Call for compulsory caravan immobilisers

An award-winning caravan tech entrepreneur has called for the compulsory installation of engine immobilisers in cars to be extended to caravans to protect owners and help reduce the number of thefts. 

The longstanding Australian law requiring compulsory immobilisers in cars does not apply to towable RVs like caravan and camper trailers, and the director of Perth-based WiTi, Tony Maddison said this makes these “homes on wheels” an easy target for thieves. 

“When you think about it, a caravan is basically a tin can on wheels - an expensive one of course – and this makes them really easy to steal,” Maddison said. 

“All a thief needs to do is pull up in front of a caravan, hook it up and drive off. It can be that simple but it can be avoided,” he said. 

Maddison said there are 770,000 registered recreational vehicles in Australia and it's estimated that around 500 caravans are stolen each year down under, which doesn't include break-ins and attempted break-ins.

"Engine immobilisers, which are usually activated using a key, have been mandatory in all cars in Australia since 2001. However, police say thieves often get around this by breaking into a home and stealing the key," he said.

"There is now a trial in Townsville, Cairns and Mt Isa for secondary immobilisers, which only allow the engine to be started using a unique code on a panel next to the ignition, adding more security because the car cannot be used without it." 

Maddison said it was time for Federal authorities to look at introducing a law mandating compulsory immobilisers for caravans as well. 

He claimed that "mandatory installation of immobilisers in caravans would act as a powerful deterrent against theft, significantly reducing the likelihood of unauthorised access and caravan theft". 

Other benefits could include reduced insurance premiums and enhanced road safety, in that "immobilisers contribute to overall road safety by preventing unauthorised use of caravans (and) reducing the risk of accidents..."

Maddison said a caravan immobiliser like that offered by WiTi, which retails from $649 (not including installation) and was a recent recipient of a West Australian innovation award, will detect suspect movement via a sensitive gyroscope and then apply the brakes to prevent the caravan or trailer from being towed. An alarm is also sounded and the owner alerted via mobile phone. 

“This is the most effective way of protecting caravans from theft and will serve as a major deterrent to would-be thieves,” he said. 

"Wheel clamps can be used by caravan owners as a preventative measure, but... these can be heavy and cumbersome and add weight to a van if they are transported with the vehicle."

“The extra weight in the back can be a real issue for safety and authorities are cracking down on overweight caravans. It also means that as you move around, you have to continually set them up and then take them off and the inclination after a while is just forget about them.” 

WiTi is among a growing number of retailers of premium aftermarket anti-theft technology systems available for fitment to Australian caravans, including those offered by caravan alarm specialist RV Secure.