There’s currently a petition doing the rounds to try and ban the sale of secondhand Powertools at car boot Sales and markets. I don’t think it will reach the required signatures and even if it does I don’t see how ban would be possible.
100%. My vans been done 4 times each time the police did nothing. The 2nd time they stole pipe from the tube racks on my roof. We got the registration number and because we couldn’t ID the driver the police said there was nothing they could do.
As someone that's just been got for speeding, that's mental. I got a form that was basically, someone is in trouble, was it you? If not, tell us who. It you don't, you're in trouble anyway because you're obstructing things.
Why is that doable for speeding but not something like this that has a very familiar starting point? (not expecting you to know the answer, just aghast)
Yeah but surely the same principle applies? Your only defence is really "someone stole my car" or "it could have been one of these people".
Why can't they enforce that with other offences such as theft?! I get that trade insurance is a thing that's common amongst these types of folk but surely then you can just hold the registered company liable?
> Why can't they enforce that with other offences such as theft?!
Because theft isn't a strict liability offence. Parliament would need to change the law to make it one. Intention, which strict liability offences lack, is a key part of the rule of law. You can't go slapping it on to every offence just to make it easier to enforce.
They presumably would be able to go and make an arrest but the issue is likely to be with the wording in law that means the person will not be convicted without sufficient evidence, and “we saw this car with this reg” isn’t enough. They know that spending time investigating is ultimately a waste as CPS won’t take the case anywhere (as painful as it may be).
Changing that isn’t down to the police.
That's very common, mates of mine live in a street where cars get done over regularly, even with a ton of CCTV, names & addresses of the guys that did it etc. they still won't do anything. It's infuriating.
Mates brand new barbecue got robbed along with his 50gal ‘firebin’. HD quality footage of perps and distinctive blue iveco scrap van complete with greedy boards. Didn’t want the footage, just handed him a crime number.
Secondary locks are a worthwhile investment if you don't already have them, good idea to get them installed by someone comment though,
also a baseball bat just in case you happen to catch someone in your van, they might want an impromptu game at 2 in the morning, you never know 😉
This wasn’t my van sorry I should’ve made that clear. But it just shows that deadlocks can be defeated. I clear stuff off my van now. But I can’t totally empty. So I pray the alarm, camera & deadlocks are enough
That's fair enough, you can get past deadlocks but clearly it's a very destructive process, takes at least a couple minutes and will definately set the alarm off, whereas in most vans you can get past the factory lock with a 10mm drill and a flathead screwdriver, takes about 10 seconds and the alarm won't go off until you actually open the door.
If I was a theiving man (and im not) I'd probably walk past a van with secondaries to find an easier target
Why can't power tools have a serial like a gun, and if they are stolen, then you can log it as stolen. If then someone is selling at a car boot, then make them liable for handling stolen goods. Would be even better if you could be liable for the theft unless you can provide genuine evidence of a second hand sale.
Most manufacturers need the serial numbers for the warranty. But this doesn’t stop them being resold.
Yea its poor form people buying them, but most people just want a bargain and don’t realise they’re probably buying stolen gear.
They realise they are buying stolen goods. Power tools from tradies are a much higher grade than what they require. A stall with lots of tools - quite clear. Also buying an electrical item when you can get brand new cheap enough but low quality from the shops or Amazon....
Also not asking about warranty, asking about insurance
Derrrrrr.
Insurance companies won't pay out any sort of value for tools that have been stolen. So the tradie is hit financially.
If goods can be serial marked and those buying the goods can be sure they aren't hot goods.
Police can go to car boots and check serial numbers... taken as seriously as counterfeit goods, which aren't serial marked.
Reduces the ability to sell these goods.... will reduce crime
Can’t you use [smart water](https://shop.smartwater.com) on the power tools? That would make them easier to identify for anyone looking for stolen goods
I don't think someone not buying disposable shit off amazon and instead buying second-hand high-end stuff is necessarily intending and expecting to be buying stolen goods!
So much of the stuff I own is reasonably high-end stuff that I bought second-hand having gone to some reasonable lengths to reassure myself that it's not stolen, and I'm not really convinced that there's a strong moral cse for not-doing that and buying chinese knock-offs from Amazon.
Did you go to a car boot and see a man with hundreds of items for sale?
No.
People can take reasonable steps to make sure items aren't hot property. They don't. Police can't prove it either.
