"The database works in real time so any tools listed as stolen are immediately available and the information is accessible by all users"
Alan Jewitt
A top northern web development company is leading the fight against a crime which is costing British firms millions of pounds – tool theft.
SYPO of Kendal has created a website for a new service designed to help trace tools offered for sale which have previously been stolen.
Tool Trace is a nationwide online registration service to help track – and recover – valuable equipment which has been stolen.
It uses SYPO’s specially-designed, easy to use cloud-based data storage system for users to register tools and equipment. There’s the facility to log tools as stolen and have that information immediately available to all users.
And the database will be open to the authorities so any tools they find can be checked, giving them another source of data to enable tools and equipment to be returned.
Tool Trace was set up by Nick Birchall, a Kendal-based house builder., who knows from experience about the problems with theft from vans and the difficulty - or even impossibility - of getting insurance.
SYPO is one of the north’s leading e-commerce and web-development company. “It’s a serious concern for companies,” said managing director Alan Jewitt. “We’ve all seen the headlines, and we’ve parked behind a sign that reads: “No tools left in this vehicle overnight”.
“Tool Trace offers the ability to have information updated in real time and available to all users so that as soon as someone tries to offload stolen goods they can be checked and traced. This greatly reduces the available markets to sell the goods on to and also reduces the value of any stolen tools.”
If tools are recovered, their status can be immediately checked and the owner contacted, which helps the authorities to return stolen goods and start prosecution.
“The database works in real time so any tools listed as stolen are immediately available and the information is accessible by all users,” said Mr Jewitt.
Further information, and the online form to register tools and equipment, can be found at https://tooltrace.uk/
