Metropolitan Police seized about £80,000 worth of suspected stolen power tools at a car boot sale in west London on December 11. The operation at Hounslow Heath addresses concerns raised by Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, who visited the site in November and called it a "carnival of criminality".
Officers recovered 400 suspected stolen items including power drills, nail guns, electric saws and a concrete mixer. Four people were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods – two 15-year-old boys and two men aged 54 and 55 – and have been bailed pending further inquiries.
The police described the action as a "proactive operation" in response to concerns about tool theft. Officers are now working to identify the seized tools and trace their original owners.
Jenrick's criticism
Jenrick visited the Hounslow Heath car boot sale in November after receiving a tip-off. He posted on X, formerly Twitter: «It was a parable of lawless Britain: Thousands of tools being sold at rock-bottom prices. The police nowhere to be seen.»
The Conservative politician added: «Many tools still had the names of tradesmen etched into them. Sellers wore balaclavas.» He said: «Nobody could explain where they got their tools from or how they could sell them so cheaply and make a profit.»
Jenrick recalled one seller who boasted he had been operating for 22 years and that police would not catch him. The Shadow Justice Secretary wrote: «You didn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to work out they were selling stolen tools.»
Broader police efforts
The Met's crackdown on tool theft has shown results. Such crimes fell 20.3% between April and December this year compared with the same period last year.
Earlier this year, police seized more than £500,000 worth of stolen tools at two large-scale boot sales and associated premises in Romford and Rainham, east London. Multiple arrests were made during those operations.
Superintendent James Rawlinson from Hounslow's local neighbourhood policing team said: «We are listening to Londoners' concerns about tool theft because we understand the significant impact it has on tradespeople and their livelihoods.»
He added: «We are targeting the prolific offenders and organised criminal groups that drive this trade in stolen tools through proactive, intelligence-led operations.» The force is also carrying out regular tool-marking events across London to make it harder for criminals to sell stolen goods.
Police advised power tool owners to mark and photograph their property and record serial numbers to improve recovery chances if items are stolen.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