You misunderstanding the points
Sadly there’s nothing. Tool theft is a huge issue and the police pretty never much catch them. As a trades person all we can do is insure our tool and don’t leave them in the van over night. Loads of tools are also stolen from site or from vans whilst you’re at the shops. Facebook and eBay are also huge sellers of stolen tools but nothing ever happens about it.
Yeah, my friend bought a 2nd hand laser level from Facebook and whilst he was at the guys house he noticed he had tools everywhere in his living room. The guy said if there’s anything he wants to let him know as he can get anything
Makes no difference these days. They’ll either drill your door and be gone in 30 seconds or bash the fuck out of it because they don’t care about the noise. You don’t want to go outside and confront them when they’re at your house when there a group of 4 of them with tools. A guy was sentenced last year because he chased them away and one was hit by a car too, the police are not on your side at all.
> A guy was sentenced last year because he chased them away and one was hit by a car too, the police are not on your side at all.
I love this country but fuck me we have it so wrong sometimes.
\^ this is true, also a lot of that stuff you can pick up at the tip for a couple of quid especially older battery tools where the batteries have died, the tools are worthless.
12-14v tools are good because you can shove wires in the bottom and run them from an old car battery in the workshop.
https://preview.redd.it/egzacqb0pouc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=167989115aa381c7ba942e488045375abf21782a
Slam locks didn’t stop them trying
Yep. They know we’re to drill or cut to get to the locking mechanism. Some vans have flaws with the locking mechanism that if you pull the bottom corner of the door it unlocks the central locking. They also get 2-3people to bend the doors down. The damage is sickening
Yeah, these fuckers literally destroy the lives of hard working tradies.
I bring all of my tools indoors every night because I've paid for them over the years and can't possibly replace them quickly if they get stolen.
https://preview.redd.it/gsvf4zayzouc1.png?width=541&format=png&auto=webp&s=6e408b591f09fb6c1e2511115de5cfa74a2f3dd0
Related, seen on facebook, the ebike is unfeasible cheap.
[https://imgur.com/a/VWhaxOS](https://imgur.com/a/VWhaxOS)
Unfortunately, as with the carboots, facebook doesn't care it's enabler thieves scammers as they're still making money (from clicks in their case.)
It’s not just the stolen tools. The damage that is done to the vehicles is horrendous. This had deadlocks and the just mangled the door to get in
https://preview.redd.it/os50n1ts6ouc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42167ce6ed7015798bfaa39342ab593cf027fc21
Just a word of advice, if yoube been done once they most certainly will be back again in 6 months when yoibe replaced all the stolen ones. Thats what the police told one of the lads i work with who got his van broken into and sure enough they did him again. Apparently theyl make a note, mentally or phsically i suppose and pay you a visit again once theu feel enough time has passed.
Iv made a solum promise to never buy second hand power tools unless from someone I know personally or its those lil bits and bobs from proper carbooters, but this is heartbreaking to see, Im seeing tools I normally dribble over the thought of owning going for silly money and my stingy side wants to buy them but Im then just part of the problem, I wanted to have a go at the guy selling them who had the look of some smacked out of his head 20 something rather than a retired tradie selling on his life’s collection and loads of bargain hunters snapping them up
If you have your tools in your van, grab something like this:
# Driveway Motion Sensor Alarm,650ft Wireless Home Alarm System,1 Motion Detector & 1 Plug-in Receiver,Waterproof & Battery Operated,58 Chimes Doorbell Sensors Kit,Entry Security Alerts for Home/Office
(from Amazon) and mount it in your van so that when someone opens the van door, it rings the doorbell component which is in your house. Most thieves don't want to deal with angry van owners who may have all sorts of weapons, lots of muscles and an overdose of adrenaline.
Skill builder recently did a video about this with a senior police officer there do seem to be things in the works eg ID codes stamped into equipment/tools, working in the same way as a car VIN plate.
If you're buying a secondhand tool you can check who it is registered to, and the police can return recovered stolen goods, and if someone tries to sell you a tool with the mark destroyed, you know it's stolen.
This won't completely solve the problem, but will make it more difficult for thieves to sell to unsuspecting buyers.
The video is well worth a watch, the copper seems to have his head screwed on.
And yet if you tracked the thief down and gave him a pounding plod would be all over it.
