Sadly, it seems that opportunistic thieves are once again taking advantage of the school holiday ‘chaos’ to steal from camping areas.
On Victoria’s Surf Coast, for example, police are investigating a string of thefts from local caravan parks.
Local media reports that officers are looking for a group of four people aged 18 to 21 who appear to be responsible for stealing from unlocked cars, caravans and valuables left under annexes.
Sergeant John Parish from Lorne Police Station said Police have seen an increase in valuables being stolen from caravan parks, particularly in Lorne and Anglesea.
“What we need is information… people to call 000 when they see something not right. . . see people loitering or when their gut feel says something’s up here,” he said. “We are working closely with park managers, canvassing CCTV and believe those responsible are a very small percentage of those coming to the Surf Coast.”
While caravan parks are generally more crowded in school holidays, and occasional holidaymakers can be more ‘casual’ than long-term travellers, campsite security is a growing issue at all times.
The types of items commonly stolen included clothing from clotheslines or washing machines, alcohol and food from eskies, bicycles, fishing rods, mobile phones, laptops, wallets, handbags, generators, barbecues and gas bottles.
John H has been on the road full time for more than a decade and says he has been the victim of wannabe thieves on a couple of occasions.
He recalls one occasion when thieves tried to steal his cooker and started to undo the gas fitting on the back before realising it was chained up and giving up.
“It wasn’t until next night when I lit the cooker and flames shot up 30 centimetres from back of cooker that I realised what had happened,” he said. “Luckily there was no damage done … but it could have been quite serious.”
John now routinely chains up his belongings left in the annexe … and bought a motion sensor alarm system, although it has a few teething problems.
“I installed it and that same night it went off at 1.30am …. bloody hell was it loud, I reckon the thieves would be still running!” he said. “And another time, just after I had-adjusted the sensors, it went off at 4am and I think it may have been set off by a little old lady in her eighties on the way to an early toilet break … I hope she made it!”
Avoid the c.p avoids the problem
ANDO – what a ridiculous & uneducated comment.
9 out of 10 lefts occurred in caravan parks
I don’t and wont go near a c.van park for a lot of reasons, and this is one of them.
I feel the main reason is – too tight to spend the money.
For many quite the opposite
Would rather binge big on other attractions a town or region have to offer. It’s quite pointless throwing money away for a c.p spot if your rig is fully self contained
I’m happy to spend my money but then I have to put up with caravan park people