Thank you for your communication, your enquiry will be dealt with within
our core office hours and you will be issued with a unique reference
number once your request has been processed and logged. 

 

Essex Police have developed a publication strategy, our aim is to reduce
the demand within the FOI Department and to provide knowledge to the
public to include previous and combined FOI requests together with
relevant links and information.  

  

Please visit this area of our website before submitting FOI requests as
information may already be available.   

 

[1]https://www.essex.police.uk/foi-ai/af/ac...

 

This email and any other accompanying document(s) contain information from
Kent Police and/or Essex Police, which is confidential or privileged. The
information is intended to be for the exclusive use of the individual(s)
or bodies to whom it is addressed. The content, including any subsequent
replies, could be disclosable if relating to a criminal investigation or
civil proceedings. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that
any disclosure, copying, distribution or other use of the contents of this
information is prohibited. If you have received this email in error,
please notify us immediately by contacting the sender or telephoning Kent
Police on 01622 690690 or Essex Police on 01245 491491, as appropriate.
For further information regarding Kent Police’s or Essex Police’s use of
personal data please go to https://www.kent.police.uk/hyg/privacy/ or
https://www.essex.police.uk/hyg/privacy/. Additionally for our Terms and
Conditions please go to https://www.kent.police.uk/hyg/terms-con...
or https://www.essex.police.uk/hyg/terms-co...

References

Visible links
1. https://www.essex.police.uk/foi-ai/af/ac...

Thank you for your request for information, which has been logged under
the above reference number.     

  

Essex Police will endeavour to respond to your application within 20
working days, as set out within the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(FOIA).  If a time extension is to be applied to your request, you will be
informed; the reason for the extension will also be provided.     

  

Please note that Essex Police may refuse detailed or multiple requests
that are submitted at the same time, as per [1]Section 14 of the FOIA.
Furthermore, if the information sought is already publicly available, you
may be redirected to our publication scheme:
[2]https://www.essex.police.uk/foi-ai/af/ac... or other
official links, such as the [3]PFCC, [4]Home Office or the [5]Office for
National Statistics  

   

Should you need to contact us whilst your information request is being
processed, please email [6][Essex Police request email], quoting
the above reference, and a member of the team will assist.    

 

Freedom of Information

Information Rights Team | Information Compliance & Assurance

Information Management Dept. | Professionalism Command

Essex Police

Email: [7][Essex Police request email]

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available)

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA 

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [8]Information Rights | Essex
Police

 

Find out what is happening in your area: [9]Your area | Essex Police

Contact Us: [10]Help us help you | Essex Police 

Report non-emergency crime online: [11]Report | Essex Police

How do we use your data: [12]Privacy notice | Essex Police

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Thank you for your emailed FOI Request to Essex Police.

Clarification is now required:

Can you confirm if you are seeking data on all forms of fuel theft
recorded by Essex Police, or more specific data on thefts of fuel from
fuel stations?

Please note that we have stopped the response time in respect of this
request whilst matters are outstanding.  If you do still require
information and respond with clarification, we will restart our response
time accordingly.  If we do not receive any further advice within the next
14 working days, then we will close this FOI entry and a new submission
will need to be made.  

Kind regards

Freedom of Information

Information Rights Team | Information Compliance & Assurance

Information Management Dept. | Professionalism Command

Essex Police

Email: [1][Essex Police request email]

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available)

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA 

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [2]Information Rights | Essex
Police

Find out what is happening in your area: [3]Your area | Essex Police

Contact Us: [4]Help us help you | Essex Police 

Report non-emergency crime online: [5]Report | Essex Police

How do we use your data: [6]Privacy notice | Essex Police

From: Info Rights Freedom Essex <[Essex Police request email]>
Sent: 08 April 2024 10:39
To: Daniel Rees <[FOI #1113745 email]>
Subject: FOI 20037 Data by District on Fuel Thefts 2018 to 2023

Thank you for your request for information, which has been logged under
the above reference number.     

  

Essex Police will endeavour to respond to your application within 20
working days, as set out within the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(FOIA).  If a time extension is to be applied to your request, you will be
informed; the reason for the extension will also be provided.     

  

Please note that Essex Police may refuse detailed or multiple requests
that are submitted at the same time, as per [7]Section 14 of the FOIA.
Furthermore, if the information sought is already publicly available, you
may be redirected to our publication scheme:
[8]https://www.essex.police.uk/foi-ai/af/ac... or other
official links, such as the [9]PFCC, [10]Home Office or the [11]Office
for National Statistics  

   

Should you need to contact us whilst your information request is being
processed, please email [12][Essex Police request email], quoting the
above reference, and a member of the team will assist.    

