How to prevent tool theft

At WaterSafe, we recommend following guidance set out by Secured by Design, the official police security initiative, to help installers keep tools safe and help police return stolen items.

Having tools stolen can be distressing and costly.

What’s more, thieves will often target the same victims again weeks or months later when the stolen tools have been replaced.

It can be easy for criminals to sell stolen tools online or at boot fairs, so it’s essential all tradespeople take steps to deter would-be criminals, make the tools harder to sell and help the police return them to you if found.

Top tips:

1. Think before you park – park in well-light areas, ideally with CCTV cameras or visible from where you’re working. Parking with the rear or side doors against a wall or railing will help make sure they can’t be prised open

2. Fit a secure van safe in the rear for expensive power tools – and avoid leaving tools in your van overnight

3. Mark your tools with your postcode or partial address using a Secured By Design-recognised forensic marking kit – and register tools which have a serial number on the police-backed Immobilise database.

4. Install a battery-operated alarm, which can send SMS alerts if it detects a potential break-in – and use stickers on your van to warn would-be thieves about the alarm

5. Use a GPS tracker for large or expensive tools – and your van. In April, Kent Police discovered £1 million worth of stolen tools after tracking down one drill fitted with a tracking device.

Secured by Design says: “The theft of tools continues to be a high-volume crime, attractive to professional gangs and opportunist thieves alike.