FOI 2663369 - Tool thefts

Your Request

Please provide data on recorded theft offences for the following periods:
1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024
1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025
1 January 2026 to 31 May 2026

Please include offences where the Modus Operandi, property description, ite description, or any other searchable property field contains the word 'tool' or 'tools'.

For each of the above periods, please provide:

Q1. The total number of recorded offences involving stolen tools.
Q2. A breakdown of these offences by broad offence type, such as theft from vehicle, burglary, other theft, or any other relevant category used by your force.
Q3. The recorded outcome breakdown for these offences, using the outcome categories held by your force.
Q4. The total estimated value of tools reported stolen in each period, where this is recorded.
Q5. The highest estimated value of tools reported stolen in a single recorded offence in each period, where this is recorded.
Q6. If recorded and retrievable within the cost limit, please provide the top three towns, districts or local policing areas with the highest number of recorded tool theft offences in each period, along with the number of offences recorded in each area.

If recorded in a searchable field, please also provide the number of offences involving vans, commercial vehicles, work vehicles or construction sites. However, please exclude this part if it would require a manual review of individual crime reports.

I would prefer the information to be provided in a spreadsheet format, such as CSV or Excel, if possible.
If this request exceeds the cost limit, please prioritise questions 1, 2 and 3.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Durham Constabulary. I have enclosed copies of the information that is being released to you. Information has been provided for Questions 1 to 6. Please note that there are no keywords or categorised fields that specifically identify an item as a "tool" when recorded. The term "tool" is generic, and items may instead be recorded under their specific description, such as a hammer, drill, or screwdriver. In addition, the term "tool" has a broad meaning and is open to interpretation regarding what constitutes a tool. As a result, we can only provide data where the item has been categorised as DIY/Trade. The results may therefore include items that are not relevant within the context of "tools", for example ladders, door handles, or wooden doors.

We are unable to provide a response to the final part of the request, namely the number of offences involving vans, commercial vehicles, work vehicles, or construction sites. This information is not held within a searchable field. Providing such data would require a manual review and interpretation of the modus operandi text to determine whether a vehicle was being used for commercial or work-related purposes, which would likely result in a cost refusal.

Furthermore, there is no searchable field for "construction site". Identifying offences involving construction sites would similarly require researcher interpretation and manual review of the recorded location details. Accordingly, this information is not held in a readily retrievable format.

Q1/2/3

Q4

Q5

Q6i/ii/iii