Website leads officers to stolen tools

Officers raided a large farm off Tong Road in Farnley, Leeds, on April 8. Once inside they found tens of thousands of pounds worth of power tools, including a £15,000 mini digger and a £7,000 industrial lawn mower.

Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and was yesterday on bail pending further inquiries.

The raid followed a burglary report in March this year. On March 13 more than £6,000 worth of power tools were stolen from an address on Cliffe Lane in Cleckheaton.

As part of inquiries into the burglary, officers from the Spen Valley neighbourhood policing team spotted some of the goods for sale on an internet auction site which led officers to the farm where they recovered a number of items.

Acting Sergeant Nick Doyle said: “We will stop at nothing to bring offenders to justice and are delighted that in this case we have been able to return stolen property to its rightful owners. Burglars should be aware that we are carrying out plain clothes patrols in burglary hot-spot areas.”