Police officers in Kinross-shire have been forced to extend “indefinitely” a crackdown on rural crime, due to a rise in fuel thefts.
Remote communities across the area have been targeted by thieves with increasing frequency since the beginning of the year.
Many of the incidents have been attributed to roving bands of criminals, who have visited the area to raid farms and homes.
Soaring prices at the pump are believed to have led to the increase in attacks upon private and commercial vehicles, domestic properties and storage tanks.
The thefts have blighted rural Tayside in recent years. Many remote homes have fuel in outside containers, while other properties use red diesel for farm machinery, and these have proved easy pickings.
Inspector Iain Ward, senior officer for south section, is, however, keen to reassure the community that his team is doing everything possible to prevent such crimes.
“We have had some good successes recently in the disruption of travelling criminals, and inquiries from these are progressing apace,” he said.
“Operation Purvis was designed to specifically target this growing trend and the end of this operation has been extended indefinitely.
“The officers in Kinross are working closely with neighbouring forces and we are also developing partnerships with the National Farmers’ Union to assist us in communicating with hard-to-reach communities such as remote farming families.”
Thieves have also been on the hunt for scrap metal, targeting churches, community centres, schools, building sites, railway lines and even war memorials.
In some cases, large vehicles have been used to transport stolen goods, which have included even farm gates.
Stressing the need for vigilance, Inspector Ward added: “I am attempting to use all means at my disposal to deter and detect those responsible and would urge anyone seeing anything suspicious to call in as and when things are happening and take notes of registration numbers.”
Community officers can be contacted at Kinross Police Office on 0300 1112222.