"It's happening all the time" - Tool theft rises by 40% in the West Midlands
There were 863 reports of tool thefts to West Midlands Police in 2023
Levels of tool thefts went up by 40% in the West Midlands last year as local police forces warn tradespeople to be on their guard.
West Midlands Police received 863 reports of stolen tools in 2023, up from 615 the year before.
On 460 occasions, tools were stolen from vehicles. That was the case for Layla Walker and her partner Alastair Smith, who had his tools stolen from his van while out on a job in Coventry.
Layla from Warwickshire said: "He went into the customer's house, came back outside and the tools were gone. The police said there wasn't much they could do, and nobody and seen anything.
"There was probably about £3,000 worth of stuff. This is the sixth time he's either had the van broken into or been cleaned out."
Earlier this week, Warwickshire Police's Rural Crime Team posted on Facebook to try to find the owners of a large haul of stolen tools they had recovered.
Layla said there are now several social media pages dedicated to appeals for stolen tools. West Midlands Police had the fifth-highest rate of tool thefts per person in the UK.
Layla said: "He struggled to do the work for the customer he'd started doing the work for, he went round to try to buy and borrow tools to build back up but still hasn't got all of them.
"It's happening all the time, the police can't do anything about it because they're in and out so quickly, they'll either bodge a hole in the side of the van or cut round your locks. You can't stop them from getting in, if they want them, they'll have them."
West Midlands Police said: "We know that tool thefts have serious consequences for those who rely on their vehicles and equipment to earn a living. Vehicle crime is a priority for us in the West Midlands and officers are patrolling hotspots, gathering intelligence, investigating vehicle crime and arresting any potential offenders.
"Officers are also offering crime prevention advice across different settings to raise awareness of keeping vans and tools secure. We advise parking in busy well-lit areas, and remove contents from view or if possible remove tools if parking overnight.
Inspector Ryan Price from Warwickshire North Patrol Investigation Unit said: “We aware of the impact tool theft can have on people, especially if they rely on those tools to run their business. Tools are often stolen from people vehicles and sheds and combatting these types of crimes are currently a priority for the force. We are aware of a number of offences in hotel car parks recently and we are working with these premises to make them more secure. We’re also patrolling hotel car parks along with other crime hotspots.
“People can help us by making life difficult for thieves. Security marking tools and removing expensive tools from your vehicle at night are both helpful in preventing and deterring criminals. If you do need to keep expensive tools in your vehicle overnight consider additional measures to secure them such as fitting a tool safe.
“Most importantly, we urge people to remain vigilant and report anyone acting suspiciously. With patrols in hotspot areas our officers may be well placed to respond quickly and potentially catch someone in the act.
“By working together we can make the county as hostile as possible for criminals and hopefully they will start to think twice about coming into Warwickshire to commit crime.”