Ben Moore, Peorgia Shop & Hall Walsh
South-East and South investigation teams
Key / BBC
The roofer, Dennis Richardson
A Kent roofer who had £ 3,000 of stolen tools in the time it took to buy coffee is to support calls for more severe penalties for thieves.
Dennis Richardson de Maidstone, said: “We were out of sight for a few minutes in a cafe.
“I have a family and we have to eat, we have to pay bills. For suddenly, finding £ 3,000 is not easy,” he said.
The government says that it will continue to work with the police “to explore the means to fight against tools, to ensure justice for the victims and to punish criminals.”
A bill goes through the Parliament, tabled by a deputy for the Hampshire, who seeks to impose a more severe conviction for tool thieves.
Restrict jobs
Mr. Richardson, who works across the Southeast and whose van was targeted in Dulwich, southeast of London, said: “I would say they followed me on this path.
“Each electric tool had been stolen.”
He said: “I stay away from certain regions of London now. It has limited the jobs I want to take.”
He joined a rally on the Place du Parliament on Monday, where activists will demand greater application.
Paul Saunderson-Barker, plumber of Sussex, who also attended the rally, said that he was “devastated” after his van was burgled.
He told the BBC: “They stole electrical tools and a thermal imaging camera. I had more than £ 6,000 of stolen equipment.”
He said: “Other independent merchants have rallied locally to help me.”
@thegasexpert
Work vans are often damaged by thieves.
Tens of millions of equipment pounds are stolen each year, according to recent research from an insurance company.
The figures show that in 2023, all the flight incidents of tools reported to the police, about half were removed from a vehicle.
Many of them are taken from vans, which are often damaged after being targeted.
Key / BBC
Stephen Baker had about £ 15,000 of tools stolen.
The manufacturer Stephen Baker estimates that he has lost about £ 15,000 of tools when his van was divided a year ago.
“It took them 22 seconds to enter the van, four and a half minutes to empty it,” he said.
After losing his business because he was unable to work, Baker said he tried to commit suicide.
He said that everything he had worked for was removed in a few minutes.
“It is not only your tools that have disappeared, it is your career, your way of supporting the family, that’s all. That’s it.,” He said.
“I just felt worthless.”
@thegasexpert
Ten millions of tools of tools are stolen each year, shows the search
In addition to individual business people, organizations are also targeted.
Electric tools worth more than £ 20,000 have been stolen in a charity workshop in Chichester, West Sussex, just before Christmas.
Sue Livett, Director General of Aldingbourne Trust, who supports adults with learning disabilities, said: “They were of great value, good solid tools, all were worth a lot of money and necessary for the work we Let’s do it. “
Since the break -in, the charitable body says it has increased safety, but long -term effects will be more difficult to repair:
“It makes people a little less confident and will affect the activities they can do,” said Ms. Livett.
Key / BBC
Gas Fitter, Shoaib Awan, launched a campaign group after stealing its tools
The business people from all over the United Kingdom will meet in London on Monday to request a change in law to help dissuade the theft of their precious tools.
Trades United, the campaign group organizing the rally, says it wants to see longer sentences for criminals and borders on the sale of used electric tools at reversal prices.
Shoaib Awan, of the group, says that crime is a “scourge on a national scale that paralyzes businesses – loss of work, loss of income”.
Mr. Awan, who is a gas adjustment in Romford, in eastern London, founded united professions after £ 8,500 of tools were stolen in his van.
“Things have to change. Sanctions and punishment must be there,” he said.
Trades United calls for higher regulations around the sale of tools during car boots and markets.
@thegasexpert
Activists say that car boots offer a place for criminals for sale on stolen products.
At Kent’s police headquarters in Maidstone, two shipping containers are home to nearly 4,000 stolen tools, worth around 1 million pounds Sterling, which have been seized by the police in the past year.
The agents say that they cannot trace the owners for a “large percentage” of them and call for the compulsory registration of serial numbers of electrical tools at the point of purchase.
Key / BBC
Thousands of stolen tools are stored by Kent police
The bill on trade tools (conviction), tabled by Amanda Martin, deputy for Portsmouth North, seeks to impose a more severe conviction for tool thieves.
The bill proposes to add the theft of tools to the list of examples considered to be causing “significant additional damage” to a victim.
It also aims to better recognize the total financial impact of the flight of tools, such as repairs to a vehicle and loss of work.
“When you add the value of loss of work, reputation damage, damage to vans, they can also exceed the value of stolen tools,” she said.
“Even if we have preventive measures in place, the tools are still hampered.”
The bill is due for a second reading in April.
