Crime prevention events for tradespeople are being held following spate of thefts from work vans

UPDATE AS OF MONDAY 20 JULY:

The following further events have now been organised

Tuesday 21 July from 10am to 3pm	Wickes on Tewkesbury Road in Cheltenham
Wednesday 22 July from 9am to 3pm	Travis Perkins on Ashville Industrial Estate in Gloucester
Wednesday 29 July (beginning at 1pm)	B&Q on Dudbridge Hill in Stroud
Wednesday 5 August (timings tbc)	Wickes on Tewkesbury Road in Cheltenham

Gloucestershire Constabulary is running a number of crime prevention events that are aimed at tradespeople over the next couple of weeks.

The events focus on offering crime prevention advice following a recent spate of thefts from work vans and those working in the trade industry are encouraged to attend if available.

Officers will be at Wickes on Woodrow Way, Gloucester from 8am to 3pm tomorrow (Thursday 16 July) and outside Trade point at B&Q at St Oswald’s Retail Park from 8am to 3pm on Friday (17 July).

A number of additional events are being arranged and more details will be available on the Gloucestershire Constabulary Facebook and Twitter pages in due course.

As well as offering advice, a theft from motor vehicles crime prevention shop will be in attendance with three different items available for purchase.

The SelectaDNA marking kit, a van/shed alarm and a van/shed lock will all be available at cost price and are recommended to deter thieves, officers will also be handing out free UV marker pens and ‘no tools left on van’ stickers to those who attend.

The SelectaDNA forensic marking liquids will be sold for £12.50 and allow you to apply a clear liquid with a unique chemical signature to your property. The liquid is odourless, colourless and visible under a UV light making it very difficult to remove. It's similar to DNA which means that stolen property can be linked back to the owner.

Detective Superintendent Steve Bean said: "So far this week we have held events at B&Q in both Cheltenham and Gloucester and there was a reassuringly good turn out, I would like to thank people for taking responsibility for their own prevention activities as the police cannot tackle this alone.

“A significant number of expensive power tools and high-end branded hand-tools have been stolen from people who are trying to make an honest living and these can be difficult and expensive to replace.

"Having a number of crime prevention methods in place such as forensically marked tools, van locks and alarms can help to ensure that your belongings are safe should your vehicle be targeted." 

Police also encourage workmen to use “no tools left in this vehicle overnight” signs and to remove valuable items when leaving their vehicle as well as keeping a record of tool serial numbers.

Further advice on keeping your vehicle secure can be found here: Keeping vehicles safe | Crime prevention | Gloucestershire Constabulary