How to TRY and prevent our trucks from being stolen

[GeorgiaBoy]

Get out of the cities if you can......get yourself some acreage.......don't have neighbors......enjoy life.......don't worry about your truck.

That is exactly what I did, bought 9 acres and built a house. Last week some scumbag came on to my property and stole my four wheeler. Crime is spreading everywhere. I now carry a sidearm even when I'm on my property!

 

[Shots]

I remember in the '80 my dad's friend who got home from 3rd shift job saw a guy going at his car with a slim jim. He put a .22 hole in the guy's knee with a scoped rifle from a second-floor window. No charges, no lawsuit.

He got lucky. Mostly because the 80's was a different time (ah the good ol days). People were a lot less litigious then, and society as a whole thought that if a criminal got injured/killed while committing their crime, then they got what was coming to them. The snowflakes today have made it so everyone is a victim and somehow if you get hurt/killed while attempting to victimize someone, your would-be victim owes you compensation. It's ridiculous.

Its a vehicle, take it, I get another. Could not care less if I lost it, although there is some stuff inside that I would hate to loose.

This is my take on it too. I agree with doing what you can to minimize the risk by using things like alarms, motion lighting and security film. But setting traps and/or shooting (or merely threatening violence) isn't worth it. Yes, I'd be pissed if someone stole my truck but I'm not going to kill or maim someone over it.

 

[Shots]

An idea popped in my head the other day for at home, have a large eyelet set in the driveway and run a chain and lock through it and your tow hooks. They can get in and start it, but aren't going anywhere.

I really like this. It's simple, takes no special skill and is very affordable.
Be obvious about their presence too. Paint the chains a high contrast color or put flags on them. Thieves are looking for easy targets. If your truck is going to require extra effort to steal, they'll move on to the next one that is an easier target.
Sure they can cut the chains if they really want the truck, but like many of the other recommendations, security measures can be defeated if they're determined enough. This would be a good deterrent though because their criminal intent is clear, and should slow them down quite a bit even if they decide to cut the chains/lock.
This is brilliant.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Its a vehicle, take it, I get another. Could not care less if I lost it, although there is some stuff inside that I would hate to loose.

Issue with that is not everyone can, or wants to do that. I have a 2020 Built to Serve edition in Ceramic Gray. Only 1000 were made in that color. I definitely don't want to lose it because it would be extremely difficult to replace. And I don't want any other Ram.

 

[CrazyWorld]

That is exactly what I did, bought 9 acres and built a house. Last week some scumbag came on to my property and stole my four wheeler. Crime is spreading everywhere. I now carry a sidearm even when I'm on my property!

Sorry to hear about your 4 wheeler......crime can happen anywhere unfortunately.....but rural is still better than city in my opinion. Around here.....there are three ways to get out of town.......all are two lane roads for miles.......we know every cop within 100 miles.......if you are stupid enough to steal a vehicle.....they never get far.

 

[Grimgreg]

I really like this. It's simple, takes no special skill and is very affordable.
Be obvious about their presence too. Paint the chains a high contrast color or put flags on them. Thieves are looking for easy targets. If your truck is going to require extra effort to steal, they'll move on to the next one that is an easier target.
Sure they can cut the chains if they really want the truck, but like many of the other recommendations, security measures can be defeated if they're determined enough. This would be a good deterrent though because their criminal intent is clear, and should slow them down quite a bit even if they decide to cut the chains/lock.
This is brilliant.

Exactly, the more hoops they have to go through, they want the easy pickings.
Luckily all I have had to deal with were smash and grabs. One for a $100 stereo, one for a $100 broken stereo and $1000 in tools, one for a 10 year old out of date GPS worth maybe $10. Also one where they just rummaged around in the car, it is an old convertible that we don't lock because we don't want to replace a cut top or broken window, it is a standard so not worried about it getting stolen, lol. Each about 5 years apart. Luckily the one with the tools it was in my driveway, so my homeowners covered the theft.

 

[GeorgiaBoy]

Sorry to hear about your 4 wheeler......crime can happen anywhere unfortunately.....but rural is still better than city in my opinion. Around here.....there are three ways to get out of town.......all are two lane roads for miles.......we know every cop within 100 miles.......if you are stupid enough to steal a vehicle.....they never get far.

Thanks, I'm on 9 acres but still in a fairly populated area. Fully agree with you on "real" rural like you have is much better and safer. I just had a false sense of security by moving onto this acreage, but have significantly tightened things up now!!

 

[jl13]

Issue with that is not everyone can, or wants to do that. I have a 2020 Built to Serve edition in Ceramic Gray. Only 1000 were made in that color. I definitely don't want to lose it because it would be extremely difficult to replace. And I don't want any other Ram.

