Optimistic Paranoid said:Cargo trailers are a different story. They often contain thousands of dollars worth of tools, or expensive motorcycles, or other valuable items.
If you change categories a bit, and think about commercial semi trailers, you are sure right! Hundreds of thousands of dollars in flat panel TVs, meat, cheese, canned goods, furniture, pharmaceuticals, baby food and infant formula, even disposable diapers. I kid you not...diapers. Non-traceable, non-perishable, and easily sellable by the case loads.
Cargo theft is a real problem in the transportation industry, but there a few very simple, and relatively inexpensive, deterrents. For trailers left unattended overnight in vendor and warehouse yards, one security measure is a kingpin lock, and the other is a single gladhand lock. Of course a large padlock on the rear door is a given.
These three things reduce cargo trailer theft by a huge percentage.
Thieves will see that kingpin lock and wont try to hook up to it...they will usually move on. Unless they have been tracking that shipment and KNOW its worth the trouble, they will pick an easier target. Security cameras show this.
If you can look at your trailer from a thieves point of view...you are half way to securing it.
But..HDR,...I do like the 'guns and shovels' idea....maybe a large sticker proclaiming the owner has both and not afraid to use them in sequence!