I
n November, Monica Badzinski's tiny home vanished from its plot of land in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Thieves had broken into her lot under the cover of night, hitched the home to a vehicle, and removed it entirely. Luckily, Badzinski wasn't living there at the time due to disputes over zoning and safety issues.

    A neighbor caught the crime on video, showing four men in a UTV and a pickup truck sawing through the lock and cutting the straps holding the home in place. Badzinski is offering a $500 reward for information related to the theft.

    Tiny-home thefts have been on the rise, with several incidents reported in recent months. The Bennett family, who document their lives in a tiny home on TikTok, had theirs stolen while they were celebrating a birthday in Utah. They used their dog's GPS tracking collar to locate the home, which suffered significant damage.

    In August, Karin Potter's home was stolen from a storage facility in Spokane, Washington. Security cameras captured footage of a gold pickup truck driving off with the home, but it was later recovered. A single mother in Mason County, Washington, wasn't so lucky; her 224-square-foot home was stolen, along with precious family items.

    The tiny-home market has exploded over the past decade, with the global market valued at $5.61 billion and expected to grow to $7.31 billion by 2031. A survey found that 73% of Americans would opt for a tiny home, citing unaffordability and high interest rates as major factors.

    However, owning a tiny home comes with its own set of challenges. Owners must consider the cost of land and property taxes, local zoning laws, and financing options. Many lenders don't offer mortgages for homes under 400 square feet or without foundations.

    To protect their properties, tiny-home owners should invest in wheel locks and trailer receiver locks to prevent theft. Ryan Meagher, a business development expert at Tinybox Systems, recommends taking these precautions to secure mobile units.