The troublesome issue of caravan park crime is once again in the spotlight following a spate of worrying incidents.
In the Northern Territory, a number of visitors staying at a Tennant Creek caravan park reported that their vehicles had been broken into.
The NT News reports that travellers woke one morning this week to find smashed windows on at least three cars.
The paper says cases of wine, speakers, and shoes were among the items stolen, as well as recovery gear from one 4WD, brought along on the trip to help get the solo driver out of trouble if need be.
Superintendent Kylie Anderson of the Tennant Creek Police told the newspaper that police were working with community contacts and intelligence to identify offenders responsible for a spate of criminal damage incidents across the town over previous weeks.
There have also been problems at caravan parks in Townsville in Queensland. The Townsville Bulletin reports that, at the start of this month, at least three tourist parks were hit by thieves rolling up in stolen cars and taking their property in the dead of night.
Big 4 Woodlands Caravan Park company director Ray Shah told the Bulletin that his park was hit by thieves twice in three days.
While ‘opportunistic’ campsite crimes are common, there are also ‘professional criminals’ around who prey on what are seen as soft targets.
A report prepared for the West Australian Office of Crime Prevention several years ago concluded that caravan parks were vulnerable to determined criminals.
“Motivated offenders had detailed knowledge of various makes of caravans, were aware that locks on vans and canvas annexes are easily accessible and knew how to enter a van where people are asleep without making the van rock,” it said.
The report, which carried out case studies of 36 caravan parks, also concluded that van parks appeared to be safer than roadside stops and bush camps, while parks in busy holiday coastal regions were more vulnerable to crime than those in small rural towns.
The types of items commonly stolen included clothing from clotheslines or washing machines, alcohol and food from eskies, bicycles, surfboards, wetsuits, fishing rods, mobile phones, laptops, wallets, handbags, generators, tools, barbecues and gas bottles.
Would seem that caravan parks are no longer a safe option for travellers, how long before these incidents escalate into violence against caravaners.
The report (which was done in 2005) also went on to say “How extensive is the problem? The principal findings were that crime and anti-social behaviour is generally not a major concern within caravan parks. While 23% of tourists and 32% of residents reported being a victim of crime, each of the mostly older aged group of victims reported only one incident of relatively minor theft in their lifetime”
We were bit as well at Tennsnt Creek caravan park.the perpetrators sre known to police and they do nothing
Tennant Creek Caravan Park 11th January 2021, 1.28am the alarm sounded on my Ford Ranger. I had been warned that the local 12 to 14 year old locals slept during the day then ran amok at night, stoning cars and raiding the Caravan Park. As the car was only weeks old I didn’t want it damaged so left the park and stopped 100 kilometers away at a roadside stop.
That’s terrible, as if van parks need to have this happen to their guests. The way things are going some of these towns doin it hard are going to suffer even more thanks to these criminals and juvenile offenders
To much “political correctness” forbids any chance of the seeing anything change. Fair chance it will only get worse, sadly.
Never ever had an issue camped up on roadside. Never ever
Peopl Dre = trouble
Fewer people = less trouble
Isolated road camp = no people
No people = no trouble
Van parks avoid them
A friend and I had a overnight stop at a backpackers in Katherine back in 2002 ! We needed air con, shower and a decent meal for us and a shady overnight spot for his dog Mongo. The dog loves people when introduced, but when they wake him/startled up in the middle of the night , well he takes the law into his own jaws. The whole hostel woke to the sound of running, screaming and a low rumbling growl from Mongo. All the backpackers came out with torches but no one to be seen but they could heard running away in the dark. we went to check on Mongo and he had a thong(foot wear) between his jaws it was covered in blood with a chunk of flesh, well masticated. The foreign backpackers were amazed as he loved them all much earlier and they couldn’t believe that he was savage. The bloody dog kept that thong for the entire trip to Perth after Darwin. He only gave it up after a seagull In Freo decided it wanted his hamburger meat. No way was he getting in the ute with a bloody seagull.
I had some of my laundry stolen out of a washing machine at Werribee South caravan park and ended up confronting the person I suspected had taken it as she was wearing all pink and most of my stolen items were pink. She was a permanent resident living right next to the laundry block and her annexe was filled with mountains of clothing, probably taken from years of unsuspecting campers. She denied it but I reported it to police and the managers and left notices all over the park warning people and the next day one of the cleaners found my missing items returned inside one of the washing machines. I never leave my washing unattended now and always lock up all my outside camping gear. There’s been quite a few thefts here at the caravan park where I’m currently staying too especially during this holiday season.
Caravan Parks in Darwin are also susceptible to thieves as well. I stopped at one Nov 2017 and when my wife and I caught the bus to town for dinner our Colorado windows were smashed in when we returned. We reported the incident but never heard anything back from the Park or the Police.
Not hard to work out the culprits. Tennant Creek, may not be the worst place in Australia, but bloody sure it is in the Grand Final. Called in once & booked into the caravan park for 4 nights. One trip into town for 30 minutes, and I went back and booked out & moved on. Told the caravan park owner, he can keep my fees, cheaper than staying there for the 4 nights.
That would have to be… the park on the north side, near the servo AND the camp behind. Park has always been a target, no doubt taught by their parents as they did in their younger years.
Sadly I would stay out of town also, many out of sight places around Tennant.
As competition shooters, pistol and shotgun, we usually camp on gun club grounds in our travels around. Strangely never seem to have any problems??
had an engel fridge stolen in Esperance at a major park.normanly it remains in vehicle but car was in garage for repairs.
hope they choked on the lobster and smoked fish in it.
police thought it was out of towners as theft levels by locals were low at the time.They were well prepared as cut through a 10mm wire cable
06/01/22 Caravan Park Gulgong. Woke up at 4.30am. Someone unsuccessfully trying to gain access through a partially open but locked window. The person then tried to open the door and all the windows.