Holiday Burglary.

Holiday Burglary.

by Shirley Sinclair

This was not a big burglary as they go although my, not very well off, family did lose a lot of things that we could not afford to lose.

It was over thirty five years ago and I was still a little girl when we went on holiday to Bognor Regis in Sussex (England.) My parents had rented a caravan for the week and a neighbor drove us down to the site as my dad did not have a car at that time. I had taken a large selection of toys, books and some of my favorite dolls to keep me amused if it rained, and most times on holiday in England you will get rain, lots of it.

This holiday however we had brilliant sunshine every day, the weather simply could not have been better. I think it was the fifth day and we had been on the beach. We enjoyed a picnic lunch, gorged on ice cream, played all sorts of games and had the time of our lives.

Returning to the caravan site is when we found out that disaster had struck. My dad had taken the caravan key from his pocket but found the door open and the lock all twisted. So much had been taken including some of my mum’s clothes! All I was concerned about though was that my favorite dolls and games had been stolen, I bawled and bawled.

I bawled even more when our holiday was cut short. My dad phoned our neighbor to come and pick us up the next day and off we went home with less possessions than we arrived with. I can remember my dad cursing the lock on the caravan saying that it was a flimsy thing that any crook with a screwdriver could break. He also said that the caravan site owners ought to pay compensation, whether my parents did get compensated or if they had insurance or not, I don’t know. What I do know is that we never went on a caravan holiday again, in fact we did not go away on holiday for the next couple of years.

Well I do not know what good it has been writing all that! I can’t offer any tips on how not to be burgled in a caravan. I do know that it is not at all nice to have burglars, specially when you are a little girl and lose your favorite dolls.


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Aug 11, 2009

A ruined vacation

by: Tony


Sorry to read your ruined vacation. Similar happened to us so I know how it feels. This was a vacation apartment, the locks to that were not the best also.

We did claim and got paid out for most our stuff but it still ruins your vacation time.


Aug 01, 2009

Locks on trailers have improved.

by: Martin (editor)


Hi Shirley,

Thank you for sharing your childhood nightmare vacation experience.

I hope that your dolls were replaced with ones that you loved equally as much.

Locks on trailers have improved over the past thirty five years but it is still a good idea to take extra security measures. Knowing what you are covered for by insurance is always good.

Martin (editor)


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