Trades United is organising a second van rally in Westminster to draw attention to the issue of tool theft and the resale of stolen goods.
takes place on Monday 3 February 2025, starting from Brent Cross at 11am and arriving at Parliament Square by 11.45–12.00pm, and will urge the Government to address “inadequate enforcement of laws that threaten the livelihoods of thousands across the UK”.
Following the success of the initial rally on 3 June 2024, this demonstration aims to amplify the call for stronger deterrents against thieves and more effective measures to combat the sale of stolen tools.
Participants will stage a ‘go-slow’ convoy in Westminster, driving through the area for two hours to raise awareness.
The previous rally gained significant traction within the trade community, fostering partnerships with organisations such as SelectaDNA and the Metropolitan Police, which have since initiated mass tool-marking events to assist in returning stolen tools to their rightful owners along with convicting offenders.
Trades United, led by Shoaib Awan, previously launched a petition (#659019) in April 2024, calling for the Government to address the escalating tool theft crisis by banning the sale of tools at car boots and markets. While the dissolution of Parliament on 30 May 2024 ahead of the election led to the petition’s closure, it garnered over 46,000 signatures, reflecting the widespread concern within the trade industry.
Trades United continues to encourage support for this critical cause, urging MPs and their parties to prioritise this issue.
The Theft Act 1968 clearly outlines severe penalties for handling stolen goods, including up to 14 years of imprisonment upon conviction. However, Trades United says the lack of sufficient police funding and resources has hindered effective enforcement, leaving tradespeople vulnerable to escalating theft.
The business group is calling on the Government to take decisive action by increasing funding for law enforcement, in particular, specialist crime personnel and frontline officers, prioritising motor vehicle crimes including theft from and theft of to enable police to enforce the existing laws efficiently and effectively.
It’s also calling for an update to the Theft Act 1968 Section 27 (3) a/b, handling stolen goods. This currently sets out a straight charge if there is a previous conviction for theft in the last five years and the accused has been found to be in possession of stolen goods in the last 12 months.
But Trades United says this should be changed to five years for the latter to ensure repeat criminals are charged for offences more effectively.
It’s also calling on the Government to revise the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 to include all power tools or produce an alternative legislation to cover the theft of power tools and to consider tool theft as an aggravated offence.
Shoaib Awan said: “Tool theft numbers are rising year on year and not enough is being done by the Government to protect the trades. A crime reference number is not acceptable. We don’t want policies that don’t work, we need strict enforcement and a crackdown operation with immediate effect.”
Tradespeople and supporters are encouraged to participate in the event and make their voices heard. More details are here.
