Car owners woke to discover someone had spent the night drilling holes in the fuel tanks.
Several vehicles were damaged on Bank Street in Mirfield overnight between Monday and Tuesday this week.
West Yorkshire Police are treating the incidents as criminal damage – but residents believe that the fuel was drained and stolen.
A force spokesman said: “Police were called to a number of reports of criminal damage to vehicles on Bank Street in Mirfield.
“It is reported that the fuel tanks of the vehicles were damaged.”
One victim told the Examiner: “It’s infuriating that someone would do this. There’s not exactly much to be gained from pinching petrol and the repairs are really expensive.
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“I feel bad for the younger residents because their insurance premiums are already extreme so they can’t claim and will have to pay for their own repairs.”
Several residents posted their concerns on the Mirfield Matters Facebook page.
One said: “Small pools under the car would suggest that they stole it (fuel).”
Another said: “I cannot understand the mentality of some people. Such a senseless crime.”
Anyone with information about the crimes should call police on 101 quoting log number 343 of May 1.