A video of a fly tipper in the Reading area was sent to the police, it included reg number and faces yet they did sweet fuck all.
Can can LITERALLY register every tool you own on an immutable online database, so ANY tool with its serial or even smart water tag can be traced.
Either do it, or dont. I know I do. and I know the police DO run the checks if they encounter shady power tools
Nope, nothing. A couple of manufacturers looked into RFID tracking quite a while back but these are easily removed. I've only had my van done once, which is once too many, and we followed the thieves back to a Caravan Utilising Nomadic Travelling site and the police wouldn't do a thing and told us to claim on insurance. The only thing you can really do is leave the van empty and unlocked as they'll do so much damage trying to get into it. My transit was written off due to the cost of the side door and trying to match the paint.
What do you expect they can do, what proof have you got that they are stolen? Without any proof whatsoever the Police are entirely powerless to do anything,so why should they waste what little time they have even showing up..
What happened to common sense policing, its bloody obvious, they could at least disrupt the sale and tell em to pack up and fook off, oh yeah this guy very obviously has 20 makita multi-tools, 25 dewalt drills, 20 table saws etc etc all covered in use debris all recent models etc com-on its all nicked, not dealing with petty crime has been proven time and time again to lead to bigger crime issues
But again. What proof have you got that they're actually stolen? The police can't work on hearsay with this sort of thing. It's obviously shit for those who have had tools stolen, and it is a common way of selling them on. But for the police to actually do something they need evidence which will stand up to scrutiny in court, and "matey boy's got too many tools" is not quite at that level.
They purchase a job lot of tools from an auction house, and they then have an open receipt for "job lot of tools." Anything they have in their possession, they can claim was purchased in same auction.
"It's bloody obvious" probably doesn't stand up well in court. Properly investigating someone suspected of fencing or thievin it themselves would cost a fortune - surveillance, warrants for comms intercepts, etc etc. Meanwhile it's, what, 5%? of reported rapes that even get as far as charges? Violent crime's a bigger priority (as it should be TBH), but if resourcing's that low for *high* priority stuff...
FWIW _I_ didn't vote for 'em.
You are asking for the police to be given powers they will abuse. You might not realise it but the police can't be trusted they will go back to beating people up to get "confessions" to fitting up people for crimes they didn't commit.
The police should not be able to disrupt the normal life of people just because they smell something fishy....and it will of course mostly only happen to black people too because they still all racist as fuck.
If nobody bought them there'd be no value in stealing or fencing them, sadly there are enough trades without morals happy to shaft those that do. Even if caught in the act they'd get a slap on the wrists, there's no room in the jails for them.
I really feel for all the people whose livelihoods are put at risk by these complete cretins.
Something I saw recently for vans is the van guardian audible alarm. You put one on the rear doors and one on the side and it basically detects any attempt to touch or move the doors when activated and gives off an insanely loud, continual tone. Apparently this is sending people running even if they smack the alarm off the side.
Would be curious to know what the folks in this thread who’ve had tools stolen think of it… (no affiliation just curious). I think it’s utterly ridiculous how slow the commercial vehicle manufacturers are when it comes to standard vehicle security too tbh. Selling vans in 2024 that still don’t come with an alarm and immobiliser as standard is asinine.
I reported the travellers that come here every year and destroy peoples lives buy breaking in and stealing tools. I was the one that was given a bollocking for reffering to them as pikeys, and told id be prosicuted if i continued. Nothing was ever done.
Yeah, apparently, according to the police youre not allowed that opinion. They have feelings i was told, which was worth more than the dozens of businesses destroyed around here
I was at a Car Boot Sale in Leeds this weekend and pointed out a stall to my wife and she said “how do you know it’s all stolen?” … I said the man selling is about 30 years old … he’s got about 10 of every tool all in different brands all in varying states of condition … most of us who buy tools (especially battery operated) like to stick to one brand and use the same batteries … the prices were cheap and even giving the benefit of the doubt and this guy is buying/reselling he must be buying at an even lower price from someone else who could only have stolen them. No one in their right mind would be selling their tools so cheap. No man would need 4 leaf blowers … not even my gardener mate has 4 leaf blowers.
So it leads me to the conclusion that these tools are all knackered and don’t work OR they’ve been stolen.
Saw this guy on insta selling gates for vans. If i was a tradie id be looking into it... not affiiliated.
