More than a third (35%) of respondents to research conducted by OnePoll between 31 March and 5 April 2023 among a nationally representative sample of 500 tradespeople who drive a van said they are aware of attempts to break into their van over the same period. This leads to 87% of tradespeople saying they feel like a ‘moving target’ in their work vans.

The cost of theft is not negligeable with the average total values of items carried in work vans amounting to more than £4,300. Many tradespeople (63%) spend their own cash on tools and equipment. A van break-in can also cause extensive damage to the doors and locking system, requiring on average £750 worth of repairs to the vehicle. 

Criminals have a brazen approach to shifting stolen tools, with over a fifth (22%) of tradespeople reporting being offered tools they believe to have been stolen.

London is a criminal hotspot when it comes to theft from vans, with 50% of tradespeople there aware of attempts to break into their van, and a further 37% reporting having tools stolen from their vehicle. Attempted thefts are also an issue in Northern Ireland with 50% aware of break ins and one in four (25%) being victim of successful attempts.  

Table One: Regional breakdown of attempted van break ins to tradespeople’s vans  

Stealing tools, equipment or materials from a van is classed as theft, whereas stealing equipment from an office is classed as non-domestic burglary, a crime that receives on average twice the custodial sentence as theft from a vehicle.

The majority (87%) of tradespeople say that they believe the penalties for tool thieves are not strong enough. Similarly, 91% of the public believe the consequences of this crime should be significant enough to stop the ruining of livelihoods, according to research conducted by OnePoll between 31 March and 5 April 2023 among a nationally representative sample of 2000 people. 

To highlight the lower penalties for theft from a van than an office and draw attention to the issue, Direct Line transformed a tradesperson’s van into an office at an industrial park in Slough.   

 Joe Shadbolt, a tradesman, commented: “The impact of theft from my van has had a catastrophic effect on my day to day working life. If my tools are stolen, I can’t work.

“This means I’m not earning and if I’m not earning, I can’t pay bills or support my family properly.

“By turning my van into an office, Direct Line are shining a light on an issue that is having a fundamental impact on my livelihood.” 

A spokesperson from Direct Line Business Insurance added: “Theft from vans is a major problem for tradespeople with 35 per cent reporting an attempted break in over the last 12 months.

“From our interviews with reformed thieves, this crime is seen as low risk with a high reward. Tradespeople carry high value items in their vans and the punishment if thieves get caught is less severe compared to, for example, theft from an office.  

“When speaking with our customers, we know a van is a tradesperson’s place of work. It’s where they take their calls, it’s where they eat their lunch, it’s where they do their paperwork.

“We’re working hard to raise awareness of this issue, not just on behalf of our customers, but for every tradesperson across the UK that has and could fall victim to theft.”