Vehicle theft is an increasingly more common crime. Caravans are at particular risk as they often contain a treasure trove of expensive items. You need to defend your caravan against holiday theft as the Home Office revealed in October 2010 the number of reported auto theft incidents had reached 470,900. Is this a risk you want to take on holiday?
- Caravan HolidayRobert Couse-Baker / Foter / CC BY
First Steps
The first step of any responsible caravan owner is to obtain caravan insurance. The policy will depend on whether the caravan is a static or touring caravan, but either way, taking out the maximum insurance policy is imperative. The cost of purchasing a brand new caravan, only to have it stolen is too damaging to bear thinking about. Before defending it against theft, defend it against the worst case scenario with an insurance policy.
Prevention
– Avoid tempting a passing thief by removing any valuable items. If there are any expensive or precious items in the caravan, keep them out of sight.
– Lock all doors and windows. It sounds obvious, but auto crime happens chiefly when you’ve left the vehicle unattended for a short amount of time.
– Use a high quality hitch lock to secure the caravan coupling to the cover. Install lockable wheel nuts to prevent it being driven away.
Recovery
Sometimes even the most stringent security methods won’t stop your caravan being stolen by a determined thief. The next best thing is to improve your chances of recovering your vehicle at a later date. Luckily, there are plenty of methods the police can use to find thieves and stolen vehicles.
– Place a hidden tracking device in the caravan. There are lots of different options when it comes to tracking devices, but the smaller and better hidden, the more effective they are. Most thieves won’t inspect their bounty for tracking devices.
– Take all vehicle registration documents out of the caravan. Normally, the only way a thief can sell your caravan is through an uncertified dealer. Providing them with the right documents enables them to use practically any seller in the land.
– Scribble your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in multiple places, both inside and outside. If your caravan is found, the VIN gives you the identification you need to prove it’s yours. Consider investing in an ultraviolet pen to scrawl the number on to the windows.
Theft Prevention Essential
With the rising number of caravan thefts in the UK, it’s essential you implement these safety measures. Begin with insurance to ensure you don’t have to foot the bill for your stolen caravan. Implement theft prevention and recovery measures to give you the best chance of deterring/catching the people responsible.
These methods are not difficult to implement and don’t require any significant investment or technical knowledge. These simple actions and measures are potentially saving you thousands of pounds.
When it comes to your caravan, are you willing to deal with the pain and frustration of having your property stolen on holiday or from your driveway?
