Shotley homeowners are are being warned of a new tactic being adopted by theives targetting oil tanks in gardens.
Instead of draining the whole tabk, therefore alerting residents about the theft, the thieves are taking about half the oil from a tank in hope the oil is not missed for some time, if at all.
Suffolk police are aware of te situation and neighbour watch groups are also alerting people.
One tip is to be on the lookout for a plain white tanker, which would be large enough to pump large quantity of oil, but also look as if it was actually delivering and not stealing oil. All genuine oli delivery tankers are clearly marked.