Thieves Holm

Thieves Holm is a small island in Orkney, Scotland.

Thieves Holm

View of Thieves Holm
Location
Thieves Holm Thieves Holm shown within Orkney
OS grid reference	HY461147
Coordinates	59.01°N 2.93°W / 59.01; -2.93
Physical geography
Island group	Orkney
Administration
Council area	Orkney Islands
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Demographics
Population	0

Geography and geology

Thieves Holm is due north of Mainland, Orkney at the mouth of Kirkwall Bay, between the Mainland and the isle of Shapinsay. It is at the west end of the strait between Mainland and Shapinsay, known as the String. It is south west of the tidal island of Helliar Holm.^[1]

The name is said to derive from the practice of banishing thieves and witches there. The island is uninhabited and home to a variety of wildlife including cormorants, kittiwakes and seals.^[2]