Any tips for getting stolen tools back?

[130iTrack]

Hi all,

I've just discovered my home workshop was broken into in the New Forest area and I've had about £10k of tools stolen. Obviously really gutted about this and am desperate to get them back. Has anyone ever managed to recover their stolen tools and if so, how did you go about it?

The police are saying they might be able to come and fingerprint tomorrow but I'm extremely doubtful they'll find anything. Unfortunately the tools weren't insured yet as we've only just moved in and the insurance companies want to send someone to look at the property as it's a farm.

Any tips would be most welcome!

[wiffmaster]

130iTrack said:

Hi all,

I've just discovered my home workshop was broken into in the New Forest area and I've had about £10k of tools stolen. Obviously really gutted about this and am desperate to get them back. Has anyone ever managed to recover their stolen tools and if so, how did you go about it?

The police are saying they might be able to come and fingerprint tomorrow but I'm extremely doubtful they'll find anything. Unfortunately the tools weren't insured yet as we've only just moved in and the insurance companies want to send someone to look at the property as it's a farm.

Any tips would be most welcome!

Any big local car boot sales? You'd have to arrive when it first opens, though. Easier to shift there than somewhere like eBay or Gumtree where there's a paper trail.

Edited by wiffmaster on Saturday 15th October 22:40

[Fleckers]

As above local car boot sales but also eBay etc

Take friends to help carry tool away and keep a watch on your back

[scorcher]

Occasionally turn up months later when they catch someone doing much the same thing and check their properties. Dunno if this stuff gets shipped back abroad like cats and stolen cars do?

[sideways man]

Sorry to hear that, gutted for you.
I’d definitely keep an eye on eBay, and the local quick money exchange shops.

[Griffith4ever]

Facebook marketplace is always awash with full sets of grubby cordless tools , usually with no batteries as they were prob elsewhere on charge.

[GranpaB]

Which part of the New Forest as a friend of mine also lives there so could keep an eye out.

[the-norseman]

Ebay, Facebook and Gumtree will be the places to look.

[130iTrack]

GranpaB said:

Which part of the New Forest as a friend of mine also lives there so could keep an eye out.

Woodgreen/Hale area near Fordingbridge. Thank you!

[donkmeister]

Think this might be the post I needed to finally get some sort of smartwater type markers for the tools in my workshop...

OP, the only potential fencing venue not mentioned yet is pubs... My sister was once offered what might have been her own car stereo (stolen the day before) in a pub that wasn't renowned for being dodgy. Other than that, you have my sympathies.

[Chrisgr31]

How are you going to recognise your tools?

[S100HP]

130iTrack said:

GranpaB said:

Which part of the New Forest as a friend of mine also lives there so could keep an eye out.

Woodgreen/Hale area near Fordingbridge. Thank you!

I can guarantee you the lovely lot on Scallows Lane have them. My parents had their garage broken into in Wellow, about 10k of bikes taken. Police didn't even attend.

[SydneyBridge]

Went to a huge carboot sale/market near Heathrow in the summer. About a quarter of the sellers were selling tools and bikes..

[CoolHands]

SydneyBridge said:

Went to a huge carboot sale/market near Heathrow in the summer. About a quarter of the sellers were selling tools and bikes..

Would be too much for the police to attend these events and check some items I suppose.

[SydneyBridge]

That's why I thought, no way can so many tools and bikes for sale be legit'

[130iTrack]

Chrisgr31 said:

How are you going to recognise your tools?

They're mostly Facom which are not too common. Most of the tools have marks on that I would recognise.

[Chrisgr31]

CoolHands said:

SydneyBridge said:

Went to a huge carboot sale/market near Heathrow in the summer. About a quarter of the sellers were selling tools and bikes..

Would be too much for the police to attend these events and check some items I suppose.

That only works of they have a list of serial numbers. Otherwise they cant tell one Flymo from another.

[Teddy Lop]

Chrisgr31 said:

CoolHands said:

SydneyBridge said:

Went to a huge carboot sale/market near Heathrow in the summer. About a quarter of the sellers were selling tools and bikes..

Would be too much for the police to attend these events and check some items I suppose.

That only works of they have a list of serial numbers. Otherwise they cant tell one Flymo from another.

LMFAO.

There was, maybe still is, a street market in hackney where there'd be stalls lined up with hundreds of pro brand power tools, all obviously nicked. Police interest zero.

Electrical test kit all have serial numbers as they have to be calibrated regularly; without such they're near useless to anyone even pretending to operate in professional way, but despite there being a limited market to carry out said calibration - therefore a golden opportunity to check for stolen kit - no-one can be bothered.

OP I feel you believe me but unless you have info and are prepared to do things better not disclosed on here I'd move on

[OutInTheShed]

£10k is a lot of spanners?

[130iTrack]

All of my mig, tig, plasma welding gear including trolleys, gas and 3M respirator, all of my spraying gear including compressor and paints!, all of my cordless tools, all of my hand tools, all of my bench tools like pillar drill etc and a load of car parts. Weirdly they also took all of my fluids for maintaining my own cars (7 of them) including coolants, engine oil, gear oil, atf, brake fluid and specialist diff fluids. They also took about 20 cans of brake cleaner, all my lubricants, 5 drums of degreaser, all my car cleaning stuff, all of my cases of bolts, washers, nuts and all of my electrical tools and connectors etc. They really did a number on me. Must have been in there for hours.