Farmers warned over oil theft rise

With the onset of winter and longer, dark nights, now is the ideal time for thieves to target oil tanks. Farmers are being urged to ensure its fuel is safe, after statistics showed that the theft of heating oil is on the rise.

According to a recent survey, a total of 7,027 fuel related thefts occurred in the UK during the period 2011-2013, and 74 per cent of police forces saw the crime figures rise in 2013.

Research by UK farming insurer NFU Mutual also found that rural theft cost an estimated £44.5m in the UK during 2013 – up 5.2 per cent on the previous year, with oil being ranked the third most commonly targeted item. The study also found that items such as machinery, tractors and even livestock are a prime target.

Paul Madge, of Calor, said: “These figures demonstrate the serious issue of theft for farmers living in off-grid, rural areas. This is a group that is especially at risk as a farm is not only a place of work - it is often a home too, making the effects of oil theft even more of a problem.

This means farmers need to take extra care to secure fuel and other items in farm buildings to avoid theft.


“Heating oil is easy to target as tanks are quite large, and thieves need only to trespass onto the property, pierce the tank and then siphon off the oil. This can be very costly, and if the tank is damaged it’s likely that it will need to be replaced.

In addition to lost oil, there may be spillages, which can cost many thousands of pounds to rectify. In fact, the UK Environment Agency quotes that on average, an oil spill costs a typical business up to £30,000 in fines, clean up charges and production losses.

“Farmers that are unlucky enough to have oil stolen don’t just have the financial implications to worry about. They can also be left with no fuel and unable to provide heat or hot water for their home, which, at the coldest time of the year is felt even more keenly."