A tradie called police on June 14 and told them his tools had been stolen from the back of his work ute in Blackburn.

The tradie said his tools then surfaced on an online marketplace not long after they were taken.

Police searched a property in Doncaster on July 4, where they discovered two locked rooms full of tools including laser equipment, drop saws and a large volume of handheld power tools.

Officers said the alleged tool thief was not home at the time of the raid but he was later arrested on July 8.

The 29-year-old man has been charged with handling stolen goods and negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Police will allege the man stole the tools over the past six months across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs including Nunawading, Blackburn, Doncaster, Box Hill and Burwood.

Victoria Police said tool theft was surging across the state, with 19,228 offences recorded in the 12 months to March this year.

Most of the tools were stolen from the back of work vans and utes, with offenders targeting unlocked vehicles.

“Tool theft is on the rise across the state, with opportunistic thieves scoping out unlocked vehicles and job sites,” Constable Jake Keenan said.

“This is unfortunately an increasingly common crime presently, with a tool theft occurring every two hours in Victoria.

“Having your tools stolen often delivers a major financial hit to tradies, with expensive equipment needing to be replaced and upcoming jobs cancelled.”