Thieves.

As sad as that is, I have friends out here who cater and they all do a lot more to secure their trailers. One even has multiple wheel locks and a ground anchor.

At least they have a chance of recovering that. I had someone steal a whole brisket off my pit. Bastards.

Pyle's BBQ said:

At least they have a chance of recovering that. I had someone steal a whole brisket off my pit. Bastards.

Click to expand...

And it was darned tasty!!! Could of used a touch more rub though. :becky:

I hope it was. I don't think it was done when it was taken.

Somebody stole a brisket right off the smoker? Was this at the restaurant, or at a catering event or something?

I'm not trying to be mean; but if you make it easy for somebody to steal stuff,
they probably will.
When I had a smoker-trailer, I had a special hitch lock clamped onto the tongue, I had
another lock on the lock-down clamp, I ran the height adjuster up and put a chain on it
so it couldn't be lowered, I also had a chain running through the wheel and spring on
one side. On the other side I had a cable lock run through the wheel and spring.
If someone wanted to steal it they would have had to remove at least 5 locks and
chains to be able to drive off with it.
Even with all that, somebody could have still stolen it, but it would have taken
them a good bit of time and effort to do so.

I see stuff like this on the News all the time....people will leave a window open on
their house, or leave their car doors unlocked and they get robbed. They will then
be interviewed on the news saying "this a good area, things like this don't
happen here". And they are standing right next to their car that was broken into,
because they didn't lock the doors.

Don't lie to yourself and believe you live in a "good area" and crime doesn't happen
where you are. Lock everything. Back your trailer into a place where people can't
break open the doors and take your stuff out. Park other cars in front of it so
someone can't just "hook up to it" and drive away.

Yes, it will make it inconvenient for you for your next competition, or event.
But if you make it easy for thieves to steal from you, they probably will.

I know you shouldn't have to take these precautions, but, sadly that is the
way the world is today.

It is the way it has been for a long time. Back in the 1980's, we always took the hitch hooks off of the trailers on construction sites. We locked the controls shut with lock out boxes. All hydraulics were lowered to the ground, all buckets were chained. Trucks were parked in front of equipment, and if it was over a holiday, all tools were hauled off the site. Thieves have always been out there.

marubozo said:

Somebody stole a brisket right off the smoker? Was this at the restaurant, or at a catering event or something?

Click to expand...

Here is the post.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153837

I thought I could get away with smoking something overnight. It didn't work out.

Grillman said:

I'm not trying to be mean; but if you make it easy for somebody to steal stuff,
they probably will.
When I had a smoker-trailer, I had a special hitch lock clamped onto the tongue, I had
another lock on the lock-down clamp, I ran the height adjuster up and put a chain on it
so it couldn't be lowered, I also had a chain running through the wheel and spring on
one side. On the other side I had a cable lock run through the wheel and spring.
If someone wanted to steal it they would have had to remove at least 5 locks and
chains to be able to drive off with it.
Even with all that, somebody could have still stolen it, but it would have taken
them a good bit of time and effort to do so.

I see stuff like this on the News all the time....people will leave a window open on
their house, or leave their car doors unlocked and they get robbed. They will then
be interviewed on the news saying "this a good area, things like this don't
happen here". And they are standing right next to their car that was broken into,
because they didn't lock the doors.

Don't lie to yourself and believe you live in a "good area" and crime doesn't happen
where you are. Lock everything. Back your trailer into a place where people can't
break open the doors and take your stuff out. Park other cars in front of it so
someone can't just "hook up to it" and drive away.

Yes, it will make it inconvenient for you for your next competition, or event.
But if you make it easy for thieves to steal from you, they probably will.

I know you shouldn't have to take these precautions, but, sadly that is the
way the world is today.

Click to expand...

That's all well and good with the locks and chains but if they have the key to the city, ain't nothing stopping them!

