I have 10 acres I am about to construct a house on and I would like to buy a skidsteer to keep on the job. I understand these things get stolen pretty often so how can I avoid that? What can I do to keep thieves from getting my machine? There are houses on either side of me and visibility is good but you can also see the whole jobsite from the road. How do you guys keep your machines from being stolen? What security measures can I take to keep my machine safe?
Sleep in it, with a gun!!! Um maybe get a sea cont. and keep it in there, get insurance on it...
A few suggestions I have used over the years that I have used on my Bobcat brand skidsteers: 1. Get the keypad start if it is available. I know it is not thief proof but it's a good start. 2. Get a battery disconnect switch and hide it on the machine. 3. You can unplug the wire going to the fuel solenoid pump and tuck it out of sight, usually we would hide it behind another close wiring harness. 4. If it has a provision to add a master lock on the back door mechanism, do the above and lock it. If you can do 1-3 and add #4 it won't guarantee your machine won't be stolen but they will have to spend a lot of time trying to get it. The conex box is a good idea but unless you can push a piece of 60" RCP in front of it or a very heavy duty homemade bar and lock, they are real easy to break into. I have had thieves cut the latches on a conex because they couldn't cut my hardened steel locks.:Banghead
A lot of people install hidden kill switches, battery disconnect, bars over steering control etc... that disable a thief from operating the machine. These are all good measures, but the smarter skid steer thieves just use a rollback and winch up the machine. They worry about getting the machine operating after they have it at there shop. I try to park larger machines in front of my skids or place them where a rollback can't go. I suggest getting insurance on it if you don't already and to try not to worry to hard. I also like the No trespassing signs (will be shot).
Most of the thefts of skids I know have been done with a Tilt Tray truck so immobilisation is no help. Equipment monitoring systems are discussed here:
I wouldn't say that immobilization is of no help. I have worked many sites where I could park the skid or other equipment that wasn't roll-back accessible. The only way to have got it out would be to drive it. Some sort of immobilization also helps keep the kids or the neighbor from taking joyrides.
I probably can't say much about it here, but I supply all sorts of dealers with GPS security units. The owner of the unit sets up a "Geo-fence" around the unit via the GPS. If it's indoors without a clear view to the sky, my units also use cell phone technology. Anyway, if your machine (equipment, tractor, Jet Ski, ATV, Harley etc., etc.,) moves more than 25' from where you left it when you armed it, you will receive a text and an automated phone call. You can even have the call go to the police if you are confident you won't have a lot of false positive movements (lapses in memory). These units are extremely accurate, extremely durable and surprisingly affordable. Since I sell to dealers, I really can't quote their price, but I don't think you'd find any that would cost you much more than $400 or so. We have nearly a 95% recovery rate, and that is before any damage can be done. For a bit more, all sorts of additional options can be added. If you're interested, feel free to PM me or have your dealer contact me to get set up to sell the security devices. Read; I don't make squat per device so I REALLY need this to be a volume thing.
Thanks for for all of the posts. It is a shame that we all have to take such drastic measures just to try to keep what is ours. Here is my plan right now: 1. Security bar over the driver controls. 2. tire boot. Shouldn't that thing make it at least some difficult to try and winch it up on a trailer? 3. How about setting some posts and making a little makeshift plywood garage so the machine will not be visible from the road and of course lock it so thieves would have to tear into it to get at the machine? I can also locate the garage on a slope next to a fence that also quickly slopes up to the other side so it would be difficult to winch the machine onto a truck. This set up would be really close to my neighbors house which should also help. I will also check on the keypad start. What about concreting a post in the ground and chaining the skidsteer to that? I also like the container idea. Who rents containers? That seems like a pretty good solution to me. I would think that locking the machine up would work pretty well.
subscribing for ideas
For immobilization, one of the dealers here has a nice remote key fob unit. You can hide the switch box part anywhere on the machine, and then use the key fob to remotely turn the master power on and off. I though it was pretty neat.
Well, i think the shipping container a 20' would be the ticket and u could put other equipment in there and lock it up when u leave the site.
i agree with tonka and sugest 9mm
Leave dead bodies laying around machine as a warning. to some this may seem extreme. I am sick of the theives having more rights than the law abiding. I and others have to work sun up - sun down to keep up the ones too sorry to work so they can steal our stuff. And the cops and feds will be at my door in a hr due to this post is what really makes me boil. :Banghead
Only problem there is that a small portable torch would be in there in less than 5 minutes. If all I had to do was cut the lock off, less than a minute.
I checked on a container and an 18'x20' is $142 per month. I think this is the way I am going to go. Nothing appears to be full proof but in a container out of sight seems like pretty good security to me. I will lock the equipment and keep it in the container and I think it will be pretty safe. However, if the crew from Ocean's Eleven decide to steal it they are going to get it anyway but a container and machine locks will probably stop 99% of would be thieves. In my situation I think it will work.
My personal experience, a connex on a job site screams break in... Have seen it several times. Honestly the safest thing is get a trailer and take it home... On top of previous devices... If you can hide it completely either behind a hill or in a hole..
if i have any doubt i put it one the trailer and take in with me
Why couldn't they steal it out of my driveway? Taking it home with me every day is not an option. It is going to have to stay out on the jobsite. There is a ditch around the house but it would still be some visible from the road. It can't be hidden completely by the surrounding terrain.
skidsteer There is no sure way, insurance is the best way. park it in one of the neighbors yard and maybe do a little free work for them. I did that one time and ended up hauling and spreading a load of dirt, that was cheap security. If they want it and its accessible, they will get it. Thats the reason most repo dealers, can get it, no matter if it runs or not Good Insurance and it doesnt really cost that much
Good advice. I do plan to get insurance and also take every reasonable preventative measure so that I don't have to collect on it.
a lock only keeps the honest honest. yeah their really is no good way to keep it from being stolen there are good deterants but if someone wants it they are going to get it cut locks chains hinges bolt cutters torch for the really outgoing and ballsy thief. high dollar chain that is normal torch cutting proof meaning a special high temp cutting torch like what the cut ships apart with. if they make such a thing dont know. but that looped through the bottom of the container looked with a high dollar torch cutting proof lock looped around the lift arms or other large piece on the machine that would devalue the machine if cut might keep it there but do they make roll backs big enough to just roll the container up on it and take the container and contents with them back to the hide out though?
Yea, I never though about a Torch. but if they want in there is nothing that is realie going to stop them anyways.
get a game camera that sends photos automatically to your cell... get insurance... and get in good with the neighbors.... And change the ignition key so that a standard one doesn't work and gets off a silent alarm.
what about praying for not being stolen.... i am joking of course....
A conex is often broken into thats true. I am thinking that the neighbors being near, and a connex box with a GOOD lock would be sufficient especially if you insured your contents. You can get some really good locks that would be a bit more time consuming to cut through or saw through. A torch will open almost anything on the connex box, but someone has to drag it out there, set it up, cut it open then hotwire unit, then reload torch set, etc.. more time than your local screw-ups want to spend if the site is near neighbors, especially if they have dogs.
would hauling to home with you be an option so that it didn't have to be left on the property over off hours? That way you always know where it is and that it is safe. If the machine is not on the property there is no way anyone can mess with it.