Among the many challenges businesses faced during the peak of COVID-19, theft was an unfortunate one. While trailer theft is always a problem, Mike Mahoy noticed it got much worse during the pandemic, and thieves were a lot more brazen.
Mike is no stranger to crime. Prior to joining the Detro Trailers sales team in 2018, he served as a law enforcement officer and local Town Marshal for more than two decades. Detro Trailers has been selling trailers for over 30 years in Bainbridge, Ind., and typically has an average inventory of nearly 800 trailers of all types — open, enclosed, race car trailers, etc. — on its 30-plus acres.
So when Mike’s customers began asking for a GPS solution that would deter theft, he did his research and found Galeo Pro the clear winner. And his customers agree. So far he’s never had a customer choose not to purchase the theft deterrent device when offered.
Cost of Theft: It’s More Than the Trailer
The challenge with trailer theft is that it usually costs victims more than just their trailer.
A stolen trailer means downtime and loss of work for many businesses, like contractors and landscapers, who need their trailers to run their operations — a cost that insurance doesn’t recoup. Then they have to deal with the hassle of filing an insurance claim. Some theft victims discover their insurance will only cover the cost of the trailer when they first purchased it, rather than its higher replacement value.
Ongoing supply chain issues from COVID also mean theft victims can’t always replace their trailer with the brand and model they want. The cost of trailers has increased too, so even if they find an ideal replacement, it comes at a higher cost.
With motor vehicles and trailers being stolen at a rate of 1 per minute in the U.S. — and less than 25% of stolen construction equipment being recovered — a trailer owner’s best bet is to prevent theft from happening in the first place. Which is why Mike’s customers began asking for a GPS device that would deter thieves.
Wireless with Fast-Working Features
Mike researched GPS solutions online, and while he came across other options, no other offered the features and affordability of Galeo Pro.
Built here in the U.S., Galeo Pro is designed to be durable. Its battery can last 3-5 years under the most extreme temperatures — a range of -40° to 185° F — and with an IP69K rating, it can withstand snow, dust, rain, and even pressure washing.
Mike particularly liked that it’s a wireless solution. With a built-in accelerometer and 4G LTE SIM card, Galeo Pro sends a push notification to the owner’s phone the moment it senses motion or vibration, so owners can start tracking down their equipment from any distance immediately.
Time is of the essence when it comes to trailer theft. Some states, like Kentucky, don’t require trailer registration, so in these locations thieves will just rip off the bin stickers, so they can sell them faster.
Clear Value Brings a Sale Every Time
Detro Trailers has since put Galeo devices on its trailers to show potential customers right on the dealership lot just how easy it is to track their trailers from a cell phone.
Given the cost of a new trailer, Mike finds customers can easily justify the investment of Galeo Pro, which costs $249.99 for the device plus a data plan, available in monthly, annual, and 3-year options. Whenever he talks to a potential customer about deterring trailer theft with Galeo Pro, he makes a sale.
Galeo Pro gives Detro Trailers’ customers the peace of mind that their trailers are less likely to be stolen. And even if they are stolen, they can recover them quickly and easily. Because with Galeo Pro, stolen doesn’t have to mean lost.