According to a recent study tools are stolen from a work van on average every 20 minutes in the UK. Police force figures showed that in 2019 there were 28,681 cases of theft of tools from vehicles which is equal to 78 crimes every day of the week. Below is the breakdown by region.
| Region | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| London | 8633 | 30 |
| Northwest | 7627 | 27 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 3333 | 12 |
| West Midlands | 2499 | 9 |
| East of England | 2303 | 8 |
| Southeast | 1426 | 5 |
| East Midlands | 1249 | 4 |
| Southwest | 902 | 3 |
| Northern Ireland | 221 | <1 |
| Northeast | 176 | <1 |
| Wales | 112 | <1 |
| England, Wales and NI total | 28681 | 100% |
As any experienced tradesman knows, leaving tools in a van overnight or in a vulnerable position is a risky thing to do. So always play it safe and wherever possible lock tools away in a secure unit.