Category · Tools & equipment

Report a stolen tools or equipment

A stolen tool trailer or ute full of gear can shut down a small business overnight. Power tools carry serials and reappear fast on marketplaces and at cash-for-goods outlets.

The identifier that gets it back: Serial number

On the tool body or battery foot — brands like Milwaukee, Makita and DeWalt all stamp them. Photograph the batch of serials on receipts if you have them.

Types we watch

  • Power tools
  • Cordless kits & batteries
  • Welders & compressors
  • Measuring & laser
  • Hand tools
  • Site & safety gear

How theft and resale play out

  • Whole kits are broken up — bare tools and batteries sell separately.
  • Serial numbers are often visible in listing photos even when the seller omits them.
  • Cash-converter-style outlets are a common resale channel worth watching.

If yours is already gone

  • Report it to police and keep the event/reference number.
  • Register the tools or equipment on Theftsight (or mark it stolen) with the serial number and photos.
  • Share the record with your insurer — they can work the same candidate queue.
  • If a listing matches, export the proof pack — never confront a seller alone.

National checklist: How to report a stolen item. See everything we recover.

Put your tools or equipment under watch

Register it in two minutes — private by default. If it's stolen, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and eBay are scanned against it, and police and insurers on the network can see the case.