'Criminals will watch the market': Warning issued over fuel thefts in Portsmouth as Trump pauses Iran strikes

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has issued advice to people in light of expected heating oil and diesel thefts. Prices have increased significantly after the US-Israeli coalition began striking Iran on February 28.

Police said: “In light of rising oil costs in the UK, we are offering security advice around fuel and heating oil to protect yourself from theft. Many people rely on heating oil to keep their homes warm. Criminals will watch the market and take the opportunity to profit from these kinds of cost increases.”

Bombing raids over Tehran and the rest of the country - hitting military targets, fuel-infrastructure buildings and civilian structures - caused retaliatory action which is being felt in people’s pockets. Iranian forces have been blockading the Strait of Hormuz, where 20 per cent of the world’s crude oil passes through. Cargo ships have been struck by missiles, and mines have been laid in the strategic waterway.

Gulf states have also seen their fuel depots and water desalination plants attacked. Pressure from European and Middle Eastern nations has been building on US President Donald Trump to de-escalate the attacks. Mr Trump had threatened to obliterate Iran’s power plants if the country did not reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz by just before midnight on Monday night.

In a drastic shift, a hallmark of the White House’s recent key decisions in Iran, the president said he would delay the strikes by five days following “very good and productive conversations” with Tehran over the previous two days. He added that the postponement of strikes was “subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions”. Iranian state media reported senior officials in Tehran had denied any negotiations had taken place with the US.

Following the announcement, Downing Street said reports of productive talks were “welcome”. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is due to chair an emergency meeting with the Cobra committee this evening (March 23). He told reporters the meeting would examine “every lever that’s available to Government” to respond to soaring energy prices and the knock-on effect on the cost of living.

His official spokesman added: “We have always said that a swift resolution to the war is in global interests and the Strait of Hormuz specifically needs to be reopened.”

The Prime Minister spoke to the US president on Sunday night, with the pair agreeing reopening the strait was “essential” to stabilise the global energy market. The 20-minute call, described by sources as “constructive”, followed a week in which Mr Trump had heavily criticised Sir Keir’s response to the crisis amid the president’s demand for other nations to send ships to open the strait. Downing Street did not say whether the president had made the prime minister aware of his talks with Tehran during the call.

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Fuel theft prevention advice - Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

Heating oil

• Fuel tanks should be visible from the house to increase the chance of a thief being seen
• Use motion-sensor security lighting and consider installing a motion-sensor alarm in this area
• Use locking fuel caps and fit anti-siphoning devices
• Focus CCTV cameras on the tank
• Install cages or plant prickly plants around the tanks. It is important to screen your tank so that it cannot be seen from the road
• Install a fuel tank alarm – either one that triggers when the cap is tampered with or one that alerts the owner when the fuel level suddenly drops. More advanced systems can be linked to security lighting or send a text message to alert the owner
• The police can only recommend products that have been attack tested and come with the Secured by Design Police Preferred Specification accreditation. The following two websites have a range of these suitable security products: Secured by Design and Sold Secure - Security Product Testing & Approval.

Regarding diesel theft, police said it’s a problem for many farmers and people in rural properties. They added: “Fuel tanks stored in rural and isolated locations are very attractive to thieves looking for an easy target.”

• Keep tanks stored close to the property where you can see them. If this isn’t possible, you should consider installing CCTV to watch over isolated tanks and restrict access with walls, fences and hedges. Security lighting such as ‘dusk till dawn’ or motion detection lighting can also be an effective deterrent to thieves
• Remember to check the oil level in your tank regularly. Look for any spilt fuel, marks on the locks or anything else suspicious
• Avoid installing a storage tank in an isolated area or outlying building
• Consider using a mobile bowser (tanker) kept in a secure place when not in use
• Use ‘diesel dye’, making your diesel traceable and less attractive to thieves