On Wednesday 11 December 2024 Margaret Mullane MP gave her support to a Bill calling for more action to combat tool theft, and to support victims of tool theft. Something which is blighting the lives of tradespeople across the country, and in particular areas like Dagenham and Rainham, which has a high proportion of tradespeople. The Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill will undergo its first reading by MPs in Parliament on 25th April.
Since the Bill was approved Margaret has met with victims of tool theft in Dagenham and Rainham and has visited boot sales in order to witness the scale of resale of stolen goods first hand. Margaret has also raised the issue independently with the Home Office and received the following response.
Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to (a) help prevent and (b) support the victims of tool theft. (32312)
Tabled on: 21 February 2025
Answer:
We recognise the negative impact theft has on victims who rely on the tools of their trade to earn a living.
We are continuing to work with the police-led National Business Crime Centre and industry via the Combined Industries Theft Solutions forum to explore ways to tackle and prevent the theft of tools.
We are also working alongside the police and businesses to tackle these crimes and ensure perpetrators receive just punishment, including work to make tradespeople’s vans secure.
Following engagement with the Home Office and National Vehicle Crime Working Group, Thatcham Research agreed to add to their New Vehicle Security Assessment (NVSA), locks and alarms on the back of vans (previously NVSA only covers the cab area of vans) and a motion sensor on the load area of the van. This is supported by crime prevention advice developed by the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives: Secured by Design - Vans & Tool Theft.
A key part of making acquisitive crime less attractive to criminals is making stolen goods harder to sell on. That is why we are working closely with policing and academic leads to examine what more can be done to tackle the disposal markets for stolen goods and reduce the ability to profit from this criminality.
Answered on: 03 March 2025
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