The drill is the most stolen tool: study

​​​​​​​Over 55% of tradespeople have reported having had their drill stolen, according to a report by Markel Direct

New research from Markel Direct revealed the impact of tool theft on tradespeople, finding that 66% of tradies have been a victim at least once.

The survey, which explores the impact of tool theft on the construction sector, asked 500 UK tradespeople to share their experiences of having their tools stolen - from what kit had been taken, to the location of theft. 

The data revealed that 66% of tradespeople had been victims of tool theft, and of the respondents who hadn’t fallen victim to the crime, 27% said they had worked with someone who had - highlighting the scale of the problem across the industry. 

The study examined the measures tradespeople took to protect their tools and equipment from theft.

Among those who took precautions, removing tools from their work van or vehicle (43%) was the most common method, followed by using secure storage boxes or cabinets (35%) and CCTV or surveillance systems (34%). 

The study also outlined the tools most likely to be stolen by thieves. Of the respondents who had been a victim of tool theft, drills dominated the list with over half (56%) advising they’ve had this tool stolen.

Electric screwdrivers came in second place, followed closely in third spot by batteries (for tools). The data suggests thieves are targeting toolkits as well as individual components.

The main location of these thefts was in vehicles, with an alarming 35% occurring whilst the tradesperson’s vehicle was parked on site, 29% at home and 22% in public car parks.

Eighteen percent of thefts happened when the tradesperson’s tools were stored in an outbuilding (e.g., a shed or garage), while 7% occurred when the tools were in their home. This highlights that no location for storing tools is completely safe from being targeted by thieves. 

Despite this, the study revealed that less than half (43%) remove their tools from their van at night. Interestingly, although tool theft is widespread, 33% of respondents advised that they didn’t obtain specialist tools insurance.

Most stolen tools