'Hardware store' worth of stolen tools found in Wellington home

Power tools, including Makita brand, have been recovered in Wellington. Photo / Supplied

A "hardware store's worth" of stolen power tools have been found in Wellington home.

Wellington police found thousands of dollars worth of power tools in a Newtown home after arresting and charging a man with drug offences.

Items found included hammer drills, drills, routers, circular saws, reciprocating saws, rechargeable batteries, grinders and two-way radio sets.

Top-end brands such as Makita and Milwaukee were included, police said.

Detective Sergeant Stephen Wescott said he was determined to return them to their owners.

"Commercial tools, such as the ones we have recovered, are the lifeblood of any tradie."

"While we will ensure those believed to be responsible for taking these tools are dealt with appropriately, equally we can turn our attention to the victims of crime and work to reunite them with their equipment," he said.

Wescott reminded tradespeople to keep tools out of sight.

"Another level of theft prevention for vehicles would be to install alarms and immobilisers.

"If you store your gear on site, label your tools and give them a distinctive mark.

"That way, if they are taken, we have a better chance of pairing the product with the owner.

"Burglars are unlikely to steal items that are permanently marked because they're hard to sell," Wescott said.

Police also found stolen computer equipment at the same house including a number of laptops and smartphones, which they also wanted to return to its owners.

Owners of the property are asked to contact Wellington Central Police Station on (04) 381 2000.