Victim thanks officers for recovering prized caravan

On Saturday, officers received a report of a suspected stolen caravan travelling into our area.

The Swift Challenger had been stolen from Doncaster but thanks to the owners hiding a tracking device in the caravan, control room staff could track its location and pass on updates to officers on the ground.

Further enquiries showed it was being towed on the A1(M) Northbound by an Audi and both were traced to a business park near Durham Services.

Response and Roads and Armed Policing officers arrested three men in the Audi on suspicion of theft and one was further arrested on suspicion of going equipped.

A security officer was arrested on suspicion of theft and obstructing police.

All four men, aged 24, 26, 28 and 64, were taken into custody and handed over to colleagues at South Yorkshire Police.

The caravan was recovered, along with another at the site which officers also believed to have been stolen.

The team received this email from the victim, who thanked everyone involved for helping return a precious vehicle to him.

He said: “Words cannot fully express the immense gratitude our family feels for your extraordinary efforts in recovering our stolen caravan.

“The dedication, professionalism, and tireless due diligence displayed by the officers on the ground, combined with the seamless coordination from the control room, have left us in awe of your commitment to serving the people of the United Kingdom. We are truly blessed to have such a remarkable team looking out for us. 

“This caravan holds profound sentimental value for my mother-in-law and father-in-law, who were moved to tears of overwhelming joy upon receipt of a phone call to say it had been found.

“Their happiness is immeasurable, as this cherished possession represents irreplaceable memories and means the absolute world to them. Your work has restored not just a caravan, but a piece of their hearts, and for that, we are eternally grateful. 

“Please, if possible, pass our heartfelt thanks up the chain of command so that every member of your team and leadership knows how deeply your efforts have touched our family. If we were there with you, we'd be buying you all a beer!”