Hundreds of litres of diesel stolen in Pendle

Over £700 worth of fuel was siphoned from cars and industrial wagons in the incidents which occurred in Barnoldswick and Kelbrook over a two-week-period.

And a variety of items worth more than £600 were also targeted by thieves.

Police believe the similar incidents may be connected and that special equipment may have been used to siphon the ‘significant’ amounts of fuel.

Between Saturday September 13 and Monday September 15, thieves climbed into the premises of haulage company Reid Atkinson Ltd, at Eden Works, Colne Road, Kelbrook and siphoned diesel from five tipper trucks.

In the same incident, property worth £611 was stolen from the vehicle cabs.

Two hundred litres of diesel worth £200 was taken from one wagon at Hemingway Car and Commercial, Ravenscroft Way, Barnoldswick, at 3.30am on Wednesday September 24.

And another £120 worth of diesel was siphoned from the tank of a Leyland box van, at the nearby Well House Yard, Well House Road, also in Barnoldswick.

Three cases of Pepsi, a case of Fanta and a catering-sized container of coffee worth £45 were also stolen from the site.

Then overnight between Friday September 26 and 12pm on Saturday September 27, 400 litres of fuel worth £450 was siphoned from industrial vehicles at Wolfenden Concrete, Colne Road, Kelbrook.

There have been a number of fuel thefts across Pendle over the summer.

Sgt Matt Henderson, of Nelson Police, said: “These are significant amounts of fuel that have been taken and we believe the thieves have used decent pumping equipment o be able to siphon it and then carry it away.

“We have had great success following fuel thefts over the summer and have arrested and charged two people in connection with them, but this recent spate has caused us some concern and we would like to find the offenders, so we are appealing to anyone who might have information, to come forward.”

Anyone with information should contact Nelson Police on 01282 472604 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.