Arrests in stolen tools raid
Two people have been arrested in connection with stolen tools during police raids in Manawatu¯ .
Police recovered a large amount of tools following raids at properties in Feilding and Palmerston North last week.
Police believed the majority of the tools were stolen from work sites and work vehicles, a police spokeswoman said.
Two people had been arrested in relation to the stolen property.
Police were making inquires and were working to identify the owners of the recovered tools and return them.
It was a timely reminder for people to secure vehicles and keep property safe from thieves.
Tools should be labelled and their serial numbers can be loaded into www.snap.org.nz. That way, if tools were stolen and recovered, it was easier for police to return them to the owner.
An engraving event in Feilding last week was organised to combat opportunistic thieves plaguing Manawatu¯ tradies and to help identify tools if they are taken.
Manawatu¯ Neighbourhood Support and Community Patrol invited contractors to Bunnings Warehouse Feilding on Friday, where tools were engraved free of charge.
Co-ordinator Gary Stoneley said the considerable growth in building construction was not easing. Contractors are paying the price as they become targets for thieves pawning stolen tools.
In July, Stuff reported a Manawatu¯ forestry worker had $10,000 worth of equipment stolen from the back of his ute in broad daylight.
The logging worker, who refused to be named due to safety concerns, is the latest victim in a string of reports of car break-ins in Feilding, and police stepped up patrols at the time in an effort to catch the culprits.
The man parked his vehicle on Eyre St, while visiting Central Auto Parts and Equipment for about 30 minutes.
It was during that time that a mysterious thief pried open the canopy of his ute and stole three Stihl chainsaws and other tools.
Only two months before, another contractor had five chainsaws taken.