School Is Targeted Yet Again By Oil Thieves
Oil thieves have struck against Lockerley primary school three times in the past 18 months. When the school reopened after the Christmas holidays on 4th January staff were shocked to discover that there was no heating oil. The school tried to function without the oil on 4th and 5th of January but the principal took the decision to close for the remaining three days of that week. Hazardous conditions on the roads at the time meant that emergency oil supplies could not get to the school quickly enough for the school to remain open.
The principal of the school Ms. Ann Smyth told how there had been half a tank of oil when the school closed for the Christmas holidays but when they returned the fuel indicator was showing a level of zero. The school had to close again from the 6th to the 8th of January, but management continued to try to get more oil delivered. On Thursday 7th January their attempts were successful and the oil delivery finally made it through the snow and ice to deliver 1000 litres of oil to the school. But they were severely disappointed when the following Monday morning they found levels again at zero. It was pointed out by Ms. Smyth that the school had been targeted back in July 2008 but that the thieves had fled after being interrupted.
Staff at the school originally thought that the tank’s gauge was not working until they checked the levels themselves and found that thieves had cut into the top of the tank. The school have now had to increase security to try to prevent further oil thefts. There have been suggestions that many the tank should have a cage placed around it to stop thieves from reaching it. Police are investigating these incidents.
Theft of oil from tanks is a growing crime which has been made worse by the recession and the ever increasing cost of oil.
Getting the home heated up during winter can be very expensive. Gas and electricity are very expensive today, with no signs of prices coming down. Clever people are switching to heating oil as a fuel though. And when this happens they have to ensure the tanks re always full of cheap heating oil ensuring they can always heat their home in winter.
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