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Where In The UK Are You Most Likely To Have Your Tools Nicked?
Over 17,000 tools were stolen across England in 2024. Police forces across England have shared tool theft data in a Freedom of Information request....
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What Is The Theft Of Tools Bill?
What is the Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill? We have an expert explanation of the newly proposed tool theft legislation alongside suggested steps to protect your tools.
Tool theft is a plight on tradespeople throughout the UK, with 4 in 10 having experienced the crime. However, significant changes could be on the horizon, now that the second reading of the Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill has taken place – 4 July.
A common issue raised is the sentencing of the thieves that are responsible, with many in the construction sector feeling that the punishment isn’t severe enough for the crime due to the significant impact tool theft has on tradespeople's livelihoods. However, the Bill looks to impose harsher penalties for the theft of tools used in trades.
Rob Rees, a divisional director at Markel Direct, the trades insurance provider, says: “The purpose of this Bill is to amend current sentencing guidelines to impose harsher penalties for the theft of tools used in trades.
Currently, tool theft is categorised as ‘harm category 3’, as most instances of theft are of a value under £10,000.
“The Bill proposes that tool theft should be reclassified as causing ‘significant additional harm’ to the victim of the theft, which would enable magistrates to increase the severity of the offence to ‘harm category 2’ when it comes to the sentencing – even if the value of the theft is under £10,000.”
All costs included
Additionally, the Bill is looking to standardise the calculation of financial loss to include not only the physical cost of the tool itself but the additional costs that often come with tool theft such as the cost of repairs to any vehicle from which the tools were stolen; loss of earnings resulting from the theft; and the cost of any interruption of business resulting from the theft, such as being unable to fulfil a contract
Reading
Amanda Martin, MP for Portsmouth North and the MP responsible for the Bill, will opened the second reading debate.
For more details on the Bill and its progress – Click Here
How can tradespeople prevent their tools from being stolen?
While the Bill is a positive step towards deterring tool theft, the process for it to become law will take time and is several months away (should the Bill proceed). However, tool theft is often conducted by opportunists, so by taking measures to secure their tools, tradespeople can put off potential thieves.
With the help of Markel Direct, we have outlined our top five recommendations:
- Enhanced security measures on vehicles
- Installing alarms or enhanced van locks (e.g. double deadlocks, slam locks or lock protection plates) can help to deter thieves. Consider installing dashcams or interior cameras in the van itself and ensuring that the area the van is parked in is well-lit and secured area where possible.
- Remove tools from vehicles overnight as 41% of tool theft occurs from vans that are parked at home – yet only 2% of tool theft occurs inside the home itself. Whilst it may seem like an inconvenience, parked vans are a target for tool thieves and taking your tools out of your vehicle at the end of the day will significantly reduce the risk of them being stolen.
- Invest in video security if you park at home
- Installing video doorbells and CCTV at home not only acts as a visible deterrent to would-be thieves, it can also act as evidence should the worst happen. With the introduction of battery powered devices in recent year, it is a relatively low-cost and straightforward way to put off tool thieves.
- Tool marking, registration and tracking
- can make tools unattractive to criminals and their buyers. For larger, expensive equipment you could consider installing discreet trackers and for valuable hand tools, bluetooth or RFID tags linked to a smartphone App could come in useful. Register tools with Immobilise, which is a free online registration service that allows the public to record ownership details of their valued possessions. This means that theft alerts are immediately visible on police system and if your registered items are recovered by police, they can return them with ease.
- By arranging an appropriate level of tools insurance, you can cover the cost of replacing your equipment if it is stolen. It’s worth checking that your policy can provide cover on a 24-hour basis should you need it and choosing an insurer with a reputable claims team that settle claims quickly to minimise disruption to your business.
Picture: The Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill has had its second reading.
Article written by Cathryn Ellis
10th July 2025