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No getaway for caravan criminals

2nd February 2010 Print

A major crime operation which contributed to a significant number of caravan thefts in the last three years has been disbanded following the prosecution of a gang of four travellers.  HPI, the UK’s leading vehicle information expert, provided key information from the NCC’s (National Caravan Council) Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme, CRiS. Wiltshire Police, working alongside CRiS, uncovered a host of criminal activities which yielded a total of £970,000 of stolen vehicles, cash and jewellery.

“The evidence for the court focused on around 50 offences relating to caravan theft but there were many other offences we considered and did not pursue due to insufficient evidence”, comments Detective Inspector Matt Davey of Wiltshire Police. “We started the investigation after a spate of local offences but it soon became apparent there were further thefts throughout the United Kingdom”.

Valuable details of the stolen caravans provided by CRiS, assisted the police in attributing a small number of local caravan-related offences to a wider scale, national operation.

“CRiS is a crucial component of Police Force investigations into leisure vehicle crime”, comments John Lally, Director General of the NCC.

“When working alongside HPI, who can provide a wealth of exclusive information essential to the success of a massive operation like this, the results speak volumes.  HPI are committed to tackling vehicle crime”, commented HPI Alan Bishop, Industry Relations Director. “We would advise anyone looking to buy a caravan to carry out a number of essential checks beforehand. Undertaking a CRiS Check will uncover any discrepancies such as outstanding finance, if it has been previously ‘written off’ by an insurer or any discrepancy in keeper registration. The CRiS number should be etched on the windows of the caravan. We would also encourage buyers not to pay in cash, but rather through bank accounts for a more secure and traceable transaction.”