Suspected stolen tools worth £80,000 have been seized from a car boot sale in west London.
Met Police officers raised Hounslow Heath Car Boot Sale on Thursday, December 11, and uncovered 400 suspected stolen power tools including nail guns, electric saws and even a concrete mixer.
The raid was carried out in response to concerns about tool theft and officers are working to trace the tools to their original owners.
Two men aged 55 and 54 and two 15-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. They are on bail while the investigation continues.
Superintendent James Rawlinson, Hounslow local neighbourhood policing team, said: “We are listening to Londoner’s concerns about tool theft because we understand the significant impact it has on tradespeople and their livelihoods.
“We are targeting the prolific offenders and organised criminal groups that drive this trade in stolen tools through proactive, intelligence-led operations.
“We are also ramping up our efforts around prevention, carrying out regular tool marking events across London to make it harder for criminals to sell stolen goods."
Tackling tool theft became a priority for the force after a a mass rally was staged in Westminster by protesting tradespeople over the thefts.
In 2023 there were 44,514 tool thefts, valued at nearly £100 million, were reported to police, which is one every 12 minutes.
The Met Police said theft of tools and other belongings from vehicles had dipped 20.3 per cent between April and the beginning of December, compared with the same timeframe last year.
Earlier in the year, officers seized stolen tools worth more than £500,000 from two big boot sales and associated premises in Romford and Rainham making a number of arrests.
The police urged people who own the expensive items to mark their property, take photos and record serial numbers.
