THIEVES have left locals frustrated and baffled following a series of massive milk thefts in Ryedale.

Six gallons of the white stuff - more than 50 pints - have been stolen from doorsteps in Norton in just two weeks.

And in the latest incident, 70 pints of milk worth £35 were stolen from a milk float on Quarry Bank in Malton between 2.15am and 5am on Monday.

Now delivery routes are being changed and bottles hidden out of sight in order to thwart the thieves.

Last week, it was revealed that 20 pints of milk were stolen from houses in and around Mill Street, Welham Road, Scarborough Road and Vine Street in Norton.

Then 26 more one pint bottles were reported stolen from houses in exactly the same area.

And in the early hours last Wednesday, four pints of milk were stolen from Norton Community Primary School, and a further pint stolen from a house nearby.

Residents and milkmen believe drunken revellers on their way home after a night out are to blame because the town's milk deliveries can start as early as 11.30pm.

Welham Road resident and local councillor Allin Jenkins said he had asked the milkman to conceal his daily delivery so it wasn't out in the open.

Coun Jenkins said: "Doorstep thefts have been going on for a number of years, but this latest spate seems to be far more than in the past. And it's not just milk. We have orange juice delivered too, and we have lost that. I went up the road to check and found the bottle had been drunk and thrown into a ditch. We now ask the milkman to put it in a place tucked away, not out in the open.

"It does seem a huge amount to steal. There must be some very thirsty people indeed to want to drink 20 pints."

Malton and Norton milkman Malcolm Thomas said losing a couple of pints of milk to thieves was "nothing unusual" - but said the scale of the latest thefts was "very, very annoying".

Mr Thomas said: "To be honest, I could live with a drunk coming home from the pub and pinching a bottle of milk or two. I accept that is a risk of the business.

"But when it happens on this scale, it gets very, very annoying. We will try to change the time of delivery, but there's only so much we can do. If whoever is doing this is so inclined, they will just go to another doorstep.

"It's an easy crime to commit, and the police can't be everywhere. Hopefully, this will all blow over, but it is very frustrating."

Police are investigating the thefts. Anyone with any information should phone 0845 6060247.

Updated: 15:09 Wednesday, February 08, 2006