Three people wearing gloves and balaclavas have been arrested in connection with a series of thefts from vans across Wiltshire, during which thousands of pounds worth of power tools were stolen.

At around 11:30pm on Tuesday, November 19, Wiltshire Police were alerted by Thames Valley Police to a vehicle of interest travelling into the county.

Officers from Wiltshire Police located a black BMW on the A345 Swan Road driving towards Pewsey at high speed.

Roads Policing, Armed Response and Dog teams performed a tactical stop on the car and three people in the vehicle, who were wearing gloves and balaclavas, were detained.

The BMW was found to contain other number plates and tools that could be used for theft, cleaning products, a fire extinguisher and an axe.

Three men aged in their 20s – two from Buckinghamshire and one from East Drayton, London, - were arrested on suspicion of going equipped and theft of a motor vehicle after the involved vehicle was identified as stolen.

The driver was also arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.

Following further enquiries, the three men were further arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal from motor vehicles between September 20 and November 12, 2024 and these offences are thought to have taken place across several areas in the south of the country.

DI Darren Ambrose, who has been leading on the investigation, said: “This was excellent collaborative work and is a significant step in our investigation into van break ins across the county.

“Over the past few weeks, under Operation Sell, a dedicated team of officers have been working with neighbouring forces on the investigation, sharing intelligence to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

“We understand how impactive this series of offences has been on the van owners. The nature of the thefts is potentially taking away the livelihoods of the victims, who rely on the tools for their day-to-day business.

“We have now arrested three people in connection with the incident and they are in custody for questioning.

“We would continue to ask van owners – particularly those who own Ford Transit vans – to take proactive measures to keep your van and tools secure.

“Please ensure your tools are forensically marked, and to identify on your vehicle that it contains marked tools. This will act as a significant deterrent for would-be thieves.”

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