Theft from vehicles driving up tool claims
New analysis from Kingsbridge Contractor Insurance has revealed that 85% of all tool claims involve theft from vehicles, with the average claim costing £3,000.
Police data found that tool thefts rose 16% year-on-year across 46 UK police forces, with over 30,848 recorded offences in 2025. This equates to one incident every 17 minutes.
Meanwhile, industry figures show that more than 80% of UK tradespeople have had tools stolen.
Max Bennett, head of schemes at Kingsbridge Contractor Insurance, said: “Tool theft is one of the most frustrating and disruptive challenges a tradesperson can face. And thieves are rarely selective, they execute clean sweeps, taking entire tool setups including drills, saws, batteries, and chargers. With average claims standing at £3,000, and climbing to £5,300 in the South East, replacing an entire setup out of pocket is crippling.
“The claims data shows that over 85% of tool claims stem from vehicle break-ins, with Ford Transits appearing as the most common target. We’re also seeing an increase in opportunistic thefts while vans are being loaded or unloaded on busy streets.”
Trade campaigner Frankie Williams of Stolen Tools UK added: “One of the biggest mistakes I see is tradespeople fitting additional hook locks but not actually engaging them day-to-day. It’s easy to become complacent when you’re busy on site, but leaving your van unsecured, even for a few minutes, can be all it takes for a thief to strike.
“I recommend investing in additional van security rather than relying on the factory-fitted locks alone. This includes hook locks, internal security cages and secure toolboxes. The key is to create multiple layers of security to make your van and tools as difficult a target as possible.”
