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Crime Advice Issued to Caravan Owners

Lincolnshire Police have seen an unfortunate rise in the number of static caravan burglaries across the many parks along the county's coastal strip, with sites in Chapel St Leonards and Skegness being especially affected.

Static Caravans are very popular, providing the ‘home from home’ feel at an affordable price, and the East Lincolnshire coastal resorts contain one of the largest concentrations of static caravans in Europe.

If you own a caravan on the coast, or are considering purchasing one, there are some important security questions to consider and a few tips you should follow in order to make the day to day security of your pride and joy as effective as possible.

With LCD TVs and other expensive electrical equipment being a standard feature in your static caravan, their security during your periods of absence should be paramount

Removing all valuable portable property from your caravan when it is unoccupied reduces the opportunity for thieves and this means removing it completely from the site and taking it home rather than storing it in sheds adjacent to the caravan.  It is better to leave curtains open so criminals can clearly see that there are no valuables to steal and Lincolnshire Police provide stickers for display in the window reinforcing the message that all items of worth have been removed.

A static caravan is a major investment and should be protected as you would protect your main residence.  Most new, modern mobile homes come equipped with the kind of window and door locks that you will find on residential properties, but these can only be effective if they are used.

During the recent spate of burglaries in the area, intruder alarms have successfully scared off the offenders and have proved to be an effective deterrent.

Having an intruder alarm fitted will hopefully dissuade theft attempts and ensure that if a break-in does occur, the proper authorities are alerted and scenes of crime officers can attend before important forensic evidence is lost. There are many different alarms available with different levels of protection, and it is usually the amount you are willing to pay that dictates the alarm system you choose.

Choose your site with care and give some consideration to the security features it offers as well as its facilities. Bear in mind that some sites are not open all year round, closing for one or two months in the winter season and this may affect the effectiveness of the security they offer, your plot choice and the premium you pay for your static caravan insurance.

PC Andy Steeples, Lincolnshire Police’s Crime Reduction Officer for the coastal region, said, “If possible, look for sites that display the ‘Secure by Design’ logo, indicating that the site meets with stringent security standards and that measures such as closed circuit TV and private security patrols have been implemented. Consider the use of intelligent property marking systems such as Smartwater DNA which can link your holiday home to your main domestic residence.  This can be another excellent deterrent measure as it is proven that thieves will avoid property marked with Smartwater”.

There has also been an increase in attempted thefts of touring caravans in the county and the following advice is given:

Immobilise your caravan even when you stop only briefly. Make sure your caravan can't be towed away by following these simple tips:-

• Lock the coupling head using a good quality hitchlock. These give a reasonable degree of protection from an opportunist thief.
• Use locking wheelnuts and a good quality clamp on the wheels.
• Think about securing each corner steady by using a good quality padlock and make sure it has a short shackle to prevent thieves from cutting through it.
• If you use a chain make sure it is a strong heavy duty one.
• You may also want to have a tracking device fitted allowing the police or a system operator to track the caravan if it is stolen.

Security marking helps the police identify and return stolen caravans to their rightful owners and can put off thieves. Since 1992 all National Caravan Council recognised manufacturers have stamped the 17 digit vehicle identification number onto the vehicle chassis and etched it into the windows. If your vehicle is not marked in this way, have your chassis number etched into the windows and consider marking this number and your postcode inside your caravan cupboards and other hidden places with a permanent marker pen and keep a note of the places where you have done so. It may help to identify the caravan if it is stolen.

Article Published: 28/01/2011

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