I second that

 

[Shots]

Issue with that is not everyone can, or wants to do that. I have a 2020 Built to Serve edition in Ceramic Gray. Only 1000 were made in that color. I definitely don't want to lose it because it would be extremely difficult to replace. And I don't want any other Ram.

I second that

Well obviously none of us want to try to find a replacement for our trucks. I took the insured comment as the truck is not an irreplaceable item, not that you shouldn't care. Of course some people care more than others, so maybe the comment was implying that you shouldn't care. I guess I'm somewhere in between.

Fortunately I haven't had to deal with a stolen vehicle. I've had one broken into and even that was very annoying and angering. I can only image how much more amplified that would feel if the entire truck was taken,. Especially if that truck is a low volume truck that will be hard to replace. At the end of the day though, it can be replaced. You do what you can to prevent the theft (hence the reason for this thread to start) and hope for the best.
That's why I install security film on my vehicles now. I got broken into once and now I take steps to avoid that from happening again. Sounds like the same thing the OP is doing with this thread, just on a larger scale.

......, it is an old convertible that we don't lock because we don't want to replace a cut top or broken window,....

I had a convertible Steeda Mustang years ago. Bought it new in fact. I rarely locked it, and people always seemed surprised. I told them the same thing. If someone wants in they're just going to cut the top. Not worth the replacement cost so I didn't usually lock it. Depending on where I was parked (bird poo potential, sun, etc) I wouldn't even put the top up. It's like driving around a Jeep with the roof and doors off. You just don't leave anything of value in it.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Well obviously none of us want to try to find a replacement for our trucks. I took the insured comment as the truck is not an irreplaceable item, not that you shouldn't care. Of course some people care more than others, so maybe the comment was implying that you shouldn't care. I guess I'm somewhere in between.

Fortunately I haven't had to deal with a stolen vehicle. I've had one broken into and even that was very annoying and angering. I can only image how much more amplified that would feel if the entire truck was taken,. Especially if that truck is a low volume truck that will be hard to replace. At the end of the day though, it can be replaced. You do what you can to prevent the theft (hence the reason for this thread to start) and hope for the best.
That's why I install security film on my vehicles now. I got broken into once and now I take steps to avoid that from happening again. Sounds like the same thing the OP is doing with this thread, just on a larger scale.

All depends on your definition of irreplaceable. Sure you could replace it with another vehicle, but it won't be the same one.

But then again, my wife gets on me for going to the drag strip in my truck. Afraid I'm going to break it, or wreck. Even though I stand a greater chance wrecking driving it on public streets than at drag strip.

 

[Shots]

Oh absolutely you stand a better chance of crashing on public streets.
That's also one of the things that makes me scratch my head about people loosing their minds over potential theft. You're far more likely to have someone smash into you while you're driving it and total it out than to have it taken from your driveway.
So if they're going to be completely paranoid about it being stolen, they should be more paranoid about driving it. In which case, why own it at all? It's like the car collectors that buy some unique car only to park it in the garage and never drive it.

That Mustang I mentioned. It was number 149 built that year of something like 300 of them. I drove the crap out of it the first 5-6 years I had it. People lost their minds on the Mustang forums saying it's too unique and I was ruining it by driving it. My response was always, if I'm not going to drive it then what's the point in owning it?
I'd say this fits here too. Tell you're wife that's the whole point in having it. You bought it to drive it, and the track is the safest place to do it.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Oh absolutely you stand a better chance of crashing on public streets.
That's also one of the things that makes me scratch my head about people loosing their minds over potential theft. You're far more likely to have someone smash into you while you're driving it and total it out than to have it taken from your driveway.
So if they're going to be completely paranoid about it being stolen, they should be more paranoid about driving it. In which case, why own it at all? It's like the car collectors that buy some unique car only to park it in the garage and never drive it.

That Mustang I mentioned. It was number 149 built that year of something like 300 of them. I drove the crap out of it the first 5-6 years I had it. People lost their minds on the Mustang forums saying it's too unique and I was ruining it by driving it. My response was always, if I'm not going to drive it then what's the point in owning it?
I'd say this fits here too. Tell you're wife that's the whole point in having it. You bought it to drive it, and the track is the safest place to do it.

Oh yeah, I buy all my vehicles to drive. Had a 99 Dakota R/T. Put 120k miles on it the first three years I had it. Some guys barely drive theirs. My BTS is a lease, to avoid the high sales tax, with 12k miles a year, and I'm over that, but I fully intend to buy it out at end of lease.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Oh absolutely you stand a better chance of crashing on public streets.
That's also one of the things that makes me scratch my head about people loosing their minds over potential theft. You're far more likely to have someone smash into you while you're driving it and total it out than to have it taken from your driveway.
So if they're going to be completely paranoid about it being stolen, they should be more paranoid about driving it. In which case, why own it at all? It's like the car collectors that buy some unique car only to park it in the garage and never drive it.

