Tool and van theft have reached epidemic proportions. And something needs to change.

When a tradesperson has their van/tools stolen, it can have devastating results. It’s not just the hassle or cost of replacing the tools or repairing the damage. Instead, there’s the issue of being unable to work without their tools or transport. And, consequently, the stress of knowing how they’re going to earn any money or pay the bills. It can be devastating for not just the tradesperson but for their entire family too!

Even for those insured, the impact and time that it takes to get tools back and rebuild their livelihoods can be massive. And it’s not just the money either but the emotional toll this has on tradespeople too. Not knowing whether you’re going to be able to pay your bills or support your family, it can have detrimental impacts on a person’s mental health.

And, while tradespeople can take certain steps to try and protect their livelihoods and belongings, this will only do so much to deter thieves. So, what is going to be done to help prevent this?

The #noVANber campaign!

Well, we are supporting the #noVANber campaign to help fight back against van crime. Fronted by heating engineer Peter Booth, or @pbplumber as he’s known on social media, the construction industry is joining together to fight back and encourage change.

With behind the scenes support from Lucy Dixon and Elizabeth Richardson too, they aim to get their petition as far and as wide across the UK as they can. Their motivation? To increase awareness of van crime statistics and the impact the crime has on the livelihoods of the victims. And, in doing this, also get enough signatures to get their petition to parliament.

Written by MP Nicky Morgan, the petition looks at the introduction of new legislation, additional sentencing guidelines and regulations on the reselling of tools.

Their aim is to get 100,000 signatures during the month of November. This may sound like a lot but it actually gives the issue the best chance at being debated in parliament. With over 14,000 signatures already, they’ve smashed the 10,000 signatures needed for the government to respond to the petition. But, they are a long way off their 100,000 goal.

Supported by a variety of manufacturers, suppliers, merchants, ambassadors and media publications in the industry, there is one thing missing. They need your help!

Without the support of the trades in the industry, change won’t happen. So, if you’d like to sign, head over to the petition here and share it with your friends to try and get even more signatures. Let’s try and get some change! If you’ve been impacted by this, let us know and share your stories in the comments below