Thefts of tools from vans increased again during 2024, with more than one in four drivers (28 percent) reporting the crime.
This compares to the 19 percent who said they had tools stolen in 2023. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which undertook a survey of van drivers, found the value of thefts had also risen dramatically.
During 2023, the value of tools stolen from vans averaged £1,700. However, this jumped to the average value of £2,433 for tools stolen from a van in 2024 – a 40 percent increase.
More cost, more unplanned downtime
More than a quarter (27 percent) of tool thefts were valued at in excess of £3,500, compared to just 10 percent the year before.
Extrapolating the results of its survey of 1,000 drivers, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles estimates the total cost of theft from vans to businesses now exceeds £3.5 billion every year.
In addition to the financial burden, the overwhelming majority (86 percent) of van drivers said they had to take unexpected downtime following a tool theft.
This resulted in an average of 3.97 days off work. And 20 percent of van drivers lost a whole week as they restocked and repaired their vehicle.
Piling the pressure on business
Increasing occurrences of tool thefts from vans, combined with the rising value of the items taken, is adding to the pressure being felt by businesses.
More than a third (36 percent) of survey respondents said the ongoing cost-of-living crisis was a stress factor, with van crime only making matters worse.
John Ricardo-Neto, head of product planning at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “Tool theft remains a huge issue for van drivers and businesses in the UK, and it’s concerning to see the number of incidences and the scale of their impact continuing to rise.
“We encourage van drivers to take extra precautions – via our theft prevention technologies, ensuring tools are always well secured and vehicles parked in well-lit, CCTV-monitored areas – so that tradespeople can focus on what really matters.”
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