Security & Theft How to deter theft - how about this idea

[windy acers]

Fence in the tractor barn as part of the cattle feild and include a bull or 2 and a warning sign attack cattle in feild. Worked for me over 10 years!!!!!

 

[kthompson]

Reading some of these reminded me of a person years ago who took one of the front wheels with him. If you have hyd steering (no power steering with linkage but only hyd pressure operated) turning the front wheels hard either direction will make winching onto a trailer very difficult without getting it running. I have a friend who uses the container and a battery operated alarm system in it if they get the doors open. As to $250 per year, depending on the value of the tractor that is a good deal. Also some tractor insurance covers more than theft, it will also cover if it burns or wrecked.

But rather than chains and locks go to motorcycle dealership and buy the cable & lock combos and buy the best.

 

[banjodunn]

G'day some really good ideas there but as to one of yours about hiding in the bush just remember that it affords good cover for a thief too, the container idea is good but go for a 40' as a 20' can be picked up with a nice little tilt tray, insurance seems like the best option maybe you will some reduction with some type of security measure. Remember you only keep the honest thief out


Jon

 

[Chuck_Lind]

Here's something that really works, but it's totally off the wall. Here in Pennsylvania we have a lot of gas wells, some of the wells need a pump-jack that is powered by a 12hp or so Honda engine.
They were stolen as soon as it was replaced until our shop mechanic came up with an idea:
He spray-painted the engine with all kinds of ugly colors, purple, pastel, lime green, rust color, etc. to the point it looked so ugly you couldn't look at it.
Bingo!!! None of the engines that were painted ugly were stolen!!

I know it's really going overboard, but the point here is that it did deter theft.

I couldn't imagine "ugly-painting" my TN65; but then again, it probably wouldn't be stolen.

 

[teg]

There was talk a while back about painting the tractor hot Pink...

 

[CurlyDave]

I checked into insurance and it is $250/year for a 14K machine through my insurance company which seems very high (I plan on shopping around more next week).

1. Theft of my tractor is covered by my homeowner's policy, if I park it on my own property. It is not covered off my property (there goes parking at your neighbor's). Check your homeowner's policy with your agent.

2. The ideas discussed will mostly cost a lot more than $250 and will be much less effective than an insurance policy.

3. My dealer recommended a locking fuel cap to prevent vandalism, and covering the machine with a tarp while I was gone. These will slow kids down, but won't do much against a determined adult. Park it in the deepest woods you have and cover it with a camo tarp. It won't disappear, but it won't stand out like a new tractor. The idea is to make it look like an old tractor from a distance.

My thinking is that the insurance is cheap compared to the tractor, and can not be defeated by a thief. Plus, if someone should happen to be injured stealing the tractor, any extraordinary steps you took to protect it could cause a legal liability -- insurance will not do this.

While the sea containers are a great idea, they start at $2000 around here and could be as high as $4000. Plus another $500-1000 to outfit it it the way you want. That buys a lot of insurance.

 

[Lt CHEG]

I checked into insurance and it is $250/year for a 14K machine through my insurance company which seems very high (I plan on shopping around more next week).

1. Theft of my tractor is covered by my homeowner's policy, if I park it on my own property. It is not covered off my property (there goes parking at your neighbor's). Check your homeowner's policy with your agent.

2. The ideas discussed will mostly cost a lot more than $250 and will be much less effective than an insurance policy.

3. My dealer recommended a locking fuel cap to prevent vandalism, and covering the machine with a tarp while I was gone. These will slow kids down, but won't do much against a determined adult. Park it in the deepest woods you have and cover it with a camo tarp. It won't disappear, but it won't stand out like a new tractor. The idea is to make it look like an old tractor from a distance.

My thinking is that the insurance is cheap compared to the tractor, and can not be defeated by a thief. Plus, if someone should happen to be injured stealing the tractor, any extraordinary steps you took to protect it could cause a legal liability -- insurance will not do this.

While the sea containers are a great idea, they start at $2000 around here and could be as high as $4000. Plus another $500-1000 to outfit it it the way you want. That buys a lot of insurance.

These are excellent points. When I offered my parking boot suggestion I should have added that the boot was in addition to insurance. When I was a uniformed police officer I used to tell people all the time that the best thing they could do to deter theft, vandalism, etc. was to buy a good insurance policy. There is simply no way to 100% prevent theft or vandalism, it just isn't possible. My suggestion for the boot(s) was simply a cheap addition to the insurance policy to hopefully prevent having to use the policy and be without a tractor for any length of time. No advice given thus far, or that could be given would ever replace an insurance policy.

 

[RadarTech]

Having read this thread and at least 3 others about theft and defending against it, add one more tick to the thought of insurance....

Later,
J

 

[tommu56]

Here's something that really works, but it's totally off the wall. Here in Pennsylvania we have a lot of gas wells, some of the wells need a pump-jack that is powered by a 12hp or so Honda engine.
They were stolen as soon as it was replaced until our shop mechanic came up with an idea:
He spray-painted the engine with all kinds of ugly colors, purple, pastel, lime green, rust color, etc. to the point it looked so ugly you couldn't look at it.
Bingo!!! None of the engines that were painted ugly were stolen!!

I know it's really going overboard, but the point here is that it did deter theft.

I couldn't imagine "ugly-painting" my TN65; but then again, it probably wouldn't be stolen.

I can imagine how a Partridge family tractor would be painted

No one would want it!

tom

 

[Josephm]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I have come up with a solution. I am planning to build a 10x16 pole shed to keep it in (gable roof, totally enclosed) and just get insurance.

