Whilst tool theft remains a year-round threat, the risks faced by tradespeople increase significantly during the autumn and winter months as daylight hours shorten. To support the trade community ahead of the seasonal spike, home improvement retailer Wickes is hosting a nationwide tool marking event, giving away kits across its 229 stores. Next event will be in Perry Barr on 24th September. Wickes has already marked more than 58,000 tools for free this year, with the event forming part of its wider pledge to mark 260,000 tools across the UK in 2026.
The initiative comes as new research from Wickes* exposes the extent to which trade vehicles are being targeted. Vans account for more than half (55%) of all tool thefts, with both vans and vehicles subject to theft, whether parked outside homes overnight (29%), on site (21%) or outside a store (16%). In addition, the research highlights the national scale of the epidemic, with nearly one in 10 tradespeople (9.4%) experiencing tool theft in the last 12 months alone, and 62% report knowing someone locally who has been targeted. Unsurprisingly, the emotional concern is widespread, with 64% of UK tradespeople worried about becoming victims over the next one to two years.
Over half (57%) of victims who report the crime to police were told no further action could be taken. However, despite these figures, 39% of tradespeople have still not marked their tools, even though many express a desire to do so.
David Wood, CEO of Wickes, said: “Tools are essential to tradespeople’s livelihoods, so having them stolen is more than an inconvenience – it can mean lost work, lost income and real disruption for businesses. Wickes stands side by side with the trade, and we want to raise awareness of the issue and make it harder for criminals to steal these tools.
“By encouraging more tradespeople to mark their tools, we can help create an extra layer of protection and send a clear message that the trade community will not face this issue alone.”
Wickes has partnered with DeterTech to use SmartWater, a forensic marking liquid, invisible to the naked eye. The fluid glows under UV light and is extremely hard to remove, acting as a strong deterrent to thieves. These tool marking kits, which will be available for free across Wickes’ 229 stores, can mark up to 10 tools and also include high‑visibility tamper‑resistant deterrent labels, ensuring tools are not only marked with forensic technology but also carry a bold, visible warning to ward off potential thieves.
Tradespeople are encouraged to check the TradePro app or visit wickes.co.uk for more information on the tool marking events. There are a limited number of tool marking kits available per store, so attendees are urged to act quickly to avoid missing out.
