Tackling tool theft together: protecting tradespeople from van crime
Tool theft is far more than an inconvenient crime, it’s a widespread epidemic that continues to hit tradespeople’s livelihoods and mental health.
According to recent data obtained by Direct Line Business Insurance, over £40 million worth of tools were stolen in 2024 alone. That’s 25,525 tool thefts reported to police an average of one every 21 minutes, or 70 every single day.
Tool theft from vans is fast becoming a criminal’s crime of choice and almost four in five tradespeople (79%) have had their tools stolen at some point in their careers.
The impact reaches far beyond the immediate cost of replacing expensive gear. Stolen tools can mean damaged vans, days or weeks of lost work, costly insurance claims, rising premiums, replacement vehicle hire costs and even reputational harm and loss of business if jobs can’t be completed on time.
The hidden impact runs deeper still. Reports suggest that only 1% of stolen tools are ever recovered, putting the odds firmly against hardworking tradespeople. For small businesses, especially sole traders, the losses can be devastating and can push some towards bankruptcy, relationship breakdowns, extreme stress and mental health impacts. In heart-breaking cases it can be even worse – the construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates in the UK compared to other industries.
Amanda Martin, the Labour MP for Portsmouth North, has been leading the charge in Parliament to tackle tool theft head on. She has been instrumental in championing a Bill, the Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill, to increase sentencing for these crimes so that the punishment better reflects the true financial and emotional toll on victims.
At Locks 4 Vans, we’ve been helping protect vans from criminal attack for over 20 years. We know that stronger van security is vital, but it’s not the only action tradespeople can take. We recently teamed up with SelectaDNA to promote tool marking as a ‘belt and braces’ approach to deterring theft and recovering stolen equipment.
In June, we hosted our first free tool marking event at our headquarters in Gravesend, Kent, giving local tradespeople the chance to mark their tools with an advanced forensic DNA system that links each tool to its rightful owner. Over 40 local businesses joined us, sharing their stories and taking steps to secure their livelihoods. The event was proudly supported by our local Gravesham MP Dr Lauren Sullivan, the Kent Police & Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott and the Gravesend Community Safety Unit, highlighting just how important this issue is to our communities.
In May this year, Met Police officers seized around half a million pounds’ worth of suspected stolen tools at an East London boot fair – this shows the scale of the issue. Marked tools are harder to sell on, and unique identifiers allow police to trace tools recovered from boot fairs or online sales and get them back to their rightful owners - and crucially link the criminals to the crime. Marked tools, combined with visible van signage, act as an extra line of defence and can make thieves think twice.
Terry Rayner, our Commercial Director says:
“We take this issue which affects so many extremely seriously and anything we can do to deter and prevent van break-ins is a line of defence. Sadly, too many tradespeople come to us after they’ve already suffered a loss. By combining robust van security with tool marking, tradespeople can regain control and protect their businesses.
"At Locks 4 Vans we believe tackling tool theft takes a united front. Tougher laws and sentencing, robust policing and practical steps tradespeople can take like investing in high-quality locks and alarms, parking smartly and marking their tools.
"We’re committed to supporting tradespeople and driving change in our industry and beyond. With more events planned, we hope to help more local businesses safeguard their tools, their vans, their livelihoods and their peace of mind."
