Herefordshire Fuel Theft Warning

Police in Herefordshire have issued a security warning to people in the county after a fuel theft near Ross-on-Wye. The incident occurred at a secluded property in Walford sometime between 12pm on Tuesday 28 August and 12pm on Thursday 30 August.

Sometime during the time period in question it appears thieves entered an unlocked garage at the address and then stole around 10 litres of petrol from inside.

The petrol was stored in three separate containers and the thieves took the containers with the fuel inside.

A police spokesman said:

"Although the value of the stolen petrol in this incident is fairly low, with the price of fuel now increasing once again, we would like to remind anyone who stores fuel to ensure it is being stored safely and securely.

"Always lock any buildings you keep the fuel in and if you have an actual fuel tank at your property, please ensure that it is locked and as secure as it can possibly be. It would also be worth thinking about investing in security marking fluid such as Smartwater because we may then be able to directly connect an individual with an offence if we make an arrest.

"We would also ask anyone who sees any vehicles or individuals they are suspicious of - especially in rural areas - to call us with those details so that we can act on the information and carry out checks off the back of the call.

"Meanwhile, anyone with information about the theft in Walford is asked to contact West Mercia Police on 101 or 0300 333 3000, quoting incident number 611S 300812.

"Alternatively, please remember Crimestoppers can also be called anonymously on 0800 555 111 if you'd rather leave information without identifying yourself."

Issued: Monday 3 September 2012