Understanding the caravan thief
Most caravan thieves are opportunists. They cruise around looking for vans to steal and target newer vans (especially twin axles) and those where any security is easily defeated. One reason that so few are caught is that they act so quickly. If they don't think they can steal a van in 2 or 3 minutes they probably won't even try.

A limited number of caravans are stolen to order and with a buyer ready waiting the thieves are understandably more determined. This doesn't mean there's nothing you can do just that the risk is somewhat higher.

A common misconception is that all stolen caravans end up on traveller sites. Whilst some undoubtedly do, the majority of caravans leave the country within a few hours of being stolen, the former Yugoslavia and Ireland being popular destinations. The thieves may receive as little as £500, even for a relatively new van, so defeating them means making them believe that it's just not worth the effort.

Sold Secure approval
With so many security devices on the market it can be difficult to know which one are going to offer the best protection. Fortunately there is an organisation to help.  Sold Secure is a non-profit making organisation originally set up by the Police 1992, with the help and backing of the Home Office, but now administered by the Master Locksmiths Association. The scheme has close ties with a number of constabularies and insurers who provide regular information regarding the methods of theft and the tools utilised by criminals in their area. This helps to maintain an up-to-date specification and means security products can be assessed in the light of the risk they are likely to encounter when in use.

Manufacturers and suppliers can apply to have their products approved by Sold Secure. Products which have been satisfactorily assessed may bear the Sold Secure Quality Mark. Information on these approved products is circulated by Sold Secure to crime prevention officers, insurance companies, the media, the Home Office and the public, and is available free to those who require it.

Sold Secure now has four security grades/categories -

BRONZE
Offering theft resistance against the basic tool list (aimed at preventing opportunist crime)

SILVER
Offering theft resistance against enhanced tool list (aimed at preventing more determined attacks)

GOLD
Offering theft resistance against the full tool list (aimed at preventing dedicated attacks). A Sold Secure approved product has successfully withstood twelve different attack methods of five minutes each before being awarded its certificate. The average thief will give up after two and a half minutes because of risk of discovery.

DIAMOND
Introduced in 2005. The ultimate level of security.
 

To find out which products bear Sold Secure approval you can simply phone them for a free list (01327 264687) or visit their website at www.soldsecure.com

Of course if a particular product is not on the list you don't know whether it was submitted and failed, or whether the manufacturer does not subscribe to the accreditation process.

Security devices

Wheel Clamps
A police officer once told me that the best way to prevent a caravan from being stolen was to stop the wheels from rotating. The obvious way of doing this is with one or more wheel clamps but I have seen owners using chains, bars and other means of obstruction. We may eventually have another alternative as I understand that the chassis manufacturers are looking at what they can do to address the problem. In the meantime I still believe that a good quality wheel clamp is a worthwhile investment. Look for one which covers the wheel nuts (such as the Bulldog Titan and Milenco below) to prevent thieves from simply changing the wheel and heading off. If your caravan is fitted with a mover that acts directly on the wheels make sure that it will not interfere with the fitting the clamp you wish to buy. Some clamps, e.g. the Bulldog Titan may foul the mover's drive roller when being fitted. If so try the Mlienco clamp. It's a lot stronger than it looks, the bottom arms are filled with a type of concrete to help prevent cutting.

Naturally the best wheel clamps tend to heavy and bulky so if you're taking your caravan to a rally or well run site, where security is not such a big issue, you may wish to consider a lighter and more compact alternative. The Bulldog Euroclamp (far right) is a neat device, but I have found it a little tricky to fit and remove. You can improve security by fitting locking wheel bolts.

As an alternative try the SAS Supaclamp  as this covers a wheel bolt making it impossible to remove the wheel without disabling the clamp.

Bulldog Titan	Bulldog Euroclamp	SAS Standard	SAS Superclamp for alloy wheels	Milenco Clamp

New Alko Secure Wheel Lock
In mid 2005, after several years' development, Alko announced a totally new type of wheel locking device. It consists of a specially modified backplate with a protruding arm containing a receptor for a bolt use to secure a red metal plate shaped to fit into the vent holes of alloy wheels. In use the plate is bolted to the receiver using a recessed bolt that is then hidden behind a high security barrel lock. For added security the plate is shaped to cover one of the wheel bolts.

The nature of the design is such that it makes it it extremely difficult for thieves to overcome when using the techniques often employed to defeat traditional wheel clamps. Following extensive testing and development involving all the major caravan makers the device has been awarded the new 'Diamond’ standard created by the National Caravan Council and Sold Secure.

The ‘AL-KO Secure’ has already become standard fitment on many 2006 model year caravans although some models may only come with the modified backplate such that the red plate and lock have to be purchased separately. This is known as the 'Compact Kit'  and retails at a pricey £200 + VAT. Several versions are available to suit the various alloy wheels in use. In February 2006 Alko launched the product to the aftermarket at the NEC. Prices start at  £220 + VAT + fitting for 2006 vans and rise to £250 + VAT + fitting for post 1999 vans fitted with alloy wheels available today.

In practice it can be a little tricky to fit as the caravan's wheel has to be rotated to the correct position for the bolt to engage with the receiver. This may be fairly easy on firm, level ground but could be rather difficult in soft or bumpy conditions. Caravans fitted with a motor mover definitely have an advantage here.

In recognition of the protection the device offers some insurance companies are offering reduced premiums although not all of them have removed the requirement to fit a conventional wheel clamp.

