Electrician's tools stolen after anti-theft rally

Gina York attended the demonstration in London earlier this month

An electrician has been left unable to work after her tools were stolen from her van - just days after she campaigned about the issue.

Gina York, from Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, had more than £3,500 worth of equipment taken from her vehicle in the early hours of Tuesday.

The theft occurred just days after she travelled to London to attend a rally demanding greater enforcement against tool theft.

Ms York was forced to cancel various appointments and jobs as a result but a fundraising appeal has already brought in more than £4,000 to help cover costs.

Thieves gained access to Ms York's van by drilling a hole in the door and unlocking it from the inside

Ms York told the BBC her van was broken into while parked at a hotel in Rugby, Warwickshire, by someone drilling through the lock.

She said: "When you walk up to your van in the morning and see a hole in the side of it, your heart falls out your mouth. I knew then that the worst had happened.

"My world fell apart, I expected to go up to my van and begin my day and then suddenly you can't even do that."

The 31-year-old has been self-employed since 2021 and being forced to cancel appointments has caused a loss of income.

'Needs to stop'

"At the moment I don't want to leave my van anywhere," she said.

"With the hole still in the side of it, anyone can get in even if there is nothing else for them to take."

Ms York was one of more than 400 tradespeople who travelled to London on 3 February to call for greater protection from tool thieves and harsher punishments for offenders.

"We need more awareness, the biggest thing for us is used tools at car boot sales," she said.

"People are breaking in vans, stealing tools and selling them on. It needs to stop and that's what we're trying to push."

As well as the fundraising page, her team-mates at Eastwood and Kimberley Ladies FC are also planning a charity match to raise extra funds.

"It's been overwhelming - even strangers have reached out," she said.

"I just hope people who have been in the same situation get as much help as me."

A Warwickshire Police spokesperson said the force worked hard to deter and detect tool thefts, and thefts of all types from motor vehicles were down 22% on the past year.