Caravan owners in Wiltshire and across the UK can now be less fearful of theft after the Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme (CRiS) helped police foil a gang.
A number of caravans had been stolen across the UK over the past three years, with Wiltshire Police attempting to collect evidence to catch the perpetrators.
The police worked alongside the CRiS to discover details of the missing vehicles, with four people now prosecuted for criminal activity that totalled almost £1 million in stolen caravans, money and jewellery.
Alan Bishop, industry relations director at the HPI, the UK’s leading vehicle information expert, has encouraged second-hand caravan buyers to run their own CRiS checks before making a purchase.
He said: “We would advise anyone looking to buy a caravan to carry out a number of essential checks beforehand.
“Undertaking a CRiS Check will uncover any discrepancies such as outstanding finance, if it has been previously ‘written off’ by an insurer or any discrepancy in keeper registration.”
Mr Bishop added that people should avoid paying for caravans with cash and instead should use bank accounts for a more traceable transaction.
The CRiS Check can confirm the correct identity of a caravan, alongside whether it is stolen or an insurance write-off.
For more information on the CRiS scheme, please visit the HPI website.
