Tradespeople across the UK are calling for tougher penalties for tool thieves as tens of millions of pounds worth of equipment are stolen every year. Individual tradespeople and organisations are being targeted, with many tools stolen from vans, which are often left severely damaged after being targeted. The theft of tools has restricted jobs that workers would normally take, with some van owners, in particular, staying away from certain areas of London. A Kent roofer who had £3,000 worth of tools stolen in the time it took him to buy a coffee said he struggled to afford replacements after the theft.
A bill tabled by Amanda Martin, MP for Portsmouth North, is currently going through Parliament, which seeks to impose harsher sentencing for tool thieves. The bill proposes adding theft of tools to the list of examples considered as causing “significant additional harm” to a victim. It also aims to better recognise the total financial impact of having tools stolen, such as repairs to a vehicle and loss of work. However, despite preventative measures, tools are still being stolen.
Trades United, the campaign group organising a rally in London on Monday, are calling for longer sentences for criminals and curbs on selling second-hand power tools at knock-down prices. Shoaib Awan, founder of Trades United, said: “The penalties and punishments have to be there…the crime is a nationwide plague that cripples businesses – the loss of work, the loss of earnings”. Trades United is calling for stronger regulation around the sale of tools at car boot sales and markets.
At Kent Police’s HQ in Maidstone, nearly 4,000 stolen tools, worth about a million pounds, seized by the police over the last year are being stored, with many owners unable to be traced prompting calls for the compulsory registration of power tools’ serial numbers at the point of purchase. The charity Aldingbourne Trust, which supports adults with learning disabilities, had power tools worth more than £20,000 stolen in December. While the charity has increased security since the break-in, the long-term effects will be harder to fix.
Stephen Baker, who estimates he lost about £15,000 worth of tools when his van was broken into a year ago, stated everything he had ever worked for had been taken away in a matter of minutes. After losing his business because he was unable to work, Mr Baker said he tried to take his own life. The government said it would continue to work with the police “to explore ways to tackle tool theft, ensure justice for victims, and punish criminals
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
