Concerns have been raised after thefts of vans in West Yorkshire more than doubled in the space of a single year.
Figures released under a Freedom of Information request showed that 91 vans were stolen in the region in March 2019, significantly up on the 44 stolen in the previous April. In total, £836,053 worth of tools were also stolen between April 2018 and March 2019.
It’s estimated that around half of builders have experienced tool theft over that period, and the Federation of Master Builders is urging vigilance. They have advised that simple steps such as installing CCTV and registering tool serial numbers could help combat this current crime wave.