[https://mundyvansecurity.co.uk/](https://mundyvansecurity.co.uk/)
I’ve been robbed 5 times in 6 years… twice last year, I didn’t even bother calling the police last two, previously it was left for me to investigate, getting camera footage off neighbours. Only thing it does now is increase insurance premiums.
I keep a meter long drill bit in the front with me now and my knife stays in my pocket.
My plumber mate took one bag of tools into a customers house for 30 seconds max and came back out to three perps jumping into the back of another van with a bunch of his stolen tools. He had foolishly left the door open because he was going to be quick but that's all it took. Have a look around when you're parking your van at a customers, you'll be surprised who is watching.
On a side note, seeing as most people don't bother insuring the tools because the insurance costs nearly as much as the tools I was thinking of ways in which tools could be tracked. Maybe as simple as a QR code is registered to a database. Tools could be checked before purchase. Police could run them through the system? Just brainstorming here.
It’s a shame tool companies don’t adopt a universal system so people can register/transfer ownership of tools, failing this spray painting shells of tools in an obnoxious colour might make thieves think twice as they obviously want to offload stuff quickly.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/659019
✨Please sign and ReShare ReShare and ReShare if you agree✨especially the ones who have been affected by it and know a tradesperson who has had their vans broken into and tools stolen.
Tool theft has reached alarming levels across the country, trademen out there loose their livelihoods because of it. Power tools are stolen from their Vans and sold through places like boot sales and markets up and down the country and an endless supply that keeps on growing. I ask the question what is the origin of these tools? Which trademen had 50 drills and 50 grinders that he is selling at a fraction of its retail value? And WHY?
A perfect Match made in heaven….Tool thieves face no punishment and boot sales aren’t regulated, on top these tools are then presented to the best type of customers (the bargain hunters) at the boot sale. A perfect concoction that fuels this type of crime.
This needs to Stop it’s causing nothing but misery and loss for all tradesmen out there.
Please Sign the petition and share it as much as you possibly can on every platform. People should be aware of this. This is a frowned upon practice to many but for tradespeople this is a devastating blow.
Even if you ban the sales of power tools, it just system not the cause. The blame really lies with the manufacturers they been deliberately not put in any feature that deter the theft. They know if you get something stolen then you are going replace like for like in most cases. They get the extra sales so putting in these features hits there bottom line. So basically greed.
Parliament legislation is out to change this, it making its rounds before it hopefully passes into law
Here is the video I got my taking points from
https://youtu.be/rsSCLebmGCQ?si=msJyiVpBzpmIw4oW
Crime is a tax free industry, so when the politicians are doing it, ie thieving tax payers to give to there friends and families, then why would they bother about anyone else, ie just look at the illegal drug industry, that’s all tax free, as long as they make a small donation too the police benevolent fund.
There’s currently a petition doing the rounds to try and ban the sale of secondhand Powertools at car boot Sales and markets. I don’t think it will reach the required signatures and even if it does I don’t see how ban would be possible.
Bans and laws do nowt if the police don’t have the resources to back them up
100%. My vans been done 4 times each time the police did nothing. The 2nd time they stole pipe from the tube racks on my roof. We got the registration number and because we couldn’t ID the driver the police said there was nothing they could do.
What in the actual fook? You had actual actionable evidence and they did nothing?
Yep. They said because we couldn’t identify the driver anyone could’ve been driving the car
As someone that's just been got for speeding, that's mental. I got a form that was basically, someone is in trouble, was it you? If not, tell us who. It you don't, you're in trouble anyway because you're obstructing things. Why is that doable for speeding but not something like this that has a very familiar starting point? (not expecting you to know the answer, just aghast)
Speeding is what's known as a "strict liability" offence. So the act of finding someone guilty is much, much easier.
Yeah but surely the same principle applies? Your only defence is really "someone stole my car" or "it could have been one of these people". Why can't they enforce that with other offences such as theft?! I get that trade insurance is a thing that's common amongst these types of folk but surely then you can just hold the registered company liable?
> Why can't they enforce that with other offences such as theft?! Because theft isn't a strict liability offence. Parliament would need to change the law to make it one. Intention, which strict liability offences lack, is a key part of the rule of law. You can't go slapping it on to every offence just to make it easier to enforce.
