Tool thefts driving tradespeople to risk parking fines

The back doors parked tightly against a tree and his house security camera trained on the driver's side - this is Matthew Lasebikan's daily ritual to protect his van.

But this did not deter thieves who, despite only making off with £5, left the Cardiff stonemason £600 out of pocket.

He's not alone - plasterer Kevin James said it was "sickening" that £2,500 of tools were stolen from his van.

South Wales Police is warning tradespeople to be vigilant, saying power tools are a prime target as it investigates a number of thefts from over the Christmas period.

The situation is leading owners to risk parking fines so they can leave their vehicle within sight of their homes, a security firm said.

"Across from my house, there's a tree, and I always reverse up against it, so the back doors can't open," said Lasebikan.

"The [front] door is then facing the Ring doorbell camera.

"My neighbours are really good, they know this is what I do for security, so don't park in this spot. They keep it clear for me."

Despite this, his van was targeted just before Christmas.

Thieves broke in through a small side window, but a deadlock meant they couldn't get into the back, and they made off with just £5 in coins from a drawer.

"My tools are very specific stonemason tools. I'd be looking at £3,000 to replace them but they're worthless to anyone else," Lasebikan added.

As his insurance company did not have availability to fix the glass for two to three days the stonemason had to pay to have it done privately, to avoid losing more than £1,000 through not being able to work.

"In the end I lost £350 for a day's work, and £240 for the glass fix, meaning I was about £600 out of pocket," he said.

"If your tools are stolen you can't work, so I totally understand why people are parking on the pavement and risking fines, doing as much as they can to reduce the risk.

"I just think thieves know they'll get away with it, because even if someone sees them, they may shout, but they won't confront them."

Since opening in 2018, security firm Titan Locks has seen owners take ever-greater precautions, and while they used to be asked to fit one security lock on a door, they are now asked to fit two.

The company's Hayley McAuliffe said: "Tradespeople would rather get a parking ticket then not have vision of their vehicle."

A 2025 survey by insurance firm Direct Line found 48% of the 501 tradespeople they spoke to had turned down jobs where they did not have vision of their van.

A Freedom of Information request to the DVLA by the company also found that 11,273 vans were reported stolen across the UK in 2024 - or 31 a day.

While tool thefts fell by 18% in 2024, this followed four years of rising numbers. The drop has been partly attributed to restrictions on the sale of second-hand tools and tougher sentences for thieves.

Despite this there were still 25,525 tool thefts reported to the police, an average of 70 per day.

The company's research found the value of these to be £40m, with UK police forces recording a tool theft every 21 minutes on average.

"The tool theft problem in the UK is still devastating for our many hardworking tradespeople who contribute so much to our lives and the economy," said Direct Line spokesperson Mark Summerville.

There also seems to be planning going into some thefts. Footage from a neighbour's Ring doorbell appears to show someone taking photographs of Kevin James' van the night before it was targeted.

James, who has been a plasterer for 16 years, said he had never experienced tool theft until last month when his van was broken into outside his home in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

A toolbox and paddle mixer, worth £2,500 in total, were stolen.

He has since borrowed tools from colleagues and plans to replace items bit-by-bit, but is worried he will be targeted again.

"I think it's going to happen again," he said.

"They know where my van is, they know I'll have to replace everything, so what's stopping them doing it again?

"They know that's our livelihoods using those tools, so they know the tools will have to be replaced."

He is now researching security systems that can be added to his van, cameras he can put up outside his home, and even the possibility of attaching GPS trackers to his tools.

In some ways, Cardiff scaffolder Nathan Perks felt lucky because nothing was stolen when his van was broken into just before Christmas.

But it had a knock-on effect because he was without it for two weeks while it was repaired.

"We got by, but it was an inconvenience," he said.

Gary Parker, head of technical standards at the Electrical Contractors' Association, said: "Theft of tools from electrical contractors continues to be prevalent, costing them, particularly small businesses, thousands of pounds that will have a detrimental impact on their businesses.

"It is not just about the cost of replacing the stolen tools or the damage that's often incurred to vehicles or stores, it is also about the cost of loss of business as a result, until they have the right equipment in place to trade again."

More than 10 van break-ins have been reported to South Wales Police in the past month.

A spokesperson for the force said: "Thieves steal power tools and often attempt to sell them on, with no regard for the livelihood of those they have stolen from.

"Please be vigilant to this kind of crime.

"While enquiries continue to identify those responsible, please take extra precautions to protect your property and report any suspicious activity."