Tools stolen every 20 minutes: how tradespeople can protect their kit

Traders' tools were stolen somewhere in the UK every 20 minutes last year, new figures show, as police, insurers and MPs set out what is being done to stop the thefts and how tradespeople can protect themselves.

At least 26,164 tool thefts were recorded in 2025, based on responses from 30 police forces. The true figure is likely to be higher, as 15 forces could not provide data.

A Birmingham business hit six times

Lulzim Pjetri, who owns Alliance Refrigeration Group, a commercial refrigeration business in Aston, has had tools stolen six times in a year. Replacing the tools from each van can cost him up to £7,000, with a further £4,000 to £5,000 for repairs, before counting lost work while vans are off the road.

"It is our living," said Mr Pjetri, who employs seven people. "Unless they choke the second-hand tool market, this problem will always be there."

The average insurance claim for tool theft in 2025 was £4,206.60, according to insurers Direct Line for Business.

Gangs being tackled

Sgt Dave Catlow of the National Business Crime Centre, who is overseeing a clampdown on tool theft, said organised crime groups were responsible for a large share of thefts, with stolen tools moved around the UK and abroad for resale.

Last month, a five-strong rural gang was jailed after a Lincolnshire Police investigation found they used older 4x4 vehicles with cloned number plates and travelled at night to avoid detection.

The Home Office said it was "working with the police to tackle and prevent tool theft to protect more hardworking tradespeople", including more than 3,800 extra neighbourhood officers and work with industry and online sites on the sale of stolen goods.

Portsmouth North MP Amanda Martin, whose father was a plumber, is campaigning for tougher sentences and better regulation of the second-hand market. "It's making sure if you're selling some tools, you've got to have proof that you've owned it," she said.

How to protect your tools

• Mark them. A liquid DNA watermark, invisible to the naked eye but bright under UV light, helps police trace tools and prove ownership.
• Check your cover. Gareth Powley, a senior technical underwriter at Aviva and Direct Line for Business, said a "new for old" policy avoids a shortfall. "Maybe a cheap policy isn't as good as one providing more full cover," he said.
• Report every theft. Reporting helps police spot patterns and target the gangs responsible.
• Watch online listings. Retailers and marketplaces say they do not accept stolen goods and encourage users to report suspicious listings.

Tradespeople raised the issue at a conference organised by Fix Radio in Birmingham last week, a sign of how much it matters to the city's builders, plumbers and electricians.