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Old 09-26-2021, 01:06 PM   #1
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Tracker- Theft abatement

Has anyone found and used a good tracker in case their trailer is stolen? I've been reading and I don't know what to look for.
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Old 09-26-2021, 01:28 PM   #2
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I looked into this a few years ago, and got the cost of monthly coverage and the very slim chance of it being stolen, I made sure I just had a good replacement cost insurance program.

Maybe something better has come along.
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Old 09-26-2021, 02:00 PM   #3
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While I understand Jim’s statement about good insurance, no matter how good, insurance will not reimburse you for the year or two year wait to replace your trailer. I have a GPS tracker from Find It Now. The yearly monitoring fee is approximately $85. I consider it a peace of mind supplement to my trailer insurance. YMMV.
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Old 09-26-2021, 02:02 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by C&G in FL View Post
While I understand Jim’s statement about good insurance, no matter how good, insurance will not reimburse you for the year or two year wait to replace your trailer. I have a GPS tracker from Find It Now. The yearly monitoring fee is approximately $85. I consider it a peace of mind supplement to my trailer insurance. YMMV.
Just curious…does your insurance offer a discount if you have a tracker installed?
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Old 09-26-2021, 02:59 PM   #5
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Just curious…does your insurance offer a discount if you have a tracker installed?
No. But I purchase insurance to cover financial losses. I purchased the tracker as a satisfaction provider if a scumbag thief is quickly apprehended and gets taken off the street.
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Old 11-07-2021, 03:35 PM   #6
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After an attempted theft we put a "boot" on one of the wheels. Risk abated.
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Old 11-07-2021, 04:40 PM   #7
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Another advantage of the tracker is you can give permission to others to check your location. Useful for finding you in case of an emergency.
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Old 11-07-2021, 06:16 PM   #8
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I used to use Spot Trace while we were full timing but after settling down again I cancelled that service and now just use a hidden AirTag. Somebody in the gang of thieves will certainly have an iPhone.
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Old 11-07-2021, 07:16 PM   #9
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... now just use a hidden AirTag. Somebody in the gang of thieves will certainly have an iPhone.
If the iPhone using thief disables the "Find My" network, that won't work... but a thief is generally not bright enough to realize that.
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Old 11-07-2021, 07:17 PM   #10
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AirTag doesn't look like a useful anti-theft device. It's more for helpful strangers finding your lost item.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212227

Quote:
When moved, any AirTag separated for a period of time from the person who registered it will make a sound to alert those nearby.
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If you see an "AirTag Found Moving With You" message
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Old 11-07-2021, 07:32 PM   #11
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AirTag doesn't look like a useful anti-theft device. It's more for helpful strangers finding your lost item.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212227
That's relevant to the question for which it is posted ("What to do if you find an AirTag or get an alert that an AirTag is with you"), but the answer for the more general question of how AirTag works explains:
Quote:
How does it work?
Your AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network. These devices send the location of your AirTag to iCloud — then you can go to the Find My app and see it on a map. The whole process is anonymous and encrypted to protect your privacy.
The person with the phone that detects the tag doesn't need to do anything for the owner of the tag to track it.
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Old 11-07-2021, 08:42 PM   #12
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Don’t have one but this tracker was mentioned previously on the forum. Gets good reviews and the subscription seems reasonable.
https://shop.trak-4.com/collections/...les-and-assets
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Old 11-07-2021, 09:16 PM   #13
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AirTag doesn't look like a useful anti-theft device. It's more for helpful strangers finding your lost item.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212227
Well, it is somewhat questionable for tracking, depending on what the thieves do with your trailer. I put one in my mom's car not to protect the car but to let us know when Mom is not answering the phone whether she is out somewhere or has fallen and can't get up. (Yes, there are other protections in place, too.) Anyway, I can comment on how it works. It is very good about pinpointing her car's location in a town, near the grocery store, at the athletic club, etc. Not at home. It's location is only known if someone with an iPhone walks by it. As she lives at the end of the street, not a lot of people walk by her car. But usually it records at least once a day. RIght now it actually shows as seen 15 minutes ago.

So if your trailer is stolen: if you notice right away, you can see where it is going, and call the police. It does show up while she is driving the car, periodically, but easy to see her general direction. But if the thieves turn into a back road and park your trailer in their barn, you are out of luck. Same thing if they turn up a remote fire road. After their own iPhone is around the trailer for 3 days it tells them there is an Airtag and they then just have to look for it. If they don't have an iPhone then they won't learn there is a tag and you eventually might find it, such as when the first person shows up to buy it from the thieves.

It's cheap protection, though. If you get back to a campsite and your trailer is gone, likely they won't have pulled it into the barn yet and you have a good chance of finding it.
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Old 11-07-2021, 09:17 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
That's relevant to the question for which it is posted ("What to do if you find an AirTag or get an alert that an AirTag is with you"), but the answer for the more general question of how AirTag works explains:


The person with the phone that detects the tag doesn't need to do anything for the owner of the tag to track it.
Right, and they also don't know their phone did anything, unless they are near the tag for 3 days. I didn't even know it could play a sound but Mom wouldn't hear it, anyway, and so far nobody who has driven her anyway has mentioned hearing it. (Edit: not sure 3 days is accurate but I recall reading something like that.)
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Old 11-19-2021, 05:08 AM   #15
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Air tags will report their position from any NFC enabled device within range, so that includes many newer Android phones.
I put one in my Escape last spring. We keep our trailer in a storage yard. It’s position is reported several times a day as someone drives by within range.
It been stored in a metal building for the winter this past month and continues to report in as well. The location on the map is accurate enough I can see where it is in the building.
My grandkids have air tags in their backpacks. I do get informed I’m travelling with an air tag but only after having them in my car for the day.
It’s a lot of entertainment for $30. Some piece of mind when I look and see where the trailer is in the storage yard.
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Old 11-19-2021, 09:02 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Lanark Camper View Post
Air tags will report their position from any NFC enabled device within range, so that includes many newer Android phones.
For Android, that works only if the Android user installs the app for this purpose; just having NFC capability is not enough.
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Old 11-19-2021, 11:53 PM   #17
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Stencil your trailer license number on the top of the air conditioning cover. Thieves won't likely see it, but the LEO helicopter sure can.
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Old 11-19-2021, 11:59 PM   #18
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Stencil your trailer license number on the top of the air conditioning cover. Thieves won't likely see it, but the LEO helicopter sure can.
I doubt the police are flying around looking for stolen trailers.
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Old 11-20-2021, 12:07 AM   #19
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I doubt the police are flying around looking for stolen trailers.

They are if it's a freshly stolen and reported one. Our Sheriff's air unit looks for reasons to fly theirs.
(I do love the sound of Hueys!!!)
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Old 11-20-2021, 03:36 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Lanark Camper View Post
Air tags will report their position from any NFC enabled device within range, so that includes many newer Android phones.
I put one in my Escape last spring. We keep our trailer in a storage yard. It’s position is reported several times a day as someone drives by within range.
It been stored in a metal building for the winter this past month and continues to report in as well. The location on the map is accurate enough I can see where it is in the building.
My grandkids have air tags in their backpacks. I do get informed I’m travelling with an air tag but only after having them in my car for the day.
It’s a lot of entertainment for $30. Some piece of mind when I look and see where the trailer is in the storage yard.
Bob
Wow this is the best idea I have seen on here, for $30?

Where did you put it on your trailer?
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