Around 3000 or so touring caravans are reported stolen each year in the UK, representing a major inconvenience to their owners. Unlike a car, a caravan is an extension to your home and caravan theft not only has the usual financial implications but can be very emotional for the individuals involved...

There are a number of ways that caravan owners can help with the security of their caravan. All caravans should have a VIN number that can be written or etched in various places in the caravan.  For example, labelling the underside of drawers, in cupboards and on other areas of bare wood will help the police to identify a touring caravan if it is ever stolen. Obviously, the method of labelling should be permanent and not easy to remove or disguise.

There are various security devices available to the touring caravan owner and owners should consider using as many as convenient. 

These include using a good quality hitchlock and lockable cover as well as fitting locking wheel nuts.  A wheel clamp of some description is essential whilst the caravan is in storage and most touring caravan insurance companies insist that some form of wheel clamping is used to comply with the exclusions in the policy.  A tracker device similar to those fitted to high value vehicles is also available for caravans and enables a better chance of recovery if the caravan is stolen.  Some systems are capable of phoning an owner’s mobile phone if the caravan is moved without warning. Of a course a traditional alarm system will alert owners to an attempted theft.

Any of these products should come with the "Sold Secure" approval.  Sold Secure is an independent test authority that puts all kinds of security devices through rigorous testing.  Again, some caravan insurance policies insist that the security devices employed by owners are Sold Secure approved.

All caravans manufactured by members of the National Caravan Council since 1992 have been automatically registered with a system called TheCaravan Registration and Identification Scheme (CRiS). The CRiS scheme is an important tool in the fight against caravan crime and is a central database for caravan owner registrations.  The CRiS system is not only used to identify stolen caravans, but is also used in combating finance and insurance fraud.  The system uses the well known HPI Check ltd.

It is essential that when buying a used caravan that the purchaser carries out a CRiS check. For a small fee, they can then buy confidently knowing that the caravan they are buying is what the seller claims it to be in the same way that a HPI Check is conducted on used cars.  All caravans since 1997 have been electronically tagged using the CRiS system.

There are many other precautions that a touring caravan owner can take and the Government has a web site detailing some sensible precautions such as securing rooflights when leaving the caravan and not leaving caravan registration documents in the caravan.  Click here to access the Home Office web site.

Despite your best precautions it is a fact of life that some caravans are stolen and never recovered.  If this happens it is best to have adequate and comprehensive insurance cover.  When you consider that some touring caravans can cost up to £20,000 it makes sense to have an insurance policy in place.