Tiny homes have become a popular solution for Americans who are having trouble finding somewhere affordable to live. Tiny homes give people the ability to not only live in a well-maintained property, but it also gives them the ability to travel when the desire strikes.
That ability to move around can definitely open the door for thieves to steal these entire homes from where they're parked.
One Australian women got the surprise of a lifetime when her tiny home was stolen from her Canberra business.
Less than 24 hours later, a man spotted the house northwest of Brisbane, already hundreds of miles away.
Police were able to track down the house at a storage facility about 900 miles from where it was originally stolen.
"Who steals a house?" said the home's owner, Julie Bray. The unit was a prototype built to attract customers to her timber business. She had planned to put it into mass-manufacturing by the end of the year to help with the affordable housing crisis in the country.
She was very surprised when the 12 feet tall, and nearly 1.5 ton house disappeared from the property.
"I can't believe it. They drove it across the country, in broad daylight, and then parked it in a facility with CCTV cameras," she said.
A 24-year-old man has been charged by police for the theft and the investigation is ongoing.
So if you have fallen in love with this Tiny Home fad, make sure you protect your investment!
Here are some ways to make sure that thieves don't take off with your home:
1. Use a Hitch Lock
Locking your hitch is one of the simplest ways you can protect yourself from theft. Of course, there are ways a thief can remove the hitch lock, but this is a start.
2. Block or Lock Your Wheels
Use a wheel lock on at least one of your wheels if you are planning on parking at the same location for any length of time. Alternatively you can use a pile bricks in front of your wheels, which will make moving this home a difficult task. You can also remove the wheels and prop it up with blocks, if you are planning on making this a permanent residence.
3. Chain Your Trailer
Consider chaining your trailer to a tree or permanent structure using a heavy duty chain. The more difficult you make it for your tiny home to be stolen, the less likely a thief will go through the effort.
4. Use a GPS Tracker
Pick up a GPS tracker and hide it somewhere inside your trailer. That way if your Tiny Home ever goes missing, you can find it easily.
5. Make Your Hitch Inaccessible
Park your trailer in an area that is not easy to fit a tow vehicle. Use a trailer dolly that can handle the weight of your tiny home and use it to park your hitch against a wall, fence or tree.
