Home heating oil thefts on the increase in Galway

 There have been almost 20 thefts of home heating oil across County Galway over the past couple of months with householders being urged to take steps to secure their tanks.

 The scourge of oil thefts has occurred during the winter months across County Galway in recent years with thousands of litres being stolen.

Gardaí have now confirmed that there have been 18 thefts of oil across the county this winter so far, with schools and business premises also targeted by the criminals.

They say there are reports of the thieves following oil lorries during the day to homes that are often unoccupied.

Thieves also carry out repeat thefts on houses that are unoccupied during the day – they steal small amounts at a time and this goes unnoticed by the householder until the tank is eventually drained. As a result, a lot of the thefts go unreported.

Gardaí admit that it is quite difficult to fully secure an oil tank but stressed that there were a number of companies supplying cages for oil tanks and while they might prove expensive, it was one means of beating thieves.

Schools in the Headford, Oranmore and Ballinasloe areas have also had heating oil stolen in recent weeks.

It is expected that there will be an increase in oil thefts as temperatures drop.

Read more in today’s Connacht Tribune