Adrian Coleman, senior regional service manager at Mira Showers, has commented on Trades United’s tool theft van rally, which took place on 3 February, in Westminster, London.
Adrian said: “At Mira Showers, we support and recognise the importance of Monday’s van rally in Westminster, organised by Trades United to draw attention to the issue of tool theft, and demand stricter law enforcement of existing theft laws. The Met Police reported that an estimated £16.3m worth of tools were stolen from tradespeople in 2023. We have more than 50 service engineers around the country all at risk from tool theft, and we see multiple incidents every year of break ins and theft.
“In the darker, winter months – there is an uplift in these crimes, which we know can be debilitating to a business – both financially, and emotionally. Especially in this economic climate. At Mira Showers, we’re really passionate about putting a stop to this issue as we know the damage it can cause to the livelihoods of the trade. Without their tools, tradespeople cannot work.
“There are lots steps tradespeople can take to protect their tools but the key things I recommend include making sure external deadlock blots are fitted to vans, high-value tools are kept inside at night or when you’re not working, and that vans are parked in well-lit areas with the vehicle’s back doors against the wall, or garage door. That last one is particularly important at this time of year. Thieves are most likely to target vans during the winter months – when the dark nights are longer.”