Maryland police have recovered more than 18,000 stolen tools. Many will now be auctioned.

Since the beginning of the year, Howard County police have recovered 18,600 people stolen construction tools which were stored in numerous storage units across the province as part of a massive theft scheme.

While many of the stolen tools are returned to their owners, thousands remain unclaimed and will now be auctioned off to the public on November 16.

Detectives have identified 155 victims and are returning their tools. The rest of the supplies – such as new and used drills, measuring tapes, saws and more – are there for the taking auction in West Friendship through Associated Auctioneers & Appraisers.

Police initially allowed people who believed they might have been victims of this theft to fill out an online form to get their tools back, but that window has now closed. The other tools cannot be claimed outside the upcoming auction, said Seth Hoffman, police information officer.

The suspect in the case, Jose Aceves, 52, of Jessup, was charged by a grand jury on a felony theft scheme charge, Hoffman said. Aceves failed to show up for a scheduled court hearing in September and police have issued a warrant for his arrest, Hoffman said. He added that once Aceves is arrested, a new court date will be set.

Aceves allegedly stole the tools from throughout Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, and police said they believe the tools were kept in storage units throughout the county and sold at numerous locations and in various ways.

The tools, many of which were new and in the box, were stolen from shops, businesses, vehicles, homes and construction sites. Police estimated the value of the tools at between $3 million and $5 million.

“These thefts are impacting their livelihoods,” Howard County Police Chief Gregory Der said in May. “We have heard of victims who have lost their jobs because of their tools. It goes far beyond the cost of replacing these tools.”

Detectives began the investigation in late January after a tracking device in a stolen tool led police to a storage unit in Elkridge. Since then, Hoffman said, police have conducted searches of 12 storage units, 11 of which are in Howard County.

“This case sends a clear message,” Der said. “We will not tolerate this criminal enterprise in Howard County.”