Fuel thefts doubled in 2022, warns NFU Mutual

Diesel theft has doubled in the UK in 2022, as thieves look to capitalise on the soaring cost of fuel at the pumps, according to rural insurer NFU Mutual.

Although final figures are not expected until the new year, rural affairs specialist Hannah Binns said the insurer’s latest claims indications suggest the cost and number of diesel thefts had doubled in 2022.

See also: Fears of post-Covid rural crime surge as cost claims soar

The latest reported incident was in Suffolk, where 8,000 litres of fuel were stolen from a farm on Valley Road, Newton, near Sudbury. The theft happened on Friday 16 December, when fuel was siphoned from vehicles and a storage tank.

It is the latest incident of its kind in Suffolk, where about 1,750 litres of white diesel was stolen from a business in Long Melford earlier in the month.  

Suffolk police are appealing to anyone with information to get in touch, quoting crime reference number 37/79567/22.

“Extremely worrying”

NFU Mutual describes the rise in diesel theft as “extremely worrying” and has issued fresh advice to farmers on securing their tanks, urging them to “turn their farmyards into fortresses” this winter to protect diesel and other fuels from thieves.

“The theft of this essential fuel not only leaves farmers with restocking bills, but can interrupt vital farm work, adding further pressures for businesses,” said Ms Binns.

“As well as the loss of expensive fuel, thieves often damage tanks, leaving fuel running into the ground, where it can cause horrendous pollution as well as an increased fire risk.”

Ms Binns advised farmers to look at their boundaries, entrance and exit points and ensure good perimeter security.

“Other measures include recording the number, location and storage capacity of tanks, the date and times when they are filled, and regularly checking levels,” she said.

Where possible, the tank should be located where it can be viewed from the farmhouse, ideally within an enclosed compound with secured access.

“It may be worth fitting a fuel tank alarm to notify you of an attack on fuel tanks as well as joining a farm watch or rural watch group to work with the local community, to be the eyes and ears of the countryside and share sightings of suspicious vehicles,” Ms Binns added.