I can control the environment I park my truck in. I can't control anyone on the street.

Not the same.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

Its a vehicle, take it, I get another. Could not care less if I lost it, although there is some stuff inside that I would hate to loose.

There's a lot of inconvenience in having your vehicle broken into or stolen. I don't keep anything irreplaceable in my vehicles, but it's still a lot of stuff I don't want to have to go out and re-buy and stuff that is probably not going to be covered under insurance (straps, winch, tool kit, first aid kit, dash cams, radar detector, fire extinguisher, LED road flares, tire repair kit, dry change of clothes, etc, etc.). If it's not fully stolen, there's a lot of cleanup and repair of items that were busted and glass that was broken, most of which might not be worth your deductible.

If your vehicle is stolen and recovered, you're not getting a new vehicle, you're basically on the hook to get it fixed and cleaned up, again, you lose the deductible.

If your vehicle is stolen and a total loss, you're not getting a direct replacement, you're getting a check that they believe your truck is worth, and after your deductible, it's not going to be ****, you'll probably be a few grand short when you say "**** it" and buy/finance a new truck.

Oh, and if you have to give a portion of that check back to the vehicle lender, you'll be really short and you will have to start the buying process all over again, at the worst time, too.

Lastly, if someone steals your car and immediately commits a crime or causes injury/damage/death, you're going to have to straighten things out with the police, who are under the assumption that your plates/VIN make you the suspect.

That is exactly what I did, bought 9 acres and built a house. Last week some scumbag came on to my property and stole my four wheeler. Crime is spreading everywhere. I now carry a sidearm even when I'm on my property!

I've never owned 9 acres, but I bought an acre up in Pensacola about 8 years ago. My first week in my new house, I had my BMW parked outside. WAY up on my 200' long driveway and no side access, some hood rat came all the way up the driveway to steal all the emblems, vents, grilles, and mirrors off the car. $5k in damage, particularly because the mirrors were heated/auto dimming/memory and color matched.

 

[GeorgiaBoy]

I've never owned 9 acres, but I bought an acre up in Pensacola about 8 years ago. My first week in my new house, I had my BMW parked outside. WAY up on my 200' long driveway and no side access, some hood rat came all the way up the driveway to steal all the emblems, vents, grilles, and mirrors off the car. $5k in damage, particularly because the mirrors were heated/auto dimming/memory and color matched.

Damn! just Damn!! Good points on the theft issue!

 

[Aseras]

There's a lot of inconvenience in having your vehicle broken into or stolen. I don't keep anything irreplaceable in my vehicles, but it's still a lot of stuff I don't want to have to go out and re-buy and stuff that is probably not going to be covered under insurance (straps, winch, tool kit, first aid kit, dash cams, radar detector, fire extinguisher, LED road flares, tire repair kit, dry change of clothes, etc, etc.). If it's not fully stolen, there's a lot of cleanup and repair of items that were busted and glass that was broken, most of which might not be worth your deductible.

If your vehicle is stolen and recovered, you're not getting a new vehicle, you're basically on the hook to get it fixed and cleaned up, again, you lose the deductible.

If your vehicle is stolen and a total loss, you're not getting a direct replacement, you're getting a check that they believe your truck is worth, and after your deductible, it's not going to be ****, you'll probably be a few grand short when you say "**** it" and buy/finance a new truck.

Oh, and if you have to give a portion of that check back to the vehicle lender, you'll be really short and you will have to start the buying process all over again, at the worst time, too.

Lastly, if someone steals your car and immediately commits a crime or causes injury/damage/death, you're going to have to straighten things out with the police, who are under the assumption that your plates/VIN make you the suspect.


I've never owned 9 acres, but I bought an acre up in Pensacola about 8 years ago. My first week in my new house, I had my BMW parked outside. WAY up on my 200' long driveway and no side access, some hood rat came all the way up the driveway to steal all the emblems, vents, grilles, and mirrors off the car. $5k in damage, particularly because the mirrors were heated/auto dimming/memory and color matched.

All of that is why it's worth the extra $200-300 or so a year to insure your vehicle for replacement value ( RCV ) instead of actual cash value ( ACV ). Separate riders for your tools or gear or whatever aren't that expensive either. And you can do them under your home insurance too. Also make sure your home is under replacement value, as well as new building code coverages too as well as your possessions. It's not much more and if anything happens, you don't have to fight every detail.

Most importantly, document your stuff regularly. You carry a phone with a camera. Get in the habit of walking around and taking pictures of your car or home and stuff. Especially when you have new things. That makes claims easy vs impossible.

