How to improve your caravan security

As a caravan owner, your caravan’s security should be one of your top priorities. After all, your caravan is your home from home, your haven, and it needs to be looked after.

Due to their high value, caravans are a prime target for opportunist thieves, and around 1,400 of them are reported stolen every year, according to CaSSOA.

However, there are steps you can take now to ensure your home from home is secure.

Check out our guide on how to improve your caravan security.

Caravan windows and doors

Improving your caravan security needn’t always be complicated. It starts as simple as checking your windows and doors.

You wouldn’t leave your house or car unlocked, so why risk it with your caravan?

It perhaps goes without saying, but you should always make sure you lock your caravan’s doors and windows before leaving it.

Regularly checking your locks work is also wise, as any broken or faulty ones will need replacing as soon as possible. You can also install additional over-locks that cover your standard locks for extra security—you can never be too careful.

The towing hitch

Your caravan’s towing hitch needs to be locked to stop thieves from hooking it to their car and driving off with it.

There are various caravan hitch locks on the market, as our in-depth blog explains, but the key things to remember are:

• make sure your hitch lock has a valid Sold Secure rating

• bright colours alone can sometimes be enough to deter a would-be thief

Wheels and alarms

As well as a hitch lock, your caravan also needs a wheel lock (sometimes also referred to as a wheel clamp) to stop the wheels from unwanted movement. These should also have a Sold Secure rating.

Caravan alarms are also a great theft deterrent. The best alarms:

• use passive infra-red sensors to detect any movement inside

• use tilt sensors to detect any movement of the caravan itself

Though these additional accessories can come at a high cost, you’ll thank yourself in the long term. After all, it works out far cheaper than having to completely replace a stolen caravan.

Out-of-season storage

Whether it’s not yet caravan season, or you’re just not using it, your caravan needs to be kept secure when in storage.

If you store your caravan away from home, you should choose a location with CCTV and gates that are locked 24/7.

If you’re lucky enough to have caravan storage space at your home, you should:

• lock it to a security post

• park up nose first to the house

• remove all the valuables from inside

• leave the curtains open with no contents in sight

All of these steps will help to deter opportunist thieves.

Caravan and property marking

VIN Chip kits are another essential caravan security device.

If your caravan is fitted with a VIN chip (all caravans manufactured from 2016 onwards will have a basic one), the police will be able to trace your recovered caravan back to you if it’s stolen.

A VIN chip kit uses markings containing a caravan’s unique CRiS number (Central Registration & Identification Scheme). You can buy chip packs for older caravans that don’t have them fitted as standard.

Your VIN chip sticker should always be displayed in the caravan’s windows.

Tracking devices

A caravan tracking device is the last line of theft defence. In fact, installing an approved tracking device might even lower the cost of your caravan insurance premiums.

Once fitted, you should display a warning sticker in your caravan’s window. This, too, can deter thieves.

Specialist caravan insurance through Ripe

Feeling more confident in your caravan security measures? You may also want to consider specialist caravan insurance for extra peace of mind. You can get a quick online quote today.