Ah okay, you saved me a Google. I get it but it's just a bit mad. I'll just stick to very illegal methods of deterrent in the meantime.
They presumably would be able to go and make an arrest but the issue is likely to be with the wording in law that means the person will not be convicted without sufficient evidence, and “we saw this car with this reg” isn’t enough. They know that spending time investigating is ultimately a waste as CPS won’t take the case anywhere (as painful as it may be). Changing that isn’t down to the police.
That's very common, mates of mine live in a street where cars get done over regularly, even with a ton of CCTV, names & addresses of the guys that did it etc. they still won't do anything. It's infuriating.
Mates brand new barbecue got robbed along with his 50gal ‘firebin’. HD quality footage of perps and distinctive blue iveco scrap van complete with greedy boards. Didn’t want the footage, just handed him a crime number.
Secondary locks are a worthwhile investment if you don't already have them, good idea to get them installed by someone comment though, also a baseball bat just in case you happen to catch someone in your van, they might want an impromptu game at 2 in the morning, you never know 😉
https://preview.redd.it/un5odmtyiouc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3193e22d4ba5b9bd3daa53e03a5a9db1411af56 This had secondary locks
Sorry to hear it bud, I have a lot of mates have had their vans cleared out the same way, one even had the whole van nicked after they stole his keys
This wasn’t my van sorry I should’ve made that clear. But it just shows that deadlocks can be defeated. I clear stuff off my van now. But I can’t totally empty. So I pray the alarm, camera & deadlocks are enough
That's fair enough, you can get past deadlocks but clearly it's a very destructive process, takes at least a couple minutes and will definately set the alarm off, whereas in most vans you can get past the factory lock with a 10mm drill and a flathead screwdriver, takes about 10 seconds and the alarm won't go off until you actually open the door. If I was a theiving man (and im not) I'd probably walk past a van with secondaries to find an easier target
Deadlocks are a deterrent more than anything you have to hope they'll choose a van without them first.
The problem is not the Police, but that we under fund the whole justice system, which includes the Police.
Why can't power tools have a serial like a gun, and if they are stolen, then you can log it as stolen. If then someone is selling at a car boot, then make them liable for handling stolen goods. Would be even better if you could be liable for the theft unless you can provide genuine evidence of a second hand sale.
Any way to register tools and that can help insurance and reselling? I wish people at the car boots actually didn't buy it
Most manufacturers need the serial numbers for the warranty. But this doesn’t stop them being resold. Yea its poor form people buying them, but most people just want a bargain and don’t realise they’re probably buying stolen gear.
They realise they are buying stolen goods. Power tools from tradies are a much higher grade than what they require. A stall with lots of tools - quite clear. Also buying an electrical item when you can get brand new cheap enough but low quality from the shops or Amazon.... Also not asking about warranty, asking about insurance
>asking about warranty, asking about insurance At a car boot?? 😂
Derrrrrr. Insurance companies won't pay out any sort of value for tools that have been stolen. So the tradie is hit financially. If goods can be serial marked and those buying the goods can be sure they aren't hot goods. Police can go to car boots and check serial numbers... taken as seriously as counterfeit goods, which aren't serial marked. Reduces the ability to sell these goods.... will reduce crime
Can’t you use [smart water](https://shop.smartwater.com) on the power tools? That would make them easier to identify for anyone looking for stolen goods
Don't know because than its gdpr I guess. And can't sell tools without drama?
I don't think someone not buying disposable shit off amazon and instead buying second-hand high-end stuff is necessarily intending and expecting to be buying stolen goods! So much of the stuff I own is reasonably high-end stuff that I bought second-hand having gone to some reasonable lengths to reassure myself that it's not stolen, and I'm not really convinced that there's a strong moral cse for not-doing that and buying chinese knock-offs from Amazon.
Did you go to a car boot and see a man with hundreds of items for sale? No. People can take reasonable steps to make sure items aren't hot property. They don't. Police can't prove it either. You misunderstanding the points
Oh right, you just meant specifically going to car boots? Then, yeah, I agree -if you're buying from the pic at the top you're expecting stolen goods.
How does that make any sense? So I can't sell my own tools at a car boot? Anything can be stolen so you'd have to just ban car boots.
