NOW the weather is hotting up thousands of caravan owners throughout the Vale and the Cotswold will be making for their favourite holiday spots either in this country or abroad.

Many others will also be thinking of purchasing a caravan for the first time.

West Mercia police don't want to put the damper on the idea, but are urging new buyers and old hands to beware.

In the West Mercia alone, 138 caravans were stolen between April 2004 and June 2005, worth a total of over £1.087 million.

Caravan crime co-ordinator, acting detective sergeant Colin Davies, said: "While most caravans are fitted with some security features, a few simple crime prevention measures, such as making sure valuables are not on display; windows and doors are locked and the caravan is chained or bolted to a secure point can make a difference.

"We know that this type of crime is usually well planned by groups of criminals and over half of all caravans are stolen during the night."

West Mercia have drawn up ten top tips for caravan owners who want to protect their caravans from crime.

'Here Today....Gone Tomorrow!' is an internet-based advice leaflet, offering valuable crime prevention advice to help keep caravans safe and secure and make them less attractive to thieves.

The leaflet also offers advice about checks you can make if you are thinking of buying a caravan. Buying from a reputable dealer, checking the chassis numbers and the caravan history, via the Caravan Registration Identification Scheme (CRIS), are all recommended.

The leaflet, which also offers advice and guidance on what to look for if you are thinking of buying a caravan, is available on the force website, www.westmercia.pnn.police.uk

Acting DS Davies said: "Using the security methods highlighted in the 'Here Today... Gone Tomorrow!' leaflet will help to deter potential thieves by making caravans more secure."

The CRIS system maintains records about each registered caravan and its owner in the UK.

This means that a potential buyer or dealer can check to see if it is on the stolen or at risk register.

Logbooks also offer a way to check a caravan's authenticity and history.

Acting DS Davies added: "The criminals who steal caravans are not interested in customer service or giving good deals, they just want to sell their stolen property on as quickly as possible.

"By making the right checks through the CRIS system and logbooks you can reduce the amount of stolen caravans in West Mercia and help to put these caravan thieves out of business."