Freedom of Information

Information Rights Team | Information Compliance & Assurance

Information Management Dept. | Professionalism Command

Essex Police

Email: [13][Essex Police request email]

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available)

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA 

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [14]Information Rights |
Essex Police

Find out what is happening in your area: [15]Your area | Essex Police

Contact Us: [16]Help us help you | Essex Police 

Report non-emergency crime online: [17]Report | Essex Police

How do we use your data: [18]Privacy notice | Essex Police

show quoted sections

We acknowledge receipt of your clarification.

 

Kind regards,

 

Freedom of Information Team

Information Rights | Information Compliance & Assurance | Information
Management Dept. | Professionalism Command

Email: [1][Essex Police request email]

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available)

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA 

 

Essex Police have a publication strategy. Before submitting FOI
Information Requests, please visit this link, as information may already
be available: [2]Accessing information | Essex Police

Before submission of an FOI Information Request, please visit: [3]How to
access information from a public body | ICO

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [4]Information Rights | Essex
Police

Find out what is happening in your area: [5]Your area | Essex Police

Contact us: [6]Help us help you | Essex Police 

Report non-emergency crime online: [7]Report | Essex Police

How do we use your data: [8]Privacy notice | Essex Police

 

show quoted sections

Thank you for your Freedom of information (FOI) request logged under the
above reference.  

Please accept our apologies in respect of the delay you have experienced,
we have not met the standard of service expected in respect of timeliness.
To explain, we are currently upskilling our workforce in the specialist
area of Freedom of Information, so that we are better equipped to meet the
growing demand for information under this right. We are working hard to
improve our service in this area.

We are now in a position to dedicate time to review our outstanding work
and can respond as below.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) places two duties on public
authorities:    

   

Unless exemptions apply, the first duty (at [1]Section 1(1)(a) is to
confirm or deny whether the information specified in a request is held.   

The second duty (at [2]Section 1(1)(b) is to disclose information that
has been confirmed as being held.    

However, where exemptions are relied upon ([3]Section 17 of FOIA), there
is a requirement to provide the applicant with an explanation either:  

a) stating the fact   

b) detailing the exemption(s) in question and  

c) why the exemption applies (if not apparent).  

   

Information Request 

 

I write to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request data
pertaining to the number of fuel thefts recorded by Essex Police.

 

For the individual years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, would you
be able to provide data pertaining to the number of fuel thefts recorded
by Essex Police in the following districts:

 

• Colchester

• Tendring

• Maldon

• Braintree

• Uttlesford

• Chelmsford

• Harlow

• Epping

• Brentwood

• Thurrock

• Basildon

• Castle Point

• Rochford

• Southend

 

Additionally, for each year, could you provide information pertaining to
the top ten fuelling stations where most fuel thefts took place in Essex.

 

Further Clarification:

 

I am seeking data on specific data on thefts of fuel from fuel stations.

 

FOI Duty  

First Duty – Essex Police does hold information relating to your
request.   

Second Duty – See below 

Fact – See below 

Exemption – Not applicable

 

Essex Police can report as follows: 

  

Caveat: The information is correct as at 08 May 2024

 

Notes

- Data has been extracted from the Athena business object universe.

- Searches for the full offence title 'Making off without payment' were
completed.

- Data has been cleaned by keeping only data that makes references to
fuel, petrol, diesel or filling stations.

- This may not be a complete record of all fuel thefts from filling
stations, due to restrictions of the database.

- The rankings given in Table 2 are for fuelling stations located in
Essex.

 

Table 1: Numbers of Recorded Fuel Thefts from a Fuelling Station by Essex
Policing District and Year – 2018 to 2023

Count of Fuel Thefts by Year
District 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total
Basildon 75 96 51 45 109 155 531
Braintree 129 143 63 89 115 129 668
Brentwood 95 147 140 110 75 39 606
Castle Point 66 67 33 61 105 65 397
Chelmsford 101 121 116 121 137 62 658
Colchester 105 82 48 54 94 69 452
Epping Forest 224 190 136 86 127 164 927
Harlow 82 100 62 65 84 71 464
Maldon 50 51 41 39 50 140 371
Rochford 28 28 13 8 17 12 106
Southend-on-Sea 74 87 32 24 44 57 318
Tendring 104 96 70 29 89 159 547
Thurrock 165 158 98 103 177 184 885
Uttlesford 202 142 33 21 33 27 458
Not Noted       4     4
Grand Total 1500 1508 936 859 1256 1333 7392

 

Table 2: Rankings of Essex Located Fuelling Stations by Numbers of Fuel
Thefts Per Year – 2018 to 2023

