In-car tracking leads police straight to stolen caravan

North Yorkshire police were warned on Thursday evening by a company which operates a vehicle tracking sytem that a caravan reported stolen in Nottinghamshire was in the county.

Using a tracker system in their police car, officers from the Rural Task Force were able to pinpoint the precise location of the caravan – in a remote area near Boroughbridge.

There was no-one in the caravan, which was seized for forensic examination.

Systems to help detect stolen vehicles with trackers have recently been fitted to several North Yorkshire Police vehicles, thanks to a grant from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.

It follows a rise in thefts of caravans and motorhomes in North Yorkshire this year, particularly in the south of the county.

Inspector Clive Turner, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Task Force, said: “Criminals have been increasingly targeting caravans and motorhomes as they are highly valuable and relatively easy to move or tow away.

“That’s why we’ve invested in new technology – such as ANPR and tracking systems – to make it extremely difficult for thieves to operate in our area unchallenged. As this incident shows, the technology works, and is another key tool in the fight against crime.

“The incident also highlights the importance of vehicle security. Fitting a tracker device to your caravan, quad bike, farm machinery or any other vehicle can dramatically increase the chances that it will be returned to you safely. 

"You should also take basic security measures such as parking in an overlooked area, fixing wheel clamps, and storing the keys well away from the vehicle itself. Be vigilant, and report any suspicious activity around vehicles to the police – we can, and will, take action.”

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott said: “The investment we’ve secured is all about ensuring residents, landowners and the police have the tools they need to deter criminals from committing offences in the first place, and the officers’ use of vehicle tracking detection to reunite stolen goods with their owners is an excellent example of that.”

North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Task Force has increased high-visibility patrols to deter criminals, and has been visiting owners and storage sites to offer security advice, in the wake of the increase in caravan and motorhome thefts.

Insp Turner added: “As part of our patrols along North Yorkshire’s borders, we’ve been proactively stopping as many caravans and motorhomes as we can, engaging with the owners and offering information and security advice. This has received a very positive response, and those patrols will continue.”