Thieves swoop on fuel store (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Thieves swoop on fuel store

4:00pm Friday 13th April 2012 in Local

Police are appealing for any witnesses to suspicious activity in Ogbourne St Andrew on Tuesday night after thieves took 1,000 litres of fuel after breaking into a locked shed where it was stored.

PCSO Jon Mills said the theft of the fuel, very similar to diesel and which can be used in diesel vehicles, was discovered this morning.

Tracks left by the vehicle used to take the fuel, which must have been equipped with a large tank and pumping equipment, showed it had used a by-way leading off the main Swindon-Marlborough A346 road on the Swindon side of the village and had then been driven across a field to reach the shed.

“Whoever did it had to move three huge Sarsen stones that were blocking their way and they will have needed a vehicle like a Land Rover with a chain to drag them out of the way,” said PCSO Mills.

The officer said he was hoping that people using the A345 might have seen a vehicle turn off onto the by-way, which leads up onto the downs connecting with the Ridgeway. The by-way crosses the Marlborough-Chiseldon railway cycle path opposite the north turning for Ogbourne St Andrew.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PCSO Mills using the Wiltshire police central call line 101 or the confidential Crimestoppers line 0800 555 111.