Senior Sergeant Steve Aitken said a man was arrested on Sunday for two thefts of firewood from the South Rd, Caversham area, and this week a woman reported wood had been stolen from her Murray St, Mosgiel property sometime between 1pm and 5pm.
Harata Gemmell (22), of Mosgiel, said she had nearly 2cu m of wood stolen from her property - her whole supply.
Work and Income New Zealand (Winz) had paid for the firewood, which Ms Gemmell said she needed to keep herself and her daughter Mariah (22 months) warm.
''I'm just so angry that someone would take from a solo mum.''
The cost of the firewood paid for by Winz was $215, which Ms Gemmell was paying back at a rate of $5 per week.
Ms Gemmell was waiting for a report from police so she could apply to Winz for further support for firewood, as her fire was the only source of heating in her home.
Police had been at her property and retrieved fingerprints from her wood shed as a part of their investigation, she said.
Snr Sgt Aitken said such thefts were a seasonal occurrence. Reports of stolen firewood and chainsaws were more common as winter approached and during cold snaps.
Valley Lumber employee Anne Chalmers said no firewood had been stolen from the business' yard recently, but thieves had taken hundreds of dollars worth of fuel from its log splitters and trucks, and police were investigating.
Snr Sgt Aitken said Kaikorai Valley firewood suppliers had been stolen from several times over the years.
- Leith Huffadine
