Tool thefts on the rise in Essex
In 2022 there were 828 reports of tool theft to Essex Police, that figure rose to 1,015 in 2023.
New research reveals there's been a significant rise in tool thefts across the UK, with Essex reported as a hotspot.
Tools worth £98 million were stolen from tradespeople in 2023 according to analysis by Direct Line business insurance.
In 2022, there were 828 reports of tool theft to Essex Police, rising to 1,015 in 2023.
Figures also show that there were 605 reports of tool thefts from vehicles in 2022 and 780 in 2023.
In total, 44,514 incidents of tool theft were reported to police forces in 2023, a 5% increase from 2022, which equates to an incident every 12 minutes.
Last year saw 24,543 reports of tool theft from a vehicle, up 14% from the previous year, accounting for over half (55%) of all tool thefts in 2023.
This comes even though 94% of tradespeople are taking extra precautions to secure their tools, with tradespeople spending on average £626 retrofitting their vans with additional security including additional locks, drill plates, trackers and alarms.
Over half (56%) of tool thefts from a vehicle occur at night, with incidents most commonly occurring while the vehicle is parked overnight at the tradespersons home or in a carpark.
Jonny McHugh, Head of Small Business Insurance at Direct Line, said: “It’s alarming to see that tool theft has risen yet again. Despite tradespeople taking numerous precautions and investing in additional van security to protect their tools, brazen thieves are continuing to target them.
“Tradespeople rely on their tools for their livelihoods, meaning this can have a massive financial impact if they are taken. Replacing tools is costly, takes time and vans will often need to undergo substantial repairs following a break in, meaning tradespeople are off the road and unable to work.
“The rise in these thefts means that it’s more important than ever that tradespeople take precautions to help keep their tools safe and deter thieves, as well as making sure they have the correct insurance to help deal with the consequences if a theft does occur.”
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