DAY 41: Crime prevention day held at Pets at Home in Banbury and the team work in partnership with oil companies to prevent thefts of heating oils

As the colder weather approaches, many residents will be having frequent deliveries of heating oil. The Bicester Neighbourhood Policing Team joined Nolan Oils on their rounds last week, to give customers and residents advice relating to oil and fuel thefts.

Setting out at 7am from the depot in Middleton Stoney, the team visited addresses in Chesterton, Wendlebury, Weston on the Green, Hampton Poyle, Combe, Witney and Tackley. Many residents were glad to see the Police working with other companies to tackle problems within the rural community and all received some useful advice around seasonal crimes. 

Here are some top tips for keeping your heating oil and fuel protected from thieves:

•  Defensive planting is nature's way of helping reduce crime: Thieves will not want to fight their way through or over a thorny hedge. Ripped clothing or blood may help the police identify an offender.
• Consider restricting access to the tank with walls, fences and trellising. This should be constructed in close proximity to the tank.
• Consider protecting the tank with metal cages, grills and guards, these are available with lockable access points. Ensure someone is available when the tank needs to be filled.
• Closed shackle padlocks offer the most resistance to the bolt cropper
• Security Lighting: If your tank is visible from your home, this can deter thieves. Low level “dusk til dawn" or PIR motion detection lighting can be effective crime deterrent.
• Remember to check the oil level in your tank regularly, look for any spilt fuel, marks on the locks or anything else suspicious.

You may also find useful information on the Oilsave and OFTEC websites. 

Tuesday (16/12) was a busy day for the 100 days of action team over in Banbury who held a crime prevention day at Pets at Home. 

Crime prevention stall at Pets at Home, Banbury

The team were able to speak to people who live in rural areas and talk about any issues or worries they may have about crime in their area as well as identify people who may be particularly vulnerable to rural crimes.

Last week, PC Gordon Richardson and Regional Watch Co-ordinator Deborah Hextall travelled around West Oxfordshire visiting farm suppliers, stables and riding schools to offer tack security marking and crime prevention advice and also signed people up to the Country Watch Alerts messaging service. Countrywide and Witney Farm Suppliers have expressed an interest in holding their own tack marking days in early 2014. You can sign up to Country Watch Alert to keep an eye out for these events! 

Tack marking at the Agricultural College,. Witney

PC Richardson and Deborah rounded up their week by visiting the Agricultural College in Witney and gave a talk to the students about Country Watch and the work Thames Valley Police have been doing to tackle rural crime. The College are also interested in holding a tack marking event in May 2014 when they hold horse shows.

The team will continue to visit farms over the coming weeks.