On The Tools is supporting Trades United’s upcoming van rally in Westminster on 3 February 2025 to demand decisive government action against tool theft. A statement said that the event highlights a renewed push for stronger legislation to protect tradespeople’s livelihoods and well-being.
The rally is to start at Brent Cross at 11:00 AM and culminates at Parliament Square by noon. According to the statement, participants will stage a ‘go-slow’ convoy to disrupt traffic and call attention to the urgent need for change.
On The Tools said it is driving public engagement by providing a pre-drafted letter that anyone can send to their MP. The letter details the devastating financial and emotional impact of tool theft on tradespeople and calls for amendments to sentencing guidelines, stricter regulation of resale markets and more robust enforcement measures, the company added.
In 2022, On The Tools published the Tradespeople Against Tool Theft White Paper which found that 78% of tradespeople had experienced tool theft, with 94% of stolen tools never recovered.
An LED digital display van with a mobile banner, sponsored by On The Tools, will join the rally. The banner will highlight the tool theft statistics uncovered in the white paper.
The statement said that last year’s Trades United rally “garnered significant attention from across the political spectrum”, with representatives from major parties acknowledging the severity of the construction skills shortage and pledging support for change. While these responses came in the lead-up to the general election, tangible action to address the crisis has yet to materialise, it noted, leaving tradespeople and industry leaders continuing to call for meaningful reforms.
Lee Wilcox, CEO of On The Tools, said: “Tool theft is a crisis that affects not only tradespeople’s livelihoods but also their mental health and family stability. It’s an epidemic we can no longer ignore. On The Tools is proud to support this rally and provide practical ways for people to amplify their voices. Change is long overdue, and it’s time for the government to act decisively.”
Shoaib Awan, founder of Trades United, added: “We need the government to come forward and support and protect hard-working tradespeople and their livelihoods by implementing the law which this country has in place when it comes to theft.”