We were very pleased to see PC Chris Garrod, from the Babergh West Safer Neighbourhood Team, at Little Waldingfield Parish Council yesterday evening.
There were two crimes reported in the village in the last month, which is well above average, and both involved thefts from oil tanks. As the price of oil has risen over recent months it seems that this has become a common problem.
Apparently the thieves follow oil tankers to try to identify when oil tanks are being filled, and the police are keen to hear from anyone who sees a vehicle that seems to be doing this.
The best way apparently to deter thieves is to fix an alarm to your oil tank. Padlocks can be a deterrent, but thieves have been known to drill through the side of the tank if their efforts to extract oil through the normal pipes etc. are frustrated. Apparently these alarms can be purchased from the oil companies, and they work by detecting sudden falls in the level of the liquid within the tank.
Another good idea is to screen the tank from the road so that it is less obvious. Wooden trellising is recommended, since this is attractive, can be covered with foliage, and also can be very uncomfortable if it collapses under someone’s weight!
However, I did find a screen made from wattle hurdling below on the net, which would be an attractive alternative. It can be obtained from:
www.countrysideservices.biz
