Stolen Caravan

[andy_374339094]

Avondale Dart 630-6 from the Solihull / Birmingham area

Thieving ***** took our van over the weekend from a secure lock up area, sawed through two padlocked gates a milenco wheel clamp an alco hitchlock and corner steady locks.

Caravan security...............forget it!!

Police reaction..its not an emergency contact your local office, After waiting in a telephone queue for 30 mnutes told no officers would come an investigate.

When i asked about checking for old fashioned things like tyre tracks, footprints finger prints etc was informed nobody hurt so nobody would be attending. "Here's your crime number"

Nobody hurt.........try telling that to my four kids and wife who won't be going away this easter.......

 

[James_374408700]

Sorry to hear that Andy , It happened to us some years ago, I am thinking of marketing my own security device.

Its a bottle of Anthrax connected to the door. It doesn't get your van back but certainly will make you feel better.After a while we will have wiped out all the people nicking them.

Sorry again to you and your kids

Jim

 

[Steve L]

Sorry to hear of the dissapearance of your van Andy. I'm afraid Arthur Daily has the description of our boys in blue about right in Minder on the orient express when he called Chizum, "Interplod".

I've had first hand experience of just how darned right annoying and incompetent Interplod can be. In my case they were more interested in fact that, as I knew who it was and where they were, that I didn't go round and give them a right spanking. I was well and truly warned off by plod.

It wasn't my fault the perpetrators of the crime against me walked into a door!

Seriously though. Don't take matters into your own hands.

Unfortunately as we live in an insured world, the old fashioned detective has detected a loophole that saves Interplod a whole lot of "work". It's called your insurance policy. Unfortunately as they don't live in the real world, they don't appreciate the emotional violation of your feelings, or the increase in your insurance policy following a claim.

Just have a look at "caravan stolen in broad daylight" on you tube to se just how organised the bar stewards are, and what you'd be upagainst if you tackled them. Just remember they have nothing to loose.

Hope the insurance settles quickly for you and that you can be back on the road by whitsun.

Regards.

Steve L.

 

[Gumbo]

Sorry to hear of your troubles Andy, would you mind posting more information ?? was your van on a recognised storage site ? ie Gold or Silver etc ? and how many other vans on the site ??.

I am trying to put together a dossier, to put to the Storage Site operators with regards to Insurance.

ps I don't work in the Industry !!!

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Andy

Hope you and Mrs Andy are recovering from the shock. Very unpleasant.

I appreciate Gumbo's questions which indeed are valid for all of us.

Why do you think your Avondale was stolen rather than anyone elses on site? Sorry to ask questions at this time but I want to appreciate why the thieves target certain caravans and where on earth do they go afterwards?

I hope your insurers settle quickly and you find a caravan suitable for your needs

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Sam_374394490]

My heart goes out to you Andy. I am so sorry!!!

It is not only the fact that you have lost your van, but the kids. I got a real lump in my throat when I read your message, as we have 3 kids and have just picked up our new caravan up on Saturday.

If it happened to us, as awful as it is, and that is what you have insurance for I really would not know how to tell the kids.

These thieving scumbags will stop at nothing!!!!!

Big hugs to you all, and as easy as it is for me to say try not to take it personally. Don't let them ruin your enjoyment of caravanning and spending quality time with your family, otherwise they have won x

 

[Surfer]

Was this a CASSOA site and did it have security cameras or a "warden" / owner living on site?

 

[andy_374339094]

All

Thank you for your kind words

Gumbo / Ian... no not a Cassa Gold or Silver , a secure lockup area on a smallholding which we did notify the insurers of and they were happy with the security arrangements . (We insure through the Caravan Club). They have been storing caravans for 25 years and only had 1 previous theft some 5 years ago.

Dustydog .. Why did they take ours ..........location i guess we were at the end of a row It looks like they tried to have a go at the one next to us as well but may have been disturbed.

Just have to wait to see what the insurance company do :-(

 

[Dustydog]

Thanks Andy

I just wondered if they were stealing to order.

