News Item: Stolen Openreach Equipment Recovered Following Met Police’s Largest-Ever Haul of Stolen Tools
A piece of specialist Openreach equipment has been recovered and returned to the company after the Metropolitan Police uncovered the UK’s largest-ever haul of stolen tools during Operation Larkwood.
The discovery, made at a site in Ilford, followed a major Met Police investigation that identified thousands of items suspected to be linked to organised tool theft. The operation, supported by forensic marking specialists SelectaDNA, has already enabled multiple recoveries to legitimate owners after tests identified registered property.
One of the items recovered was a fibre splicer valued at around £2,000. Officers detected SelectaDNA forensic marking on the equipment, which was sent to SelectaDNA for forensic analysis in their accredited lab. The tool was traced back to Openreach, who build and maintain the UK’s largest broadband network, and they were contacted so the equipment could be returned.
Jeff Taylor, National Security Manager for Openreach, met with Sergeant Dave Catlow, who led Operation Larkwood, to receive the tool. “This recovery highlights the value of marking equipment at source and the strength of our partnership with SelectaDNA,” said Jeff. “Every tool protected and returned helps us maintain the high level of service that customers expect from Openreach.”
A Partnership Focused on Protecting Critical National Infrastructure
Openreach and SelectaDNA have collaborated for several years to safeguard vital infrastructure and reduce thefts that can disrupt essential services across the UK. Through a multi-layered security approach – including SelectaDNA marking, tamper-resistant ID labels, and the Secure Asset Register – Openreach marks specialist equipment at the point of manufacture.
This includes splicers, testers, and IT equipment routinely used by its nationwide engineering workforce. The company also works closely with police forces, providing detailed marking guidance to help officers quickly identify and verify stolen or suspicious items during investigations.
The approach has already delivered measurable success. Since applying SelectaDNA’s invisible forensic coding to miles of underground cable, Openreach has seen positive results in linking offenders to cable theft. Cable marking solutions can easily transfer to skin, clothing and vehicles, enabling police to place suspects at a crime scene. In Lincolnshire, it recently contributed to three convictions, including a 16‑month prison sentence for attempted cable theft.
A Clear Message to Stop Tool Theft
The successful recovery of Openreach’s equipment underscores the wider message emerging from Operation Larkwood: forensic marking works.
From deterring organised theft to enabling police to identify stolen property and secure convictions, robust DNA marking continues to prove its role as a powerful tool in the fight against organised crime groups targeting equipment, tools, and infrastructure.
Clair Frame, Head of UK Sales and Business Development, explains: “Marking tools and equipment with SelectaDNA doesn’t just help ensure stolen items find their way home. It also sends a strong signal to organised crime gangs that tool theft no longer pays.”