Cromford mining firm signs up to diesel dye scheme to beat fuel thieves

Operation Dynamo is a Derbyshire Dales Community Safety Partnership project that offers dyeing kits to local companies, which they then add to diesel reserves with fuel in them.

Officers will be dipping fuel tanks and to check if specially marked diesel, stolen from those companies, is present and if so, to trace where it has come from.

The partnership, led by police and Derbyshire Dales District Council, is offering the dye to firms along with warning posters saying fuel has been marked, which can help deter thieves from targeting them.

One of the latest firms to sign up is Slinter Mining, based in Cromford, which now has a diesel dye kit to use in its fuel tanks.

PC Chad Fullerton, from Matlock Bath, Cromford and Bonsall Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “The theft of fuel is an offence that we’ve seen a slight rise in recent months and one that can be crippling to businesses that have a fleet of vehicles.

“We’re trying to help local businesses protect themselves with these kits, which are fantastic in the way they work.

“Thieves will target fuel tanks if they think they are unprotected but adding the dye means that we can tell if it is stolen. Criminals know this, and if they see that the diesel is protected they will think twice about going to steal it.

“The theft of fuel doesn’t just affect businesses, though, and we will be giving advice to drivers as well about what they can do to protect themselves from thieves as well.”

Each diesel dye kit contains enough of the solution to colour 1,000 litres of diesel, a sign alerting people that the fuel is marked, and stickers to be placed on the tanks of vehicles or on storage tanks.

Derbyshire Dales District Council’s crime and disorder reduction officer, Karen Cooper, said: “I’m delighted more businesses are signing up to Operation Dynamo because initiatives such as this deter thieves, and help us to maintain the Dales’ record as one of the lowest crime areas in the country.”

Businesses interested in signing up to Operation Dynamo should contact Karen on 01629 761187 or email [email protected].