Thieves steal £11K of diesel from Gloucestershire garage
A GARAGE from the Forest of Dean has lost thousands of pounds after thieves targeted its diesel supply.
John Hall and John Martin, who run the Ross Road Garage in Huntley, were left more than £11,000 out of pocket after a large amount of diesel was siphoned from their tank.
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TARGETED: Ross Road Garage owners John Hall, left and John Martin.
Mr Hall, who has been at the site for more than 20 years, said the garage and neighbouring businesses were often targeted because of their remote location.
He said: "We get our fair share of burglaries, but nobody ever seems to see anything.
"We've all been robbed along here at some point. It just seems to be one after the other, because we're so far out.
"We also don't have the police presence we used to. Years ago we had a patrol car which could come down the road looking in on us, but there's none of that now."
Mr Hall said the thieves had managed to find their way into the tank via a manhole cover in the ground.
He said: "It must have been very early in the morning on Saturday February 27.
"We'd had a delivery on the Thursday, so there was plenty of it in there.
Manhole
"They removed the manhole cover, then they broke the lock which was holding the top on, and then they must have got a large tube and sucked it out.
"They must have had a big truck to take it away, because that's a lot of fuel."
Mr Hall said the cost of replacing the fuel had been incredibly expensive.
He said: "To put back what we had before they came cost us £11,237.
"Quite a few stations have been done like ours, and although I admit we're in business to make money, we also employ people and we need to be able to protect their jobs."
A police investigation has been launched and officers are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward.
A Gloucestershire police spokeswoman said: "Between 10pm on Friday February 26 and 8.15am on Saturday February 27, 9680 litres of fuel were stolen from a garage in Huntley. The stolen diesel is valued at around £10,000.
"In the last year there have been a total of four thefts or burglaries from business premises in Ross Road, these range from the theft of an advertising board to the theft of 150 decking boards.
If you have any information about the theft of diesel from the Ross Road garage you should call the police on 0845 090 124 and quote incident 140 of February 27.
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by Ben Dinroad, Animal Farm
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 9:00PM
“Dear Blank, is that your name or a description of your personality?
I guess you're one of those ever moaning farmers. Oh dear, it's too hot, or oh dear, it's too cold or oh dear, it's too dry or of dear, it's too wet.
I'm glad the supermarkets are squeezing your pips, cos that's what you've been doing to the public for years. Still, I bet the handouts from the EC come in handy eh. Spongers.”
by Blackdog, faraway
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 2:16PM
“Peter, Cheltenham "I still think in gallons and 11,000 litres equates to 5000 gallons; think how big a 1000 gal tank for domestic heating is (8ftx4ftx4ft) and think how big 4 times that is."
Whose gallons do you think in?
9680 litres (from police) =2,129 UK gallons
(That's still quite a lot, btw) :)
AND
5,000 gallons/1,000 gallons = 5 (an easy mistake) :) :)”
by supertaxed, fod
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 1:20PM
“Although i have sympathy for the owners, it does make a change for the garage to be robbed. Now they know how we feel every time we fill up!!! (just a lighthearted comment, no need for anyone to get on their high horse) no police patrols? no, surely you must be mistaken? I thought our fearless leader promised they would be out and about 80% of the time?????”
by Peter, Cheltenham
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 7:14AM
“I still think in gallons and 11,000 litres equates to 5000 gallons; think how big a 1000 gal tank for domestic heating is (8ftx4ftx4ft) and think how big 4 times that is. How long it took to pump out that much fuel would depend on the size of the pump but surely someone heard the pump as any pump would have been noisy and on that road someone must have driven past no matter what time of night the thieves struck. You have to give them credit for the nerve at least.”
by FºCUS, glos
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 1:56AM
“Tom, Glos
magic”
by Blank, Glos
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 10:21PM
“Ignorant comment by Dinroad. Dont forget where your food comes from you ignorant person! When food eventually runs short im sure you'd be the first to ask the farmers for help!!
It was probably pikeys which pinched the fuel as they cause nothing but problems for everyone!!”
by Ben Dinroad, Ahead
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 9:00PM
“How come the Forest have a copper patrolling at night? We want one in Gloucester.
I bet it was one of those poor old farmers. They are the only people who could stash a white van the size of a tanker. Or is it the caravan snatchers?”
by Tom, Glos
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 7:23PM
“There is no way you'd get 10,000 litres in a transit van!!
Fuel companies use 10,000 litre tankers, and they are 18ton 2 axle lorrys. The weight of that amount of fuel would be in excess of 7 tons. Trust me, I drive one!”
by S, Cheltenham
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 5:07PM
“But that £11,000 includes the 70% or so tax only liable at sale.
So the loss is really only about £3000.
Petty thieft nowadays so the Police probably won't even bother because the offenders if caught (unlikely) will only get wrapped knuckles.
Never the less the garage owner has my sympathy.”
by Tony the Tiger, Frosties
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 4:33PM
“Might be a leak - have they checked?”