150 Litres of Red Diesel Stolen From Farm in Suffolk
Suffolk Police in eastern England are investigating the theft of about 150 litres of red diesel from a farm near the village of Metfield. Police in neighbouring Essex have meanwhile issued advice to rural residents on protecting fuel stores.
Police in Suffolk, a county in eastern England, are investigating the theft of about 150 litres of red diesel from a farm near the village of Metfield. Red diesel is the fuel used in agriculture and construction. In neighbouring Essex, police have at the same time urged rural residents to better protect their fuel supplies.
What is known about the theft
According to Suffolk Constabulary, a report was received of a theft from farm premises on Fressingfield Road, Metfield. It happened between 10:00pm on 29 October and 30 October. A spokesperson said the suspect or suspects damaged a red diesel tank and took roughly 150 litres of fuel.
Police are asking anyone with information or CCTV footage from that night to contact them, quoting crime reference number 37/64153/26.
Advice from Essex Police
Inspector Terry Jacobs of the Essex Police Rural Engagement Team said the number of thefts across the county has started to rise and is likely linked to the current price of diesel. More incidents are being recorded between midnight and 4:00am. He singled out people working in agriculture and construction.
His recommendations:
- keep tanks close to the property where they can be seen;
- if that is not possible, install CCTV and restrict access with walls, fences and hedges;
- use security lighting, such as dusk-till-dawn or motion-detection lights;
- lock tank caps and keep vehicles locked;
- avoid placing a tank in an isolated area or outlying building;
- consider a mobile bowser (tanker) kept in a secure place when not in use.
Jacobs also advised checking tank levels regularly and looking for spilt fuel, marks on locks or anything else suspicious. Thefts should be reported to the police, and anyone witnessing a crime in progress should call 999. According to the inspector, information from the public helps police identify emerging crimes and develop tactics to tackle them.
