Basic theft prevention

[sandman2234]

I left my tractor at a job site about 3/4 mile up the street. Owner is 80 and sleeps like a log, so I knew that while it would be under cover, it was sort of in sight of a main road, and two gates with cows between it and the road. Next door neighbor sleeps with a gun under his pillow. The area is lit up with street lights.
Nothing happened, but I didn't sleep well that night worrying about something happening to it.
A tractor is an easy target, very little chance of getting caught using it if you don't take it to the dealer, and just use it around your own house. Recovery happens very seldom, from what I have seen. If the thief isn't caught hauling it away, very little chance of catching them.
It is your investment, protect it like you won't get it back!
David from jax

 

[Elviscaretaker]

May be a stupid idea but back up to a tree (assuming you have a front loader) aim the bucket in at a dig angle, lift and remove front tires. Lower it to the ground and bring the tires home.

 

[karlmagne]

Paint it pink

That may work until some "fashionable thief" sees it.

 

[Fxfymn413]

I just had a dump trailer stolen from our second home in SC. SC does not use tags or titles on small trailers so trailer theft is a constant problem.

I had a $350.00 lock on it that didn't slow the thief down.

But my son had hidden an air tag on the trailer so it was quickly located and after some persuasion was applied to the local sheriff's office to go to the indicated location it was found and returned. The thief had already sold it so the purchaser was out his money and the thief was arrested.

The moral of the story is if a professional thief wants your tractor any lock or other thing you come up with can and will be defeated. As the saying goes "Locks keep honest people honest." They don't keep a determined crook from stealing anything, especially one who has a battery powered grinder equipped with a cut off wheel.

I would place the air tag inside the tail light lens if it is not a sealed unit with another in a more obvious location so it can be "found" and discarded by the crook. If the thief has an I-phone he may be made aware that an air tag is near by and keep looking for it. It may be worthwhile to also use a tag for other phones.

Buy a trailer and bring it home or at least take it to a secured storage facility. If it fits in a storage unit rent one and put it there.

One other thing..ask your insurance agent if you are covered for theft when the tractor is at this location. I would not be surprised that it is not covered.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I thought that air tags can be detected with an iphone? Like if someone puts an airtag on car an app would indicate it had an airtag on it. ??

I did like the idea of wedging it between two solid trees if able. If someone wanted it bad enough though the could hook a wrecker/tow truck and winch it sideways away from the trees. Someone can always build/buy a dolly to put the front end on.

Just the more work someone tries to thwart theft the less likely it will happen. Nothing is foolproof.

Lots of good ideas on here. Nothing beats bringing it home IMO.

If you were a crook, what would you do for a $20-$40K worth of equipment?

 

[Joe Batt]

If you were a crook, what would you do for a $20-$40K worth of equipment?

I've found that you can make more $/hr with honest work. Thieves are typically dumb and lazy.

 

[Mudfarmer]

Shipping container with a lock box.

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

I don't know much about air tags but I thought they had to have a participating iPhone within range to work. I just Googled the range for an airtag and it says it needs to be within about 33 feet of an iPhone and can sometimes work up to 100 feet in an open area. That might work in a densely populated treeless area but doesn't seem like it would be much use in a rural area.

 

[Elviscaretaker]

I don't know much about air tags but I thought they had to have a participating iPhone within range to work. I just Googled the range for an airtag and it says it needs to be within about 33 feet of an iPhone and can sometimes work up to 100 feet in an open area. That might work in a densely populated treeless area but doesn't seem like it would be much use in a rural area.

You are correct, they don't work for crap in rural areas unless you get lucky and someone is passing by with an I-phone.

 

[rontaki]

There are Android tracking devices and methods.
Too bad explosives and high voltage could land you in jail. Thieves deserve no mercy.