The true cost of tool theft to the trade

Tool theft can leave tradespeople with up to £5,000 in replacement costs

Tradespeople who have been victims of tool theft are having to replace up to £5,000 worth of tools and can lose up to two days of vital earnings, impacting both their professional and personal lives, a Screwfix survey has found.

After research amongst their customers 46% of respondents stated they have had their tools stolen, and 39% said they’ve had them stolen at least twice.

When it comes to protecting their tools, the majority of tradespeople said they take measures to keep their tools safe, with the most popular methods being ‘removing tools from the van overnight’ (26%) and ‘installing CCTV’ (18%).

There was also a strong feeling with 56% believing that more should be done to help protect tradespeople’s tools and vans.

One way in which Screwfix are showing their support is through tool marking. Local authorities are hosting events across Screwfix’s 630 stores to help prevent tool theft, driving awareness and providing tips to prevent future thefts.

To further support, Screwfix is constantly working with its suppliers to enhance its range, and the latest addition is Milwaukee ONE-KEY™. ONE-KEY is a digital platform that has been integrated into several premium products, and enables you to easily pinpoint missing tools quickly. The tool remotely locks whilst in range of the ONE-KEY app. Screwfix’s survey showed that 60% of tradespeople surveyed would be interested in buying power tools with this type of functionality installed.

Matt Compton, Trading Director at Screwfix, said: “This survey shows that our tradespeople are looking for solutions which help them protect their tools and ultimately their livelihood. Additions such as Milwaukee ONE-KEY are an example of how we continue to develop our product range to ensure we offer what they need.”

For more information about Milwaukee ONE-KEY, visit: www.screwfix.com/brand/milwaukee-one-key/

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