The caravan industry is an ever changing market, and with that comes developments in security as well as trends in caravan crime. Tim Booth, from the Caravan Safety and Security Group gives us a run down on what’s happening at the moment.
Looking at recent press reports
it is very apparent that the Leisure Market is currently very buoyant, with
both caravan and motorhome manufacturers reporting high levels of sales. There is also a marked
increase in the number of sales of European manufactured caravans.
Whenever a buoyant market for
sales exists in any industry this is often seen by criminal groups as an
opportunity to take advantage of a ‘high demand’ by seeking to meet this demand
themselves. Of course, they achieve this supply at the expense of the current
keeper or even the dealership, by stealing the caravans that they supply.
This then, is an important time
of the year to make sure that you do everything you can to protect your caravan
or motorhome.
Make sure that your caravan insurance cover
is up to date and that you are meeting the requirements of the policy.
Of course it is not always
possible to store your caravan or motorhome at your home address, due to
planning conditions, and for some a lack of space – so owners increasingly turn
to storage site providers.
It is a fact that many of the
caravans being stolen are actually being taken from ‘informal’ storage sites –
where caravans and motorhomes are just ‘parked up’ for the winter period. There
are no inspections
made by the site owner, or even the consumer. Many of the tracking systems
fitted at time of manufacture only actually activate once the owner discovers
that their property has been stolen, and then notifies the tracking company –
the property can be long gone by then and chances of recovery are generally
very low.
A ‘pro-active’ system will notify
you if there are any issues that need to be addressed, so it is worth checking
whether this is the type of system that you have – if your caravan or motorhome
is fitted with such a system are you subscribed to their monitoring service?
Certificated storage sites, like
the CASSOA scheme, offer the consumer a level of protection that is recognised
by many insurers as a ‘positive deterrent’ to opportunist thieves. Some even
offer insurance benefits for using such a facility.
Of course – if you are considering buying a caravan or
motorhome, then make sure that you carry out a CRiS check on any caravan – this
can tell you whether the caravan is currently stolen, or if there is finance
outstanding. A HPI check can provide you with similar information about a
motorhome.
The cost of these checks could prevent you from becoming a victim of
those people who choose to steal caravans and motorhomes, and then look to target
unsuspecting consumers.
These straight forward measures can serve to protect your caravan or motorhome from being targeted by thieves.
Tim Booth provides specialist security advice to the caravan
and leisure industry. He also works to support the National Caravan Council,
The Camping and Caravanning Club and The Caravan Club by delivering an industry
group called the Caravan Safety and Security Group.
