Rochester Gas & Electric said vandals trying to steal copper from its Russell Station property in Greece drained a nearly 5,000 gallon oil tank, leaving behind an environmental mess.

RG&E said it was notified about the leak Monday. An oil sheen was spotted on Slater Creek, located next to the facility.

The company said the oil sheen was also visible on Lake Ontario. RG&E believes the majority of the oil is on or in the ground in the vicinity of the substation.

The company said it is working with a local environmental business to cleanup the spill.

"We are doing all we can to expedite the containment and cleanup process," said Mark S. Lynch, RG&E president. "We will be on the job until the cleanup is done."

Greece Police are investigating the incident.

RG&E said it still sees people trying to steal copper from time to time, trying to make a quick buck.

In this case, it was the environment that got hurt, but in others it could very easily be the thieves.

"This was a spare transformer. It wasn't energized, but there have been cases in the past all across the country, you read about them in the media occasionally where people have tried to steal copper from energized facilities and you are literally putting your life in your hands when you do that," said RG&E Spokesman Clayton Ellis.

The utility urges anyone who sees suspicious activity near a power facility to call the police.