You’ve finally got that caravan you dreamed of and are all set to take the UK and – dare we say – the Continent, by storm.
Not only does this luxury villa on wheels have everything you need for your venture, it’s accessorised to the hilt and just oozes comfort.
So how devastating would it be for it to be stolen or worse – vandalised?
It’s not nice and something you probably don’t even want to think about, but it can happen to anyone.
Luckily there are steps you can take to prevent it. The following are some recommended security tips that many caravanners forget about, whether on the road or parked up at home between camping seasons. Although some are more expensive than others, implementing all of the below will make it highly unlikely you will become a victim of caravan crime…
1) Never leave your car and van unattended by an adult at a service station, even with CCTV around. Service station caravan theft is still common as of 2010 and an easy method for would-be thieves to have your holiday home.
2) Always park towards an exit, make sure your caravan isn’t blocked by other vehicles and leave the engine running for a quick getaway if need be. This may sound like an exaggeration and is unlikely but you can never be too safe!
3) Get a decent hitch lock ie. one that covers the entire hitch or a metal ball from a trusted company such as Purple Line.
4) If parked at home, ensure your van is filmed by fixing up a CCTV camera high enough to avoid thieves tampering with it.
5) Ensure the camera’s wires are hidden too, a CCTV system that is easy to dismantle might as well not be there at all.
6) Get lighting which alerts you if someone is in the vicinity of your caravan. Again, ensure this is mounted well above head height. These can also be triggered by cats, but any deterrent is better than nothing.
7) Always park your van in a visible location where neighbours can see it. A caravan in an obvious spot may be more visible to thieves, but it would make a theft of said caravan harder in plain view.
8) Avoid caravan covers and choose to just clean it a couple of times while out of season instead. Thieves can be difficult to spot underneath them.
9) Closing the blinds on a caravan can alert a thief to ‘valuables’. Leave them open to avoid would be thieves speculating. A look throught he window and a scope out is better than waking up to a broken window or worse. I don’t think I need to tell you that you should remove all valuables too!
10) Put up a sticker saying the caravan has a tracker device and an alarm attached, even if it hasn’t. Not many people are going to run the risk of finding out.
11) If you’re going to go for an alarm then invest your money and buy a decent one with a hidden noise box. No thief is going to hang around with a constant din going on to alert the neighbours. Some sights will insist on a particular type of alarm system.
12) Avoid seasonal pitches if possible – thieves know caravans lie empty on them for long periods with few people around, it’s part of their job!
13) Clamp-lovers should ensure they buy one which is ‘sold secure’ – otherwise don’t bother.
Although caravan theft is not as high as motor theft it is still something that occurs regularly enough in the UK to warrant taking safety measures. Happy Camping!
Picture credit: Birdseyeviewofwales