FOI 593-2025 / June 2025 / Tool thefts
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 593-2025
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 2nd June 2025 as follows:
Q1. The number of reported tool thefts, broken down by year (2020–2024 inclusive), for each of the following categories:
Tools stolen from vehicles
Tools stolen from residential properties
Tools stolen from construction sites
Q2. For the most recent 12-month period available (e.g. May 2024–April 2025), a monthly breakdown of the above categories.
Q3. If held, the annual outcomes for reported tool thefts (for each year from 2020 to 2024).
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Response: Please be advised that the requested information is not centrally recorded and is therefore not held in a readily retrievable format. There is no specific offence of theft of tools, and no flag or marker to easily identify where this has formed part of a crime. I can advise that, although searches have not been conducted specifically for offences for all years between 2020 and 2024, a similar request was received in relation to tool thefts in 2022, and searches were conducted for crime types where tools could feasibly have been stolen, and this resulted in 10,068 offences. Offence numbers would be similar for years 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, and each one would need to be reviewed on an individual basis to determine whether the theft related to tools.
Further, with regard to tool theft from vehicles, during 2022 there were 2,436 ‘Theft from a Vehicle’ offences recorded and, again, this would be a similar number for 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024 and, in order to determine which involved tool theft, it would be necessary to review each and every one on an individual basis. An estimate of the cost involved for the offences listed for 2022 is set out below and this would be comparable for each of the other years requested.
10068 theft offences in 2022 x 2 minutes per record = 20136 minutes/60 = 336 hours
2436 ‘Theft from a Vehicle’ offences in 2022 x 2 minutes per record = 4872 minutes/60 = 81 hours
Total estimate for 2022 alone = 417 hours
Therefore, the work required would exceed the amount to which we are legally required to respond, i.e., the cost of locating and retrieving the information exceeds the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004. For Police forces in the UK, the ‘appropriate limit’ is up to 18 hours of work on one request.
In accordance with Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for this request.
In accordance with Section 16 of the Act I have a duty to provide advice and assistance; however, due to the number of records which would need to be individually reviewed, I am unable to suggest a way to reduce your request into one which could be managed within the fees limit.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB