A LLANDUDNO hotel has fallen victim to thieves who stole a copper heating pipe from the back of the building.
Owners of the Headlands Hotel, Hill Terrace, near the Happy Valley, were left with an "irritating" situation after thieves stole copper piping from the rear of their business.
An 11-metre length of pipe, linking the hotel's heating system to a boiler, was stolen some time between midday on Tuesday, January 31 and the same time on Wednesday, February 1.
Although a second boiler on the premise allowed them to keep the building heated, owner Ray Rock estimated that he had lost £50 worth of gas per hour, for about 24 hours.
Mr Rock said he had been alerted to the theft when he saw the rate at which the dial on his meter was spinning.
He said: "The meter was going round like a fan. That's what alerted us to what had happened - to watch it spinning round, you knew it was something catastrophic that had happened."
He added that he would not replace the stolen pipe with a new copper fixture, due to the risk of a replacement being stolen.
North Wales Police said they were conducting ongoing inquiries about the theft.
A spokeswoman for Wales and West Utilities said: "We have experienced an increase in the theft of gas pipes over recent years in all areas in which we operate.
"This is an extremely dangerous practice that puts the thieves at great risk and can also endanger other people."
She added that anyone with information about such theft could either contact the Police or Wales and West Utilities on 0870 165 0597.