Stolen Scamp

[reetired]

Fingerprint dust if in the interior is a bear to clean up. It multiplies! The best way is try to vacuum and then use windex! A lot of paper towels!

Hopefully they didn't use it as a mobile meth lab!

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Better glue it to the roof "It needs to be in clear view of the sky which in my opinion cancels out the covert tracking capabilities." I always check out reviews, outside the selling URL.

Dang that fine print....

Donna, I actually happened upon the review you quoted from on Amazon and the reviewer clearly implies he was using the Spot Trace for a purpose it is not intended (tracking kids). The reviews for asset protection are mostly raving, including with it mounted inside vehicles. It is made to be mounted both outside or inside (with reasonable limitations). The users guide shows a mounting example with it inside a fiberglass storage compartment on a boat which would be very similar to the mounting in an Escape trailer against the shell as Brian suggests. The only thing that is not recommended is a metal obstruction. The reason why it is working so well for people in vehicles is likely all of the surrounding glass. If anyone were to purchase this it would be great to get a review on how they mounted it and how it actually works.

[Donna D.]

I do believe it would need to be between the shell and any insulation. Especially if the insulation is Reflectix. I have a good friend that uses Spot when he's out on a motorcycle trip. We get to follow along on a map. It's fun but doesn't show minute-by-minute updates. More like stops and overnights. Too bad I can't him to test it for us in a fiberglass trailer. He sold his Scamp several years ago.

As far as the reviewer I referenced not using it for it's intended purpose, does that really matter? It's not like it's in his kids back pocket... it's in a vehicle and that's what we're trying to do to. Because he can track his kids whereabouts is a bonus IMHO.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I do believe it would need to be between the shell and any insulation. Especially if the insulation is Reflectix. I have a good friend that uses Spot when he's out on a motorcycle trip. We get to follow along on a map. It's fun but doesn't show minute-by-minute updates. More like stops and overnights. Too bad I can't him to test it for us in a fiberglass trailer. He sold his Scamp several years ago.

As far as the reviewer I referenced not using it for it's intended purpose, does that really matter? It's not like it's in his kids back pocket... it's in a vehicle and that's what we're trying to do to. Because he can track his kids whereabouts is a bonus IMHO.

Updates at stops and overnights would likely be enough to get a trailer back. It doesn't have to work perfect...it just has to work good enough. Regarding the reviewer you referenced, I'm not sure we know at all how he was trying to use it. He doesn't make specific reference to a car. Nevertheless, he was still getting updates (albeit not as many as he would have liked) which might still have been enough to zero in on a location and retrieve an asset.

[Brian B-P]

SPOT basic service allows the user to choose updates as frequently as 5 minutes, although once an hour would be enough for theft recovery of a trailer, unless someone expects that their local law enforcement agency will drop everything to track a trailer as it is driven away - I wouldn't. I assume that the reasons to have a choice of less frequent updates is just to save battery power (in the case of battery operation), and to reduce the annoyance of frequent location messages (by text or e-mail).

Fortunately, this service is tied to motion detection, so if the trailer's device is set to provide updates hourly, you don't get an annoying notification every hour while it's parked in your driveway, storage location, or campsite... they only start when someone hauls it away.

SPOT is a satellite service - it is a spin-off of Globalstar. That's great because the tracker doesn't lose contact when it goes to a remote area without mobile (phone) network service; the unfortunate consequence is that the device loses the ability to report its location (as well as the ability to determine its location, because that's GPS) if the thing to which it is attached is taken inside a building, or even sufficiently dense tree cover. I don't know how many stolen trailers are taken into garages. The one which triggered this discussion apparently wasn't.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

SPOT basic service allows the user to choose updates as frequently as 5 minutes, although once an hour would be enough for theft recovery of a trailer, unless someone expects that their local law enforcement agency will drop everything to track a trailer as it is driven away - I wouldn't. I assume that the reasons to have a choice of less frequent updates is just to save battery power (in the case of battery operation), and to reduce the annoyance of frequent location messages (by text or e-mail).

Fortunately, this service is tied to motion detection, so if the trailer's device is set to provide updates hourly, you don't get an annoying notification every hour while it's parked in your driveway, storage location, or campsite... they only start when someone hauls it away.

SPOT is a satellite service - it is a spin-off of Globalstar. That's great because the tracker doesn't lose contact when it goes to a remote area without mobile (phone) network service; the unfortunate consequence is that the device loses the ability to report its location (as well as the ability to determine its location, because that's GPS) if the thing to which it is attached is taken inside a building, or even sufficiently dense tree cover. I don't know how many stolen trailers are taken into garages. The one which triggered this discussion apparently wasn't.

My SPOT (which I use for backcountry travel) will lose satellite contact occasionally in thick tree cover or when shaded by a mountain. If the device is moving, it will usually be able to successfully send out a signal again as soon as the device is moved to a better location. My device sends out a tracking signal every 10-15minutes.

[float5]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

My SPOT (which I use for backcountry travel) will lose satellite contact occasionally in thick tree cover or when shaded by a mountain. If the device is moving, it will usually be able to successfully send out a signal again as soon as the device is moved to a better location. My device sends out a tracking signal every 10-15minutes.

It is good that your children are keeping track of you!

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by float5

It is good that your children are keeping track of you!

My use of the SPOT tracker gives my kids comfort in that the SAR guys are going to have a pretty good idea where to find the body.

[ThomasG]

I just noticed the SPOT Trace Theft-Alert Tracking Device is 50% off ($50) until 12/31/16: SPOT Half Off Holiday

You still need to pay for the $100/yr service.

[drjp]

Originally Posted by Greg A

STOLEN SCAMP ALERT | Scamp Owners International

This one was taken from a driveway in Sumner, WA on Fri nite. Lots of Escape folks in that area, let's find this trailer!

This won't help those poor, ripped-off Scamp owners now, but I was wondering if they had a trailer coupler hitch lock in place? I've got a little teardrop in my driveway; always locked as otherwise it'd be easy as pie to hitch up and run with her.


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[Sisababe]

I'm so glad to hear that this trailer was recovered! Social media can be such a force for good things! It's heartening to know I'll have such a community around me when I hit the road!

[kootenaigirl]

Drjp- I believe there was a hitch lock and they just quickly cut it off

[drjp]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

Drjp- I believe there was a hitch lock and they just quickly cut it off

Wow! I guess I'm too trusting in my little town. But probably anything could be cut off, given time.


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[David H]

Originally Posted by drjp

Wow! I guess I'm too trusting in my little town. But probably anything could be cut off, given time.


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Battery powered side grinder with a cut off wheel would make short work of most locks, especially those which slide through hole in the operating lever of the coupler.