Over the last couple of years, the pandemic has driven a huge increase in stay-at-home holidays. As travel restrictions in other countries have made going abroad for holidays more difficult, this meant an increase in people buying caravans and motorhomes for the first time. Some figures estimate that the number of caravans and motorhomes on UK roads has reached 500,000.
The downside of this increase is that caravan and motorhome thefts have increased as well. According to figures accrued by the Daily Express newspaper, the year-on-year total of thefts has increased by around 29% and the figure accepted by most organisations involved in recovering stolen caravans and motorhomes is an average of 2,800 thefts annually. For proof, look no further than the ukcampsite.co.uk website, which keeps a constantly updated database of stolen caravans, trailer tents, and motorhomes.
Consider the Value of Your Caravan or Motorhome
The rise in popularity of caravan holidays has seen purchase costs rise in tandem. The larger caravans can cost somewhere in the region of £28,000–£30,000 brand new, while a new motorhome will start at around £40,000 for a Transit-sized one, whilst the sky is the limit for larger motorhomes. Second-hand values have also risen.
Couple the initial purchase cost with the value of kitting it out with basics such as bed linen, bathroom accessories, and kitchen equipment, plus the items which you will take on holiday with you, such as tech devices and personal belongings, and this all adds up to a large amount of expenditure. This is money which you can’t afford to lose should your caravan be stolen. Therefore, the move to install high-security devices such as GPS trackers would be a smart one.
How to Keep Your Caravan or Motorhome Safe
As we head into peak caravan holiday season, it is vitally important that you have in place all the security you can get to keep your valuable equipment safe from theft. There are a variety of security devices on the market to suit all budgets, most of which will help to keep your insurance premiums affordable. Some of these will be more effective than others.
GPS Trackers
On the top of the list has to be the GPS tracker. This is probably the most efficient and effective method of protecting your caravan or motorhome and of retrieving it quickly should it unfortunately be subject to a theft. There are many different types of caravan tracker available depending on your personal requirements and on the conditions specified by your insurance company. You should consider getting expert advice from a company which specialises in GPS tracking devices.
Alarms
An alarm fitted to your caravan can be a useful deterrent in certain circumstances, especially if it is the type which can send an alert to your phone. However, this can only be effective when you are in close proximity to your caravan. It is possible to install a movement-sensor alarm inside the caravan to sound an alert should anyone attempt to get inside.
Immobilisers
Some new motorhomes will be fitted with an engine immobiliser as standard, but you can also retrofit one to your motorhome as an effective deterrent. It is always advisable that you get this done by a specialist fitter if you are unsure of how to do it yourself.
Axle Locks, Hitch Locks and Wheel Clamps
Insurance companies will often insist that you have a caravan hitch lock as a minimum to prevent anyone from unhitching your caravan and towing it away. This applies whether your caravan is on the driveway, in storage, or parked on a site. Wheel clamps and axle locks can be used in conjunction with a hitch lock to make the theft of your caravan too time-consuming and difficult.
Image Credits: Benjamin Zanatta
Like this article? Share with your friends!