Unlike other vehicles, caravans are not protected against theft. Sure, you can lock your caravan door to prevent anyone from breaking in, but there’s nothing to stop a thief from hitching it up and driving off. During winter, the best solution is to park your caravan in a safe place. Even so, no place is 100% safe, and an additional anti-theft device will always be welcome. The price and number of locks will have to be adapted to the risk.
When you’re on vacation, there are many situations in which your caravan is vulnerable: when you load it in front of your home, during a stopover, in a parking lot, and so on. So you need to think about solutions to protect your caravan, but also to deter thieves.
Locks for every situation
Depending on where and when you need them, there are different types of anti-theft device. The safest is undoubtedly the wheel lock, which locks the wheel nuts. It offers two advantages: it’s difficult to break into, and it’s visible, so it’s a deterrent. It does, however, have one drawback: it takes longer to install. You won’t want to use it for overnight stages. It’s best reserved for longer periods of parking: wintering, for example, or a stay of several days on a campsite. It has the advantages of its drawbacks: the more difficult it is to fit, the harder it is to break into. During the winter months, we recommend the sabot. Either alone or in conjunction with another anti-theft system. It will prevent the caravan from being moved, even when pulled with ropes. And if it’s visible, it’s a powerful deterrent. Be careful, however, not to forget it when you drive off, as this could cause damage to the caravan.
Campground safety
For many of you, securing your caravan on a campsite seems unnecessary. In the vast majority of cases, we’d tend to agree. However, if the campsite doesn’t have a daytime gate with real controls on who enters or leaves the site, you’re not safe from a mishap. We could list a number of cases of caravan theft that have occurred at very good campsites, right in the middle of occupied pitches.
On a campsite, you can opt for a system to lock the jacks. This will suffice in this situation. In particular, this system prevents you from lifting the front of the caravan to hitch it up. It will act as a deterrent, and there’s little risk of forgetting it when setting off.
A towbar-mounted anti-theft device will also suffice on most campsites. However, if you’re staying for several days at a campsite with little traffic and little security, the shoe is still the most recommended solution.
Your caravan’s safety on the road
During the journey, the aim is to prevent the caravan from uncoupling from the car. A hitch head lock will do the trick. Once again, these systems are visible and their very presence is often enough to discourage thieves. It’s an easy-to-install system. The perfect solution if your caravan is leaving a closed wintering site for a secure summer destination. Another advantage: no risk of forgetting it and causing damage to the vehicle. It can also be used during winter storage as a complement to another system. On its own, it would not be sufficient, as it does not prevent the caravan from rolling, and some thieves use ropes to move it.
Some of these locks “merely” prevent the caravan from being hitched to a car, but do not forbid dismantling of the drum. Others cover the knobs on the hitch head, making it impossible to dismantle.
Caravan lock prices
Depending on your use, you’ll find locks at all price points. The price of the caravan should also be taken into account. Obviously, you won’t secure a small caravan over 20 years old in the same way as a brand-new, spacious caravan. One of the rules of security is to spend between 10% and 15% of the price of the object to be protected. The price of anti-theft devices ranges from around €20 to €200. Leading brands on the market include Al-Ko and Milenco.
More information on Milenco: http: //www.campedia.fr/etiquette-produit/milenco/
More information on Al-Ko: https: //www.alko-tech.com/fr/Syst%C3%A8mes-antivols-pour-caravane
Author: We Love Camping
C'est parce que nous aimons le camping traditionnel que nous avons pensé à ce site. Parce que nous regrettons parfois que le mobile-home occupe désormais tant de place sur les campings, nous avons voulu mettre en avant les terrains où les tentes, les caravanes et les camping-cars restent majoritaire. Et offrir à tout ceux qui partagent notre amour de la vie en plein air, un site avec des idées de voyages, des conseils techniques et surtout un choix de campings où il fait bon venir poser sa caravane ou planter sa tente.
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