When Stephen Baker’s tools were stolen from his van one night, it wasn’t just a burglary, but the collapse of 13 years of hard work.
Recalling the screws he found on the floor and the hole in his van door, Stephen told CROXLEYnews: “I parked next to a camera and the rear doors were backed up to a nearby vehicle. When I saw the screws, I knew in that moment everything I had been building up was gone.”
With insurance unable to cover the loss, Stephen hit rock bottom and even contemplated ending his life, until a message from his two-year-old son reminded him that someone depended on him.
From that dark place, Stephen began rebuilding.
With the help of a friend and the support of loyal customers, he salvaged his business and soon found a new purpose in fighting tool theft, which he explained is a crime that strikes a tradesperson every 12 minutes.
Stephen joined forces with other campaigners, including the Bald Builders, On The Tools, and Stolen Tools UK, even organising a rally of hundreds of trade vehicles, and a tank, at Parliament.
These campaigns encourage tradespeople to properly mark and protect their equipment while highlighting theft hotspots.
His work has saved countless livelihoods, including donating brand-new tools to a tradesperson just starting out who had also been a victim of theft.
The impact of his work was recognised on Thursday, October 30, when he received the Community Hero Award at the 2025 On The Tools Awards.
Surprised and emotional, Stephen said: “The people I was up against deserved it more than me.”
Now, by promoting measures such as data tagging, tool marking kits, and secure vehicle storage, he helps tradespeople avoid the struggles he faced.
Stephen’s story is a reminder that resilience and community can turn personal tragedy into hope, safety, and lasting change.
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