January revealed as the worst month for tool theft with tools stolen once every 30 minutes
1-minute read
Tradespeople beware – data shows January is the worst month for tool theft in London, with tools being stolen once every 30 minutes.
The numbers, obtained by Simply Business via the Met Police, show that 16,725 tool thefts were reported during the period between July 2018 and June 2019.
This works out at an average of 45 thefts a day, or one every 30 minutes.
The worst months for tool theft
The full month-by-month breakdown shows that 1,569 tool thefts were reported in January 2019 – almost 400 more than in December 2018.
Month | Number of tool thefts |
|---|---|
January 2019 | 1,569 |
October 2018 | 1,535 |
November 2018 | 1,506 |
September 2018 | 1,456 |
March 2019 | 1,454 |
May 2019 | 1,425 |
July 2018 | 1,412 |
February 2019 | 1,355 |
August 2018 | 1,333 |
June 2019 | 1,299 |
April 2019 | 1,194 |
December 2018 | 1,187 |
The top 10 worst London boroughs for tool theft
The analysis also shows that Barnet is the worst affected area, with 1,281 thefts reported, closely followed by Enfield (1,019) and Waltham Forest (771).
In stark contrast, the safest borough, Kensington and Chelsea, saw just 146 tool thefts throughout the year.
- Barnet - 1,281
- Enfield - 1,019
- Waltham Forest - 771
- Bromley - 757
- Haringey - 708
- Hillingdon - 663
- Brent - 660
- Ealing - 650
- Greenwich - 639
- Newham - 627
An ‘ongoing tool theft epidemic'
As previously reported by Simply Business, a staggering one in 3 tradespeople have fallen victim to tool theft. For each tradesperson impacted, that works out at an average cost of £3,005 in lost earnings and the replacement of stolen tools.
And with 84 per cent of tradespeople believing that the government aren’t doing enough to tackle the issue, we launched our campaign to Stamp Out Tool Theft.
The campaign – which petitioned to see the tool theft issue debated in parliament – was stopped in its tracks, as the government closed our petition with less than 24 hours notice in November 2019.
Preventing tool theft
Although these numbers are concerning, there are a few key steps you can take to help prevent your tools from being stolen.
Check out our eight-step guide to recovering stolen tools, which includes some helpful tips on preventing thieves from getting their hands on your goods.
How has tool theft affected you and your business? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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Written by
Lucy McNeill
Lucy McNeill is a Senior Copy and Content Manager at Simply Business. She’s worked in content for 16 years, primarily within the financial services and travel sectors. Lucy’s passionate about supporting women in small business, having led Simply Business’s Empowering Women in Business initiative for two years running. Lucy also specialises in webinars and virtual events.
We create this content for general information purposes and it should not be taken as advice. Always take professional advice. Read our full disclaimer
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