Police in the Fermanagh and Omagh district posted security advice on social media on Sunday, March 8, to prevent heating oil thefts. The guidance targets rural households amid rising oil prices.

Recommendations include fitting high-quality closed-shackle padlocks on tank caps. Property owners should install motion-sensor lighting around tanks. Fencing or prickly hedging can conceal tanks from roads. Remote oil-level alarms that notify phones of sudden drops are also suggested.

Police urged residents to report suspicious vehicles or activity via 101, or 999 if a theft is underway.

The Countryside Alliance advised regular audits of tank levels to detect unexplained losses. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Director of External Affairs at the Countryside Alliance, stated that criminals target unprotected rural tanks, which can be drained quickly, and emphasized following local police advice.