Thieves had taken off with a large swag of tools, camping gear and personal items from road workers.

In this increasingly digital age, the police used footprints and even tyre prints to track down the buried cache of stolen goods worth $8000.

Everything stolen apart from a pair of cowboy boots was recovered.

A large amount of tools, camping equipment and personal items had been stolen from people working on the Buntine Highway upgrades.

Police said the items were stolen from four vehicles parked overnight at the Top Springs Roadhouse on August 31.

Tools, camping equipment and personal property were stolen from machinery parked at a road workers' camp, police said.

A Sergeant and two Aboriginal Community Police Officers travelled 120km from Yarralin to investigate.

Footprints and vehicle tracks were identified and investigations led the police to a near-by station some days later.

Further investigating and tracking at this station allegedly resulted in the recovery of the stolen property that had been buried.

As a result of the discovery, two men aged 28 and 21, have been charged with five counts of stealing, and will appear at the Yarralin Local Court on October 1.

Acting Senior Sergeant Jeremy Brunton of the NT Police Central Division said: "Old bush skills are still used to investigate.

"The officers involved are all long-term bush cops with unique skills which have proved invaluable in in this instance."

Top Springs is located 300km south-west of Katherine.

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