More than £46m worth of tools have been reported as stolen from vehicles in the UK since the easing of lockdown in April 2021, according to insurance provider Direct Line.
It equated to £245,893 stolen every day, according to an analysis of data from UK police forces.
Tradespeople are bearing the brunt, with nearly 38% having fallen victim to tool theft in the past, separate research by the insurer revealed. On average, they estimate that it would take them a full working week to replace the equipment.
Despite the threat, over half of tradespeople, 56% leave tools in a vehicle overnight, with nearly six in ten of this group not having specific insurance in place to help deal with the consequences of tool theft.
This is despite nearly a third, 31%, of tradespeople being more concerned about the problem now than they were before the pandemic.
Jonny McHugh, business manager of Direct Line business insurance, said: “Sadly, tool theft continues to be a real threat to tradespeople across the UK. While it’s promising to see some implement measures to protect their tools, it’s concerning that so many leave them in their vehicles overnight and do not have the correct insurance in place to help them deal with the consequences of theft.
“Our Tools Essentials service provides tradespeople with comprehensive cover, helping to safeguard them from expensive setbacks caused by the loss or theft of vital equipment. It helps replace essential tools within 24 hours of a valid claim so that tradespeople can get back to work quickly, minimising disruption.”