Good luck with the CC insurance claim.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Ramblingrose]

Last year the scumbags tried to steal our 4x4 Izuzu Trooper the night before we were due to leave on 2 weeks holiday with the caravan. They did not get away with it, but did loads of damage. Getting parts for a Trooper at short notice was a nightmare but eventually found a guy with an old Trooper around the back of his garage who was able to replace the steering column and door lock. Main Dealer garage was useless and could only offer us an appointment in 7-10 days and that only if we could transport it to them, over 40 miles away! In the end we only lost 3 days holiday. Message is, its not only the caravan you need to worry about if you want to go on that much needed holiday.

The feeling of potentially losing that much needed annual holiday is true despair and I sympathise with anyone in that position.

PS Insurance were not much help, wanted us to hang around for a week while they sent someone out to see the damage. Do they not understand the concept of "holidays cannot be rebooked if you have to ask for time off work?"

 

[Heethers]

Andy sorry to hear about your van.

Three years ago l had our little Yorkie on a lead, a dog across the road attacked it, reported in to Police, answer not interested here's yor crime number. 1 week later the dog died from it's horrific injuries.

If they arn't bothered about animals getting attack plus the little children witnessing this attack, don't hold much hope when our caravans or cars get nicked.

By the way when l was 9 got a severe telling off and taken to my Father by the local bobby for nicking crab apples,never nicked a thing since.

Maybe the Police Force needs to look at itself and find out where they have gone wrong in these past 50 years.

NigelH

 

[ScouseIan]

To NGH

I don't think its the police force. I think their hands are tied. They'd like nothing more than to visit a travellers site, check all cars and caravans, lock any dangerous looking dogs up and so on. Unfortunately I can't see any of the major parties fixing this. Its almost as though we need a revolutionary change in the way the law is administered in this country. As Steve in Leo says they are only interested in case you are going to sort them out yourself. If only the BNP weren't racists. They look like the only party that would change something, or would they go too far?

Ian

 

[ctj]

To NGH

I don't think its the police force. I think their hands are tied. They'd like nothing more than to visit a travellers site, check all cars and caravans, lock any dangerous looking dogs up and so on. Unfortunately I can't see any of the major parties fixing this. Its almost as though we need a revolutionary change in the way the law is administered in this country. As Steve in Leo says they are only interested in case you are going to sort them out yourself. If only the BNP weren't racists. They look like the only party that would change something, or would they go too far?

Ian

If only the BNP weren't racists. They look like the only party that would change something, or would they go too far?

Ian

How can you make a claim such as this do you know for sure ( any evidance that they are?)or are you just going off a well edited documentry and the papers (again if it's in the papers it must be true) i for 1 am not a member but i do have friend's /family that are and yes there was a racest element amongst them but they are doing there best to get rid of them! How many times have you seen/heard the likes of the royal family/ main stream parties making racist remarks? and to what is said about that nothing it is swept under the carpet the BNP are branded this way because the main stream parties see them as a major threat so it suits them but as an awful lot of people are turning to them it seem's people are now seeing thru the spin!

 

[Robert_374373903]

I am also sorry to hear about your loss but on a lighter note my brother in law loaded up his camper for a quick getaway next day and whilst in his back garden that evening he saw a camper go by just like his.Of course when he went outside in the morning it was his that had gone.However he not only got the full amount from the insurance but made a profit on other items lost as they were second hand.

 

[Terry_5112949]

I`ve even heard of a half full bottle of whiskey being spiked and left in the van when stored. Be sure to secure it when using the van

 

[Moonstone1]

I know how you feel. The caravan we were living in during some building work, was stolen from the driveway, with all of our possessions and the family pet (a hamster). My neighbour rang 999 as she witnessed it happening and they didn't send anyone out until an hour afterwards, didn't raise the helicopter as it was refuelling at the time, so nothing to go on. I felt cheated by the police. They did call back after a few weeks and they had visited traveller sites and stopped a few vehicles of the description but nothing. For info it was a Bessacar Cameo 635 twin axle. Took 4 men, 5 minutes to take it away.

 

[ScouseIan]

If only the BNP weren't racists. They look like the only party that would change something, or would they go too far?

