Man, 26, charged with alleged fuel theft from a lorry in Bassetlaw

Police teamwork has resulted in an arrest and seizure of a quad bike after reports of fuel being siphoned from a lorry.

The vehicle, which was parked in a lay-by on the northbound carriageway of the A614 Blyth Road, was targeted during the early hours of today (January 25).

Special constables patrolling in the Bassetlaw area alerted colleagues after disturbing the suspects.

A suspect was quickly detained by the specials, who were assisted at the scene by members of Nottinghamshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit.

A quad bike and a trailer loaded up with fuel barrels were also recovered following the incident.

A 26-year-old man has now been charged with theft from a motor vehicle. He was subsequently released on bail and will next appear at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on February 14.

Inspector Hayley Crawford, District Commander for Bassetlaw, said: “I am pleased we have now charged a man in connection with this ongoing investigation.

“This type of criminality, which can have significant far-reaching impacts on multiple victims, as well as the wider community, will simply not be tolerated and we now await the outcome of this case through the courts.

“This charge is a result of a fantastic all-round team effort which once again demonstrates our ongoing commitment to tackling and reducing vehicle crime and rural crime.

“Recently we have noticed some of those stealing fuel are also using threats of violence and weapons.

“As a force, we remain dedicated to our proactive work to both detect these sorts of crimes and prevent incidents like this from happening across the county by sharing crime prevention advice.

“As such we are reminding drivers to remain vigilant, to think about where they are parking and try to park in official truck stops with security which could be enough to deter would-be thieves.

“We also need the public to continue to report anything suspicious to police to help us combat these sorts of issues which blight so many people’s lives.”

Members of the public can report any suspicious activity or information to Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. In an emergency call 999.