+44 800 141 2543 
Request a Quote 
Free Demonstration 
Foreword
Welcome to the second edition of our Equipment Theft Prevention Guide.
It has now been over 18 months since the passing of Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act. It’s considered a flagship event in deterring the theft and resale of tools and equipment used by tradespeople, agricultural businesses and other commercial entities.
Yet, we still haven’t seen the secondary legislation introduced that will allow mandatory forensic marking and registration by manufacturers to come into force. Even then it will only apply to new equipment and not to the tools of the trade we already own.
So, my message to the industry is simple. Why wait patiently for government when we can start taking some meaningful action for ourselves?
As all too many of us know first-hand, becoming a victim of equipment theft is an incredibly personal and traumatic experience. Especially for tradespeople and rural businesses whose very livelihood is at stake. Tools and equipment can be replaced but it’s hard to shake the knowledge that we may not be safe on our own property, in our vehicle or workplace.
SmartWateris a proven forensic marking solution that has been deterring criminal activity and ensuring the best chance of recovery for over 25 years. It’s quick and simple to use, supported by the police and highly influential in putting offenders behind bars. In fact, a quarter of a century on, SmartWater still has a 100% conviction rate in cases that have gone to court.
I for one think it’s time we took the matter into our own hands So, I’d ask you to do two things. Firstly, write to your local MP about passing this legislation and expanding it to ensure it covers some of the most stolen items such as GPS units and survey equipment. Secondly, and most importantly, get proactive and take the time to instantly start marking the existing tools of your trade.
Equipment Theft in Numbers
| Statistic | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated Cost of Rural Crime | £52.8m | NFU Mutual Rural Crime Report 2024 |
| Value of tools typically lost to theft over a 40-year career | £10,000 | Federation of Master Builders |
| Minutes between each reported tool theft | 12 | Directline Group |
| Tradespeople who worry about tool theft on a daily basis | 68% | Tradespeople Against Tool Theft |
| Quad bikes and ATVs stolen in England & Wales each year | 900-1,200 | House of Lords Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill Library Briefing |
| Year-on-Year increase in GPS Unit theft | 137% | DeterTech Crime Intelligence |
| Value of survey equipment reported stolen in 2024 | £3m | DeterTech Crime Intelligence |
| SmartWater’s conviction rate in contested court cases | 100% | SmartWater |
Worst affected region: The Midlands (£11.7m)
Biggest Year-on-Year increase: The South West (+41.9%)
Source: NFU Mutual’s claim statistics, NFU Mutual Rural Crime Report 2024
| Region or Country | Cost in 2023 (£m) |
| East | 7.1 |
| Midlands | 11.7 |
| North East | 8.6 |
| North West | 3.2 |
| Northern Ireland | 2 |
| Scotland | 1.8 |
| South East | 8.9 |
| South West | 7 |
| Wales | 2.4 |
| Total | 52.8 |
Recommendations
Report all Thefts
Report all thefts to the police and to DeterTech Crime Intelligence. Under-reporting hampers vital efforts to track, monitor and ultimately convict organised criminal gangs.
Get Proactive with Forensic Marking
Mark and register all equipment with SmartWater to deter thieves and ensure the best chance of recovery for stolen items. Just because the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act isn’t yet in force doesn’t mean you can’t take matters into your own hands!
Use Trackers
Planting trackers also aids the chances of recovery and informs police enforcement actions. For particularly high value items consider a second hidden tracker, as criminals often stop looking after disabling the first one.
Communicate Security Measures
The first priority for security solutions is to act as a clear deterrent. The obvious presence of CCTV and SmartWater, through clear signage and antitamper stickers, prompts most offenders to seek out other targets.
Consider Redeployable Solutions for Periods of Greatest Risk
Particular events and times of year such as harvest periods create a heightened risk profile. The PID360 is a proven intrusion detection solution that can be hired for short periods on flexible terms. And our Alarm Receiving Centre reviews, verifies and escalates intrusions in an average of just 47 seconds.
Visibly Upgrade Security following an Incident
A site is most vulnerable when it already been hit, as criminals will already be familiar with the security measures in place. Change the environment with the overt security measures within 72 hours.
Avoid direct contact with offenders
DeterTech Crime Intelligence is witnessing increased reports of incidents involving violent threats involving weapons. Prioritise your safety and put your trust in other means of protection, such as deterrent technologies and security guards.
Write to your MP
We need the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act in force ASAP. Make your voice heard on the importance of passing the secondary legislation quickly and of extending its scope to cover some of the most highly targeted assets such as GPS units & survey equipment.
Case Studies – The Power of SmartWater
Power tools returned to their rightful owners
Bedfordshire Police was able to give tradespeople a welcome start to 2025 after reuniting stolen power tools with their rightful owners.
The tools were seized as part of enforcement action carried out in three locations in December. Over a six-week period the force’s Rural Crime Action Team was then able to use serial numbers and SmartWater identification tools to return the tools to their legal owner.
A spokesperson says “[SmartWater] is a brilliant way of deterring thieves, and, if the worst happens, it helps us return your property if we recover it”.
57% reduction in Catalytic Converter theft
Catalytic converter thefts spiked during lockdown due to a surge in the value of precious metals found in them. This caused misery for tradespeople and motorists who were left with a huge repair bill and a vehicle that was no longer roadworthy.
That was until the launch an innovative police-led forensic marking initiative, pioneered by DeterTech and funded by Toyota. The provision of marking kits, signage and advice to the public is credited with a 57% national reduction in catalytic converter thefts and for the elimination of thefts in Herefordshire, previously identified as a hotspot. The same methodology will help deter theft from vehicles.
89% reduction in cable theft on the rail network
A lack of traceable evidence linking cable thieves to their crimes made it difficult for the police to prosecute offenders. Criminals also became aware of this, exacerbating the problem.
Crime Intelligence first reviewed and analysed Network Rail’s crime data before making its recommendations. DeterTech then deployed covert cameras at key access points, marked cable in high-risk locations with SmartWater SmartTrace and placed deterrent warning signage along the rail line.
This has achieved an 89% reduction in cable theft incidents, prevented 660,000 minutes of delays and resulted in 170+ positive interventions.
About DeterTech
Protect your assets from every angle.
DeterTech provides end-to-end security solutions to manage risk and combat acquisitive crime. This includes threat analysis, verified video surveillance and market leading forensic marking technology to protect tools, equipment and materials.
Our specialist support team, exclusively made up of experienced investigators and intelligence analysts, can physically survey your site and analyse crime data to identify risks and make site specific security recommendations.
