Police warning to campers and caravanners (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Police warning to campers and caravanners

11:46am Thursday 12th May 2011 in News By Scott Kirk , Reporter

POLICE in the Lake District are urging visitors to take basic steps to secure their property following a spate of thefts from local camping and caravan sites.

Inspector Richard Quinn from Cumbria Constabulary’s Eden Neighbourhood Policing Team, which covers the Northern Lake District and the North Pennines, said: “Time and again we see people have their visit to this beautiful county spoiled by becoming victims of crime. In so many cases this could have been so easily avoided.

“Crime levels in Cumbria are low, and it is a fantastic place to visit, but campers and caravanners need to be aware that as idyllic as a place may be, opportunist criminals take advantage of people’s trust, and travel to the more remote areas of our county to steal items that have been left insecure.

“By taking simple, common sense steps, we can beat the thieves at their own game. Criminals want an easy life, so don’t give them any opportunity to target you or your family. Secure valuable items or at the very least hide them from view.”

One of the most common types of rural crime that Inspector Quinn’s team deals with in the summer months is thefts from tents. He said: “We often receive reports of thefts of laptops, phones and other valuables from tents. It is not uncommon for campers to leave handbags and other valuables by the tent door overnight. In fact, just this week, we took a report of a theft from someone who had left their handbag and contents actually outside the tent next to their cooking area. These sort of opportunities are far too tempting for opportunist thieves.”

Another common offence is the theft of bikes from car carriers, which are frequently left unlocked and insecure, and are often some distance from the owner’s tent.

Inspector Quinn added: “Modern mountain bikes can be extremely expensive items. Many campers back at home wouldn’t dream of leaving them unlocked and unattended in the middle of a busy street, yet believe that they are quite safe in similar circumstances on a busy campsite. Again, basic security measures will deter an opportunist thief. A good quality bike lock fitted to some sort of anchor point will help to prevent these expensive items being taken.”

The Eden Neighbourhood Policing Team are doing all they can to tackle these offences and bring offenders to justice. Police operations, particularly around school and bank holidays, aim to prevent offences from taking place by increasing patrols, working with campsites and giving on-the-spot crime prevention advice to campers.

Local residents and visitors are urged to contact Cumbria Police immediately on 0845 33 00 247 if they spot suspicious activity, and to take down the registration details of suspicious vehicles.

For further information on Eden Neighbourhood Policing Team, visit Cumbria Constabulary’s website on www.cumbria.police.uk