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Farmers urged to take precautions against diesel thefts

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By J.C. Taylor | Tuesday, May 13, 2008 |

ALEDO, Ill. — The Mercer County Sheriff’s Department is reminding area farmers to be protective of tanks containing diesel fuel.

Now that diesel has topped $4 a gallon, it has become a potential target for thieves.

The sheriff’s office is investigating the theft of 100 gallons of diesel fuel, which was siphoned from a semi truck parked in New Windsor. The theft occurred sometime between Friday and Monday.

“With us being a rural community, there are a lot of farmers out in the fields busy now,” Mercer County Sheriff Tom Thompson said. “A lot of farmers have personal tanks on their property and with the rural area, those types of places become more prone to someone stealing gas or stealing diesel fuel.”

Representatives of the Scott and Rock Island county sheriff’s departments said no diesel fuel thefts have been reported other than sporadic drive-offs.

In recent years, farmers also have been told to guard their anhydrous ammonia supplies because the product is a key ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Tanks should not be left unattended and should be parked in well lit areas. That same advice is now being given for farm implements that run on diesel fuel. The tanks should be locked and the machine should be stored in a sheltered or well-lit area.

“Make sure you have some sort of locking mechanism on your tanks and hoses,” Thompson said. “If you have an independent tank that you have with diesel fuel in it, make sure the area is well-lit. These types of things can help deter fuel thefts.”

Anyone with information on the fuel theft in New Windsor is asked to contact Mercer County Crime Stoppers at (309) 582-3500 or toll-free at (800) 582-2762.