Oil Thefts up 500% across Wales in five years

The BBC has reported that thefts of heating oil around Wales have increased by over 500% in the past five years.

Figures show the equivalent of a theft of oil every day by the end of 2011.

The numbers jumped from 68 in 2007 to 364 last year, according to the statistics released under a Freedom of Information request.

An insurance expert said the rise in thefts was almost certainly linked to the high price of heating oil, which should be treated "like liquid gold".

The figures across all four forces show the same broad pattern, with a very sharp spike in figures from 2007 to 2008.

The number of thefts then fall somewhat in 2009 before steadily rising over the next two years.