County placed third in country for fuel theft

Lincolnshire has been placed in the top three in the UK for losses from commercial fuel theft.
Angus Blundell, director of marketing at Certas Energy. EMN-170301-101928001Angus Blundell, director of marketing at Certas Energy. EMN-170301-101928001
Angus Blundell, director of marketing at Certas Energy. EMN-170301-101928001

The ranking follows research by fuel specialists Certas Energy, conducted through Freedom of Information requests.

The county finished third among those areas that provided data for the total value of commercial fuel thefts in 2015, with a sum of £118,585.

Second place went to West Mercia, on £247,288.11, with Greater Manchester top ranked on £265,044.31.

Rounding out the top five was Derbyshire, on £112,312.49, and Hertfordshire, on £108,061.73.

Lincolnshire, unlike West Mercia, Greater Manchester or Hertfordshire, did not feature in the top five in terms of total recorded incidents of commercial fuel thefts in 2015, suggesting the cost of individuals raids in Lincolnshire was relatively high.

The research found a total of £2,099,518 worth of fuel – commercial and domestic – was recorded as stolen across the UK in 2015.

Lincolnshire did not finish in the top five in terms of domestic fuel theft.

Angus Blundell, director of marketing at Certas Energy, said: “Although £2m is a shocking number, not all police forces held or recorded the total value of oil theft, meaning this could be the tip of the iceberg for oil theft.

“Whether the theft is bilking from a petrol forecourt, or draining heating oil from domestic oil tanks, it is important that these crimes are seen as severe as burglary.”

Certas Energy has advice on fuel monitoring and security at www.certasenergy.co.uk/domestic/products-and-services/fuel-monitoring-and-security