Non-proactive, after-theft recovery devices are showing a very poor recovery rate, but in contrast, proactive devices continue to return excellent results
London, UK (PRWEB UK) 11 September 2014
The latest figures show caravan thefts have increased slightly, while the recovery of stolen caravans remains as low as three per cent a year. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that Shield Total Insurance’s survey shows that the top two most popular caravan security devices are hidden GPS tracking units, proving that tracking a stolen caravan has obviously become a top priority for caravan and motorhome owners.
The survey’s most popular security device was the Phantom ProActive Tracking System. This system has proven its worth for over a decade, and Phantom Tracking Systems and Accessories now supplies tracking systems for more than £500 million worth of assets for nearly 20,000 customers.
Outsmart the Thief ’s Caravan Defender™ came a close second – a product that boasts an impressive 100 per cent recovery rate and also includes an alarm and a geo-fence system that sends an alert to the owner if the caravan is moved outside of the set perimeters.
Third place went to the Bulldog Centaur Wheel Clamp, which is still a top seller.
Tim Booth of the ACPO Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service explains the move towards high-tech, pro-active recovery devices like the tracking systems offered by Phantom and Outsmart the Thief:
“Non-proactive, after-theft recovery devices are showing a very poor recovery rate, but in contrast, proactive devices continue to return excellent results with both good return times of the asset - prior to any loss of personal effects - and also seeing people detained for being in recent possession of stolen property.”
Reflecting on the results of Shield’s survey, Carl Meyer, Managing Director of Outsmart the Thief Ltd, said:
“Seeing one of our core products voted in the top three caravan security products is fantastic for both Outsmart the Thief and the caravanning community as a whole. This indicates UK caravan owners are embracing new technologies that are proven to deter thieves and increase recovery rates of stolen caravans.”
Commenting on the survey, Stuart Craig, marketing manager, Shield Total Insurance added:
"We'd like to thank everyone who responded to our survey and generated these interesting and useful results. Fitting one of these tracker systems is definitely a wise move to help reduce your insurance premium and to recover your caravan or motorhome if it's stolen, but don't be complacent or forget that it is still important to have enough deterrents in place to prevent theft in the first place. It’s also essential to remember when the monitoring contract for your tracking device is due for renewal in case you let it accidentally expire."
Caravan insurance companies are now offering large discounts to their customers’ insurance premiums when such devices are fitted, with some insurance policies being reduced significantly when a number of approved security devices are installed.
For more information from expert advisers on caravan and motorhome insurance, owners can visit Shield Total Insurance (http://www.shieldtotalinsurance.co.uk) and discover how much they could be saving. Join the Shield Total Insurance caravan and motorhome community via Twitter on @armadillosdo or http://www.facebook.com/shieldtotalinsurance