Met uncovers 'UK's biggest stash of stolen tools'

The Metropolitan Police has recovered what is believed to be the largest stash of stolen tools ever found in the UK after officers uncovered a £2m haul in east London.

A construction firm reported high‑value equipment had been stolen from a site in Tilbury, Essex.

Using a tracking device fitted to the equipment, police traced the stolen goods to a property in Ilford. Once inside the property, officers discovered not only the reported stolen equipment but also a vast quantity of other stolen tools and machinery.

Two suspects were arrested at the scene, with a third suspect identified and arrested at another address where more stolen tools and equipment were found.

The suspects are thought to be part of an organised criminal group who resell stolen items online to be shipped across the UK and Europe, police said.

Insp Mark Connolly said: "This is one of the largest recoveries of stolen tools we've ever made, and it sends a clear message that we will identify offenders and bring them to justice."

The recovered tools - amounting to 10 lorry loads - were discovered on 14 January and then transferred to a secure police premises, where officers are working to identify the items and trace their rightful owners, the Met said.

Some of the equipment is believed to be linked to thefts dating back as far as 2019.

Connolly said: "Too many tradespeople are being put out of work and out of pocket by organised tool thieves.

"Operations like this show that the Met is taking action to protect tradespeople and their livelihoods."

He also urged tradespeople to mark items with synthetic DNA to make it easier to forensically link items and register the serial number with the manufacturer and the UK National Property Register.

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