I'm really sorry to bring this on here. Just trying to cover as many outlets that I know will have people who will help.
My van got broken into and they stole everything. My livelihood. It's caused me a world of grief. I needed to feel I've at least tried to do something. So I started a petition. It probably won't amount to anything but I'm at least trying. Please don't pick holes or point out what I should have done just sign it if it affects you or anyone you know. I'm pretty sure everyone on here knows someone this has happened too.
It's become a right nightmare for tradesmen today. It only takes a second and costs nothing
Thanks kindly
https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-van-tool-theft-action-urgently-needed/fbog/235380446?recruiter=235380446&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page 
Comments
They need to regulate tibbe keys too, terrible that they are available online, Transits can be broken into as if they've got keys.
The only justice these maggots understand is the type me and my neighbour dished out, prison for a few weeks doesn't deter them, breaking their jaw and smashing their teeth out made us feel like some form of justice got done. Even since then we've caught people on CCTV brazen as you like getting into his van and trying their luck with my van and cars. The worse part is the police hate the perpetrators of this type of crime too but unless they are caught absolutely red handed there is little they can do apart from give you a crime reference number to dick about replacing tools built up over years only to worry it's going to happen again. In fairness to the 5-0 they were keen not to pursue and understood that thieves can be very accident prone regardless of what you see in the red tops
Anyone who thinks they are getting a bargain buying a year old DeWalt chop saw or drill of the nice bloke at the bootfair who had loads of stuff is encouraging this. Buying obviously stolen tools is like skulking around peoples homes and stealing their livliehood yourself in my book. It needs to be as socially unacceptable as fly tipping.
Builder reckoned it was do as you likies following them from their home/office to where they were working and just milled about waiting for them to leave the stuff for a few minutes. Hopefully they got some carter justice. Knowing the builder, they would have if they caught up with them! Utter scumbags.
This won't help you but might make you feel a bit better. Absolute true story. When my son was doing his apprenticeship, one of the guys he was working for had his van broken into and his tools nicked.
The following Sunday, he went down to his local boot sale on the off chance the bloke who nicked them might be trying to sell them there. And sure enough there they were. He didn't say a word to the bloke but just went up to him and lumped him one. Bloke went down like a sack of potatoes. He just rolled the blanket up that his tools were on, explained to the people who were watching slightly aghast at what had happened what the situation was and just walked off with them.
Justice at its best.
He was doing a job up a high rise and was carrying his tools down. A car pulled up and emptied his van of tools he had built up over 30 years of working, whilst he was coming down.
He just gave up then and there and has now retired. Said he did not want to start again.
Utter scum bags these people.
Also, tradesmen should take care when loading and unloading at the start/end of the day - these maggots sit and watch in a vehicle, then pounce as you are away for a split second, so never leave your van unattended at any time.
These people are filth.
It's about time toolmakers started to put a gps tracker or something in their machinery. I'm sure tradesmen would spend an extra £5 or £10 on a device that's built in to the tool if it meant they could be traced much more easily. This in turn would deter thieves from taking these and hopefully stop them nicking all other tools at the same time.
It's heartbreaking to see people work for years and years to amass their equipment just for some wanker to come and steal it all - more than likely just for a hit!
If I was a billionaire like Batman I would have one day a week scheduled in for acts of vigilantism including hunting down these types and catching them in the act before going all reservoir dogs on them. Don't have the time or resources now to do it with my office work.
The police might be sympathetic but you won't get too much help from them these days. There's not enough of them to deal with violent crime let alone what they would now consider petty theft.
Really sorry to hear this has happened to one of ours.
Some years ago I was putting up a shelf in a mates kitchen. I had finished and was loading the tools back into my car. I started to stack the gear by the front door to then load the car boot. I walked back into the kitchen to collect something else for what couldn't have been more than 15 seconds. When I came back my drill box had been nicked. 15 fucking seconds.
Violence meted out swiftly and decisively is the only deterrent and as much as I'd like to beat the living shit out of all of them it's a bit impractical.
Does insurance cover this or is there the usual loophole?
I think in terms of theft here it's actually quite rare. It's just that it happens in a close community that passes info around.
Having said that obviously it has a huge impact on the victims and is not to be dismissed lightly.
You'd be surprised how many people genuinely manage to locate their tools in places like bootfairs and them cash exchange shops
You can make assumptions that certain crimes are rare if you're not affected by them or they aren't flavour of the month in the press.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/39744644/epidemic-of-van-tool-thefts-blamed-on-skeleton-key
BBC report stating a van broken into every 23 minutes. Far more prolific than the scooter scum smash and grab jewellery store thefts epidemic that affect a different class of society and are afforded far more coverage and attention (albeit more "eye catching" in terms of news).