#noVANber! Help Put An End To Tool Theft & Van Crime

Tool and van theft have always been a problem, and now with the situation spiralling out of control, putting hard working trades at risk, something needs to change.

It's claimed a van is broken into and tools stolen every 23 minutes in the UK. With the rise of skeleton keys & ‘peel and steal’ tactics, UK tool theft has shot up by over 30% in the last year and police figures suggest it has increased by nearly two thirds in two years.

When a tradesperson is a victim to van/tools theft, it can have a huge impact on their business and livelihood.

Even for those tradespeople who are insured, its is more than just the cost or the hassle. Many traders' tools have been accumulated over the years, where a straight replacement may no longer be available. Without tools and transport, many tradespeople are unable to work, unable to meet contractual deadlines and in some cases unable to provide and pay the bills, which adds to the emotional stress of the whole ordeal.

According to a recent survey, more than half (51%) of UK builders have had tools stolen.

Of those builders that have been a victim of van tool theft:

• 46% had their side panel or door broken/pierced and prised open;
• 23% had their windows smashed and doors opened from dashboard;
• 22% had their locks picked.

The #noVANber campaign!

Fronted by heating engineer Peter Booth, or @pbplumber as he’s known on social media, the construction industry is joining together to fight back and encourage change.

Written by MP Nicky Morgan, the #noVANber petition looks at the introduction of new legislation, additional sentencing guidelines and regulations on the reselling of tools.

Their aim is to get 100,000 signatures during the month of November. With over 22,000 signatures already, they have easily surpassed the 10,000 votes needed to gain a response from the Government, yet still some way off the 100K to have the petition debated by the government.

TrustATrader is proud to support and promote the petition along with a host of key stakeholders and media in the industry. Without the support of the trades in the industry, change won’t happen.

You can sign the petition here and share it with your colleagues, friends and family. Together we can get legislation surrounding tool and van theft changed for the better.