The residents of the southwestern Bulgarian town of Petrich have complained of an invasion of Roma squatters who are said to be making a living through rampant theft.

The local police and authorities are reported to be unable to cope with the issue as the Roma are dismantling entire industrial plants that are not in operation in order to sell their iron equipment for scrap, bTV reported.

The TV channel was alerted about the issue by Dimitar Rutev, a local businessman whose closed industrial plant was ransacked by the Roma squatters in Petrich.

"Inside I had all the necessary equipment, just one piece of machinery was worth BGN 200 000; the entire warehouse has an area of 600 square meters with lighting and installations. Everything is gone, nothing has been left," Rutev is quoted as saying.

The report says tension among the local Bulgarians is growing as the Roma squatters are said to become aggressive if they are caught red-handed.

The Petrich police are quoted as saying that they receive reports about theft committed by illegally residing Roma in the respective part of the town on a daily basis, while the Petrich Municipality has refused to comment on why the squatters are permitted to settle and live where they do.