A study by Volkswagen has revealed that tool theft has soared in the last 12 months, with more than a third of van drivers falling victim.
The shocking rise in tool theft, up from a quarter last year, is costing workers billions in replacement tools and lost business. The value of equipment stored in each van stands at an average of £2,500, which means UK tradespeople are footing a £4.4 billion bill for replacement tools every year.
The study also found that work stops for six days on average, causing UK businesses to lose a staggering £5.2 billion annually.
More van drivers admit leaving tools in their vehicles overnight, with three-quarters admitting to doing so compared to less than half in 2020. This has created more opportunities for thieves, with just half of van drivers taking extra precautions such as additional alarms, locks, and vehicle trackers to prevent break-ins.
Volkswagen drivers can choose various solutions to ensure vans remain protected, including an anti-theft alarm system that can be specified with interior monitoring, a backup horn and tow-away protection. As part of its Working With You promise, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles also offers a variety of lockable racking solutions and storage boxes for expensive tools.
While London remains the UK’s biggest tool-theft hotspot, the rate has reduced to 47% of van drivers from 55% in the previous year. In contrast, Scotland (45%), the North West (41%) and North East (40%) have recorded huge surges in tool theft in the past year. The South East is where van drivers are least likely to fall victim to a break-in.
David Hanna, Head of Direct Sales at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “Tool theft continues to be a huge problem and it’s worrying to see the problem spreading across the country. We’re shocked to see that cases have risen so much in the past year, as we know the impact on businesses and workers is massive.
“Hopefully, these findings will prompt those with expensive equipment to take extra precautions, whether that’s additional security features on their vans, avoiding parking in secluded, poorly-lit areas, or taking an extra 15 minutes at the end of the day to unload their vans.”
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