Tools with a value of at least £2,500 were stolen from a shed in Wear Valley.
The equipment was taken from an industrial shed next to a house in West Roddymoor, on the outskirts of Crook, between 1am and 5am on Wednesday.
A metal panel had been removed from the shed in order to gain entry.
Items taken included an orange Bell cement mixer, a Dewalt cordless drill, Clark compressor with a 100 litre tank, a red Johnson chainsaw, a grey Bosch nine-inch grinder, a red Snap-on welder, a set of tools in a red box, and a Stille leafblower
A police spokesman said: "A vehicle was almost certainly used and police are appealing for anyone who might be offered any of these items at a suspiciously low price to contact them."
Anyone with information is asked to call PC Tony Elliott on 0845 60 60 365.
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