Kerosene worth £4,000 stolen from Aberdeenshire farm

Thieves have stolen £4,000 oil from a Mearns farm.

The culprits struck at a farm near Marykirk on Saturday, making off with 5,000 litres of kerosene.

Kerosene, or paraffin oil,  is widely used in rural areas as a source of fuel.

Police now say rural fuel tanks have become targeted due to increasing fuel costs.

Warnings have been raised as organised crime groups seem to capitalising on the situation.

Crime reduction officer PC Mike Urquhart said: “This is a very busy time of year for farmers. Criminals will be take full advantage of fuel tanks being full, high prices and farmers away from farms for long periods of time.”

In March, Lauren Elrick reported feeling “absolutely devastated” after oil was stolen from their home which was needed to keep their three-year-old girl warm.

However, not all thieves have been successful. In June, robbers targeted a farm in Portsoy but fled after triggering an alarm.

How should you protect your fuel?

The UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association have issued advice on how to deal with oil tank security.

• If your tank has a lid then fit suitable locks
• Fit CCTV to monitor the tank
• A remote electronic fuel level gauge can help identify if the level suddenly drops – it can be kept in the house

Anyone with information regarding the theft is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 1869 of August 22.