That way, a locked barn will probably keep out kids and vandals, and if a thief gets after it, that will be covered by insurance.

Thanks again.

Joseph

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I have come up with a solution. I am planning to build a 10x16 pole shed to keep it in (gable roof, totally enclosed) and just get insurance.

That way, a locked barn will probably keep out kids and vandals, and if a thief gets after it, that will be covered by insurance.

Thanks again.

Joseph

Smart move.

 

[D7E]

I would be as worried about kids/morons dumping sand etc in the fuel or oil fill holes.
These machines are not like full size constuction equipment where all that type of stuff is lockable.
On one of the jobs I was on, kids dumped sand in an excavator engine and hydro tank, the machine ran a couple of minutes before things started to go very wrong.
The owner lost the key years ago so he never locked the fuel/oil caps.
After he had it flushed and repaired he got new locks and keys.
Another favorite up here is throwing rocks thru the glass, most all the construction machines that are left on the jobs all have removable glass shielding of some type.

We've seen most of this ..match sticks stuck in tyre valves,Oil drain plugs loosened,Water in fuel tanks..kids can be very thoughtful.A lot of the crews i've worked on have stopped locking doors and windows ..if they are going to steal a $100 stereo it's not worth $600 for glass as well.

 

[JoelD]

Can someone explain how tractor insurance works?

Premium - $250

Deductable - ?

What's covered - ?

For example, is it covered if something falls on it like a tree branch in winter storm or if god forbid it catches fire? What if this happens at my buddies house when I leave it there overnight to do some work for him?

How do they determine replacement value if stollen?

Thanks,
Joel

 

[MarkV]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I have come up with a solution. I am planning to build a 10x16 pole shed to keep it in (gable roof, totally enclosed) and just get insurance.

That way, a locked barn will probably keep out kids and vandals, and if a thief gets after it, that will be covered by insurance.

Thanks again.

Joseph

Joseph, just to add another thing to think about. It sounds like the property you have is not where you live and does not have any structures on it at this time. If you add a shed or any structure it could change your status with the insurance company as far as liability insurance goes. It did for us and we had to take down an old hunting shack to get liability insurance. It may also change your situation with the tax man. Just some things to check into.

MarkV

 

[banjodunn]

G'day teg over here we do have tractors painted pink and when they first come out they could not get enough to keep up with demand they were NH Boomers and they were painted pink in support of breast cancer



Jon

 

[Soundguy]

Insurance is your best bet.

best theft deterant is you setting on it with a gun.

past that.. just like you were told... someone who REALLY wants your tractor will get it.

a roll back truck and a pair of bolt cutters, a small torch set, or a battery powered abrasive blade /angle grinder will cut 99% of just about anything you can put on her.

rolloff don't care about missing batteries, no key.. no starter.. tires.. fuel cutoff.. etc.

it's sad but true.


soundguy

Hello everyone,
I am new to this forum. I am about to purchase a new JD 50hp machine and will be keeping it in a rural location. I have been going back and forth on how to secure it from theft.

I checked into insurance and it is $250/year for a 14K machine through my insurance company which seems very high (I plan on shopping around more next week).

So, I have been trying to figure out how to best secure it. I thought about all the usual ignition/starter/fuel disable schemes, until I talked a fellow at a dealer who basically blew all my theories.

He told me that a person from my home town had just had his tractor stolen with a bunch of disable stuff in place. I asked him how and he told me the thief fed it ether through the intake and got it to fire enough to get it on a trailer, while shorting from the battery to the starter terminal (bypassing any anti-theft circuits on the starter side or fuel system side).

So, after hearing this, I realized that there is no way to disable the fuel or ignition system (besides maybe taking the starter home with you). Not to mention the risks of someone just winching it up without starting it.

So, I have come up with some ideas to prevent theft. I was hoping folks could provide some feedback as to whether or not I would be wasting my time:

1.) Park it in the woods, out of sight from the road.
2.) Rig the back and front tires out to row crop width to keep it from easily being loaded on a standard lowboy trailer.
3.) I designed a bracket made out of 1/4" plate that will securely hold the front axle in place. The brackets will look like an upside down "L" and allow the tractor to be backed into place. The "L" will have another hinged "L" piece that will lock into place with a standard lock. The trick will be that the 2nd hinged piece will have a 1/4" plate protection box where the lock will be that only has a hole big enough to insert your fingers and key to unlock it and loop it in and out of the catches within that box (that way the lock is protected from bolt cutters, grinders etc). The whole assembly will be anchored in concrete that goes several feet deep. That way, the thief will basically have to bring a torch to the site to cut through the brackets (will have one on each side of the front axle between the wheel and engine).

Any opinions on my ideas?

Thanks,
Joseph

 

[JB4310]

I vote for the insurance, definitely the cheapest way to go.

Nothing is gonna stop someone from doing what ever they have to do to defeat your efforts, especially if it is so remote.

Some one mentioned the GPS idea, all the expensive construction equipment has it now, had a boom lift on a job and moved 1/2 mile down the street for some side work and the rental company knew it.

Get a sticker that states there is some kind of built in tracking system on board, that may be enough to discourage would be thief's.

JB.

 

[orezok]

This could work

 

[shane]

I was on a job one day when a rollback pulled up. The driver was with a JD dealer/service. He was to pick up a JD skid steer that had rubber tracks. The contractor did not leave the keys as he was supposed to do. The driver did not have JD keys. He said no problem. He just hooked the cable to the skid steer and drug the machine up onto the rollback. That's a lot of dead weight. No problem. He had it loaded in a few minutes.

I'd go with the insurance, too.

 

[Matt_Jr]

This could work

Hahaha