‘Liquid gold’: heating oil thefts rise in Northern Ireland as Iran war sends prices soaring

In Northern Ireland, 62% of households use oil for heating, and in rural areas the figure is 80%. Photograph: Patterson Oil

There is no subtle way to receive heating oil deliveries in rural Northern Ireland: clearly marked tankers trundle through roads and lanes and park outside homes while they replenish storage tanks.

The trucks’ comings and goings are visible to the entire community, indicating which households have stocked up on oil, and that is a problem because criminals monitor deliveries to identify targets.