AUDIO NEWS: Police seize £80,000 worth of stolen tools and 70% women report problems with PPE

Met Police seize suspected stolen tools and make arrests in car boot sale raid, women feel embarrassed and unsafe with unfit PPE and homeowners won't offer tradespeople a cup of tea

Met Police officers have seized nearly £80,000 worth of suspected stolen tools at a car boot sale in west London.

The raid on the Hounslow Heath Car Boot Sale, recovered 400 tools including power drills, nail guns, electric saws and a concrete mixer.

Two men in their 50s and two boys aged 15 were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

The operation was carried out in response to persistent concerns about tool theft in the capital.

Superintendent James Rawlinson said: “We are listening to Londoner’s concerns about the tool theft because we understand the significant impact it has on tradespeople.”

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Women in the UK feel unsafe, embarrassed or scared at work because they're required to wear PPE designed for men, claims research from GMB Union.

In the survey, 70% of members said they experienced problems caused by ill-filling PPE, with more than half reporting ongoing discomfort.

A fifth said badly fitting PPE stopped them doing their job properly.

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Over 40% of homeowners now won’t offer a tradesperson a brew.

The research from the FMB shows a clear generational divide, with 68% of those aged between 55-and-64 years happy to offer tea, while just 40% of Gen Zers thought to do so.

Martin Daly, a FMB member said: “being offered a cup of team or a coffee may seem like a small gesture, but it goes a long way.”

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