Australians are being reminded to stay alert over a costly crime trend sweeping across the country, severely impacting tradespeople in one state in particular.
Queensland Police on Monday issued an urgent plea to the public, revealing that 25,000 tools were stolen across the state in the last financial year, releasing footage of shocking incidents of tool theft taking place, including in a supermarket car park.
Of the reported incidents, just 1,283 tools were reunited with their owners.
Police said that items most commonly pinched included hand tools, household power tools and trade equipment, but commercial power tools were targeted as well. For small business owners and tradies, stolen tools aren’t just a hassle — they can cost cash, delay jobs, and put livelihoods on the line.
In response to a rising wave of theft, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) has launched a new crime prevention initiative in north Brisbane aimed at helping tradies, contractors, and tool owners protect their equipment from opportunistic thieves during Crime Prevention Week.
The program is in partnership with Neighbourhood Watch Australasia and hardware chain Bunnings, ensuring the message reaches tradies not just across Queensland, but nationwide.
Officer in Charge of North Brisbane District Criminal Investigation Branch, Detective Senior Sergeant Ken Rogers, encouraged workers to be across tool theft prevention strategies to ensure they don’t become a victim. “We know for our tradies and contractors, a stolen drill or saw isn’t just a missing item, but it can mean a day’s work lost, jobs pushed back, and reputation with clients,” Rogers told media.
“Most offenders are opportunistic, and we’ve found that engravings, visible locks and alarms make a big difference in deterring theft.”
Thieves commonly make off with tools during the night. Source: QPS
A Bunnings spokesperson said the company’s store teams are closely connected to their local communities and aware of the challenges they face. They added that Crime Prevention Week is an initiative Bunnings supports every year across Australia, with local stores taking part in a variety of community-focused activities.
This week, stores in Brisbane’s north and other regions in Australia will host a barbecue or coffee van where crime prevention officers will be on hand to talk to customers and residents.
Australia’s worsening problem with tool theft
Recently, Yahoo reported on Perth-based carpenter Finbar, who had his tools and work ute stolen, leaving him $25,000 out of pocket and potentially without the ability to work. Previously, a tradie from Melbourne told Yahoo News of the brazen heist outside his home, which left him $15,000 in debt. Fellow tradie Chris Wall claimed he had $14,000 worth of tools stolen from his vehicle, also outside his home.
Vision supplied by police shows just how widespread the problem is. Source: QPS
In March, a Melbourne-based tradie recalled the shocking moment he confronted a trespasser allegedly trying to swipe tools from his ute, with dramatic CCTV footage capturing an altercation before the worker dragged the intruder to the curb “like a wheelie bin.”
He managed to remove the knife from the offender, but not before he suffered a slash to the head. However, after losing $30,000 worth of tools in a previous robbery, Don said he wasn’t about to let it happen again — saying “that’s my livelihood, that’s how I get paid”.
Melbourne tradie Don had $30,000 worth of tools stolen from him. Source: A Current Affair
Prevention strategies
Queensland Police have offered the following advice to owners to protect their gear.
1. Lock up your tools
Remove or secure valuable tools — keep them out of sight and behind locked doors
If storing tools in a vehicle, use a fixed, locked toolbox with visible locks to deter thieves.
2. Mark your tools with unique identification details and record them
Marking and engraving tools with names or licence details deters theft as it makes them harder to resell and easier for police to return if stolen
Record details such as the make and model of the tools, and take photos for easy identification if stolen.
3. Secure your work vehicles
Always lock vehicles and secure all windows, including the sunroof, when it is unattended. Park vehicles and trailers off the street, in well-lit areas or in places covered by CCTV.
4. Assess your security
Consider:
installing an anti-theft audible alarm system in storage compartments, toolboxes and trailers
installing CCTV to monitor where tools are stored
hiding trackers in high-value items.
5. Look out for suspicious behaviour
Whether at home or on the job site, keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour, for example, people loitering around construction sites or vehicles.
If you notice anything, make a record of it and report it.
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