School has thousands of pounds' worth of heating oil stolen

11 June 2012

Posted by Neil Brunskill

A school in Northern Ireland fell victim to heating oil theft over the bank holiday, it has emerged.

Staff and pupils at Meadow Bridge Primary close to Hillsborough returned after enjoying days off for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee to find that thieves had smashed a padlock off the school gates and broken in.

They took 6,500 litres of oil worth £4,000 from two tanks and also some toys and gardening equipment.

Principal Mr Paul Good said the criminals must have used a tanker to make it appear as though they were delivering the fuel in order to avoid raising suspicion.

"Not only do we have to replace the oil but we will also have to consider buying special locks and possibly installing CCTV," he added.

Last month, a spokesperson from the Police Service of Northern Ireland told the Newton Abbey Times people should be on the lookout for unmarked vans or lorries, as most heating oil delivery vehicles will have brand names.

If you have been the victim of a heating oil theft in the last year, visit BoilerJuice's new oil theft watch service to make an anonymous report or to register for free oil theft alerts in your area.