Fuel thefts on the rise as price hikes continue

The rising cost of fuel and shortages in some parts of the country brought about by the threat of a strike by delivery drivers has triggered a spate of fuel thefts, according to the NFU Mutual.

It has been estimated that about 1.5 million households in rural parts of the UK that use heating oil as their primary source of heat.

Tim Price of NFU Mutual said: “Heating oil and red diesel, typically used by farmers to power tractors working the land, are both essential in the countryside. We find that whenever the price of a commodity goes up rural thieves very quickly respond by targeting it.”

He pointed out that the cost of heating oil had risen 10 per cent over the last six months, from just over 57p per litre in October 2011 to just over 63p per litre at the start of April. In the same period, red diesel has gone up 8 per cent, from just over 67p per litre to just over 73p per litre.

Price said that last year, fuel theft, driven by cold weather and high prices, cost victims an average of £1,430 in lost fuel, with businesses averaging a loss of £1,743 and personal claims coming in at £911.

In some cases, he said thieves had been known to return for a second time to steal replacement fuel from the same households, hitting rural homeowners and businesses twice as they forked out for replacement heating oil or diesel and clean-up costs due to damaged tanks – thieves will often damage tanks in the process of removing the fuel.

Price added: “Leaking oil or diesel can contaminate the soil and water courses and the property owner may then be responsible for any specialist clean-up.”