Ian

How can you make a claim such as this do you know for sure ( any evidance that they are?)or are you just going off a well edited documentry and the papers (again if it's in the papers it must be true) i for 1 am not a member but i do have friend's /family that are and yes there was a racest element amongst them but they are doing there best to get rid of them! How many times have you seen/heard the likes of the royal family/ main stream parties making racist remarks? and to what is said about that nothing it is swept under the carpet the BNP are branded this way because the main stream parties see them as a major threat so it suits them but as an awful lot of people are turning to them it seem's people are now seeing thru the spin!

Hi Carl

Whether they are racist or not, and most do believe they are, I was trying to ensure I didn't start a debate about them. This thread isn't about that. I was commenting on how we can get something done about stopping these thieving little sh!ts stealing our caravans. They know that nothing is going to happen to them even if they do get caught. I want a big change to get away from all this politically correct BS about peoples rights. I think their 'wrongs' override their 'rights'.

Carl, you actually contradicted yourself. You asked me how I can make such a claim then you admitted that there was a racest (sic) element.

I agree with what you said about the likes of the royal family/parties racist comments. Unfortunately it is not confined to just them. Its all around us. I constantly hear racist comments from people around me. I haven't quite made my mind up if this actually makes them a racist though in terms of actually discriminating against people. After all, the prince Charles recent episode where he called his friend Sooty; this guy was his friend and he'd always called him it. I would never let any of my children call anybody that in any circumstance but prince charles grew up in a very different world to our current one and old habits die hard.

I still say if the BNP wasn't PERCEIVED as racists then we'd all go out and vote for them tomorrow. And maybe we'd get Andy's caravan back.

Ian

 

[Tim_374395664]

I know how you feel. The caravan we were living in during some building work, was stolen from the driveway, with all of our possessions and the family pet (a hamster). My neighbour rang 999 as she witnessed it happening and they didn't send anyone out until an hour afterwards, didn't raise the helicopter as it was refuelling at the time, so nothing to go on. I felt cheated by the police. They did call back after a few weeks and they had visited traveller sites and stopped a few vehicles of the description but nothing. For info it was a Bessacar Cameo 635 twin axle. Took 4 men, 5 minutes to take it away.

The police will usually ignore it because it's usually bl88dy pikeys .... the police are afraid of pikeys. Scum of the earth!

I had a racing car trailer stolen from a locked compound a few years ago, empty fortunately .. they broke down the back fence, couldn't undo the lock so dragged it off with a chain! Police even told me where it was, on a 'travellers camp' near Maidstone - I asked maybe they'd like to go and fetch it for me .. thay said 'Ooh you can't just go in there with a couple of coppers you know ... they're terrified of them!

 

[Jackie_374224453]

Andy, so sorry. Have a look at the CCTV of our caravan being stolen on youtube 'caravan stolen in broad daylight'. We are in West Yorkshire, but these people are professionals and will network/travel. Alert the investigating officers in your case to the film . The chap running the Caravan Channel on SKY is going to make a programme featuring the CCTV hopefully -he's been fab! Even tho the theft happened more than 2 years ago, we won't get over it until these guys are caught and stopped. The West Yorkshire police seem to have become more pro-active since the guy from Caravan Channel got involved. (Previously it felt like there was little will to solve the crime, even with evidence like this!) - Maybe you could Look on the Caravan Channel website, there are liinks to his e-mail..Chris Gosling -tell him about your theft- the more we shout and ask for action from the police, the more they will have to do about it ?-Regards Jackie

 

[Robtel]

I feel really sorry for both Andy and Jackie having their caravans stolen. I don't think a lot of non caravanners, including the police realise how personal and part of our lives our caravans become. I know that when it comes to crime we have to prioritise, if someone's life is in danger then that very obviously comes before attending a caravan theft but it seems the police have just given up.

Jackie, regarding the police become more active since Chris Gosling became involved I'm both happy that they have done so but also annoyed that it has taken the thought of bad publicity for their efforts to wake them up.

Hope things work out for you both.

Robert