Police advice for caravan security

Secure Your Caravan

Your caravan is vulnerable everywhere. Even if you are stopping only for a short time in a lay-by or motorway service station, it is important to protect it. You know how valuable your home is to you. You know how important it is to keep it secure.

But what about your caravan? On holiday, or touring, you rely on it as your home. Think how you'd feel if someone broke in or towed it away!

Your caravan is always a target for thieves. It may be your home from home but it's not built to the same strength as bricks and mortar. So it's up to you to tighten up the security of the parts which make it vulnerable.

Make sure your caravan can't be towed away

The cheapest form of protection for a trailer caravan is a hitch lock. This should prevent any vehicle with a towing bracket fitted to his/her vehicle hitching up and driving off with your caravan in tow. It could happen from your own front garden. There are several types of locks available, many depending on the use of a padlock to prevent the hitch being clicked on to the towing ball. When choosing a hitchlock one ensure the device is compatible with the make of coupling on your trailer — remember fittings are not universal. Inspect the padlock to be sure that it is of a good quality and if practical of the close shackle type.

Other methods of security include:

• Secure each corner leg with a padlock. Make sure it has a shackle to prevent thieves from cutting through it. If you use a chain, make sure it's a strong one. Thieves can easily get hold of the right tools to cut through a weaker chain.

• Lock the coupling head into a cover with a hitchlock.

• Use lock-nuts on the caravan wheels. If you can, use wheel clamps — everyone knows how well they can keep a vehicle stationary!

• Gas cylinders are always an inviting target to a thief. Padlock them to the fixing bracket on older caravans so they can't be removed, and keep gas compartments locked on newer models.

Stop thieves breaking in

• Always close and lock the doors and windows when you leave your caravan — even if it's just for a short time. Thieves don't need long to go through a caravan, and their job is made easier and simpler if they can get in easily.

• Fit a special caravan deadlock to the door, and make sure you use it. Then thieves can't just smash a window and turn the handle on the inside.

• Fit an alarm. You can get one from any DIY store.

• Fit a time switch. If you're out after dark, lights on in your caravan will make it look occupied and can deter opportunist thieves.

• Don't leave valuables such as jewellery in your caravan. If you have to, lock them out of sight.

Remember: your caravan is even more vulnerable when not in use. Caravans left on sites even over winter, for example, are targets for thieves.

• Wherever it is, immobilise your caravan.

• Remove all your personal belongings and contents when you are not using your caravan. Leave cupboards and curtains open — thieves can be put off by a caravan, which is obviously empty.

• If you are choosing a storage site don't just look at the price. Check to see that it offers good security.

• If you're leaving your caravan at home ask a neighbour to keep an eye on your caravan as well as your house.

Further Advice

If you are a member of the Caravan Club, your touring caravan will automatically be logged on the club's security register. This enables the club to liaise with the police and dealers rapidly should a theft occur. It also helps to authenticate ownership if your caravan is stolen then recovered.

You can write to the Caravan Club, East Grinstead House, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1UA. Tel: 01342 326944