What Happens If My Caravan Is Stolen?
Discovering your caravan gone — from the drive, a storage yard, or a pitch — is gutting, and the first hour matters. Here's a clear, ordered checklist to give yourself the best possible chance of getting it back.
Move fast, in order
Recovery odds drop by the day as vans are broken for parts or moved abroad. Speed and accurate details are everything.
1. Report it to the police
Report it and get a crime reference number. Give them the CRiS and chassis numbers — this is where recording them pays off. Ask them to flag it with NaVCIS, the police leisure-vehicle unit.
2. Notify CRiS and raise a public alert
Tell CRiS the van is stolen so any check flags it, and flag it on the Lost & Stolen Register so the community can watch for it. Share the link in caravanning groups and marketplaces.
3. Watch the resale channels
Stolen vans and their parts appear quickly on marketplaces and at auctions. Search for your make, model, layout and any distinctive features. If you spot it, don't approach — record the details and tell the police.
4. Notify your insurer
With your crime reference and your records — CRiS, chassis number, receipts, photos — a claim is far smoother. Which is exactly why keeping a registration current before anything happens matters.
For everyone reading before it happens: record your CRiS/chassis numbers and register the van today, so this checklist takes minutes.