How Can Tradies Stop Tool Theft? 10 Tips

Your tools are how you earn a living. When they're stolen, you lose working days, you pay to replace gear, and you may have an insurance claim to make on top. Here are ten ways to make your tools harder to steal and easier to get back, and what to do if the worst happens.

1. Make your tools identifiable

• Engrave or label your tools with your name or business name.
• Use a label maker, or a permanent, waterproof marker that stays readable.
• Coloured tape or other unique marks make smaller hand tools easy to spot as yours.
• Marking can help deter theft, and it makes your tools easier to identify if they're recovered.

2. Photograph your tools and record serial numbers

• Take photos of your tools and their serial numbers.
• Keep receipts if you can, so it's easier to make an insurance claim when the time comes.
• Keep a record of purchase dates, purchase prices, insurance details (if any), and contact details for the store you bought them from or for the manufacturer or supplier. These details help when you report a theft or loss to the police and your insurer.

3. Keep an inventory

Keep a simple list of every tool you own, what it's worth and where it usually lives: the van, the site box or the shed. An up-to-date inventory helps you spot missing items quickly, which gives you a better chance of getting them back and makes a claim easier to support.

4. Do a stocktake before you leave the site

Check your gear against your inventory before you pack up. If you're working on more than one job at once, a quick photo of what's on each site helps you keep track of which tools are where. Note any broken or worn tools at the same time, so you know what needs replacing or fixing before it goes back into storage or the van.

5. Keep tools out of sight

• Don't leave tools on the ground or on a bench where anyone walking past can pick them up.
• Keep valuable gear away from open windows and doors, and out of view of the street.
• Don't leave tools on show in a parked vehicle with the doors unlocked or the windows down.

6. Lock up when you step away

If you're leaving the site for lunch or a break, lock your tools in the vehicle or a site box, or secure toolboxes so they can't be carried off easily. At the end of each day, lock everything away. It's an extra step, but it helps keep thieves at bay.

7. Keep power tools in a locked toolbox or a locked van

Power tools are small, valuable and easy to sell, which makes them a target. Store them in a locked toolbox or a locked van, and if your gear has to stay on site overnight, use a secure storage container or trailer.

8. Don't leave tools in the vehicle overnight

Leaving your tools in the vehicle overnight is a big risk: a ute or van full of gear is a target, even with nothing else inside. If you're not using your tools, get them out of the vehicle and into a secure place, such as a locked garage or shed that people can't see into from the street.

If there isn't enough room for all of your equipment at home, another option is renting storage space from a self storage provider. Many offer both indoor lockers and outdoor spaces, depending on what you need to store.

9. Use tracking technology

Tracking technology such as GPS can help you locate stolen items and increase the chances of getting them back. For heavy equipment such as excavators and bulldozers, which are worth a lot, anti-theft devices such as immobilisers or GPS trackers can help. Keep in mind that trackers cost money to buy and may need an ongoing subscription.

10. Insure your tools

Insurance is not a replacement for good security, but it can help if the rest fails. Tool insurance may cover the cost of replacing your tools if they are stolen, depending on the policy. Many policies only cover theft from a locked vehicle, building or site box when there are signs of forced entry, so check the conditions.

If your tools are stolen

1. Report it to the police as soon as you find out, and keep the police event or report number. A police report is usually needed for an insurance claim.
2. Tell your insurer as soon as possible. Most policies set time limits for making a claim.
3. Send your records: photos, serial numbers and receipts help prove what was taken and that it was yours.

Read more about how tool insurance claims work.

Conclusion

A few habits, like marking your gear, keeping an inventory and getting tools out of the vehicle at night, make you a harder target. For cover if the worst happens, contact us.