A fuel theft from a farm has prompted a warning that, as prices rise, farmers must be mindful about on-farm security.
A property in Enfield, west of Oamaru, had fuel taken from a 1000-litre and a 400-litre petrol tank recently.
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Federated Farmers rural security spokesperson Miles Anderson said the incident highlighted the need for people to be security focused when installing fuel tanks.
"You've got to put them in high-use parts of your farm, where people could notice any suspicious activities including visits from unknown people and vehicles.
"Fuel prices are going up and when fuel is expensive people steal it," Mr Anderson said.
A 2016 Federated Farmers crime survey of 1012 respondents showed that 25 percent of participants had been victims of fuel thefts - the third highest crime reported.
Mr Anderson wants to see all thefts reported to the police.
"If they're not reported they're not recorded and police will not allocate resources to rural communities." he said.
Tips to keep fuel secure include:
- Ensuring fuel tanks are secured and locked
- Install security lighting that lights up fuel tanks and fueling areas
- Keep an inventory of fuel consumption so any thefts can be identified quickly
- Take note of suspicious vehicles and activities in rural areas
- Install fuel tank locking devices on all petrol and diesel tanks on your property
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