Appeal to reunite tradespeople with stolen tools following Met operation

The Met is working to reunite suspected stolen tools with their owners following an operation at a car boot sale in west London.

Officers recovered around 400 suspected stolen power tools following searches at the Hounslow Heath Car Boot Sale on Thursday, 11 December.

The items had an estimated value of around £80,000 and included power drills, nail guns, electric saws, and a concrete mixer.

Officers have so far been able to reunite around £6,000 worth of items with their rightful owners. We are now releasing images of the tools and ask people who recognise the items to come forward with proof of ownership.

PC Thomas Coonan, from the Met's local policing team in Hounslow, said:

"We are listening to concerns about tool theft because we understand the significant impact it has on tradespeople and their livelihoods.

"We are targeting prolific offenders and organised criminal groups that drive this trade in stolen tools through proactive, intelligence-led operations.

"I'm pleased we have already been able to return some of the items. I'd now ask tradespeople to look through these images and contact us if they believe we have recovered any items belonging to them."

The images can be accessed here.

To contact the team, email HounslowWest@met.police.uk with the reference number from the image and proof of ownership. We will accept the following as proof of ownership:

• Serial number
• Batch number alongside initials or other unique marking
• A photo of the item and unique reference number
• A crime report including the make and unique reference number

Other forms of proof will be considered by officers.

The operation was carried out in response to concerns about tool theft and is part of the Met’s continued focus on tackling crimes that matter most to Londoners.

Two men, aged 55 and 54, and two 15-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. They remain on bail pending further enquiries.

We also encourage tradespeople to mark their items with synthetic DNA to make it easier to forensically link items to their owners.

We also suggest owners register their tool's serial number with the manufacturer and with The UK National Property Register.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Video and photos from the operation are available below.