NSW Police Force Rural Crime Prevention issue warning to rural properties after 1000L of diesel fuel stolen in Coleambally

The incident is part of a major fuel theft trend happening across the state, with a diesel trailer stolen in the New England region last week and nearly 2000 litres of diesel from Walgett in northern NSW last month.

The reports, which according to police do not wholly reflect the large number of smaller thefts across the state, are occurring as fuel prices remain steady above $2 a litre.

Southwest zone coordinator for the NSW Police rural crime prevention team, Detective Sergeant Damien Nott said he has seen a recent increase in fuel theft.

"Our strategy is to provide information about what we call target hardening," he said. "Strategies that producers can take to make sure that they reduce the chances of becoming a victim of theft.

"That can be a whole raft of things from a simple lock and chain on a gate or a padlock on your fuel bowser, securing your pumps, keeping them within line of sight - if you've got mobile pumps, things like surveillance cameras."

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Despite notable recent thefts, Mr Nott said all properties are at risk, especially in the current climate of historically high fuel prices.

"It can be large scale, broad acre properties that are obviously going to have larger amounts of fuel on property, right down to small operators," he said.

"We're not seeing any particular patterns - if you've got fuel, you're potentially a victim."

Mr Nott encouraged any victim of fuel theft to report it so the matter can be passed along to specialist investigators.

"But the biggest message is that prevention is better than cure," he said.

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