Hitch Locks
When choosing a hitch lock look for one that covers the towing hitch bolts to stop the hitch being replaced and your caravan towed away. If you have an Alko stabiliser and use the Alko hitchlock make sure you fit the safety ball (this was once an optional extra) into the hitch head. This prevents the hitch head being held onto a towball with rope or wire. Whilst a good hitchlock is an essential piece of kit it will not deter those thieves with a little more resolve. Indeed there are ways of towing a van with the hitchlock still in place. For security reasons I'm not going into details here but, believe me, it can be done.

Bulldog Heavy Duty	SAS Fortress	Milenco Heavy Duty	Keep-it hitchlock	Alko AKS 2000 series	Alko safety ball

		An excellent way of preventing a caravan being stolen from its storage place is to fit a security post. These normally require to be concreted into position but some can be unlocked to drop down out of the way. Consider getting one with a dummy towball welded on top so you can lock your caravan to the post. The one illustrated here is from Bulldog but many other makes are available. Alternatively you can fit a ground anchor point complete with hefty chain and looped through the caravan's chassis. If you want to buy this as a kit look no further than Bulldog's MC 100 system products (see pic right).
Bulldog SA7 series posts				Bulldog MC 100 Chain system

Door locks
Most caravan door locks are not high security devices and therefore do not present too much of a problem for a knowledgeable thief. So, even if your caravan is not stolen it may be broken into and plundered. Where possible, it's best to leave your caravan obviously empty, but for those of us who can't easily do this high security door lock may be the answer.  It's possible to improve the security of the existing lock by changing the barrel of the lock for one that requires a special key. This makes it very hard to pick but will not stop a determined thief. The answer is a high security lock such as one of those shown below. I particularly like the door bolt lock from from Safeways of Liverpool. It is a neat design with a solid aluminium body and brass bolt with a 50mm (2") throw. Do remember though that whilst devices like these may prevent the caravan door from being opened a thief can do a lot of damage trying to overcome them.

Mindful of the number of caravans that have been broken into with the owners asleep inside I am grateful to Ian Brown for passing on a simple way of improving the security of the standard caravan lock. It involves drilling a small (2.5 or 3mm) hole in the tongue of the lock adjacent to the lock casing. To prevent the tongue moving back into the casing when trying to open the door a split pin is inserted into the hole. If the split pin has a ring on the other end it can quickly and easily be removed when needed.

An alarm system is always a good investment and some caravans come with these as standard. Beware though that thieves tend to know where alarm boxes are placed and if, easy to get at, will rip them out as soon as they start to sound. If yours is mounted in a bed box you can greatly improve security by covering the alarm box with a wooden or plastic box screwed to the floor. This will thwart quick access as well as giving extra protection from objects stored in the locker.
		IDM4 Alarm System	SAS CSS11 Alarm system

If your caravan does not have an alarm system then there are several retrofit products on the market.

Look for one that also includes tilt and towing sensors,  as well as anti-tamper circuitry and an integral back-up battery facility. Two systems fitting this description are the IDM4 system from Plug-in-Systems and the CSS11 from SAS. Both are available from caravan accessory shops.

Tracking Devices
One way of being reasonably certain of getting your van back if it is stolen is to have a tracking device fitted. Indeed, such is the success rate of these devices that some caravan insurance companies will offer discounts of up to 30% per year. They are expensive, and there is normally an annual fee to pay, but if you've just spent £19,000 on a new caravan, you may consider a tracking device to be a good investment.

Traditional tracking devices designed for the car industry are not ideal as power supply can difficult when a caravan is laid up. Fortunately there are now tracking devices on the market specifically designed for fitment to caravans, their low battery drain meaning that the use of a leisure battery is sufficient. One such device I quite like is marketed by Phantom. Tracking devices vary widely in their capabilities so be careful to choose on that meets your needs. The simplest will allow the caravan to be pinpointed only when it has been reported stolen. If you keep your van in storage it may be some weeks before you realise it has gone. More advanced systems will give a warning when the caravan is stolen. This could be a text message to your mobile phone or an alert to a 24 hour control centre who will then call the police.

This TAT50 tracking device from SAS Products allows you to track your caravan or motorhome directly from your mobile phone. Should any movement be detected it sends you an immediate text message. It will also interface with existing alarms if required. It can be fitted with a pay-as-you-go SIM card. There are no annual fees.

Other Security Measures

CRiS - The Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme
CRiS is the national register of UK manufactured touring caravans. It was established in 1992 by the National Caravan Council (NCC) in conjunction with HPI Ltd. All caravans manufactured since 1992 by NCC members are recorded on the CRiS database by their unique 17 digit Vehicle Identity Number (VIN). This number is etched onto all the caravan's windows. The VIN and the caravan description are recorded on the Touring Caravan Registration Document, which is sent by CRiS to the caravan's registered keeper. CRiS is also able to accept registration for pre 1992 caravans by allocating a new VIN.

Additionally, all new caravans manufactured by NCC members from the 1998 model year are electronically tagged during manufacture for added security. This means that the police can identify a caravan even if the CRiS number has been removed from all the windows. The CRiS electronic tagging system also can be installed in older caravans for a small cost.

- CRiS keep a list of all reported stolen vans so its easy to check if a van you're thinking of buying has been stolen. They can be contacted 01722 411430 - the service costs £5.95.

Security marking
Consider marking your van roof with your postcode or another unique code. Thieves are unlikely to realise it is there but, if the writing is large enough, a police helicopter will be able to read it. Ensure you can remove the marking if you sell the van on. You may also wish to consider marking personal items with your postcode using one of those pens where the ink only shows up under ultra violet light. Should the police recover them, the items can then be traced back to you.