Cut Their Tools Off – A Call For Harsher Sentences To Deter Theft

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Calls are being made to cut criminals off from the supply of tools, which are ‘fenced’ by thieves who steel them from tradepeople’s vans, by issuing much harsher sentences to the robbers.

Under the Theft Act 1968, a maximum sentence of seven years can be given to someone found guilty of breaking into a van. If the amount stolen totals under £200, the maximum sentence they can face is six months.

Tradespeople also face the chance of uncaught thieves returning and stealing the newly replaced equipment as they are not keeping the tools for themselves but are selling them on to ‘dealers’ who ship them around markets in the UK, Europe and further afield.

Rising crime

Tool thefts have been on the rise over the last few years, with London alone facing a 25% increase.

Tim Alcock, a motoring expert at Lease Van, says: “A van is like a second home to tradespeople and having it broken into is a devastating experience as it severely restricts their work routine.

“Stolen tools can also cost thousands to replace and this can be even worse if there’s damage to the van itself.

 “What’s shocking is that if a criminal steals under £200 worth of tools, the maximum sentence they can receive is six months. This is only the maximum, so in a lot of cases, this sentence won’t even be applied.

 “Of course what makes the situation worse is that not all criminals are caught which may reinforce the fear that they’ll return and steal again.”

 “While van alarms, CCTV and padlocks can help deter thugs from stealing the tools, it can’t guarantee that the equipment won’t be stolen."

– Tim Alcock, 

Motoring expert, Lease Van

Cut them off

“Tool thefts have been on the rise in recent years meaning the problem isn’t going away anytime soon, adds Alcock. “We believe increasing the maximum sentence will make people think twice before breaking into someone’s van and stealing their hard-earned resources.

“We’re calling for stricter punishment to be introduced immediately so we can stop the number of offences from rising any higher.”

Picture: For tradespeople, a van can be akin to a second home and experiencing a break-in can be deeply distressing, severely hampering their ability to work.

Article written by Brian Shillibeer
15th March 2024

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