How to prevent moving truck theft

When moving long distance with a rental truck, you’ll need to stop for meals and rest along the way – and you’ll most probably have to park the truck at least once overnight.

Whenever you leave the moving vehicle, though, it becomes at risk of theft. Thieves can break into the truck and steal some of your belongings – or even drive off with the van and all your possessions.

Unfortunately, moving truck theft is more common than one might think. Moving trucks are tempting targets for thieves – they’re loaded full of household items (so intruders are certain that they will find something of value inside) and are fairly easy to break into and hot-wire (so thieves have every hope that they will be able to finish their “business” within minutes).

Yet, moving truck theft can be easily prevented – there are quite a few steps you can take to protect your rented vehicle and your items from robbery.

Find out how to prevent moving truck theft and ensure your safe and trouble-free DIY-move.

Lock the truck

This is pretty obvious but locking the truck is crucial for preventing theft. The more difficult to access the vehicle is, the safer it will be. Thieves look for an easy score, so the harder it is to break into a moving truck, the less likely they’re to attempt it.

So, whenever you stop, always make sure all doors to the truck are locked and all windows are rolled all the way up. Even if you leave the truck for just a few minutes, if there will be no one in it while you’re away, don’t leave the doors unlocked or the windows down. And never ever leave the keys in the truck or in the ignition – not even if you’re only going to be gone for a second. 

Good to remember: When picking up the truck, be sure to check whether the doors and windows on the cab close tightly and lock securely – and whether the door latch on the back of the truck works properly. If you find any issues, inform the truck rental company and, if necessary, request another truck. (See also: What to know when renting a moving truck)

As important as it is to securely lock the cab, it’s even more essential to secure the rear cargo doors, so thieves can’t get to your belongings – at least not without a lot of effort and noise. Don’t rely on the truck’s locking mechanism, as it can be easily broken – use chains and a padlock.

So, how to lock a moving truck? It’s simple enough – all you need to do is get a quality padlock that fits through the latch. Keep in mind that cheap padlocks can be easily snipped with bolt cutters – invest in a sturdy, cut- and tamper-resistant padlock to minimize the risk of theft from your moving truck and ensure your peace of mind.

Bonus tip: Don’t leave any valuable items in the moving truck during the night. Most moving truck thefts happen while the vehicle is parked overnight, so, when you stop for the night, be sure to take all your valuables to your room with you.

Invest in a vehicle alarm and other anti-theft devices

Thieves don’t want to attract attention, so any visible anti-theft devices can make them think twice about attempting to break into your truck – and an alarm going off is likely to send them running away.

Car alarms and other anti-theft devices are inexpensive and easy to install. You can find them at most hardware stores and use them to deter potential thieves. 

It is a good idea to put a sticker on the window to warn ill-intentioned individuals that an alarm will go off if they try to break in. Such decals, as well as any visible safety devices, work great as visual deterrents and protect your truck by warding off potential intruders.

You can also use wheel locks, steering wheel locks, brake locks, starter or ignition disablers, or other similar devices to prevent thieves from driving off with your truck.

Park smartly

Another good way to keep your moving truck from being stolen is to park it in such a way that would-be thieves don’t have easy access to it, can’t get to it without being seen, and can’t drive off without causing a lot of commotion.

• Whenever possible, park the truck in areas with video surveillance;
• When stopping at a restaurant, try to park your moving truck where you can keep an eye on it while you eat;
• When spending the night at a hotel, park the moving truck as close as possible, within sight of your window -This way, you’ll be able to easily check on your truck from your room – and you’ll be more likely to hear any commotion outside and successfully prevent theft attempts;
• Park the truck in well-lit areas – Light is an effective crime deterrent – criminals don’t want to be seen, so they prefer to act under the cover of night and avoid brightly lit areas. If your moving truck is parked in a well-lit place, the light will make it very difficult for thieves to get to the vehicle and steal it (or steal from it) unseen. So, when parking your moving truck, look for a spot that is directly under a light post;
• Block access to the truck- When parking the moving truck, if possible, back up against a wall (or a building, or a fence) – if not, make sure there is another vehicle parked behind the truck. What matters is to block the back of the truck, so it’s impossible – or very difficult – for thieves to open the doors and unload any items. If they can’t get a good angle on the lock or take things out of the truck, potential offenders are likely to give up the idea of breaking into your rental vehicle. If you have a car with you (either towed or driven by a family member), park it in front of your moving truck – to make it very difficult for offenders to drive off with your truck;
• Look for hotels that offer locked, gated parking- Your moving truck will be perfectly safe in a gated parking lot. (Keep in mind though that you may be charged a premium for parking in a secure lot.)

Get insurance

Having insurance won’t prevent moving truck theft but it will give you peace of mind – and will alleviate the financial consequences of a robbery:

• Find out if your homeowner’s insurance covers your belongings during a house move – Most homeowners’ policies cover items stolen from storage units and moving trucks, but the coverage may be limited and may not apply in all situations. You need to discuss the matter with your insurance provider and, if it turns out that your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t provide the coverage you want, buy additional moving insurance for your items (See also: Does home insurance cover moving);
• Get moving truck insurance – Most auto insurance policies exclude moving trucks, but even if your personal car insurance covers rental trucks, it is unlikely to provide sufficient coverage. Your best bet is to buy moving truck insurance from your rental company, so you’re absolved of financial responsibility in case of theft (See also: Does car insurance cover rental trucks).

Bonus tip: How to prevent trailer theft

Moving trailers are even easier targets for thieves than moving trucks – an offender can simply hook up the entire trailer to their vehicle and drive away with it.

This doesn’t mean, however, that there is nothing you can do to protect your rental trailer and your belongings when moving cross-country.

Read on to find out how to keep a trailer from being stolen:

1) Lock the trailer

The best way to prevent trailer theft is to make it impossible – or at least extremely difficult – for potential offenders to hitch the trailer to their vehicle.

Here is how to lock a trailer so it can’t be stolen:

• Use a tongue lock – A tongue lock (a hitch coupler lock) attaches to the coupler of the trailer, thus effectively preventing it from being hitched to a vehicle. You will need this type of lock when your moving trailer is disconnected from your car;
• Use a hitch pin lock – A hitch pin lock secures the hitch, so no one can pull the pin and separate the trailer from the vehicle it is currently connected to. A quality pin lock will keep your moving trailer from being stolen while it is hooked to your car.

Don’t forget to lock the doors to the trailer too – use a quality padlock, so thieves can’t easily open the doors and get to your belongings. Keep the keys with you – if you leave them in the car, an intruder may find them and use them to open the trailer and steal your items from it.

2) Use wheel locks

Wheel clamps attach to the tires of the trailer and prevent them from turning. With a wheel lock installed, thieves will be unable to drive away with your moving trailer.

Wheel locks are not only very difficult to remove (thus successfully securing your trailer from theft), but they also act as a powerful visual deterrent – potential thieves might be dissuaded from even approaching your trailer when they see a heavy-duty wheel clamp in place.

Bonus tip: It is a good idea to attach a portable car alarm to your moving trailer too – it can scare away intruders and prevent trailer theft.

Just as with a moving truck, be sure to always park your trailer in well-lit areas – and, when possible, within sight. If you can, back up your trailer against a wall to block access to the doors – and always block the trailer with your vehicle, so would-be thieves can’t easily maneuver it to another towing vehicle. Be sure to get appropriate insurance for your belongings and for your rental trailer.

Knowing how to protect a moving truck – and a moving trailer – from theft will give you peace of mind during your DIY-move and will allow you to focus on driving the moving vehicle and making the most of your relocation. Have a nice and smooth trip to your new home!