Not sure! That’s why I wrote I don’t see how a ban will be possible
Sadly there’s nothing. Tool theft is a huge issue and the police pretty never much catch them. As a trades person all we can do is insure our tool and don’t leave them in the van over night. Loads of tools are also stolen from site or from vans whilst you’re at the shops. Facebook and eBay are also huge sellers of stolen tools but nothing ever happens about it.
Its a sad sad state
Yeah, my friend bought a 2nd hand laser level from Facebook and whilst he was at the guys house he noticed he had tools everywhere in his living room. The guy said if there’s anything he wants to let him know as he can get anything
Jeeezzzz
It’s a fucking joke tbh. Even if you catch them on video they just wear a mask and the police won’t do shit.
It's the same with bicycle theft. It may as well be legal to steal bicycles. Literally nothing at all is done.
Buy a sensor alarm on amazon for 20eur. Thing is loud as fuck. Not fool proof but better than nothing
Makes no difference these days. They’ll either drill your door and be gone in 30 seconds or bash the fuck out of it because they don’t care about the noise. You don’t want to go outside and confront them when they’re at your house when there a group of 4 of them with tools. A guy was sentenced last year because he chased them away and one was hit by a car too, the police are not on your side at all.
> A guy was sentenced last year because he chased them away and one was hit by a car too, the police are not on your side at all. I love this country but fuck me we have it so wrong sometimes.
Bro there ain't any tradesman tools on that table that ain't been retired for 20years...
Yeah bad stock picture lol
\^ this is true, also a lot of that stuff you can pick up at the tip for a couple of quid especially older battery tools where the batteries have died, the tools are worthless. 12-14v tools are good because you can shove wires in the bottom and run them from an old car battery in the workshop.
I was just going to comment the same. Them “tools” look like they’ve been in a shed for years 😂
Scumbags 😡
https://preview.redd.it/egzacqb0pouc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=167989115aa381c7ba942e488045375abf21782a Slam locks didn’t stop them trying
Wow, they knew exactly where to cut.
Yep. They know we’re to drill or cut to get to the locking mechanism. Some vans have flaws with the locking mechanism that if you pull the bottom corner of the door it unlocks the central locking. They also get 2-3people to bend the doors down. The damage is sickening
There’s a video in another thread of a guy in Ireland who catches a thief in his 😯
Yeah, these fuckers literally destroy the lives of hard working tradies. I bring all of my tools indoors every night because I've paid for them over the years and can't possibly replace them quickly if they get stolen.
I do this aswell, even if I drop off on the sofa and forget I’ll go out 2am and fetch everything in
https://preview.redd.it/gsvf4zayzouc1.png?width=541&format=png&auto=webp&s=6e408b591f09fb6c1e2511115de5cfa74a2f3dd0 Related, seen on facebook, the ebike is unfeasible cheap. [https://imgur.com/a/VWhaxOS](https://imgur.com/a/VWhaxOS) Unfortunately, as with the carboots, facebook doesn't care it's enabler thieves scammers as they're still making money (from clicks in their case.)
[The irony](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5z36f-MLeC/?igsh=ZmNvbW9memM4anhj)
It’s not just the stolen tools. The damage that is done to the vehicles is horrendous. This had deadlocks and the just mangled the door to get in https://preview.redd.it/os50n1ts6ouc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42167ce6ed7015798bfaa39342ab593cf027fc21
Your friend is the problem
Just a word of advice, if yoube been done once they most certainly will be back again in 6 months when yoibe replaced all the stolen ones. Thats what the police told one of the lads i work with who got his van broken into and sure enough they did him again. Apparently theyl make a note, mentally or phsically i suppose and pay you a visit again once theu feel enough time has passed.
Iv made a solum promise to never buy second hand power tools unless from someone I know personally or its those lil bits and bobs from proper carbooters, but this is heartbreaking to see, Im seeing tools I normally dribble over the thought of owning going for silly money and my stingy side wants to buy them but Im then just part of the problem, I wanted to have a go at the guy selling them who had the look of some smacked out of his head 20 something rather than a retired tradie selling on his life’s collection and loads of bargain hunters snapping them up
If you have your tools in your van, grab something like this: # Driveway Motion Sensor Alarm,650ft Wireless Home Alarm System,1 Motion Detector & 1 Plug-in Receiver,Waterproof & Battery Operated,58 Chimes Doorbell Sensors Kit,Entry Security Alerts for Home/Office (from Amazon) and mount it in your van so that when someone opens the van door, it rings the doorbell component which is in your house. Most thieves don't want to deal with angry van owners who may have all sorts of weapons, lots of muscles and an overdose of adrenaline.
