|
|
09-26-2021, 01:06 PM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Trailer: 2022 Escape 21C
Posts: 78
|
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.
|
|
|
09-26-2021, 01:28 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,552
|
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.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
|
|
|
09-26-2021, 02:00 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,976
|
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.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
|
|
|
09-26-2021, 02:02 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 2,720
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by C&G in FL
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?
|
|
|
09-26-2021, 02:59 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,976
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eggscape
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.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 03:35 PM
|
#6
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 10
|
After an attempted theft we put a "boot" on one of the wheels. Risk abated.
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 04:40 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,373
|
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.
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 06:16 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Lansing, Michigan
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21, 2016 GMC Canyon Duramax
Posts: 587
|
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.
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 07:16 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by stephen99
... 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.
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 07:17 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Silverado, California
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C "S.S. Iceburg"
Posts: 135
|
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.
|
Quote:
If you see an "AirTag Found Moving With You" message
|
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 07:32 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by kernwig
|
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.
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 08:42 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,146
|
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
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 09:16 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Whidbey Island, Washington
Trailer: 2020 Escape 17B "Voyager"
Posts: 2,690
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by kernwig
|
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.
|
|
|
11-07-2021, 09:17 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Whidbey Island, Washington
Trailer: 2020 Escape 17B "Voyager"
Posts: 2,690
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
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.)
|
|
|
11-19-2021, 05:08 AM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Trailer: Escape 17B, July 2019
Posts: 347
|
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
|
|
|
11-19-2021, 09:02 PM
|
#16
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lanark Camper
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.
|
|
|
11-19-2021, 11:53 PM
|
#17
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,347
|
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.
|
|
|
11-19-2021, 11:59 PM
|
#18
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by dfandrews
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.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
|
|
|
11-20-2021, 12:07 AM
|
#19
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,347
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
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!!!)
|
|
|
11-20-2021, 03:36 AM
|
#20
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: London, Ontario
Trailer: 2020 Escape 19
Posts: 1,120
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lanark Camper
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?
__________________
Had 2 Escapes, 17b, 19, went back to a pop up that fit in the garage. 2018 Coachman Clipper RBST HW AFrame
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|