AUDIO NEWS: Police recover £2m of stolen tools and trade body calls for government stimulus

Met Police recover £2m of stolen tools, MSCG calls for government stimulus package to kick start industry and last chance to enter the Heating Installer Awards

The Met Police has recovered £2 million worth of stolen tools from an address in Ilford.

Officers were led to the address by trackers hidden among the loot.

On site they found a combination of high value equipment and smaller tools obtained by breaking into tradespeople’s vans.

Two suspects arrested at the scene are thought to be part of an organised criminal group involved in selling stolen tools and shipping them across the UK and Europe.

Inspector Mark Connolly said the find was the largest discovery of stolen tools “we’ve ever made.”

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The Material Supply Chain Group is calling for “targeted stimulus measures” from the government to drive demand for materials and labour in the construction sector.

According to the trade body, the ongoing weakness in demand, rising costs and cash flow pressures have taken their toll on the supply chain.

Recent months have witnessed a steady stream of business closures among manufacturers and building merchants.

Sustained recovery in 2026 is now heavily dependent on investment in new homes and recovery of the repair and maintenance sector.

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It is the last opportunity for plumbers and heating engineers to enter the Heating Installer Awards.

The annual awards programme will run 11 regional heats, before crowning the national winner at the Installer Show in June.

The awards will also name the UK’s best HVAC Installer and Best Renewables Installer.

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