Everybody on Rural Watch

Unfortunately we have seen a recent rise in the number of thefts and attempted thefts of caravans and trailers.

You may have heard of the excellent work by members of the Rural Crime Team who located a stolen trailer and a small pony and were able to happily return them to their owners.

I thought it would be useful to send you some information so that you can get some practical ideas to help keep your property safe.

Remember to sign up to Horse Watch to get messages regarding all things equestrian.

Some of these ideas can work just as well for trailers not just caravans.

Cheshire Constabulary’s anti-theft advice for caravan owners is:

•Ensure that your caravan is kept secure at all times, with all doors, windows and roof windows closed and locked
•Remember to fit hitch locks, wheel clamps and immobilisers as required as part of your insurance, even when your caravan is in storage or you are on holiday
•Hitch locks lock a car and a touring caravan together when on-site or at temporary stops en route – the law allows you to tow with the lock in place providing that the hitch still rotates correctly
•Wheel locks have the dual purpose of being a visual deterrent and an anti-theft device – the best ones will still work even if the caravan tyres are let down by thieves
•Look for Sold Secure Gold or Diamond standard wheel locks – often locks that are easy to fit are also easy to remove
•Never store valuables in your caravan – those you take away on holiday with you should be marked with your postcode, as with any accessories you use with your caravan, such as water carriers, tables, satellite dishes etc
•Always store your caravan in a safe and secure location, as detailed to your insurer
•Leaving your caravan in an area covered by CCTV and good quality lighting will deter thieves, as will leaving the hitch head parked inwards and the caravan blocked in and difficult to remove – consider security posts to keep your van even more secure
•If you are thinking of keeping your caravan in a storage site, check if your insurer has a preferred site
•Before choosing a storage site for your caravan, check online to see what crimes have been reported there and how easy it is to go and pick up your caravan and if the site operator checks your details
•When holidaying in a touring caravan, try to use registered sites which have a good level of security, such as CCTV cameras
•Installing a GPS vehicle tracker could help to locate your caravan in the event of it being stolen – if you have such a system make sure that your subscription is paid
•If you have a caravan alarm, set it – these are often linked to the tracking monitoring company and can give early notice of theft
•Register your caravan with CRiS – if it is stolen and then stopped by the police they will be able to contact you quickly
•Keep an eye out for anyone acting suspiciously where your caravan is stored, and ask your neighbours to do the same – all suspicions concerning thieves targeting caravans should be reported to the police.

Message Sent By:
Pam Graham (Cheshire Police, PCSO, Rural Crime Team).