Warning to Caravan Owners from West Mercia Constabulary
Over recent years, great advancements in caravan security and caravan identification have been made. When security measures are taken, the thief's task is certainly frustrated and on occasions where the thief is successful the chances of recovering the caravan have never been better.
However, there are certain measures that should be taken by caravan owners.
Most vans are stolen from what might have been thought of as secure places - right outside the home, secure sites and motorway service stations. It is so easy for a thief to just hook it up to a car and drive off, and they were rarely recovered until now. The chances of finding a stolen van have never been better but like the buying and selling of cars, notification should be given to the 'Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme' (CRiS).
Almost all new caravans built in the UK since 1992 have a number stamped onto their A-frame and etched onto at least three windows and since 1998 all vans have electrical tags and the owner has a log book - CRiS keep a list of all reported stolen vans. Ring them on 01722 411430 - the service only costs £14.95 and pre-1992 models can also be CRiS-registered.
To avoid becoming another statistic and to meet most insurers' conditions of acceptance, certain precautions should be taken. There are many security devices available, like hitch-locks, steady locks, alarms and wheel-clamps. Take a photograph of your van; record any distinguishing features; make a note of your chassis and any other serial numbers - and keep all information in the house! Then if your van is stolen, you can give it to the police and insurance company.
If you require further information, ring:
Sue Savidge on 01562 701016 or
E-mail: WestMerciaNHW@aol.com.
