Tools belonging to tradespeople were stolen somewhere in the UK roughly every 20 minutes last year, according to figures obtained from police forces, with businesses facing thousands of pounds in replacement costs and disruption.
At least 26,164 tool thefts were recorded during 2025 in data supplied by 30 police forces. The total is likely to understate the scale of the problem because a further 15 forces were unable to respond to the request for information.
The thefts affect the equipment carried in vans and stored at business premises, leaving firms to deal not only with the cost of replacing specialist tools but also with damage to vehicles and lost working time. Police and politicians have linked the crimes to organised gangs as well as opportunist offenders, while the resale of stolen equipment remains a central concern for those affected.
Businesses facing repeated losses
Lulzim Pjetri, who owns Alliance Refrigeration Group in Aston, Birmingham, said his commercial refrigeration business had been targeted six times in one year. On one occasion, thieves broke into a parked van while two employees were sitting inside eating lunch.
According to Pjetri, the offenders were not wearing masks. They carried crowbars and warned the workers against intervening. The incident has added to his concern for the safety of his seven employees, as well as the financial strain created by repeated thefts.
“Unless they choke the second-hand tool market, this problem will always be there.”
Replacing the contents of a single van can cost Pjetri as much as £7,000. Repairs can add between £4,000 and £5,000, before the effect of missed work is included. Vehicles can remain off the road for weeks, preventing businesses from carrying out jobs and putting further pressure on their income.
“It is our living,” Pjetri said, describing the emotional effect of what he called constant and repeated theft. He also said the continuing incidents had made him consider leaving the UK, while stressing that his main concern was the safety of his staff.
Cost extending beyond stolen equipment
Insurance figures indicate the financial impact is not limited to the businesses that are repeatedly targeted. Direct Line for Business said the average value of an insurance claim for tool theft in 2025 was £4,206.60.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Recorded tool thefts in 2025 | 26,164 |
| Police forces providing data | 30 |
| Forces unable to respond | 15 |
| Average insurance claim | £4,206.60 |
The incomplete response from police forces means comparisons based on the published number must be treated with caution. It does, however, provide a recorded minimum for the national picture, rather than a complete count of every incident reported across the UK.
Government promises action
Labour MP Amanda Martin said gangs and so-called “chancers” were responsible for the crimes and called for the Government to do more to support tradespeople. Her comments come as businesses argue that stolen tools can be quickly moved into the second-hand market, making recovery difficult and creating an incentive for further theft.
The Home Office said it was taking steps to address the issue, including expanding neighbourhood policing, investing in police forces and working with industry. It also said artificial intelligence would be used to help tackle the sale of stolen goods.
“Working with the police to tackle and prevent tool theft to protect more hardworking tradespeople.”
The department's stated approach combines prevention, enforcement and efforts to disrupt the market for stolen equipment. For traders such as Pjetri, the consequences are immediate: damaged vehicles, replacement bills, missed work and anxiety about the safety of employees. The police figures suggest those pressures are being experienced by businesses across the country, while the missing data indicates that the full scale of the problem remains uncertain.
