Tool theft continues to plague British tradespeople, costing time, money and resources

• 92% of British tradespeople miss at least one day of work following tool theft from their van¹
• On average, the value of the tools stolen costs £1,710 – before factoring in lost work and vehicle repairs¹
• 1 in 5 (20%) UK van drivers experienced tool theft in 2025, resulting in a £1.7bn bill for British businesses^1,3

Milton Keynes, UK, 19 October 2026 – Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ annual tool theft survey has found 92% of British tradespeople are losing at least a day of work every time they are the victims of tool theft from their van¹.

For a quarter (26%)¹, this extended into a full week of lost work, meaning drivers are out of pocket and essential work is delayed.

In many cases, tools are highly specialist and can be expensive or have long lead times to replace. In 2025, the average value of tools stolen in a single theft was £1,710 – and that’s before factoring in the costs of vehicle repairs and lost work.¹ 

13% of survey respondents said the value of tools stolen was in excess of £3,000, putting significant pressure on businesses and van drivers that are already feeling the strain.¹

1 in 5 (20%) UK van drivers experienced tool theft in 2025, a small reduction versus 2024 (28%).^1,2 As a result, UK businesses now face a £1.7 billion bill in stolen equipment in 2025.³

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles offers a range of advanced locking and security systems, such as smart alarms and keyless entry. The new Transporter comes with the intelligent SAFELOCK Locking and Starting System, which prevents the doors being unlocked once a window is smashed.

John Ricardo-Neto, Head of Product Planning at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “Tradespeople deliver essential work all around the country – from builders, plumbers, and electricians, all the way through to delivery drivers. Tool theft continues to threaten these key workers, and the resulting cost, downtime, and worry is an issue for everybody using any of those services.”

For more details on Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ award-winning range of products and services, visit www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk.

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¹Results are taken from a OnePoll survey of 1,000 UK van drivers, conducted in December 2025, covering 2025 calendar year, commissioned by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
²Results are taken from a OnePoll survey of 1,000 UK van drivers, conducted in December 2024, covering 2024 calendar year, commissioned by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
³Cost of tools stolen nationally, calculated by: mode value (£1,710.03), multiplied by 20% of UK van parc (SMMT): £1,710.03 x (0.20 x 5,102,180) = £1,744,976,173.08 

About Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles:
More than 75 years since the first Transporter arrived in the UK, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has become synonymous with providing reliable and versatile vehicles for individuals and businesses across the country.

Working with our commercial customers, our diverse range of vans and comprehensive aftersales support helps keep businesses moving. Today, our line-up includes the compact Caddy and all-electric ID. Buzz Cargo, the evergreen Transporter, now in its seventh generation, the Amarok pick-up, and sturdy Crafter panel vans, as well as dropsides and tippers. 

Together with our customers, our range of lifestyle vehicles provides the freedom to do more with every journey – whether it's transporting friends and family in the Caravelle or all-electric ID. Buzz – available in 5-, 6- or 7-seat configurations – or exploring further in the new California and Grand California campervans.

For more information on Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ products and aftersales support, visit: www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

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