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More Than Half Of Tradespeople Hit By Theft In The North West Last Year Were Repeat Victims In Space Of 12 Months, Research Finds

Image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay

Repeat thefts are becoming a worrying trend for tradespeople in the North West, with one in two victims saying they had been targeted repeatedly over the last 12 months.

New research from commercial insurer NFU Mutual found that across the UK, of those surveyed, more than seven in 10 tradespeople experienced theft in the last year – and of those, 46% were hit by criminals on multiple occasions.

In the North West, nearly nine in 10 tradespeople (86%) suffered from theft, with 56% of those saying it had happened more than once.

Over a third suffered from theft twice, more than one in 10 (14%) were targeted three times and 2% shockingly said they were stolen from more than three times in the last 12 months.

Across the UK, the most common theft for workers in the industry was from a site, according to those surveyed, with 35% of tradespeople having experienced that. A third had tools or equipment stolen from their vehicle and 16% said they had a vehicle taken in the last 12 months.

Opportunist thieves strike on vehicles and at sites in the hope equipment and tools will be left unattended. Three-quarters of tradespeople surveyed said they leave tools or equipment in their vehicle, while a larger amount of eight in 10 admitted to leaving tools and portable equipment on sites overnight at different times.

It is an issue that runs through sites and sole traders across the UK, with the biggest concern among those surveyed being the cost of replacing stolen equipment (41%), with becoming a victim of theft or repeat theft next on the list (37%).

Zoe Knight, Head of Commercial at NFU Mutual, said:
“Tradespeople rely on their tools and vehicles for their job, so it’s extremely concerning to see the number of those surveyed who said they had been a victim of theft and, worse yet, those targeted on multiple occasions in the last 12 months.

“Our research showed a variety of responses to where workers leave their equipment when not on a job and while the most common was in a secure storage unit or lock-up – which we would always recommend – some admit to leaving tools in the garden, at a friend or relative’s or even in a field near to their home.

“The fact the two biggest concerns among the industry are around replacing stolen equipment and being a victim of theft shows the importance of having protection in place and we would urge them to take steps to improve security where possible.”

The mental health impact of tool theft is also stark. A recent survey by construction community On The Tools found that 85% of tradespeople worry daily or weekly about tool theft.

Lee Wilcox, Co-founder and CEO of On The Tools, said:
“Tool theft is a crisis that affects not only tradespeople’s livelihoods but also their mental health. It’s an epidemic we can no longer ignore. On The Tools is proud to support the upcoming Trades United van rally* and to provide practical ways for people to amplify their voices. Change is long overdue, and it’s time for the government to act decisively.”

NFU Mutual is sharing the following advice to tradespeople:

Minimise storage of tools and equipment in vans: a robust, lockable building is preferable. Consider intruder alarms for high value equipment.
If you have to leave tools and equipment in a van, make sure it’s alarmed and, as a minimum, park against a wall so that doors cannot be opened easily.
Don’t make it easy for thieves to guess that equipment is kept inside (a van or a building) e.g. by leaving items on display and leaving tools around which may assist an intruder.
Store portable items within a robust, lockable store that is fixed in place.
Restrict and control vehicular access to the work site.
Consider video security system (temporary systems and temporary intruder alarm systems are available for site use).
Security mark your tools and equipment (e.g. forensic, engraving or permanent marking) to deter thieves and aid recovery.
Don’t stockpile high value materials such as lead and copper or leave them around for longer than necessary.
For construction vehicles use CESAR marking, tracking and immobilisation to prevent and trace thieves.
Check all locks and security measures before leaving any site e.g. alarms switched on, cameras facing the right direction and security lights working.