Clifford believes home heating oil theft highlights a wider inequality facing rural Northern Ireland.
“While urban households often have access to gas networks and a choice of energy suppliers many rural households depend on a single fuel source stored outside their homes,” she said.
“This creates a unique vulnerability to crime that disproportionately affects rural residents, particularly older people, low-income households, and farms.”
“Rural communities are often at their strongest when neighbours look out for one another, so if you notice suspicious activity, unfamiliar vehicles repeatedly visiting an area, or anyone behaving unusually around fuel tanks, report it to the PSNI.”
A spokesperson for the PSNI said fuel tanks can often be seen as “easy pickings” for thieves.
“By taking precautions you can protect your oil – lock and disguise your tank, fit a ‘level Gauge’ with audible alarm and consider installing security lighting and CCTV.”
