Police are investigating the beer bandits after at least nine bars and pubs across Melbourne reported their empty kegs being stolen and sold off for scrap metal.

The empty kegs, usually made of stainless steel and worth about $150 each, were left outside the venues for collection to be cleaned, refilled with beer and delivered back to the pubs.

More than 200 kegs have been stolen across premises in Melbourne’s inner suburbs over the past five months, costing the industry more than $30,000.

The thieves went on a bender on January 29, stealing 100 kegs from three premises on Rathdowne Street in Carlton North, Cardigan Street in Carlton and Gold Street in Collingwood

A bar on Henty Street in Reservoir had 60 kegs stolen in October while a Burwood Road pub in Hawthorn is missing 20 kegs.

Thieves rolled out 10 barrels from a High Street pub in Northcote and Queen’s Parade in Fitzroy North while a handful of kegs were stolen from two establishments in Coburg and Carlton North.

Police Sergeant Ryan Ford says the kegs are valuable on the scrap metal market and police believe more incidents have gone unreported.

“It’s been a matter of time that a couple have gone missing, and then it’s turned into a pattern where over the last four months we’ve ended up with the 200 kegs missing,” he said.

“They are oblivious to the detrimental affect stealing kegs has on pubs and breweries.

“I’ve been doing this for 18 years and it’s the first time that I’ve come across the beer kegs getting pinched.”

– AAP