Officers from Kent Police’s Rural Task Force made seven arrests after seizing the stolen items in Cranbrook.

Five local men, aged between 18 and 44, were arrested alongside a 19-year-old woman and 17-year-old boy on suspicion of multiple offences relating to theft. They have since been bailed pending further investigations.

The haul was discovered following a search for a power drill fitted with a tracking device after the owner got fed-up with being repeatedly targeted by tool thieves.

Police are now trying to re-unite the tools worth more than £500,000 with their owners.

Police Sergeant Ross Haybourne, of the Rural Task Force, said: “We hope to reunite as many of the items as we can with their rightful owners as soon as possible.

“Officers are in the process of cataloguing the suspected stolen items and a comprehensive list will be released to the public in due course. Anyone wishing to claim items listed will need to provide proof of ownership or proof of purchase.

“We anticipate this to take a considerable amount of time and thank the public in advance for their patience while we undertake the task.

“Any tradespeople or those in possession of power tools are advised to mark their property, take photographs, and record serial numbers so that, in the event of theft, officers have more chance of returning property. We also advise reporting any thefts in a timely manner, providing as much detail as possible.”