- Published
Traders' tools worth thousands of pounds were stolen somewhere in the UK every 20 minutes last year, figures show.
asserted
figures → publish → UK
At least 26,164 tool thefts were recorded in 2025, based on responses from 30 police forces who shared data.
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who → record → data
The true figure is likely to be higher as a further 15 forces could not respond.
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forces → respond → ?
Gangs and "chancers" are behind the crimes, according to Labour MP Amanda Martin, who is calling for her government to do more to help.
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government → accord → more
The Home Office said it was "working with the police to tackle and prevent tool theft to protect more hardworking tradespeople", including increasing neighbourhood policing, investing in police and working with industry and AI to tackle the sale of stolen goods.
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it → say → goods
Lulzim Pjetri owns Alliance Refrigeration Group, a commercial refrigeration business in Aston, Birmingham, from which tools were stolen six times in a year.
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tools → own → year
On one occasion, thieves broke into a parked van while two staff sat in its cab eating their lunch.
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staff → break → lunch
Those responsible were not wearing masks, held up crowbars and told the workers it was not worth them trying to stop it, Pjetri said.
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Pjetri → wear → it
Pjetri said: "Unless they choke the second-hand tool market, this problem will always be there.
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problem → say → market
"I'm concerned for my guys' safety," said Pjetri, who employs seven people.
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who → say → people
It is the emotional trauma that you get from it.
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you → get → it
It's happening again and again and again and no one out there can see this."
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one → happen → this
Replacing the tools stolen from each van can cost Pjetri up to £7,000, with a further £4000-£5000 for repairs, and that is before counting the cost of missed work while the vans are off the road - sometimes for weeks at a time.
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vans → replace → time
"You've got to remember these vehicles are supporting the hardest working class of the UK," said Pjetri, who is also known as Mike.
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who → get → Mike
The average value of an insurance claim for tool theft in 2025 was £4,206.60, according to insurers Direct Line for Business.
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value → accord → Business
The biggest cost from multiple tool theft incidents faced by Kerry Field, owner of Change It Homes based in Norton Lindsey, Warwickshire, was £10,000 worth of tools and motorbikes stolen in a break-in.
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cost → face → in
The BBC has seen CCTV footage showing the thieves making offensive gestures directly at the cameras during the crime.
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thieves → see → crime
Field spent a further £10,000 improving security, including new electric gates, cameras and taking on a rescue dog to help keep his headquarters safe.
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Field → spend → headquarters
His staff found one of their stolen saws advertised for sale online, but Field was advised to go to collect it himself when he reported it to police.
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he → find → police
The force later apologised and told him the member of staff should not have suggested this, Field said.
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Field → apologise → this
"I think it's definitely got worse," he said.
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he → think → ?
"I think a lot of it isn't notified to the police because people know it's not going to make any difference; they're not going to get any tools back.
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they → think → tools
"It's always been classed as very low level.
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It → class → level
If you take away someone's livelihood, it has an impact on the whole of society."
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it → take → society
He added the lack of consequences for thieves or action by police did not instil confidence, but he understood forces were overstretched.
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forces → add → confidence
Warwickshire Police said it took all reports of tool theft "very seriously", but a suspect could not be identified in this case.
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suspect → say → case
A spokesperson added: "Following concerns raised by the victim, the case was re-opened and thoroughly reviewed.
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case → add → victim
No further lines of enquiry were identified."
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lines → identify → enquiry
The Home Office said it had boosted neighbourhood policing, with more than 3,800 additional neighbourhood officers in roles, and was investing "a historic £18.5bn in police force funding".
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it → say → funding
Martin - whose father was a plumber - has campaigned for tougher sentencing for tool thefts.
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father → campaign → thefts
"We, as a government, have to do more," said the MP for Portsmouth North.
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MP → have → North
She said better regulation of the secondhand market was needed, including for pawnbrokers and well-known online retailers and auctioneers.
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regulation → say → pawnbrokers
"It's making sure if you're selling some tools, you've got to have proof that you've owned it," she said.
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she → make → it
Businesses with physical stores often require anyone selling goods to provide ID and for transactions to be recorded on CCTV, with other measures including signed undertakings to confirm they can legally sell an item and staff making checks for missing, removed or obscured serial numbers.
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staff → require → numbers
Online retailers have published terms and conditions saying they do not accept stolen goods and encourage users to report suspicions if they believe items listed for sale are stolen.
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items → publish → sale
The Home Office said it continued to work with police, industry bodies and online sites to look at the issue of unregulated tool sales and what more could be done.
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more → say → sales
A common complaint among traders at a conference organised by Fix Radio in Birmingham last week was that when they made insurance claims for stolen tools, the amount repaid would not cover buying new replacements or the business missed out on while waiting for repairs.
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business → organise → repairs
Gareth Powley, a senior technical underwriter at Aviva and Direct Line for Business insurance, said it had a "new for old" basis policy.
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it → say → policy
He said: "The worst thing you want when you have to claim is to be trying to find secondhand tools or to have that shortfall.
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you → say → shortfall
It's really important to look at the underlying cover you're buying.
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you → look → cover
…and 15 more, not listed.
The Aporia
