Approximately 1,000 suspected stolen tools, identifiable by forensic water markings, have been recovered from a car boot sale in East London by the Metropolitan Police, aided by a trained sniffer dog.

Collaborating with Essex Police and trading standards, the Met conducted a comprehensive operation at the Willow Farm Car Boot Sale in Rainham on Sunday, unearthing tools valued at £50,000.

In addition, several suspected stolen bicycles, cash, illegal vaping products, and other counterfeit items were also seized.

Four men, aged between 40 and 60, hailing from Hackney and Southend-on-Sea, have been arrested on charges of handling stolen property.

Inspector Mark Connolly from the Metropolitan Police’s neighbourhood policing team in East London stated, “We’ve received feedback from diligent Londoners concerning the personal and financial repercussions of tool theft, and we are committed to addressing this issue.”

He continued, “In addition to collaborating with our partners to target repeat offenders through proactive and intelligence-led initiatives like this one, we are conducting tool marking events to complicate matters for thieves when attempting to sell stolen items.”

The Metropolitan Police plans to continue efforts in the coming weeks to identify the recovered tools and connect them with their rightful owners.

Tradespeople and individuals in possession of power tools are encouraged to mark their equipment, take photographs, and maintain a record of serial numbers, so that law enforcement has a better chance of recovering stolen property.

Using SelectaDNA forensic water to mark tools also aids officers in distinguishing stolen items.

The Met further cautioned, “If an offer seems too good to be true, the item may very well be stolen or counterfeit. Purchasing goods that you know or suspect to be stolen is a criminal offense.”