66% of tradespeople have had their tools stolen or van broken into, a Screwfix survey has found.
65% of tool theft victims have had their tools stolen more than once. And 24% said tool theft has had an impact on their business. For one fifth, tool theft is the biggest business worry.
As a result of tool theft, 66% of tradespeople have lost at least one working day, in addition to the loss of the value of the tools, which for 75% was more than £500. One fifth of trade tool theft victims had more than £5,000 worth of tools stolen.
To protect themselves from tool theft, 51% remove them from their van overnight, 40% have CCTV at home, and 25% have additional security products on their van.
Ben Lainton, Director of Trading at Screwfix, said: “These latest findings show the concerning level of tool theft and van crime and the damaging impact they have on tradespeople and their businesses. Many of them are seeking ways to protect their tools and vans, so as a key supplier to the trade, we’re continuing to add security-focused innovations to our range to play our part and help them. The latest products from Master Lock, Swann, and Van Vault are prime examples and demonstrate how we are continuing to develop our offer to ensure we provide what the trade needs.”
