A shocking case of crude oil theft has been uncovered in Rawalpindi, where culprits dug a tunnel from a private house to reach an underground pipeline of Pakistan Oilfields Limited (POL), 24NewsDH TV channel reported on Sunday.
According to reports, the suspects had set up a concealed system by creating a tank beneath a dumper truck and covering it with gravel to avoid suspicion.
From the tunnel, they had been stealing crude oil directly from the main underground pipeline.
The scheme came to light dramatically when a fire broke out during the theft operation.
While efforts were being made to control the blaze, it was discovered that the fire had erupted during the illegal extraction of crude oil.
Police registered a case at Dhamiyaal Police Station against five accused involved in the theft.
Investigations are underway to trace the full network behind this high-risk crime.
Reporter: Irshad Qureshi