By Emma Dodd
Police in Cheshire are among some of the forces in the country to use a new tool to identify stolen caravans and motorhomes.
The VIN CHIP anti-theft identification system lets officers scan touring caravans and motorhomes at distances of up to 15 metres away.
It can even identify vans that have been reported stolen when they’re travelling up to 60mph and allow officers to access information on who the registered owner is.
Since the system is now being rolled out, caravan and motorhome owners are being encouraged to have a VIN CHIP fitted and their vehicle logged with the Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme (CRiS).
Inspector Anton Sullivan, of the Roads and Crime Unit, said: “Due to supply and demand, the number of caravan and motorhome theft incidents tend to rise in the summer months.
“This year the demand for them is even greater than normal, with travel restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic making staycations, mobile homes and caravan holidays more popular than ever.”
He added that this means there couldn’t have been a better time to add the VIN CHIP scanning system to their toolkit when monitoring the roads.
Modern caravans are all fitted with a chip featuring the vehicle identification number (VIN) when they’re manufactured, but older models can have one added to take advantage of the technology.
Installing a GPS vehicle tracker and keeping the subscription paid is another way the force recommends protecting your caravan or motorhome against theft.
They often come with an alarm, which could give you early notice of someone trying to steal your vehicle and therefore increase your chances of getting it back.
Many insurers require owners to fit hitch locks, wheel clamps and immobilisers while the vehicle is in storage, over the winter for example.
Put these into use on your holiday too, as they offer an extra level of security to prevent anyone from driving away with your caravan or motorhome, and consequently ruining your trip.
