POLICE have this week confirmed three more incidents of thefts of fuel oil from private properties in West Devon.

The news follows a police warning in last week's Times, in which officers highlighted a spate of similar thefts and urged residents with fuel tanks on their properties to be on their guard.

Police say the contents of a household heating oil tank were stolen from an address at Lifton overnight during the weekend of January 31/February 1. The tank, in the Moorfield area, was emptied of some 500 litres of oil.

Sgt Dave Anning of Tavistock Police said: 'This is a residential area and police believe the thief would have taken some time to carry out the theft.'

An oil tank at the end of a long farm drive near Lamerton was also emptied by thieves. The theft was noticed at the end of January and follows a previous theft in November, after which an engineer checked that there were no leaks.

Sgt Anning said: 'This emphasises police advice that if your oil is stolen you are highly likely to be targeted again.'

And Sgt Anning said around 500 litres of oil had been taken over time from an oil tank at the side of a house in Postbridge.

Sgt Anning said: 'The victim is keen that other residents in Postbridge know that there is a thief at work. Villagers need to face the fact it may be someone local, as it seems that at least three separate thefts have taken place adding up to a total loss of around 500 litres of oil.'

Anyone with any information regarding these thefts is asked to call PC Kevin Reed or PSCO Dave Chapple. The crime reference for the Lifton theft is JT/11/102; the Lamerton reference is JT/11/96 and the Postbridge theft is JT11/123.