Just had a call from the owner of my caravan storeage site in North Lincolnshire. The site was targeted by a group of professional theives at some point over the last 24 hours. I was told one caravan has been confirmed stolen so far with many others broken into or attempts made to steal.
The thieves had apparently used gas cutting equipment to slice through the razorwire fence panels removing enough to take the caravans.
The site is CASSOA gold with surveillance cameras which caught the thieves in action but I was told all were wearing masks. The police are there now going through the evidence.
Luckily for me my caravan was at the dealers at the time being serviced (another story - see here).
Jeez, what a couple of days. I am now reluctant to take my caravan back to the storage site.
I just hope the police catch the scumbags.
Oh my god, that's terrible. It's awful when you think of anybody losing a caravan in this way, but at a CASSOA gold site, its dreadful. I appreciate that some people will say if someone wants a caravan, they will go to any lengths to get it.
Dreadful, like you, i hope whoever is responsible for this, is caught and anything taken is recovered.
------------- AliHo
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Quote: Originally posted by Nightoff on 05/6/2009
Just had a call from the owner of my caravan storeage site in North Lincolnshire. The site was targeted by a group of professional theives at some point over the last 24 hours. I was told one caravan has been confirmed stolen so far with many others broken into or attempts made to steal. The thieves had apparently used gas cutting equipment to slice through the razorwire fence panels removing enough to take the caravans. The site is CASSOA gold with surveillance cameras which caught the thieves in action but I was told all were wearing masks. The police are there now going through the evidence. Luckily for me my caravan was at the dealers at the time being serviced (another story - see here). Jeez, what a couple of days. I am now reluctant to take my caravan back to the storage site. I just hope the police catch the scumbags.
Could you say which storage facility is is?
I'm assuming, due to your Doncaster location, that it was between Donaster/Sc**thorpe? I do know of other storage sites - but they'd be another 20-30 miles further away in the region of the Humber Bridge. If these would do, let me know.
EDIT: LOL!! - the auto-mod bot took the 'u' and the 'n' out of Sc**thorpe!!!! - what a hoot!!
------------- 'If it ain't broke, don't worry - it soon will be'
Anyone any details as i have just seen a flatbed lorry with a bailey being towed behind with no number plate on the van heading towards the motorway having come from the newark road A617 through mansfield.
Just got back from the storage site and met the owner. The thieves stole 2 caravans. One was a Hobby, the other he does,t know the model other than it was a large expensive twin axle.
The thieves cut a small access panel into a metal fence from one end while another team cut two large fence panels out near the entrance.
Once in they went straight to the target vans and removed the security devices in the blink of an eye. I saw the discarded wheel clamps cut through with a gas cutter along with discarded hitchlocks.
They also had a pop at two other caravans removing wheelclamps, one cut and one not on properly but left the caravans there luckily for the owners.
The whole thing took less than 15 minutes.
I am going to get an Alko receiver type wheel lock as apparently thieves dont like these as they will damage the wheel trying to cut them off.
The owner is now in the process of installing 3.5tonne motorway concrete barriers around the entrance fence to deter the same happening again. He is also installing a secondary security gate to slow them down.
I couldn't believe they did this in just 15 mins. It takes me longer than that to hitch and go and I have the keys and a gate pass.
I don't think it fair to name and shame the storage site as they haven't done anything wrong. They are CASSOA gold and have met the requirements to obtain that rating.
I just hope the additional security measures they are putting into place will prevent the same from happening again.
Just What are you supposed to do to protect your caravan these days.nothing is safe from theft anymore.its 50/50 weather your van is going to be on the drive/in storage when you get back from work.i can only see it getting worse as well.i feel sorry for the poor owners who've had their property stolen.
------------- Those that danced were thought to be quite insane to those who could not hear the music. Angela Monet