New research from Direct Line business insurance reveals that 67% of tradespeople support a ban on the sale of second-hand tools unless sellers can provide proof of ownership, in a bid to tackle rising tool theft. The findings come ahead of the Stop Tool Theft Van Rally in Westminster on 3rd February, highlighting growing concerns among tradespeople.
According to the survey of 500 UK tradespeople, 70% have had tools stolen in the past two years, with 65% reporting that tool theft is increasing. Nearly half (47%) have been approached by or witnessed someone selling tools they believed were stolen. Of these, 56% reported the suspicious activity to authorities, while 92% refused to purchase the items.
Stolen tools are frequently resold on social media, online marketplaces, and at car boot sales. A separate survey of 2,000 UK adults found that 75% would not feel confident identifying stolen tools, indicating how the requirement to provide proof of ownership when selling second-hand tools could help stifle the market for stolen tools.
Table 1 – Where members of the public bought second-hand tools from
| Location of second-hand tool purchase | Percentage |
| From an official website for selling second-hand goods | 38% |
| From a car boot sale | 37% |
| From a friend | 29% |
| From social media | 21% |
| From someone I didn’t know/heard about through word of mouth |
13% |
| I was contacted directly | 9% |
| Other | 8% |
| Don’t know / can’t remember | 3% |
Source: Direct Line business insurance 2025
Mark Summerville, SME product manager at Direct Line business insurance, comments:
“Our research shows that the frequency of tool theft has been on the rise for several years, despite tradespeople taking additional precautions to protect their tools. So it is no surprise that 83 per cent of tradespeople are concerned about tool theft.
“While there is no silver bullet to stop tool theft, tighter rules around providing proof of purchase when selling second-hand tools could help make it harder for criminals to resell goods. It’s also important that tradespeople have adequate insurance in place to help them get back up and running, should their tools be stolen and to take precautions to protect their tools where possible.”
