The theft of tools generates the impossibility of adequately developing professional activity, economic impact, stress or anxiety among self-employed workers. It is a problem that Wickes, a chain of DIY stores in the United Kingdom, is making visible with a giant sculpture made, precisely, with recycled work utensils.
The company has partnered with artist Ptolemy Elrington, known for his use of recycled materials, to create “Anguish,” a work that symbolizes what he sees as an epidemic of tool theft and its impact on the lives and businesses of professionals. With a height of almost three meters and a shape that evokes “The Thinker” by Auguste Rodin, it represents the financial and emotional anguish experienced by those who have been victims of material theft.
As explained by Wickes, its preparation has required more than 400 hours of work and is made up of hundreds of mechanical and electrical tools. The latter are especially predominant, reflecting the objects that are most frequently stolen from professionals in the sector throughout the country.
The installation is supported by research carried out by the brand in February of this year, which indicates that 38% of self-employed professionals in the United Kingdom have suffered tool theft, and the average value of stolen utensils exceeds £2,500 per person. Additionally, it notes that 21% experienced continued stress and anxiety after the robbery; 12% were temporarily unable to work and
7% considered leaving the sector.
“Anguish” has been presented first in Leeds, in the county of West Yorkshire, which the company identifies as “the british capital of tool theft“However, the sculpture will tour the country and will be displayed at Wickes points of sale during the months of June and July. Thus, it can be seen in Wolverhampton, Northampton, Rayleigh, Minworth and at FixFest, a festival for professionals in the sector and in which Amrca is the main sponsor and sponsor of the Tool Theft Prevention Zone.
To communicate the initiative and the installation’s journey through different British cities, Wickes has collaborated with content creators from the construction and DIY category, who encourage users to visit the sculpture.
The campaign has been developed together with the communication agency Clarion Communications and the production services company Hopper.
Publications of Simon Bowler and Jessica Rose.
Additionally, Wickes will distribute free SmartWater tool marking kits and demonstrate how to use forensic marking fluid, in collaboration with DeterTech. It is a liquid invisible to the naked eye, but it glows under ultraviolet light and is extremely difficult to remove. The kits also include high-visibility, tamper-resistant deterrent labels, ensuring tools are marked and carry a clear, visible warning to deter potential thieves. Kits containing more than 260,000 tools will be distributed across the UK to help protect self-employed workers and raise awareness of the situation.
On the other hand, together with the organization Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), it will provide support to professionals against tool theft. This is part of the collaboration launched between both entities last year and which includes the donation of two million pounds by Wickes to CALM between May 2025 and May 2027.
