Would-be caravan owners have been warned to be on the look-out for stolen tourers, as the number of illegal vans coming in from the EU has risen sharply.
This ‘influx’ comes after the laws were recently changed allowing wider caravans to be towed on the UK’s roads, according to the Association of Chief Police Officers’ Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS).
European gangs are reported to be stealing desirable tourers and destroying their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) before importing them to the UK to sell on to unsuspecting caravan lovers.
Anyone who is considering buying one of the estimated 25,000 caravans that are sold in the UK each year should check that the VIN is intact and that the tourer comes with all the relevant paperwork, including the original registration document.
Tim Booth, leisure vehicle officer at AVCIS, said: “Criminals are taking advantage of the UK’s new demand for European vehicles.”
Other top tips offered by AVCIS include:
- Don’t be tempted to buy a bargain. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
- Review the chassis stamp to see if it has been removed or altered completely.
- Ensure that the original registration document is provided. Unlike UK caravans, European caravans are registered as trailers so must have an official log book.
- Ask the seller for identification and proof of their address. They may be reluctant to provide this if something shady is going on.
- And finally, if you’re still not sure – ask to see photographic evidence of the seller using the caravan. Few caravan users wouldn’t have photographic records of their travels.
