Grey nomads are being urged to be extra security conscious following yet another theft of a caravan.
Queensland Police say a 22’ brown Leader caravan was stolen from a vacant block of land in the Central Queensland town of Emerald earlier this month.
They say the caravan had been parked on the block for three months and secured with a padlock.
The suspects have driven up to the van, hooked it up, and driven away.
Nearby CCTV showed a blue utility driving with the caravan.
Detectives have released images of the incident and are asking anyone with further information to make contact.
CCTV showed a blue utility driving with the caravan. PIC: Queensland Police
The 2020 caravan has yet to be recovered.
Sadly, the number of vans being stolen continues to be worryingly high.
Just a week ago, police charged two people following the alleged theft of a caravan from a caravan park in the Queensland town of Mudjimba broad daylight.
After a previous spate of thefts, NSW Police suggested that any van not being used should be parked in clear view of the public, and have some kind of anti-theft device – such as a wheel clamp or tow hitch lock – fitted.
They also urge that valuables are always secured and not left in a visible location.
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Why do people think a lock will stop a van from being stolen
moved many a van with a broken hitch with the safety chains put around a pintal hook with a D shackle or repossessed with the tilt tray
no one asks or takes notice about a tilt tray loading a late model/new van/RV being loaded and driven away usually never seen again
Get a gps tracker and hide it in ya van somewhere were even the dumbest theives won’t find it
There would have to be several places to hide an airtag. I’d hide 2 just in case one wigs out.
Air tags are detectable by the thieves GPS tracker much better
Hang on. The van had been parked for 3 months on a vacant block of land and secured with a padlock. Now grey nomads are being asked to be “ extra security conscious “. Ready, fire , aim!!!
You simply cannot fix stupid.
Correct Lionel
We in QLD have not had so much crime since all the interstaters and overseas people moved here, do the right thing and keep your sticky fingers off what’s not yours. Thank God we have one of the best police in Australia. They will catch them! Oh and our jails are now overcrowded because criminals are stupid.
After a previous spate of thefts, NSW Police suggested that any van not being used should be parked in clear view of the public, and have some kind of anti-theft device – such as a wheel clamp or tow hitch lock – fitted
GOOD ADVICE!
30 seconds with an angle grinder that’ll fix that security problem.
I have an idea. Park your stupid van on your own property instead of rudely and selfishly parking everywhere else but your own land.
How do you know it wasn’t their property? Don’t make assumptions about something you don’t know.
Totally agree! Sick of caravans parked for months in our street when the owners do not even live here
We had ours on council part of Drive but Council made us move it down our drive which slopes down yet we can park our Cruiser on the Councils part of drive. What’s the difference I wonder?
No YOU miss the point, these people didn’t do anything illegal or selfish the lowlifes who stole it did and hopefully get caught and get the book thrown at them. It isn’t a nice feeling having your possessions stolen especially if you don’t get them back, I know this from personal experience.
Remove the wheels if storing . Hard to move . 15 minutes to reset .
Not hard to get a couple of wheels from wreckers yard
And it makes more noise dragging a van onto a flat bed!
Airtags of course……don’t just expect protection……as thieves keep trying until they take your valuables away forever !!
Surely a simple gps magnetic tracker would help. 25$ tracker on apple or android phone. People do not care about stuff if they have it insured.
Is that what these airtags people are discussing previously do Stewart?
We have our van parked in our drive way with the draw bar facing the house, and has a wheel lock, and has the front gates locked and closed at night. The TV aerial is up as well.
It’s really sad that so many people are blaming these poor people for something that wasn’t their fault. They didn’t steal their own van. How’s about a little compassion people?
Punish the bloody thieves!!. It doesn’t seem to matter how much security you have, they seem to be 1 step ahead. (What about the thefts when people sleeping in their van??) Make the punishment severe to put off people doing the crime, instead of blaming owners. Eg. Make the crims re-imburse owners for cost plus compensation. Time for judges to stop being so soft on ctime fullstop…..
Locked with a padlock? In a vacant block? I went to a Police talk two years ago when they were talking about thieves breaking into houses – they said to make a house (or a van) like an Onion – with many skins that have to be removed before the core is exposed. I would doubt that an insurance company would cover this loss wit only a padlock on it. I have an unusual tow hitch so that’s “1”, I use a substantial padlock to chain the safety chains together around the chassis so they can’t be hooked on to a towbar. And that’s kept at my house. What is wrong with having a tracker to start with? It’s an expensive mistake!
Remove the wheels if going to be left for some time?
Can’t believe that some wits are putting the blame on the owners for what thieves have done.
Our van is up the back under cover before I laid the slab I dug a hole & got a length of 3” chain tied 2 knots in one end around a bit of Reo bar & put it in the hole then poured the slab enough chain to go around the chassis with a huge lock also take the jockey wheel out and put the van on an axle stand so they have to lift the 22’ van. And a hidden tracker. All with the Ute parked in front of it behind a locked gate get over the top but still have the van.
I have a WiTi alarm , towball lock and heavy chains through the dual wheels – Hoping that slows them down