Key to the city listed below:

http://www.kleintools.com/catalog/bolt-cutters-heavy-duty/36-bolt-cutter-heavy-duty-steel-handles

PatAttack said:

That's all well and good with the locks and chains but if they have the key to the city, ain't nothing stopping them!

Key to the city listed below:

http://www.kleintools.com/catalog/bolt-cutters-heavy-duty/36-bolt-cutter-heavy-duty-steel-handles

Click to expand...

That's why I said what I did....but maybe I should have said more.
This is the Hitch-lock I used; it is designed to be very difficult to cut or
pick the lock....probably not impossible, but more difficult than a
regular lock.

Also I chose the size of the chain with links big enough that they
wouldn't fit in the jaws of bolt cutters like that. Yes they make bolt
cutters that are bigger, but not that many people have them.
And if somebody really, really wants to steal your stuff, there is
probably no way to prevent it. But, it you make it harder for them
to steal from you, they will probably steal from someone else that
didn't do much to stop them.

I know of a couple of folks that use wheel boots on their trailers. Expensive....but cheap if you compare the cost to replacing a trailer/cooker. If they can get those off they were going to end up with it all anyway.

Yep, that is what my friend uses, discovered that a wheel boot cost around $400 and is really not possible to remove with just a normal hand tool. BUT, do NOT lose the keys.

Hitch locks are good, but REAL thieves just throw a chain around the tongue and take off with it any way.

I really like the idea of a boot.

2nd one that has been stolen around here.

1st one was the big Lang, owned by Killen's BBQ. It was quickly found as I think they figured out that Langs are uncommon around here and stick out like a sore thumb.

Pits are on every corner here and in every storage lot as well so lots of targets of opportunity.

My trailer currently has the hitch lock but I think I'm going to invest in the boot product as well. The dollar amount of the trailer is increasing as I add pieces and parts to conduct business and will go up considerably once the pits are completed and installed.

Sad as it is locks only keep honest people honest.

Sounds like a opportunity to tie a BFD to your smoker:idea:

Catch 'em & hang 'em, but not to high, let their heels & toes scrape the ground for a frew minutes so they can come to terms with the fact they are just A-hole scum!

Hey gang,

Just now commenting cuz just got approved to post. I'm a member of the cooking team that had the pit stolen on Sunday which what this thread is about. Pit is owned by catering company & some team members. We have had a tremendous response in getting the word out....news coverage all 3 major TV stations, some print media and our FB page has been slammed with people looking and sharing by the 1000's. People have shared on blogs such as this all over the place. Grateful for all the help from everywhere....this could happen to anyone. We do mostly BBQ competitions that support a charity as well as other benefits for charity such as the TAFR benefit for the firefighters in Houston & West, TX and an upcoming benefit for melanoma.

Few facts: Catering company where our pit trailer stored was located in off beaten path industrial warehouse area not visable to just the general public. This was a targeted/planned event. Best guess is a worker in area or someone working a tractor-trailer that frequents the area for deliveries & knew caterer's operating hours & planned this for a Sun afternoon when knew would be closed. The parking storage area was secured with 8 ft fencing with barbed wire on top. Gate was access controlled. Multiple security cameras. Our pit had a trailer hitch cover lock on it....exact same model Grillman posted above. That didn't stop them. In & out in just few minutes. Yes, next time we are investing in a wheel boot...lesson learned.

We still think pit trailer couldn't have gone too far. Didn't hook up trailer lights and we know that one light is out...just happened & hadn't had fixed yet. Pit could be anywhere, but it's reasonable to deduct that may be hidden N. Houston somewhere north of I-10 from I-10 W over to I-10 E and north up to Beltway 8. We have the BBQ comp circuit on lookout for and lots of people from all over Houston, Texas & beyond. Thanks again for everone looking out for this pit.
Here is link to our FB page if you want to see pictures of pit and get more info https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sons-O-Beaches-Cooking-Team/121443004555707?ref=hl