Anyone who drives a diesel car in Britain should be careful about where they purchase their fuel from, a UK security form has warned.
Kingdom Systems has warned that thieves may be taking advantage of changes to red diesel laws that came into force earlier this year.
With fuel prices soaring and the cost of living crisis affecting everyone, the firm has said that the law change could lead to a rise in diesel thefts, causing problems for drivers all over the UK.
Birmingham Live reports that Kingdom Systems is encouraging people to only buy their diesel from reputable places, such as fuel stations.
Government ministers stopped offering 'red diesel' to certain sectors, such as construction, earlier this year.
However, this change in policy combined with rising fuel prices could see an increase of thieves looking for tanks located away from fuel forecourts to steal from them.
What is red diesel?
Red diesel is practically the same fuel as diesel, except that it has red dye in it.
It was offered to certain sectors by the Government to support them and help boost their economies.
But the number of companies, groups and organisations who are able to access red diesel was reduced earlier this year to meet new environmental strategies. Only certain industries, from April 1, 2022, including agriculture and rail, are still permitted to use red diesel.
Because red diesel isn't offered to many people now, there is concern that thieves will know this and the stolen diesel won’t be as easily traced - then they can sell it on.
Craig Walton, Director at Kingdom Systems, said: "As ministers have now dropped plans to offer red diesel to construction sites and others, we’re worried it could lead to a tipping point where thieves now target these places knowing their gains will largely be untraceable. And this concerns us.
We would urge all industries who have changed to diesel to be watching their tanks and supplies over the coming months to make sure thieves are not benefitting. It’s imperative to be monitoring over the coming months as watching stocks and supplies will be crucial.
"Motorists, meanwhile, need to make sure they’re purchasing from reputable outlets, as they could be helping the criminals by buying elsewhere."
A spokesman for the Home Office has since told Birmingham Live: "The Home Office does not anticipate reforms leading to fuel theft at scale but will work closely with policing partners to monitor the situation.
"Fuel users storing diesel in tanks or in vehicles and machinery on their site should continue to take steps to ensure this is stored securely."
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