Police warning to High Peak residents over heating oil thefts

Police have issued security advice to High Peak residents after recent heating oil theft attempts in the area.
By Louise Cooper
Published 15th Mar 2021, 15:03 BST
Updated 15th Mar 2021, 15:05 BST
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Officers are urging anyone who may have an exterior oil tank for their property to take extra measures and secure their tanks.

Posting on Facebook, the Buxton Police Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “Heating oil theft is extremely costly and makes you question the safety of your home. Thieves are attracted to the remote location of many heating oil tanks and can steal thousands of pounds worth of oil quickly and discreetly.

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“Although most cases of theft occur in winter, it is important to be vigilant year-round as it is believed many crimes go unreported due to lack of evidence.”

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Police have issued advice to High Peak residents after recent attempted heating oil thefts in the areaPolice have issued advice to High Peak residents after recent attempted heating oil thefts in the area
Police have issued advice to High Peak residents after recent attempted heating oil thefts in the area

The team have now issued six top prevention tips.

Install a Heating Oil Tank Alarm. This can be a good idea to alert you to a dip in your oil levels. Alarms can alert you from indoors, or you can get notifications sent to yur mobile phone. Install CCTV. This could help potentially deter thieves from targeting you, but if they do, it can help you catch them in the act. Signs alerting others you have CCTV in place can also help as a visible security step. Get Security Lighting. Many thieves strike at night so security lighting is effective as it will interrupt and draw attention to any thieves on your land and hopefully deter them. Put Gravel Around Your Tank. This will make the surrounding area noisy which is often enough to put thieves off. Keep Your Tank Hidden. Thieves use Google Maps to find satellite images of heating oil tanks and target homes so householders should take every measure the can to hide their tank, leaving enough space to allow for delivery access and maintenance. Roofs are an effective way to hide your tank, as this way your tank will not be visible on satellite images and you can rest assured that thieves will not be able to find it online. Lock it up. Thieves will bring tools to access your tank, so it’s a good idea to keep your Heating Oil tank locked with a high-quality padlock.

Anyone who does fall victim to heating oil theft should call police on 101 to report the offence.

Fairfield community group awarded £24,000 to help support more people