Three caravans from a group that were stolen in the UK and shipped out to Poland have been recovered and returned to their home country as part of a lengthy operation involving police and the National Caravan Council’s CRiS scheme.
With criminals always on the lookout for tourers that can be stolen, having good caravan security can not only act as a good visual deterrent but also provide valuable peace of mind when you’re away from your van. Items to consider include the best caravan wheel lock, a tracker and the best caravan hitchlock.
In this case, the three caravans were part of a group that was identified as stolen by Cheshire Constabulary’s Rural Crime Team. Police hope to see more of the tourers returned in the future.
In March 2023 the team began an investigation into a series of high-value caravan thefts across the UK, and as a result of this, six people have been charged and were awaiting trial at the end of 2024.
Information gathered during the investigation was also shared with Polish law enforcement through Europol, and through this a separate investigation was launched in Poland and the caravans were located in the country and recovered.
Although most of the caravans are now owned by insurance companies, Cheshire Constabulary says returning stolen goods helps reduce the cost of crime and ultimately lessen the impact on insurance premiums.
In a statement, it added, “We also hope this sends a clear message to those involved in organised criminality: moving stolen goods overseas does not make them disappear.”
The force added that, although returning stolen property from overseas is a complex operation, the NCC had “tirelessly coordinated the required documentation and logistics”.
The CRiS scheme is a national register for touring caravans that operates through a unique VIN chip number attached to each caravan with the aid of tamper-evident labels, an RFID chip embedded in the chassis and thousands of uniquely coded microdots suspended in UV adhesive.
Although the VIN chip system was only introduced in 2015, all touring caravans manufactured by NCC members since 1992 are included in the CRiS system.
In other industry news, the results of our Top 100 Sites Guide 2026 were announced this week, with Old Oaks named the Overall Winner.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club has also recently announced it is upgrading its insurance offering.
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