🔑 14 Caravan Security & Anti Theft Tips

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Outlaying the money for a caravan is a huge investment and not one that you’d like stolen or broken into in a hurry.

Knowing how to protect your caravan from theft with a range of caravan security devices and tips, is something that every caravanner should know. Whether you’re storing your caravan away between trips, or travelling around Australia and need to protect your caravan from theft on the road, caravan security is a must.

Here we’ll go through all of the important security steps, which will help you to secure your caravan against theft. Plus, we will share a variety of different caravan security devices so that you can lock up and protect your van.

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Caravan Security & Anti Theft Tips

Making sure that you secure your caravan in a reasonable manner is often a clause within insurance policies. So, to protect your caravan from theft is not only to look after your asset, but it also makes doubly sure that you will indeed be covered by insurance should anything happen.

Keep in mind that if someone really wants to steal your caravan, there is no foolproof way to avoid that. But prevention creates a massive deterrent from thieves and just makes the next van in line look easier.

These caravan security devices and tips will help you protect your caravan from thieves.

Go with Your Gut

The first thing we always do when pulling into a campground, particularly Free Camps and Bush Camps, is to gauge how we’re feeling about the place.

Does the place feel eerily empty? Are there some dodgy looking people hanging around? Have you noticed a car randomly driving through the campsite with no real purpose (maybe they’re scouting)?

I’ve only ever had a bad feeling about a location a handful of times on the road, but each and every time, we pulled out and kept driving to the next one.

This caravan security measure also applies when pulling into a town or stopping to get supplies. There are a few towns in Australia, where you really do need to pull up at the front door, get your stuff and keep on rolling.

Always trust your gut instinct. Your internal compass will never fail you.

Secure all Doors, Windows & Hatches

Let’s start out with the basics. Go around and double check that all doors, windows and hatches inside your caravan are completely closed and locked every time you leave the van.

It only takes one window that hasn’t been secured properly for a thief to jimmy open and gain entry into your van.

You can see in the video below to see how easily someone can open your caravan window if you’ve left it open just an inch.

▶️ VIDEO: See how easily someone can open your caravan window:

Another thing to keep your eyes peeled for as you’re locking up your van, is that each lock is actually in good, working order. If not, get onto it straight away and fix the lock or order a new one if need be.

Use a Caravan Coupling Hitch Lock

It’s no surprise that caravan hitch locks are one of the most popular caravan security devices you can invest in. Without a hitch lock, anyone can easily reverse up to your caravan or trailer, hitch up and drive away into the sunset.

Every time we unhitched the caravan while travelling Australia, the hitch lock was the first caravan security device to go on.

The type of hitch you have on your caravan will determine the type of hitch lock that you’ll need. Ours was the Cruisemaster DO35 hitch, with a DO35 hitch pin lock (sold separately). The pin just drops down into the hitch and you secure it at the bottom.

Hitch locks that don’t require a padlock are preferable as padlocks can easily be cut open.

Use a Car Hitch Pin Lock

If you’re worried about being stranded in the middle of nowhere because someone’s nicked off with your car hitch, then invest in a car hitch pin lock. Unfortunately, it happens.

The lock is secured in place by sliding a pin through your car hitch, with a locking fastener at the end of the pin.

Use a Caravan Wheel Clamp

Another way to secure your caravan from theft is to use a caravan wheel clamp.

To use a wheel clamp, you literally attach a clamp to one of your caravan wheels so that even if someone did manage to hitch up, they couldn’t actually drive off, since that wheel is not able to turn.

We never actually used a caravan wheel clamp while travelling Australia as the caravan hitch lock was always enough. But for added security or if you’ve got the caravan in storage, a wheel clamp is a great solution.

Note: Carrying a caravan wheel clamp will add additional weight to your payload. Here’s how to work out your caravan towing weights.

Use a Caravan Wheel Lock

If you don’t want to carry a heavy wheel clamp around with you, another option is to use an alternative caravan wheel locking security device.

This could be a proper caravan wheel lock stainless steel cable, which is secured with a padlock. Or, you could use an alarm lock cable, which will lock into it’s own box, rather than using a padlock.

Otherwise, you could just put a heavy-duty chain through two of your caravan wheels and secure it with a padlock. Bear in mind that the chain will be quite heavy to carry around.

Another great caravan wheel lock now on the market is the Chock-N-Lock, which is perfect for dual axle caravans. The device slots in between your two wheels as a chock, then you lock it in place to stop the wheels from moving. This acts not only as a great stabiliser while you’re in the van, but also as a good security measure.

Use Lockable Wheel Nuts

Locking wheel nuts are a great way to deter anyone from messing with your wheel nuts or stealing your caravan wheels (or spare). For someone to try and remove a lockable wheel nut, they’ll need the matching locking wheel nut key (which you will have safely hidden away in the car or caravan).

Use Security Cables

It’s not just your caravan that you need to protect from theft, but your other valuable belongings as well. Alarm cables are really handy for threading through items which might need a bit more security.

If you don’t want an alarm cable, there are a range of other security cables available, which are designed to be hard to cut through. Again, they provide another deterrent from theft and make your belongings look that much harder to steal than someone else’s.

Get a Hide Away Safe

The Hide Away Safe is a super lightweight and compact safe which can be installed in the top of a drawer or cabinet so that it’s completely hidden.

They’re great for stashing away valuables, keys, money, personal documents and jewellery without anyone even knowing there is a safe onboard.

Watch the video below to see how the Hide Away Safe works.

Install a Caravan Alarm

Not too many people have caravan alarms as they can be a pain in the butt if they get set off for the wrong reasons. People have also become quite desensitised to car alarms, but an alarm going off from a caravan is not something a thief would expect!

Make sure you’ve got a sticker on the van as an extra deterrent.

Install Security Cameras

The range of security cameras available for the everyday person nowadays is pretty impressive.

You can install multiple cameras on the outside of your caravan, pointing in a few different directions and have them linked up to an App on your phone. That way, you can keep an eye on what’s happening outside your van whether you’re inside it or somewhere else.

Caravan security cameras also serve as an additional deterrent for the seasoned thief, plus they give you the ability to at least see who’s been lurking outside the van if anything does go missing.

Install a GPS Tracking Device

While GPS tracking or anti-theft security systems aren’t going to stop your caravan from being stolen, they can at least help you track the van if it goes missing. Having a ‘security system’ sticker near the entrance to your caravan will also act as a deterrent as the thief doesn’t know if they’ll be setting an alarm off.

The units are tiny these days and can easily be connected to a 12 volt power supply discreetly in the van. You can keep track of your van via a smartphone app, while the caravan GPS tracking device connects to a mobile network, giving you the ability to track it’s whereabouts.

Turn on the Lights

During the night, keep an outdoor light on around your caravan. Thieves are more likely to wander into a darkened space than a well-lit area.

If you don’t want to keep a light on all night then a sensor light is a good option. You could even go for multiple sensor lights, such as around your hitch and near your caravan entry door.

The benefit of a sensor light is that you have a higher chance of being alerted is something sets it off. It also makes it easier for you to find your way around when returning to the van at night.

Don’t Tempt the Thief

The last caravan security tip is to not tempt a thief in the first place. Leaving your phone or keys sitting just inside the door or an expensive fridge sitting under the awning without being secured is just inviting trouble from an opportunist.

Remember – out of sight, out of mind.

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