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08
May
Police to visit local farms after spike in rural fuel thefts
North Yorkshire Police will be visiting local farms in the district, following an increase in rural fuel thefts.
Sharply rising prices caused by constricted oil supply from the Middle East have led to a rash of fuel thefts across the country, and isolated locations have frequently been targeted.
Oil prices doubled in the wake of the United States' and Israel’s attacks on Iran, and even though they have backed down from their peak, they are still 50% higher than they were three months ago, kept high by the ongoing stand-off in the Strait of Hormuz.
Across North Yorkshire and beyond, heating oil, diesel and red diesel – a tax-exempt fuel dyed red for off-road use, primarily in farming and construction – have all been stolen from rural properties.
Speaking about the issue as oil prices spiked earlier in the year, Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said:
It is sadly no surprise that criminals are seeking to profit off the back of a hike in oil prices by preying on rural communities.
An oil tank can be drained within minutes and a tank that's not properly protected will make an easy target for thieves looking to make some quick cash.
With oil being liquid gold right now, following theft preventative advice from local constabularies is essential.
Advice to prevent thefts
North Yorkshire Police has published guidance on its website on how to prevent the theft of fuel oil. It recommends a range of measures, including hiding the location of the oil tank, securing it within a cage, behind lockable gates, and fitted it with a padlock or lockable filler cap.
It also recommends some technological solutions, such as fitting security lights and CCTV cameras, as well as an electronic gauge, which can activate an alarm when the oil level drops.
The Countryside Alliance also recommends planting thorny shrubs around tanks, checking stocks and keeping a regular inventory, and investing in insurance.
Any farmers who would like North Yorkshire Police to visit should email harrogate.outer@northyorkshire.police.uk to arrange a time and date.
Anyone with any information about fuel theft or other crime should report it by calling 101, or 999 if suspicious activity is in progress.
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