It's possible to defeat the typical thief:
Wire in additional disconnecting means across critical circuits.
For me this means working on those busses that are fused under the hood.
I'm not going to publish my wiring diagram on the Web...
But any j-man can come up with odd fusing (from automobile circuits or such ) that no thief is going to be prepared for. It functions like a second set of keys.
And while he discovers he can't get the engine to start, he's on camera. (motion sensors and digital TV cams)
I've caught 'talent' eyeing my truck for aquisition while I'm on the road. One crew followed me through 20 right and left hand turns around a shopping complex. They didn't think that anything was unusual about my sense of direction -- or that they were hugging my bumper the entire way!
I had to lose them on the freeway. They needed to gas up. My tank was good for another 500 miles.
So, don't discount rapid 'shoppers' willing to depart with your machine while you're getting coffee at a 'walk-in.' This is where the trick extra disconnect totally frustrates a thief.
More generally, I take pains to park my machine inside an alarmed building... and my local area is quite dry. The need for cheap warehousing is why so many contractors locate out in the sticks. The additional driving time balances against rent and risk.
I've even seen contractors lining up for mini-warehouse spaces. These are alarmed every night and always gated. The local management is on site. Their big advantage is that you can back out of the rental with 30 days notice.
Losing your machine -- for a one-man shop -- is tantamount to bankruptcy. No insurance company is going to pay off against your lost supplies, tools, and business interuption at a practical premium. Failing contractors would break them if they tried.
