


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## Captn Platypus (May 27, 2017)

@Budda we’ll only be detatching on a “break” on tour. We will be at Canadian Music Week and only playing one or two shows during the week that we are there. This way we’ll have a vehicle to get around but can have the trailer and everything locked up safe for the rest of the time.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Captn Platypus said:


> @Budda we’ll only be detatching on a “break” on tour. We will be at Canadian Music Week and only playing one or two shows during the week that we are there. This way we’ll have a vehicle to get around but can have the trailer and everything locked up safe for the rest of the time.


If you're coming *to* Toronto, find a friend to park the van with and take TTC. It's going to be way cheaper than hauling a van around, and you don't have to worry about parking. Our old tour van was a 15 seater without trailer, it was tough to park at the shows we were playing. Parking in Toronto is a bitch (and expensive).

Honestly, don't unhitch the trailer.


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## robare99 (Jan 9, 2012)

I'll have to look into mine. I work in a sheet metal shop so a nice piece is 1/8" stainless will work well. 

I park my trailer in my garage so it's pretty safe day to day.


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## MS41R8 (Sep 26, 2016)

Lincoln said:


> @Captn Platypus Insurance. I don't think you'll ever stop the pro's, but you can sure slow down the tweekers and the kiddies. Good locks, wheel locks/chocks, and always be aware of your surroundings. The more out in the open you can leave your truck & trailer, the better. Lights, traffic, busy roads, are all your friends.



100% correct ! 

Also, I have seen a few bands with a banner or band name painted on the side of the trailer or van. This just basically screams , “I’m full of expensive gear, steal me”.


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