by Holly Tribe
A police intelligence unit has discovered an alarming trend for caravans being stolen to order.
The Association of Chief Police Officer’s Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) warned that last year saw an increase in the number of caravans stolen for the first time in many years.
Caravanning has become an increasingly popular holiday option with Brits now owning an estimated half a million tourers.Unfortunately, the increase has provided opportunistic thieves with a ready market. Around two thousand caravan theft reports were processed by specialist insurers last year. And worryingly, the robberies have occurred not only from owners’ driveways, but also from dedicated caravan storage facilities.
AVCIS suspect offenders are visiting storage sites to scout for caravans, taking photos and then placing ads on the internet. Once a buyer has been established, the caravan is subsequently targeted for theft.
Leisure Vehicle Officer Tim Booth revealed the difficulty in recovering a stolen vehicle. “As caravanning increases in popularity we are seeing more and more caravans being stolen to order by organised crime gangs. Three-quarters of those stolen disappear without a trace and are never recovered, which is something AVCIS is working extremely hard to combat.”
What can you do to help protect your caravan?
There is a range of increasingly sophisticated security devices available on the market to help protect your caravan and reduce the risk of theft – whether you store your ‘van at home, on a seasonal pitch, or in a storage facility.
An electronic tracking system can significantly improve the chance of recovering your vehicle in the event of theft and can reduce your insurance policy by up to 30%.
There are a number of caravan identity kits available which match rightful owners to their caravans in the event of a recovery. AL-KO make a range of high quality deadlocks, wheel clamps and alarms which all act as effective deterrents.
Theft of (or from) vehicles is no longer considered a policing priority by many forces. So if the worst should happen, and you become a victim of caravan theft, having a comprehensive insurance policy can help get you back up and running as quickly as possible.
The future isn’t all bleak however and the police are tireless in their work to uncover these specialist criminals. Back in March Caravan Times reported that a gang of prolific caravan thieves responsible for over half of all thefts in the UK were found guilty of conspiracy to steal.