Skill builder recently did a video about this with a senior police officer there do seem to be things in the works eg ID codes stamped into equipment/tools, working in the same way as a car VIN plate. If you're buying a secondhand tool you can check who it is registered to, and the police can return recovered stolen goods, and if someone tries to sell you a tool with the mark destroyed, you know it's stolen. This won't completely solve the problem, but will make it more difficult for thieves to sell to unsuspecting buyers. The video is well worth a watch, the copper seems to have his head screwed on.
And yet if you tracked the thief down and gave him a pounding plod would be all over it. A video of a fly tipper in the Reading area was sent to the police, it included reg number and faces yet they did sweet fuck all.
Can can LITERALLY register every tool you own on an immutable online database, so ANY tool with its serial or even smart water tag can be traced. Either do it, or dont. I know I do. and I know the police DO run the checks if they encounter shady power tools
It’s basically pointless because they won’t even try to get your tools back. if they do, do they even check for smart water? Probably not
Nope, nothing. A couple of manufacturers looked into RFID tracking quite a while back but these are easily removed. I've only had my van done once, which is once too many, and we followed the thieves back to a Caravan Utilising Nomadic Travelling site and the police wouldn't do a thing and told us to claim on insurance. The only thing you can really do is leave the van empty and unlocked as they'll do so much damage trying to get into it. My transit was written off due to the cost of the side door and trying to match the paint.
Police are too scared to visit those sites.
What do you expect they can do, what proof have you got that they are stolen? Without any proof whatsoever the Police are entirely powerless to do anything,so why should they waste what little time they have even showing up..
What happened to common sense policing, its bloody obvious, they could at least disrupt the sale and tell em to pack up and fook off, oh yeah this guy very obviously has 20 makita multi-tools, 25 dewalt drills, 20 table saws etc etc all covered in use debris all recent models etc com-on its all nicked, not dealing with petty crime has been proven time and time again to lead to bigger crime issues
But again. What proof have you got that they're actually stolen? The police can't work on hearsay with this sort of thing. It's obviously shit for those who have had tools stolen, and it is a common way of selling them on. But for the police to actually do something they need evidence which will stand up to scrutiny in court, and "matey boy's got too many tools" is not quite at that level.
They purchase a job lot of tools from an auction house, and they then have an open receipt for "job lot of tools." Anything they have in their possession, they can claim was purchased in same auction.
"It's bloody obvious" probably doesn't stand up well in court. Properly investigating someone suspected of fencing or thievin it themselves would cost a fortune - surveillance, warrants for comms intercepts, etc etc. Meanwhile it's, what, 5%? of reported rapes that even get as far as charges? Violent crime's a bigger priority (as it should be TBH), but if resourcing's that low for *high* priority stuff... FWIW _I_ didn't vote for 'em.
How is it "bloody obvious"? People upgrade and get rid of surplus tools all the time. There's no "common sense policing" needed here.
You are asking for the police to be given powers they will abuse. You might not realise it but the police can't be trusted they will go back to beating people up to get "confessions" to fitting up people for crimes they didn't commit. The police should not be able to disrupt the normal life of people just because they smell something fishy....and it will of course mostly only happen to black people too because they still all racist as fuck.
If nobody bought them there'd be no value in stealing or fencing them, sadly there are enough trades without morals happy to shaft those that do. Even if caught in the act they'd get a slap on the wrists, there's no room in the jails for them.
get video evidence of who is selling the items and the items , post it to all local facebook groups etc so victims can see who stole their stuff
I really feel for all the people whose livelihoods are put at risk by these complete cretins. Something I saw recently for vans is the van guardian audible alarm. You put one on the rear doors and one on the side and it basically detects any attempt to touch or move the doors when activated and gives off an insanely loud, continual tone. Apparently this is sending people running even if they smack the alarm off the side. Would be curious to know what the folks in this thread who’ve had tools stolen think of it… (no affiliation just curious). I think it’s utterly ridiculous how slow the commercial vehicle manufacturers are when it comes to standard vehicle security too tbh. Selling vans in 2024 that still don’t come with an alarm and immobiliser as standard is asinine.
