In the past eighteen months Lockerley primary school has been targeted three times by oil thieves. When the school reopened after the Christmas holidays on 4th January staff were shocked to discover that there was no heating oil. They battled it out on the 4th and 5th of January but the decision was then made that the school could not stay open without oil. With the horrendous weather sweeping the United Kingdom at the time it was impossible for emergency supplies of oil to get to the school and it was forced to close again for three days.
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. Management persevered in their attempts to get emergency oil supplies delivered to the school despite having to close it from the 6th to 8th January. It was not until late on Thursday January 7th that there was a breakthrough and the oil company managed to get 1000 litres of oil to the school. However their joy was short lived as they found the gauge again showing empty the following Monday morning. Ms. Smyth also told of how thieves had tried to steal oil from the tank in July 2008 but were interrupted and fled.
Ms. Smyth spoke of how they first thought that the gauge on the tank was broken but it was only when they actually climbed up to see the oil in the tank that they found the lock had been cut and that the oil had been stolen. It has now been necessary for the schools security measures to be increased to try to stop further 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.
Some people spend a lot of money heating their homes in the winter. 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 to ensure they never run out.