Church suffers from fuel thieves again

HEATING-oil thieves have left a £5,000 trail of damage in a repeat attack on a Sidley church.

All Saints' was first hit four months ago in a raid believed to have been by an organised gang.

Now industrial-sized heaters have had to be hired to keep worshippers warm at Christmas and the church's oil tank and other equipment will have to be replaced.

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Churchwarden John Hickie told the Observer: "We have had a massive disaster here. Back in August we had an attack on the fuel tank.

"Someone spotted people going down the side of the hall with cans. The police were called but the thieves ran off. They stole about 300 worth of heating fuel by syphoning it from the Atkinson gauge, which vents the tank and tells you how much oil is in the tank."

In the latest raid, the gang may have stolen only about 100 worth of fuel before being scared off because wires they had ripped from the security lighting fitted after the first raid were sparking badly. But the bill for the damage will top 5,000, says the churchwarden.

Mr Hickie said the latest attack was between 10pm last Thursday and 8am last Friday and there had been a terrible stench of fuel oil from the back of the church. Investigation revealed a large hole had been made in the side of the tank and fuel had been seeping out overnight.

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The thieves had left equipment behind in making their escape; including a hose pushed through the hole and into the tank.

Security covering put over the tank after the first attack had been ripped off.

Mr Hickie paid tribute to heating engineers Maskells of Eastbourne.

"They were brilliant. They brought in a massive great lorry and machinery and have filtered and saved about 1,300 litres of fuel.

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"But we have lost about a thousand litres '“ worth about 1,000.

"The thieves probably only got about 100 worth of fuel but the tank is a write-off and will have to be replaced. It will need a new case and new security lighting.

"This wasn't the work of yobs at all. This was organised. It would have needed strong adults."

But the defiant churchwarden added: "We are still up and running! We have got temporary heating.

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"We have hired two Calor gas cabinet heaters and four industrial-sized electric turbo heaters which run off the mains.

"On Thursday we are taking delivery of two massive propane turbo-heaters. It is all being paid for by the insurance. But, of course, the cost will be reflected in increased church premiums.

"We are insured with the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, as is every church in the diocese. But this does mean every church will have increased premiums."

St Augustine's Church was hit by a similar attack earlier this year.