Fewer than one in 300 tool thefts result in charge

Fewer than one in 300 investigations by Essex Police involving stolen work tools last year resulted in a charge.

Nine in ten investigations were dropped without a suspect being identified, and tools were recovered in fewer than one in 100 cases, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the BBC also revealed.

Tradespeople are due to meet in Westminster later for a van rally highlighting issues around tool theft, and demanding stricter enforcement of existing laws.

Essex Police said it knew the impact having tools stolen could have on people's ability to work and it took burglary and vehicle crime "really seriously".

The FOI request also revealed in cases where no suspect was identified, Essex Police dropped the case in less than two weeks on average.

Karen Boom, 55, quit her job as an electrician after losing all of her tools twice within four years.

As an ex-special constable, she believes tool theft is a low priority.

"I think police do a great job... they're under-resourced, we all know that.

"It's never going to be investigated, because there's just not the manpower," she said.

Ms Bloom said all the car boot sales should ban the second-hand tools, something that Marc Cain, a former Co-op worker from Heybridge, agrees with.

"I think the second-hand tool market is too easy to access, if you go to car boot sales you will find stalls selling second-hand tools.. they never know where they've come from."

Mr Cain had four break-ins in a five-year period.

"We've got CCTV images showing people in and out in under four and a half minutes," he said.

"One of the sites I was working at actually had TripAdvisor reviews saying 'if you're a contractor don't stay here.'"

Paul Corrigan, 43, who owns Maldon-based plumbing and heating company Solitaire, has had four vans broken into and emptied in the last decade.

"It's just become part and parcel of it, you almost have to accept that it's going to happen, you've just got to make it much more difficult to get in your vans.

"[You] can't got through the insurance.. it's actually cheaper to just sort it out ourselves because obviously the premiums will go up," he said.

In a statement, Essex Police said: "We know the impact having your tools stolen can have on your ability to work.

"We take burglary and vehicle crime offences really seriously - it's why we attend more than 99% of home burglaries and follow reasonable lines of enquiry.

"Last year we saw a big drop in home burglaries, with more than 560 fewer break-ins (-14.8%), as well as more than 400 fewer break-ins to things like sheds and out buildings (-24.6%).

"Our work has also led to 1,200 fewer incidents where items have been stolen from vehicles (-18.4%).

"There's advice on our website about steps you can take to reduce the chance of someone breaking into your home, outbuilding, sheds, and vehicles."

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