Nearly 500 trade vans joined a ‘go-slow’ protest to restrict the sale of second-hand tools in car boot sales and markets. The organiser, Trades United, also called for harsher sentencing for those convicted of stealing tools and trade vehicles. Clive Holland, who joined the convoy of vehicles that started at the north London shopping centre Brent Cross and moved to the Parliament, revealed that a van is broken into every 12 minutes. “The hurt that these people [thieves] are causing to our tradespeople is a shocker, and it’s something that we need to address. We need to make the public aware. In 2023, £98 million worth of tools were stolen, with only 6% recovered and returned to owners!” Matt Vickers MP, Shadow Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, who attended the rally too, said that people don’t understand the consequences of tool theft for the industry. “The key solution is to pass the bill to make it harder for people who sell the stolen kit. The bill has been sitting on the desk for six months since the Labour government took charge. “The next bit is harsher punishment for thieves cause the value of this isn’t of what’s only being stolen, but the value of the work that’s lost and the value of the van that got damaged. People need to understand that. The police, too, need to see it as a priority and turn up at car boots sales and question those who are selling tools in broad daylight that they’ve nicked from somebody,” he states. On the streets, Clive was also joined by Amanda Martin, MP, who is introducing the Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill. She shares a brief update on the progress of the bill. “We have booked a parliamentary reception on the morning of the Budget to have tradespeople meet with other MPs to raise awareness.” Speaking to Fix Radio during the protest, Shoaib Awan of Trades called on the government to make a statement about its plans to deal with tool theft. Listen to the Clive Holland Show podcast on the tool theft rally here.
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