14 Locks That Cannot Be Cut With Bolt Cutters And Other Shed Security

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Many late-model vehicles come with alloy wheels and low-profile tires (there’s a shorter distance between the rim and the tread). Because the rim rides so close to the pavement, shops now see many more bent alloy wheels than before the low-profile tires became popular. Since new factory wheels cost upward of $300 each, vehicle owners usually opt for a used wheel from a recycling yard. And that’s creating a shortage of used alloy wheels.

And the result is… you guessed it: Alloy wheel theft is on the rise. Police reports show that thieves can strip all four wheels from a vehicle in about five minutes. If you have alloy wheels, install locking lug nuts to deter the crooks.

Locking lug nuts aren’t foolproof, but it takes a special socket to remove them, and that slows down the thieves. Remove one lug nut from each wheel and install a locking nut in its place. Want more security? Add two per wheel.

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Trailer thieves get quite a laugh out of coupler “latch locks.” They can cut them in an instant with even the smallest bolt cutter. Then, they’re on their way with your trailer.

If you want real protection, use a coupler lock that presents thieves with a real challenge.  Just insert the ball into the coupler and slide on the U-bracket. Unless there is time to unbolt the entire coupler and install a new one, you will stop most thieves.

Of course, you want to make sure you hook up your trailer correctly in the first place, too.

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If you have a really expensive trailer, it pays to get an extra layer of protection by using a “boot”-style lock in addition to the coupler lock.

You can choose from many styles, but we liked this particular model because it doubles as a wheel chock to prevent the trailer from rolling. Just slide it onto the wheel and press in the lock cylinder.

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