by Dan Hughes
Fast response from Phantom Tracker HQ helps stop thieves in their tracks
Two caravan thieves were literally stopped in their tracks during an attempted caravan robbery last weekend (16 November), thanks to a Phantom Tracker and a quick response from the police. And, in a story you couldn’t even begin to make up, the caravan’s owner even gave chase!
“It all started last Sunday at about 2:50am,” begins John Brown, 62, of Rudgeway, near Bristol.
“I received a call from Phantom to say my alarm was going off and was advised that someone was possibly trying to steal my caravan.”
Having been advised to check whether the alarm had been set off owing to adverse weather conditions, John looked out of his window to check on his Swift Challenger Sport, only to spot a male and female – both of whom were described as being in their mid to late twenties – breaking into his caravan.
Speaking exclusively to CaravanTimes John continues: “I was very shocked actually – very upset about what was happening. I could see they had spare number plates to put over my number plate and they were also taking tools from the back of their transit van in order to attach my Challenger to their van. ”
John advised the Phantom representative that his caravan was actually being broken into and the police were immediately notified. It was at this point that the two opportunistic thieves managed to start John’s caravan and the Phantom Tracker was activated.
“After I saw them pull out of the car park where my caravan was, I followed the up the road for about four or five miles with the police who had arrived to accompany me,” a brave John says.
The police strategically deployed a stinger device in order to halt John’s caravan by deflated the tyres and the thieves’ numbers were up.
When asked what sort of things were going through John’s mind during the police chase, he decisively says: “The caravan kept swinging out on the road to stop the police from getting to them and all I kept thinking was “Hang on, watch it, watch my van!”
Watch our video on Phantom here
Police managed to bring the caravan to a stop without it suffering too much damage apart from a set of punctured tyres, as well as damage inflicted upon the lock and alarm system, much to John’s relief, and the thieves were promptly arrested whilst John’s caravan was taken away for examination, so all-in-all a job well done.
John puts such a good result down to one contributing factor. “Phantom were absolutely fantastic,” he says. “They obviously know what they’re doing and it’s certainly money well spent. I got five year’s coverage on the caravan when I bought the tracker and it’ll certainly be getting renewed when the time comes.”
And as to whether John would give chase again should he be faced with a similar situation? “Yes, probably – it’s the belly of the beast I’m afraid,” he says laughing.
Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as John was and it’s apparent to us at CaravanTimes that the Phantom Tracker played an integral role in stopping low-life thieves dead in their tracks. What do you use as far as security is concerned?
