Thwarting outboard thieves

Caraway said:
Ah yes. We need better policing ...

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Joke as you see fit ... but having had trailers in both systems ... initially you think UK's free for all system is good - till you are at losing end of an event.
Many people don't realise that user in UK is responsible to maintain a trailer in safe roadworthy condition - have an accident where trailer is deemed unroadworthy can lead to you being up in front of the Beak ...
It may be a pain to go to testing station each year to have trailer checked for lights / tyres / condition etc. but at least we don't have trailers like some I've seen in UK that are not safe ...
Plus a thief will think twice before stealing as you are required to have the Registration Document with you when in use. And its not so easy to have another Doc issued if you cannot show ownership evidence etc.
 
Put an 'Apple Tag' on the trailer/outboard. Its v.small and easily hidden. If your item gets stolen you'll stand a good chance of being able to trace where it goes and provide details to police.
 
A determined thief will take your property despite any precautions that you take but there are steps you can take to make them think twice and it depend on whether they're stealing to sell on, parts or for scrap value.

A couple of things you can try are:

  • Have a clearly visible security device be it a lock, cable or some other fastening. Thieves like an easy steal so they will move on to something easier.
  • Place stickers on your property like "Datatag" "This item is `electronically tagged and monitored" Believe it or not this can be quite effective as again, they will move on to an easier target.
  • Mark your property with your postcode in visible and also discreet places. Quite often when Police recover stolen property it's difficult to find the original owner. More so if the item is stolen in one county and located in another. The Police do not uses a national database to record crimes and property so this will help.
  • Lots of photos too which can help recover the item
  • Lastly, if it's not visible in the first place it's less likely to be stolen. If leaving your boat unattended for any significant period of time consider removing and storing away form the boat. Perhaps your Marina has a secure facility for this?
Hope this helps..........from retired Police Officer!
 
This sounds like a project for the more technically gifted geeks amongst us.

Picture this:
Not a good outboard, but a duffer tarted up to look nice; even a seized leg with just the outer parts of the upper.
Under the cover, GPS, camera and 4G modules connected to a micro-controller, with light detecting circuit.
If anyone takes the motor and lifts the lid, their location gets texted back to base and their face gets plastered over the web.
Could be powered by a PP3 for the duration of the sting, with a backup capacitor encapsulated with the rest of the electronics in a box strong enough to withstand attack for the time it takes to upload a not-too-high a resolution snap.
 
peterf said:
Put an 'Apple Tag' on the trailer/outboard. Its v.small and easily hidden. If your item gets stolen you'll stand a good chance of being able to trace where it goes and provide details to police.
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There are plenty of GSM Locator tags you can buy of eBay etc. ... no need to pay Apple ...

I have various that are used on models to find them if they go astray. PAYG sim card ... charge it up ... attach .... any phone can access its trace via mobile network... can even tell some to record / photo by remote text.
 
Refueler said:
And with UK's lack of Trailer Registration ... remove Serial Number plate ... stick on cars reg number plate ... who will know its stolen ?
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One thing which Ivor Williams do with Horse Trailers is to keep a record of Chassis Numbers and every time one is sold the new owner can inform Ivor Williams and they will update their data base.
A true story. A farmer I knew had a farm shop and one day some "travellers" came to buy some potatoes and kept looking at his horse trailer.
The then saw them later in the day driving past and looking over the hedge at his trailer.
He said to his lad, They are going to come back for that "I AM GOING TO SLEEP IN IT TONIGHT"
So he gets some straw, makes a bed, gets a sleeping bag and retires for the night.

Wakes up on the M6

Looks through the rear wings above the doors and recognises where on the M6 he is, gets his mobile phone and rings the Police.

After a short while he hears a siren and the the car towing the horse trailer stops.
The Policeman (knowing the farmer is inside) walks the thief to the side of the trailer and asks "!Is this your trailer" Answer "Yes"
The a loud voice booms out from inside the trailer "NO ITS BLOODY NOT"

Apparently the face of the thief went white.

When I sold horse trailers I used to paint in big letters the Post Code of the people I sold the horse trailers to as a security feature,
You would only know if it was there by getting a ladder. Easy to read from a motorway bridge, or road cameras.
 
lynallbel said:
Can you get some sort of vinyl wrap, rust effect to cover the engine cover with, ie make it look like a worthless piece of crap!
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Guy at Farlington Marshes - painted his O/B with brush crappy blue ... slapped the wet paint to make it look scuffed and rubbish.

Took less than a week for that to be stolen. (See my previous post about use of chainsaw to remove it and the previous O'B he had on the boat).
 
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