No Tools Left in the Van: Plumbers and Heating Engineers reporting huge rise in tool thefts from vans and building sites.
Plumber incomes have been seriously damaged this year by the tool thefts from vans and job sites this year. 27% of Plumbers are reporting the loss of tools which damaged their ability to earn a living.
The research carried out by Warm.co.uk suggests that thefts are on the rise. The Plumbers are fully aware of the damage to their livelihoods from the tool thefts.
The research indicated that tool boxes were the most stolen item. In addition, power tools and ladders appeared on the list. For Plumbers the toolboxes in particular are their livelihoods and the theft is having a huge impact on their ability to earn a living as a result.
Matt from Birmingham: “I empty the van every night of my expensive tools, but my toolbox is a pain to move. All my friends have had things taken, so I won’t risk leaving everything.
Recent research has suggested tool theft in the UK costs £94million per annum, a figure which promoted the survey. 562 Plumbers were polled by Warm.co.uk and asked if they were the subject of theft this year. The result was that 27% said they had.
Most common tools stolen in the Warm.co.uk survey were:
- Tool boxes
- Power tools
- Ladders
In addition, TV celebrities aren’t beyond the criminals reach either. A noteworthy example being DIY SOS who were targeted in July and lost £4,000 in tools from a van in West Bromwich. A BBC spokesman at the time had said the whole thing took “10 or 20 seconds”.
Engineer from Bradford, Andrew: “A portable rock crusher machine was taken from the building site over the road. This machine is the size of 2 static caravans, weighs 30 tonnes. No one saw a thing – it’s amazing how they get away with it!”
Our Advice
The advice from Warm.co.uk is simple, ”Keep all tools close and if possible do not leave in your van unattended. Thieves have a good chance of getting into any van, so either deadbolt all doors, or remove all valuables before leaving it anywhere.
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