CCTV captures thieves as they steal caravan from holiday site
BRAZEN thieves have been captured on CCTV towing away a family’s £12,500 caravan in the middle of the night.
They moved the unoccupied caravan off its berth by hand while other holidaymakers slept nearby on the site in Porthcawl.
Owner Paula Wilcox said they even spent time cutting off the caravan’s wheel clamps, removing bolts from its “legs” and cutting through a thick security chain which had all been put in place to prevent their holiday home from being stolen.
“We had even concreted metal posts in [the ground] in front of the caravan to stop them being able to pull it out,” said the 53-year-old from Tonypandy, who saved for years to buy the caravan with her partner, Mark James, 54.
“But they dug the concrete posts out.”
CCTV on the Danygraig Park site in Porthcawl captured the daring crime, recording the thieves working to remove the caravan for at least 20 minutes.
The footage shows what appears to be two people who roll the caravan off its berth by hand, before hitching it to a van and driving off at just after 2.20am on April 12.
Paula said the alarm was raised the following morning by another caravan owner.
She said they bought the 2012 Hobby-brand caravan six weeks ago to replace their old model, which they had for 10 years.
Paula, who owns The Cwtch coffee shop in Tonypandy, said the Hobby caravans are wider than normal touring models and she looked forward to spending many weekends there with Mark and her son, Alfie, 13.
She said they had only managed to spend three nights in it before it was stolen.
Paula said the theft is even more upsetting as she had paid hundreds of pounds for new bedding, soft furnishings and kitchen equipment, believing they were going to have the caravan for years.
“We’re devastated. We saved for years for this,” she said.
“It was the Easter holidays so there were quite a few people on site.
“We did everything we possibly could [to secure it] because we know Hobby caravans are at risk [of theft]. Even the police said we couldn’t have done any more.
“It was so brazen. I wish I could just turn back time and sit there and watch it.”
Paula said she is insured, but plans to buy an older caravan which is less attractive to thieves next time.
She hopes her story will act as a warning to other caravan owners about the lengths thieves are willing to go to.
Police in Bridgend said they are investigating the theft of a white Hobby 645 Premium Caravan which was reported stolen from Danygraig Park, Porthcawl.
Anyone with any information or who may have witnessed anyone behaving in a suspicious manner in the area is asked to contact South Wales Police on 101.