Hampshire residents who heat their homes with oil are being urged to take vital steps to prevent them falling victim to thieves this autumn.

More than 21,000 homes in the county use oil for central heating and with temperatures getting colder, homeowners are filling up their tanks ready for the winter months.

So OFTEC, the UK trade body for the oil fired heating industry, is advising oil users to think about the risk of oil theft and take a few simple steps to protect their tanks.

Malcolm Farrow, of OFTEC, said: “Oil is a valuable asset so unfortunately this is a problem that can happen, although thankfully it is rare.

“However, by taking some simple precautions such as fitting lockable caps and installing a security light you can deter thieves. Electronic level gauges and alarms are also very effective in alerting someone to a sudden drop in their oil level.”