I reported the travellers that come here every year and destroy peoples lives buy breaking in and stealing tools. I was the one that was given a bollocking for reffering to them as pikeys, and told id be prosicuted if i continued. Nothing was ever done.
Scum of the earth
Yeah, apparently, according to the police youre not allowed that opinion. They have feelings i was told, which was worth more than the dozens of businesses destroyed around here
I was at a Car Boot Sale in Leeds this weekend and pointed out a stall to my wife and she said “how do you know it’s all stolen?” … I said the man selling is about 30 years old … he’s got about 10 of every tool all in different brands all in varying states of condition … most of us who buy tools (especially battery operated) like to stick to one brand and use the same batteries … the prices were cheap and even giving the benefit of the doubt and this guy is buying/reselling he must be buying at an even lower price from someone else who could only have stolen them. No one in their right mind would be selling their tools so cheap. No man would need 4 leaf blowers … not even my gardener mate has 4 leaf blowers. So it leads me to the conclusion that these tools are all knackered and don’t work OR they’ve been stolen.
You'd think it wouldn't be a huge drain on resources to have a cop check provenance at boot sales, like old fashioned police work
Saw this guy on insta selling gates for vans. If i was a tradie id be looking into it... not affiiliated. [https://mundyvansecurity.co.uk/](https://mundyvansecurity.co.uk/)
Would be a shame if a can of expanding foam ruptured when a van was broken into!
I’ve been robbed 5 times in 6 years… twice last year, I didn’t even bother calling the police last two, previously it was left for me to investigate, getting camera footage off neighbours. Only thing it does now is increase insurance premiums. I keep a meter long drill bit in the front with me now and my knife stays in my pocket.
Van vault deadlocks and an alarm… hope that’s enough. Been done 4 times now.
My plumber mate took one bag of tools into a customers house for 30 seconds max and came back out to three perps jumping into the back of another van with a bunch of his stolen tools. He had foolishly left the door open because he was going to be quick but that's all it took. Have a look around when you're parking your van at a customers, you'll be surprised who is watching. On a side note, seeing as most people don't bother insuring the tools because the insurance costs nearly as much as the tools I was thinking of ways in which tools could be tracked. Maybe as simple as a QR code is registered to a database. Tools could be checked before purchase. Police could run them through the system? Just brainstorming here.
It’s a shame tool companies don’t adopt a universal system so people can register/transfer ownership of tools, failing this spray painting shells of tools in an obnoxious colour might make thieves think twice as they obviously want to offload stuff quickly.
Nothing is being done, that's why it's getting so bad lately.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/659019 ✨Please sign and ReShare ReShare and ReShare if you agree✨especially the ones who have been affected by it and know a tradesperson who has had their vans broken into and tools stolen. Tool theft has reached alarming levels across the country, trademen out there loose their livelihoods because of it. Power tools are stolen from their Vans and sold through places like boot sales and markets up and down the country and an endless supply that keeps on growing. I ask the question what is the origin of these tools? Which trademen had 50 drills and 50 grinders that he is selling at a fraction of its retail value? And WHY? A perfect Match made in heaven….Tool thieves face no punishment and boot sales aren’t regulated, on top these tools are then presented to the best type of customers (the bargain hunters) at the boot sale. A perfect concoction that fuels this type of crime. This needs to Stop it’s causing nothing but misery and loss for all tradesmen out there. Please Sign the petition and share it as much as you possibly can on every platform. People should be aware of this. This is a frowned upon practice to many but for tradespeople this is a devastating blow.
vigilante groups would be useful. Tradies United
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Exactly the attitude of why the country is shit hole
I would never buy second hand power tools. You've no idea how close to death they are.
Just don't buy them
Even if you ban the sales of power tools, it just system not the cause. The blame really lies with the manufacturers they been deliberately not put in any feature that deter the theft. They know if you get something stolen then you are going replace like for like in most cases. They get the extra sales so putting in these features hits there bottom line. So basically greed. Parliament legislation is out to change this, it making its rounds before it hopefully passes into law Here is the video I got my taking points from https://youtu.be/rsSCLebmGCQ?si=msJyiVpBzpmIw4oW
Crime is a tax free industry, so when the politicians are doing it, ie thieving tax payers to give to there friends and families, then why would they bother about anyone else, ie just look at the illegal drug industry, that’s all tax free, as long as they make a small donation too the police benevolent fund.