THE soaring price of fuel has prompted a surge in thefts of domestic heating oil from tanks outside homes and farms across the region.

North Yorkshire Police say there have already been 27 such thefts across the county so far this year, compared with only six in the same period last year.


A spokeswoman said the 27 included four thefts in the York area, five in Selby, seven in Hambleton, three in Ryedale and one in the Harrogate district.

The oil thefts follows a trend of thieves taking items containing metals such as lead, copper and even platinum, which have all been soaring in value.

Scores of churches and schools have had lead stolen from their roofs, copper wiring has been stolen from alongside railway tracks. Catalytic converters have been stolen from vehicles parked outside garages and homes for the platinum they contain.

Police and insurers say oil thefts have become a nationwide crimewave, with an increase in the number of incidents from Cornwall to the north of Scotland, and people are being urged to be on their guard and take extra precautions.