Gangs Behind 200 Tractors Disappearing

British farms appear to be under threat as more than 200 high value tractors have increasingly disappeared from farms. The blame is resting on organised crime and gangs who are believed to be making themselves millions from selling the vehicles on abroad or for parts.

It seems that criminals are defying the law with fake documents to cash in on overseas markets, with Poland as the top destination. The tractors stolen from UK farms over December 2012 and January 2013 are worth around £25000, a 35% increase in tractor theft compared to the previous months.

Clive Harris, a vehicle security expert from the NFU Mutual Insurers said “The sudden increase in farm vehicle theft is extremely concerning as in the past we have recovered vehicles from Poland as the market is strong for stolen tractors. However at the moment, tractors are completely disappearing.” It is thought that lorries can get these stolen tractors out of the country in a matter of hours, and the sheer number of lorries at ports makes it impossible to security check every lorry for stolen tractors.

Insurers have said the way to tackle this growing problem is on-site security. John Deere is now manufacturing every new tractor in the UK and Ireland with the Construction and Agricultural Equipment Security and Registration Scheme (CESAR) datatag security system, as well as a unique immobiliser and key system.

For more information on keeping your equipment secure visit John Deere.co.uk.

Oil Thefts in Kent Prompt Police Warnings

A warning has been issued to oil tank owners of Kent from the police about following their crime preventing advice, due to a series of thefts in rural areas.

The recent freezing weather has obviously sparked home owners to fill their tanks to cope, but this makes them targets for fuel thieves, especially as “thieves might believe people are filling up oil tanks after using more fuel than usual during the recent cold weather” said Sergeant Alison Oates from Ashford district police.
It isn’t just homes that thieves have been targeting, but churches, community buildings and businesses.
The Kent police issued a series of tips such as keeping gates closed, having some form of security whether it is CCTV or lighting or a padlock, lockable cap or fitting. By taking security measures you are likely to deter criminals or at least prevent them from stealing much oil if they aware of your preventative measures.

Contact Kent Police on 101 if you spot any unusual or suspicious vehicles in the area or near known oil tank areas, or call 999 if you see a theft taking place.

Fuel Theives Target Lincolnshire

Vehicles on a Lincolnshire industrial estate have experienced fuel theft where it is thought that around 150 litres of diesel has been stolen from removal trucks.

Clockwork Removals site was broken into between Friday 25th and Monday 28th January, when no staff were at Fairfield industrial estate in Louth due to it being the weekend. However this is not the first incident on this site that operates four vehicles and one trailer off-site, and it is Clockwork Removals’ second theft in the last five years.
Toby Swain, the Clockwork branch manager said “The thieves are going on a spree across the industrial estate. Now it’s just a case of patching up the fence and making sure the CCTV is working”.

If you have any information please contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 or if you are looking for security for your fuel please visit Commercial Fuel Solutions.

Kerosene Prices

As Britain has experienced some unexpectedly cold spells this winter including snow, heating oil is obviously a concern to many who heat their homes with a fuel tank and heating oil.

It appears that the price of kerosene for your tank seems to be steadily dropping after a massive increase recently. With daily research of fuel prices, it has become apparent that the prices are finally dropping as kerosene today on the 7th February is on average 65p per litre, therefore helping to heat your home and being a bit less of a strain on your wallet.

For up to date fuel, oil and diesel prices visit www.fueloildiesel.co.uk where you can subscribe to receive daily fuel prices straight to your inbox via email.

Fuel Smuggling Reaches Crisis Point in Greece

Greece’s Finance Ministry have confirmed that the annual loss of money for fuel smuggling is €600m after a meeting about the issue this week.

The government have already tried to tackle this issue through the decision to equate taxation on heating oil and diesel, but it is not deterring smugglers. Fuel retailers have already criticised the government for not taking action sooner against smuggling and have blamed the controlling bodies inefficiency such as border crossing point, customs and the tax administration.

The meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras, considered how to combat the fuel smuggling issue. From the meeting a new plan has emerged for installing a system of controlling the fuel outflow from fuel station dispensers in Athens and Thessaloniki before the end of March this year, with hopes to be extended nationwide by March 2014.

As Britain Begins to Freeze, Demand for Heating Oil Rises

Now that we are halfway through January, the temperatures are dropping and many places in the UK are being affected by snow, the demand for heating oil will be rising to deal with the cold weather. Make sure you monitor the oil level of your tank to ensure you don’t run out. For an excellent way to monitor your oil levels you can purchase the Watchman Sonic from Commercial Fuel Solutions to keep an eye on your tank from indoors and will be able to see when your tank is getting low and needs refilling.
	With the demand of heating oil rising, also comes the risk of oil theft. Make sure you don’t fall victim to heating oil theft by taking preventative measures to deter thieves. Concealing your tank through the use of bushes, fences or even more security such as motion sensitive lights are an affordable but effective method to scare off thieves. A Watchman Alarm is able to monitor if the oil level in your tank has dropped dramatically within a short space of time (indicating a leak or theft) and the Alarm will alert you of this rapid decrease. So don’t risk it this winter, protect your heating oil.

Pollution from Oil Theft Damages the Environment

Pollution has now become an unfortunate added extra if you have been a victim of heating oil theft, which is why police have been urging people who have suffered from theft to report it not only to them but to the Environment Agency.

There is the danger that when your oil tank is broken into, they can often be damaged and what oil hasn’t been taken can leak. The Environment Agency notes that the theft of oil is damaging the environment by leaking out onto the ground and can even affect nearby water and underground water supplies. As well as this, the financial cost of cleaning up an oil spill can cost thousands of pounds.

Police have advised oil tank owners to up their security by concealing tanks, using locks or alarms, but the Environment Agency says that the impact of oil theft on water sources is overlooked and more needs to be done to stop this contamination. 

Speed is the key, so as soon as you have noticed a leak or theft, then contact the Environment Agency to ensure that it is dealt with properly and to prevent the oil spreading.