How to track your lost tools

THE theft of tools is a major problem all around the world. In the UK alone, the theft of tools is costing tradesman close to £100 million a year.

That item may be as small as a power tool, or as big as a cement mixer, a mini digger or even your work van. 

If you have been unfortunate enough to have had your tools stolen, you will know how annoying this situation can be. You’re left in a bit of a pickle, with no tools, which usually means no work and thus, quite possbily, no income!

The best form of defence to this problem is to put stuff in place to prevent this from happening in the first place, but sometimes these Johnny Sticky Finger thieves will still find a way.

When this happens, the only way is to get your items back in your hands, and the best way to do so is to use a real time tracking system!

The internet is littered with fabulous success stories of plant owners tracking their kit before the perpetrators can get away with whatever they want to do with the stolen kit.

Why do thieves want to steal your equipment?

• To carry out an act of criminal intent – they may see your tools as a great way to rip out an ATM or use the tool for other criminal behaviour

• To sell the kit for profit – this is the simplest and therefore the most common reason. Tools aren’t cheap, and thieves know this. Many of your stolen tools will be up for sale within days of them being stolen, leaving the thieves with a nice profit!

But it’s not all bad news. There are many GPS tracking devices and apps that have been designed to help you – and the police – locate your lost items and get them back before they can be passed on!

• TRAAKIT

The TRAAKIT system is super easy to use and allows you to track all of your assets online, in a web-based mapping account or on any device in the world, without having to download any specialist software. 

The popular device ensures that your plant equipment is secure and allows you to protect your expensive equipment such as telehandlers, excavators, diggers and more if they are stolen.

Another super impressive feature is the ability to receive real time notifications when an item or vehicle has been removed from an invisibly fenced area – meaning you can keep track of your equipment 24/7!

VIEW IT HERE

• The Light Bug

With this popular device, you are able to keep track of your assets and efficiently manage your inventory, which is ideal for high value items such as generators and trailers.

The device is really easy to install and likewise is the online software. You can label each device with a meaningful name and set up parameters, all remotely from a single screen. From the app or website, you can see the last known location and watch as new locations come in – meaning you will always know the whereabouts of your tools. 

As well as acting as a deterrent for stolen items, it will also help maximise your efficiency whilst at work. You will get regular updates at set intervals with a battery life measured in months and years, and it will also reduce the time wasted searching for tools and equipment.

VIEW IT HERE

• The Milwaukee® TICK™ Tool and Equipment Tracker 

This tool tracker is definitely the most versatile Bluetooth® tracker on the market today. It has multiple attachment options and a very low-profile design which users can glue, screw, rivet or strap onto anything. 

The TICK™ Tool is weather, water and dust resistant which ensures the tracker will be able to survive in any environment. 

Powered by the ONE-KEY™ application network, the handy tracking tool will provide real time location updates when it comes within a 100ft range of any phone with the ONE-KEY™ App. It will provide the last seen date, time and location which will certainly help the police hunt down your tools, if they were to go missing.

As its powered by a high-quality coin cell battery, it has a runtime of over 1 year, so you can set and forget! 

VIEW IT HERE