Huge haul of stolen tools seized as police make several arrests amid dozens of Portsmouth and Hampshire thefts

A massive haul of tools have been seized by police following dozens of thefts by criminals across the county.
By Freddie Webb
Published 15th Dec 2023, 11:53 BST
Updated 15th Dec 2023, 11:58 BST
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Officers have been carrying out an extensive investigation after vans were being broken into in numbers in Portsmouth and Hampshire. Since August 2023, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have received over 100 reports of stolen equipment from vehicles.

The majority of the incidents are concentrated around the east of the county around the A3, but multiple areas have been hit. Portsmouth, Gosport, Havant, Waterlooville, Fareham and Horndean have all had thefts linked to the investigation.

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Hundreds of stolen tools have been seized by police following dozens of thefts across the Portsmouth area and Hampshire - particularly around the A3. Police confiscated them from a market stall in West London. They are carrying out an investigation under Operation Boromir. Picture: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.Hundreds of stolen tools have been seized by police following dozens of thefts across the Portsmouth area and Hampshire - particularly around the A3. Police confiscated them from a market stall in West London. They are carrying out an investigation under Operation Boromir. Picture: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
Hundreds of stolen tools have been seized by police following dozens of thefts across the Portsmouth area and Hampshire - particularly around the A3. Police confiscated them from a market stall in West London. They are carrying out an investigation under Operation Boromir. Picture: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

Other areas targeted include Petersfield, Greatham, Liphook, Bordon, Fleet, Farnborough, Blackwater, Andover, Romsey, Pennington, Cadnam, Chandler’s Ford, Horton Heath and Hedge End. Police said four people have been arrested as part of Operation Boromir. This includes a 24-year-old woman – detained suspicion of conspiracy to steal from a motor vehicle. She has been bailed with conditions until February 27, 2024, pending further enquiries.

A 60-year-old man from Surrey was also arrested for the same offence. He has been released on bail with conditions until February 28, 2024. Another male, 26, from Bedfordshire, was arrested on suspicion of theft and released on bail with conditions until February 27, 2024. A Buckinghamshire male, 26, was detained on suspicion of handling stolen goods and bailed until March 1, 2024.

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The tools were seized on November 30 after being found on a market stall in West London. Officers are continuing to track down their owners to reunite them with their stolen goods. “What we have noticed is that a number of the tools we have seized have not been marked,” police said.

"Our plea to tool owners is to protectively mark your equipment so that if it is ever lost or stolen, it can be easily returned to you when it’s found.” People have been advised to remove their tools from vans which are left overnight, use GPS or smart trackers on high value items, install a lockable cabinet in a van to secure tools during the day, use a small camera inside the vehicle and take photographs of expensive equipment and register it online.

Anyone with information about the thefts is advised to call 101, quoting 44230391471.