Canterbury police are warning local tradies to make sure their gear is locked up because of an increase in thefts from utes and vans.

Photo: 123RF

Police said vehicles had been targeted in the Lyttelton and Corsair Bay areas.

They said tradies should make sure valuable tools were secure if they were being left in their vehicles.

They encouraged people to get tools engraved with their driver licence number, and register them on the police snap website.