Caravan Security
Like many of our possessions caravans are getting more sophisticated, more comfortable and of course more expensive each year. This unfortunately means that they are also lucrative targets for thieves so owners are having to become more and
more wary in order to keep possession of their holiday home.
When trends like this occur there will always be enterprising manufacturers ready to help owners defeat the thieves so there is a growing market in anti-theft devices of all kinds available to owners. As is always the case, there are many
useful items available, but also that are perhaps not so clever. Let us take a look at a few and try to see where to spend your money wisely.
Wheel Clamps
One of the more obvious anti-theft devices is the good old wheel clamp. These are readily available in a variety of shapes, sizes and prices but not all are created equal.
They are a good visual deterrent and are usually enough to deter many thieves, but, as many Youtube videos illustrate, they will not always stop a determined one. However, because they need time and effort to defeat they can be a good investment.
Just be careful to choose a good one.
There are many rather flimsy looking clamps available that may not be worth the money. I’ve seen clamps being sold for around £20, but how much heavyweight steel are they made from? A few seconds with an angle grinder or crow bar might well be
enough to see off one of these.
Although the one pictured below is at the top end of the price range at around £140.00 it comes from a name we all recognise, it is easy to fit as it requires no jacking up and it is made from hi-tec composite materials. Once fitted there is very
little to attack. All in all, it is well worth a look.
This Bailey Clamp is available from Amazon at this lihk: http://amzn.to/2po0GSv
There is a wide variety of more conventional wheel clamps available of which this one is probably a good budget choice. It is available at around £40.00 and certainly provides a visible deterrent.
This budget clamp is available from Amazon at this lihk: http://amzn.to/2IysyMD
The manufacturers of this Milenco clamp illustrated below make the following bold claim:
“This wheelclamp has won every attack test for the past decade, with exceptional and unsurpassed attack resistance”
Find it on Amazon here:
http://amzn.to/2pnhpFH
Hitch Locks
Hitch locks are another very popular security item. Like the wheel clamp, they are not totally secure against the ‘pro’ thief determined to get your caravan, particularly if he has time on his side but are well worth considering.
They come in a mind boggling array of shapes and sizes and many of them are inexpensive enough to be used in conjunction with a wheel clamp. Remember that most thieves will be put off by anything that adds to the time they need to spend on
the job.
There are a number of very inexpensive items like this one available that will probably give the thief pause for thought as they are not the most visible or obvious devices. They are inserted into the hitch and locked in place preventing them
from being coupled up to a tow bar. At under £15.00 this is one of the more expensive of them!
Amazon have this one listed here.
At the other end of the price range, this is another Bailey product that really looks the part. In fact they make the following claim:
“Our Bailey Saracen Gullwing Hitch Lock, it's the world's FIRST and ONLY Thatcham Approved Category
3 Caravan Hitch Lock (MIRRC Approved) “ Click here to find yours... 
There is a large range of hitch locks available at around the £70 - £80 mark of which this is an example. Find it on Amazon Here
