Average tradesperson’s van carries more than £4,300 worth of tools every day

Tradesman Joe Shadbolt unveils his van-turned-office as part of Direct Line’s campaign to raise awareness of the fact that tool theft from a vehicle receives on average half the custodial sentence as theft from an office.

The average tradesperson’s van carries more than £4,300 worth of tools every day.

A poll of 500 tradespeople who use a van found 87 per cent feel like a moving target for theft because of the worth of what they have on board.

And many have spent hundreds of their own money on tools and equipment, as well as their company’s gear.

More than a third (35 per cent) are aware of attempts to break into their van over the last 12 months – while 22 per cent have actually had tools taken.

On average, this costs just over £750 to repair or replace items, each time, according to the surve commissioned by Direct Line for Business.

More than just a van

However, 46 per cent were only able to reclaim or find at least some of the tools they’d had stolen.

To highlight the issue, the insurance firm has transformed a van into an office in a well-known spot for tradespeople in Slough to highlight the disparity in the sentencing laws.

Tradesman Joe Shadbolt said: “The impact of theft from my van has had a catastrophic effect on my day-to-day working life.

“If my tools are stolen, I can’t work. This means I’m not earning and if I’m not earning, I can’t pay bills or support my family properly.

“By turning my van into an office, Direct Line are shining a light on an issue that is having a fundamental impact on my livelihood.”

The study also found 22 per cent of those polled have even been approached and offered tools they believed to have been stolen.

But 87 per cent don’t think the ramifications for tool thieves are strong enough to truly act as a deterrent, according to the stats by OnePoll.

Items of high value

A spokesperson from Direct Line for Business, said: “Theft from vans is a major problem for tradespeople, with 35 per cent reporting an attempted break in over the last 12 months.

“From our interviews with reformed thieves, this crime is seen as low risk with a high reward.

“Tradespeople carry high value items in their vans and the punishment if thieves get caught is less severe compared to, for example, theft from an office.

“When speaking with our customers, we know a van is a tradesperson’s place of work.

"It’s where they take their calls, it’s where they eat their lunch, it’s where they do their paperwork.

“We’re working hard to raise awareness of this issue, not just on behalf of our customers, but for

every tradesperson across the UK that has and could fall victim to theft.”