Farmers and business owners across New South Wales are being warned to stay alert as fuel thefts spike sharply, driven by soaring global oil prices amid the ongoing Middle East war.
The NSW Rural Crime Prevention team has received multiple reports of diesel theft in just the past two weeks. Police are currently investigating several incidents, including:
800 litres stolen from a property near Orange
500 litres taken from a farm in Nyngan, west of Dubbo
180 litres siphoned from a truck at Duri, near Tamworth
150 litres stolen from a fuel storage facility in Collie, west of Gilgandra
Detective Acting Inspector Andrew McLean said rising commodity prices often trigger spikes in rural theft. “In agriculture, whenever the cost of commodities go up or items used on the farm, they tend to get stolen more,” he said.
The surge in thefts comes as major supply chain disruptions leave some petrol stations running dry, with regional residents reporting weeks‑long delays in replenishing bulk diesel supplies.
“Farmers need their diesel to get their crops in, spray their crops and run their equipment,” Acting Inspector McLean said.
Cowra beetroot farmer Ed Fagan believes more than 1,000 litres of diesel was stolen from pump engines on his property in late January. He described the thieves’ method as “quite an elaborate system,” involving cutting into the delivery line and funnelling fuel into 20‑litre drums inside a van.
Authorities are urging rural communities to increase security around fuel storage as thefts continue to rise.
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