Man Tried To Sell $20,000 Worth Of Tools Stolen From Livermore, Police Say

LIVERMORE, CA — A man from Tracy is under arrest after police say he tried to sell $20,000 worth of stolen industrial power tools to a contractor earlier this month. The contractor alerted police after he became suspicious during the transaction, police said.

“Eddie Edwards could not provide a plausible explanation for how he came to possess the tools, thus creating probable cause to believe the tools were stolen,” police said in a statement.

Officers seized the tools and released Edwards.

Officers then discovered the tools were likely the same ones stolen from a company work truck and trailer in Livermore. Police said investigators served a search warrant on the suspect’s home and discovered evidence connecting Edwards to the Livermore theft, in addition to evidence of other property crimes from all over the East Bay.

Police said they recovered hundreds of pieces of stolen property including tools, tool belts, air conditioning installation and test equipment and computers.

“Detectives recovered stolen property belonging to fourteen different victims with an aggregate total value of approximately $65,000,” police said. “The property was determined to be stolen from businesses, vehicles, residences, front porches, and mailboxes in Livermore, Pleasanton, Fremont, Benicia, Fairfield, and Manteca. Edwards has also been connected to several recovered stolen vehicles in the same jurisdictions.”

Edwards was arrested on multiple charges.

Photo courtesy Renee Schiavone/ Patch