Caravan Watch
Any victim of caravan crime will know the inconvenience and financial loss caused to themselves and their family. The loss of a caravan can represent years of holiday memories and recreational investment.
Higher insurance premiums affect all caravanners whether or not they have suffered a theft.
Caravan Watch is for individual caravan or motor home owners, mobile home owners and storage or campsite owners and managers.
Caravan crime
Caravan theft increases between Easter and September. The most common theft locations are storage compounds and outside the home. Some caravans are never recovered. Most caravans have a lock fitted when stolen and caravans up to ten years old are the most likely target for thieves.
Caravans are often taken without being broken into at the theft location. Breaking in increases the risk of detection therefore any device on a caravan which increases the risk of the offender being caught makes the caravan a less desirable target.
Improving security decreases the risk of crime. Bringing attention to the criminal activity and increasing the time taken to remove an object act as deterrents. It is worth roof marking a caravan and to identify the CRIS number inside the van.
The first things that get removed when a caravan is stolen are the identifying number on the A frame and the CRIS numbers on the windows.
Caravan Watch aims
- To improve communication between the caravanning community and the police
- To encourage caravan owners and users to take crime prevention measures to protect their property
- To increase the detection of caravan related crime
- To encourage members to report ANY crime or suspicious activity as soon as possible, whether at home or while on holiday in the caravan
What will Essex Police do?
- Liaise with Caravan Watch Members through a dedicated Essex Watch Liaison Officer
- Provide members with information about caravan related crimes in Essex; where the crimes are being committed and how they are being carried out, so that members can take the appropriate action to protect their property.
- Provide advice regarding security measures.
To join, please return the completed form overleaf by post to:
Essex Watch Liaison Officers, c/o LPSU, Essex Police Headquarters, PO Box 2, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 6DA
You can also send it via email to:
[email protected]
Essex Police on social media
We're on all the main social networks. See all the details and links on our social media page.
Reporting incidents
Firstly, do not put yourself in harm's way. For crimes in progress or if life is in danger, always call 999.
You can use our live chat service any day between 7am and 11pm or report crime and anti-social behaviour on our website.
Or, for all non-urgent crime call 101.
For anonymous reporting, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org
What we might need to know
- Report the incident as soon as possible
- Include information such as incident location including landmarks or your phone’s GPS location. You can use the free What3Words smartphone application to pinpoint your location anywhere in the world to a 3 metre square with three words.
- Provide as much detail as possible about what you have seen and heard, such as descriptions of persons seen, vehicles (including make, model, colour, registration, direction of travel)
- Any dash cam footage or photographic evidence
Useful websites
Camping and Caravanning Club
www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Caravan Club
Neighbourhood Watch
Secured By Design