Police advice to 'protect your heating oil' after thefts in Fermanagh and Omagh
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has urged residents to ‘stay vigilant’ following a number of home heating oil thefts.
In a social media post on Sunday, March 8, police in the Fermanagh and Omagh district shared a number of security tips to keep oil safe.
They include:
- Lock it: use high-quality, closed-shackle padlocks on tank caps;
- Light it: install motion-sensor security lighting around your tank;
- Hide it: long term, use fencing or prickly hedging to keep your tank out of sight from the road;
- Alarm it: consider a remote oil-level alarm that alerts your phone if levels drop suddenly.
"Report any suspicious vehicles or activity in your area to us immediately via 101 or indeed, via 999 if the crime is in progress,” the post added.
With the price of oil continuing to rise due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, the Countryside Alliance also recommended rural households keep a regular audit of how much oil is in their tanks in order to be aware of sudden drops.
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."