 

[bigdodge]

lots of posters on the trx forum are getting an alarm

Ravelco vs. IGLA

With all this new debate between IGLA and Ravelco…anyone here got both installed!?!? For the ultimate protection lol. Call me crazy but that sounds like the ultimately peace of mind 😂 Seriously, what solidified your choice between the two (If you had that chance to get either installed)? What...

www.ram-trx.com

I want something that at least slows them down and or makes it harder so they will go somewhere else and take their ride

 

[HSKR R/T]

There's a lot of inconvenience in having your vehicle broken into or stolen. I don't keep anything irreplaceable in my vehicles, but it's still a lot of stuff I don't want to have to go out and re-buy and stuff that is probably not going to be covered under insurance (straps, winch, tool kit, first aid kit, dash cams, radar detector, fire extinguisher, LED road flares, tire repair kit, dry change of clothes, etc, etc.). If it's not fully stolen, there's a lot of cleanup and repair of items that were busted and glass that was broken, most of which might not be worth your deductible.

If your vehicle is stolen and recovered, you're not getting a new vehicle, you're basically on the hook to get it fixed and cleaned up, again, you lose the deductible.

If your vehicle is stolen and a total loss, you're not getting a direct replacement, you're getting a check that they believe your truck is worth, and after your deductible, it's not going to be ****, you'll probably be a few grand short when you say "**** it" and buy/finance a new truck.

Oh, and if you have to give a portion of that check back to the vehicle lender, you'll be really short and you will have to start the buying process all over again, at the worst time, too.

Lastly, if someone steals your car and immediately commits a crime or causes injury/damage/death, you're going to have to straighten things out with the police, who are under the assumption that your plates/VIN make you the suspect.


I've never owned 9 acres, but I bought an acre up in Pensacola about 8 years ago. My first week in my new house, I had my BMW parked outside. WAY up on my 200' long driveway and no side access, some hood rat came all the way up the driveway to steal all the emblems, vents, grilles, and mirrors off the car. $5k in damage, particularly because the mirrors were heated/auto dimming/memory and color matched.

I keep my deductibles low. If you can't afford the deductible, there really is no point in having insurance other than to satisfy state law.

Yes it would suck right now having to order a new truck with the longer lead times, but while new truck values are up, so are used truck values. There are used trucks selling for the same price as new in some areas. Some have even sold their trucks for more than they paid for them. Take that extra money to off set the cost of next higher trim levels or more options in new truck. You were more than likely already financing before, so financing again shouldn't be a big deal as long as you were current in payments. I still throw in the caveat of limited production trucks like the BTS and trying to replace them. Some, like me, would t accept anything other than another BTS truck, and preferably in the same color and same or better options

 

[Shots]

I can control the environment I park my truck in. I can't control anyone on the street.

Not the same.

You're absolutely right. You can control where you park it and how it is/isn't secured when doing so. You have no control over the random teenager on their phone smashing into your truck while you're stopped in traffic or if a drunk driver T-bones you while passing through an intersection. This complete lack of control should make you more nervous than parking it where you have some amount of impact on whether something bad happens or not.

You're correct, they're not the same thing. If you're concerned about not losing your truck you should be more concerned about driving it than parking it. That said, I understand the point of the thread is looking for suggestions on how to mitigate as much risk as possible while parked, which is obviously a very different and specific kind of threat.

 

[Shots]

There's a lot of inconvenience in having your vehicle broken into or stolen.....

There's no doubt about it. It's a huge pain, and some of the stuff taken may have more sentimental value than actual cash value. I'm not saying people carry heirlooms in their car/truck, but stuff can still mean something to you. Maybe a small trinket your kid gave you or something they made. No real value to anyone but you.
For example, I had a bag stolen out of a Jeep (they unzipped the back window and grabbed what they could reach as they walked by in a Walmart parking lot). There was nothing of any significant value in it that couldn't be replaced, but there were little things about it that really bugged me. For one we bought the bag on our honeymoon. Sure it was only worth about $20-$30 but it had some meaning. Then there are things that may be expensive, but useless to someone else. In that bag there was miscellaneous items of no substantial value. However, my wife had some eyeglasses in there. For anyone who doesn't wear glasses, they usually cost about $150. The value to a thief? None. They can't resell those to anyone so they just throw them away.
Theft is a huge inconvenience and potentially money out of pocket for replacing everything. I got lucky (or was sufficiently prepared, you decide) and my insurance covered everything without a deductible. But my wife still had to wear old glasses for a few weeks while a new pair was made. We still lost the bag that had some sentimental value.

I certainly don't fault anyone for trying to protect their vehicle or its contents. Statistically you may be far more likely to lose it in a crash, but that doesn't mean you should do nothing to protect it when it's parked.