A North Shore resident returned home to find all her gas bottles gone and this note left behind by Elgas. Photo / Supplied.
A North Shore resident returned home to find all her gas bottles gone and this note left behind by Elgas. Photo / Supplied.
At least two homes and one commercial property have been left without gas and hot water after an Auckland gas company went to take them away claiming they were stolen items.
A North Shore resident said she was shocked to return home last Tuesday after her holidays to find a note from Elgas claiming all three of her cylinders had been picked up because they were "unsafe".
But when she called the company, she was told the real reason was because the gas cylinders had been stolen and sold on to her illegally.
"I was shocked because I wasn't customer of Elgas and initially thought that someone had stolen my cylinders," said the home owner, who did not want to be named.
"They told me that they had tracked the GPS system on a delivery vehicle driven by a former employee to find out the gas cylinders had been delivered here."
Police are investigating report that a number of gas bottles have been stolen from Penrose. Photo / File.
As a result of the sudden removal, the woman said she was left without hot water for three days as she waited for delivery of a new order for cylinders from another gas supplier.
"I was just as shocked to hear the gas cylinders at my house were stolen goods, but the least Elgas could have done is give us prior notice before removal," she said.
The woman said she had been dealing with her previous supplier, who said he was a gas wholesaler, for "quite some time".
The Herald understands there had been possibly upwards of 100 cylinders stolen from the company over a period of time.
Police confirmed that it was investigating a report relating to the theft of a number of gas bottles from a commercial premises in Penrose.
"Police have spoken with the company and we are reviewing CCTV footage as part of our inquiries," the spokesman said.
An Elgas spokeswoman said the company notified police that a number of 45kg LPG gas cylinders were stolen in late 2019.
"Sixteen cylinders have already been recovered from one commercial premise and two residential homes," she said.
On its website, Elgas is described as a leading supplier of LPG gas cylinders and gas bottles to Auckland region homes and businesses.
It supplies gas across the region from Manukau, North Shore, Waitakere to Papakura.
The spokeswoman said Elgas LPG cylinders should only be purchased online from Elgas or through its authorised agents.
Police are asking anyone with information about the alleged theft to contact Counties Manukau Police on 105 quoting file number 191023/4344 or provide information anonymously by phoning Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
