Tool theft from vehicles has continued to rise, with the latest statistics suggesting that incidents have gone up by 25% in the last year. Metropolitan Police data shows that thefts from vehicles accounted for a third of all tool thefts in the capital in 2021 and 2022.
There were 34,712 thefts from January 2021 to October 2022, which is a 62% increase on 2019 and 2020 combined. These figures come from Herts Tools, and are courtesy of a Freedom of Information request.
It shows that powered hand tools are thieves top choice, accounting for 22,005 incidents. This is four times the number of thefts of standard hand tools and equipment.
It also showed that builders are the trade most likely to be impacted by tool theft, followed by electricians and engineers. In terms of London boroughs most impacted, Barnet came out top, followed by Enfield, Neham Brent and Waltham Forest.
This backs up other, wider research that suggests that tool theft rose dramatically in 2022, with as many as one in three van drivers falling victim to the crime. This is a notable increase from the year before, when a quarter of drivers suffered.
These figures come courtesy of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, who commissioned a study that revealed that the rise in theft is costing workers billions of pounds in lost business and replacement tools.
The average value of tools stored in a van is £2,500, which works out at £4.4bn of replacement tools each year, according to VW. This then leads to a pause in work for six days on average, which VW says results in a loss of work adding up to £5.2bn annually.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is London that is the biggest crime hotspot for tool thefts, with as many as 47% of van drivers falling victim to tool theft in 2021/22. Although this was the highest ratio, it did represent a fall compared to the previous 12-month period, when 55% suffered from the crime.
Below are the regions with the percentage of van drivers that have suffered from tool or equipment theft:
| Region | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
| London | 47% | 55% |
| Scotland | 45% | 22% |
| North West | 41% | 25% |
| North East | 40% | 28% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 38% | 7% |
| Wales | 36% | 4% |
| West Midlands | 36% | 33% |
| Northern Ireland | 35% | 13% |
| East Anglia | 33% | 23% |
| East Midlands | 32% | 15% |
| South West | 32% | 10% |
| South East | 28% | 17% |
Rate of van thefts on the rise too
The annual rate of thefts involving vans in the UK could rise to more than 20,000 vans by 2030, claims Comparethemarket.com. The insurance comparison site predicting that 12,000 vans will be stolen in 2022, which is a rise of 169% over the last five years.
The research, based on information from Logistics UK and WhatDoTheyKnow.com, has also revealed which regions of the country have the highest levels of van theft, and which vans are most commonly stolen. Plus the items most likely to be taken from vans as well.
>> Worried about van theft? Check out the Parkers guide to van security
How many vans are stolen each year?
Comparethemarket.com says that between 2015 and 2019, van theft increased by 81% from 4,450 vans to 8,072.
The full statistics from 2020 onwards aren’t available, but predictions are that there will be a further rise. Researchers estimate that there were 10,928 vans stolen in 2020, increasing to 12,669 in 2021. Current estimates are that there will be 11,981 stolen in 2022.
Projecting this clear trend into the future, Comparethemarket.com reckons that by 2030, van theft will have nearly doubled to around 20,531 per year.
How many vans are stolen each day?
Breaking those figures down, this info suggests that 12 vans were being stolen every day in 2015.
By 2019, it was up to 22 vans per day, while in 2020 it’s predicted that 30 vans were stolen each day. In 2022 that figure is expected to rise to 33 vans per day, although this is a slight dip on 2021’s daily figure of 35.
Using the crystal ball of statistical analysis, the claim is that by 2030 as many as 56 vans per day will be taken without their owners’ consent, although it is worth noting that most of this is based on predictions.
Which areas of the UK are worst for van theft?
Here’s the top 10 according to this research, ranked by annual thefts:
| Region | Thefts in 2019 | Thefts in 2022* | Thefts in 2030* | |
| 1 | Greater London | 1,504 | 2,232 | 3,827 |
| 2 | East Midlands | 188 | 280 | 479 |
| 3 | Yorkshire and Humberside | 145 | 215 | 368 |
| 4 | North West England | 112 | 166 | 284 |
| 5 | South East England | 110 | 163 | 280 |
| 6 | East England | 104 | 154 | 263 |
| 7 | Wales | 79 | 117 | 201 |
| 8 | South West England | 65 | 96 | 164 |
| 9 | West Midlands | 61 | 90 | 154 |
| 10 | North England | 59 | 87 | 149 |
*Estimated
Which vans are most likely to be stolen?
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the most stolen van in the UK, with the 313 CDI and 314 CDI models ranking one and two in the most stolen chart for 2019.
Collectively 2,595 of them were stolen that year. Comparethemarket.com reckons that this trend will continue, and predicts that this figure will rise to 2,928 in 2022.
The rest of the top 10 is made up by various models of Ford Transit and Ford Transit Custom. Not the biggest surprise, as these are typically the bestselling vans in the UK as well, so there are more of them on the road to fall victim to crime.
What items are most commonly stolen from vans?
Tools are the favourite target of van thieves, with 67% of van break-ins resulting in stolen tools.
More alarmingly, only 1% of those stolen tools are ever recovered, according to this data.
The next most stolen items are ‘equipment’, which includes ladders, storage and – ironically – van safes. Some 55.6% of van theft results in the loss of these kinds of things.
Personal items are the third most common van contents to go missing, vanishing in 41.7% instances of van crime.
Items most likely to be stolen from vans:
- Tools (66.7%)
- Equipment (55.6%)
- Personal items (41.7%)
- Electronic devices (25.0%)
- Sale goods (16.7%)
- Customer supplies (13.9%)
- Van equipment / parts (13.9%)
- Cash (5.6%)
- Other (2.8%)
What can I do to prevent van theft?
Our guide to van security is packed with helpful tips and tricks to help prevent van theft – covering the whole van being stolen as well as the items in it.
Starting right now, however, first of all, don’t forget to lock your van (and set any security devices) and think carefully about how and where you park – consider making access to the vehicle more difficult and park in plain sight of any CCTV cameras that might be in the area.
More sophisticated solutions, such as additional locks, GPS trackers and other add-on van security devices are explained in detail in the guide.