2018
Fuelling Station Ranking Count of Fuel Thefts
1 171
2 49
3 32
4 23
5 21
6 21
7 21
8 20
9 19
10 19
2019
Fuelling Station Ranking Count of Fuel Thefts
1 78
2 57
3 49
4 34
5 33
6 31
7 29
8 28
9 27
10 26
2020
Fuelling Station Ranking Count of Fuel Thefts
1 97
2 28
3 21
4 19
5 18
6 18
7 16
8 15
9 15
10 14
2021
Fuelling Station Ranking Count of Fuel Thefts
1 77
2 48
3 23
4 19
5 18
6 18
7 16
8 16
9 13
10 12
2022
Fuelling Station Ranking Count of Fuel Thefts
1 51
2 43
3 42
4 31
5 31
6 29
7 28
8 24
9 22
10 22
2023
Fuelling Station Ranking Count of Fuel Thefts
1 106
2 56
3 43
4 27
5 25
6 25
7 25
8 24
9 23
10 23

 

Every effort is made to ensure that the data provided by Essex Police is
accurate and complete. However, Essex Police systems are designed
primarily for the management of individual cases and not for the purposes
of providing data to answer specific FOI enquiries. Please note although
data can be extracted from a number of sources via database queries, the
results may be subject to inaccuracies. Care should be taken to understand
our return when considering the interpretation or further use of the data.

 

Headline recorded theft offences by Policing District can be found within
the monthly Essex Police performance reports published by the Police, Fire
and Crime Commissioner for Essex:

 

[4]Essex Police Performance - Essex Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner
(pfcc.police.uk)

 

The following articles available via our publication scheme may also be of
interest:

 

[5]Fuel Thefts from Vehicles and Garage Forecourts 2020 to 2021 | Essex
Police

 

[6]Damage / Thefts from Unattended Vehicles in Laybys - A120 | Essex
Police

 

Please note the above request will be included within our [7]Publication
Scheme.  

  

Thank you for your interest in Essex Police. 

 

Freedom of Information 

Information Rights Team | Information Compliance & Assurance  

Information Management Dept. | Professionalism Command 

Essex Police 

Email: [8][Essex Police request email] 

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available) 

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA   

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [9]Information Rights | Essex
Police 

  

Find out what is happening in your area: [10]Your area | Essex Police  

Contact Us: [11]Help us help you | Essex Police   

Report non-emergency crime online: [12]Report | Essex Police 

How do we use your data: [13]Privacy notice | Essex Police 

 

FOI requests  

Before submission of an FOI Information request, please visit: [14]How to
access information from a public body | ICO and please review our
publications regarding various subjects through [15]Accessing information
| Essex Police to prevent unnecessary requests.  

  

Your right to complain  

  

If you feel your request has not been properly handled, or you are
otherwise dissatisfied with the outcome of your request you have the right
to complain.  

  

Under [16]Section 17(7)(a)(b) FOIA complaints should be submitted within
40 working days from the date of this response and should be addressed to
the Information Rights Manager at the above address or by email to:
[17][Essex Police request email] we will conduct a review to
investigate your complaint and endeavour to reply within 40 working days.
Please explain which aspect of the disclosure you are not satisfied with,
and if your complaint concerns the decision to apply an exemption. 

  

If you are still dissatisfied following our review, you have the right
under the [18]Section 50 FOIA to complain directly to the Information
Commissioner. Before considering your complaint, the Information
Commissioner would normally expect you to have exhausted the complaints
procedures provided by Essex Police.  The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water
Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF or via [19]Home | ICO

 

From: Info Rights Freedom Essex <[Essex Police request email]>
Sent: Monday, April 8, 2024 10:39 AM
To: Daniel Rees <[FOI #1113745 email]>
Subject: FOI 20037 Data by District on Fuel Thefts 2018 to 2023

 

Thank you for your request for information, which has been logged under
the above reference number.     

  

Essex Police will endeavour to respond to your application within 20
working days, as set out within the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(FOIA).  If a time extension is to be applied to your request, you will be
informed; the reason for the extension will also be provided.     

  

Please note that Essex Police may refuse detailed or multiple requests
that are submitted at the same time, as per [20]Section 14 of the FOIA.
Furthermore, if the information sought is already publicly available, you
may be redirected to our publication scheme:
[21]https://www.essex.police.uk/foi-ai/af/ac... or other
official links, such as the [22]PFCC, [23]Home Office or the [24]Office
for National Statistics  

   

Should you need to contact us whilst your information request is being
processed, please email [25][Essex Police request email], quoting
the above reference, and a member of the team will assist.    

 

Freedom of Information

Information Rights Team | Information Compliance & Assurance

Information Management Dept. | Professionalism Command

Essex Police

Email: [26][Essex Police request email]

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available)

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA 

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [27]Information Rights |
Essex Police

 

Find out what is happening in your area: [28]Your area | Essex Police

Contact Us: [29]Help us help you | Essex Police 

Report non-emergency crime online: [30]Report | Essex Police

How do we use your data: [31]Privacy notice | Essex Police

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Thank you for your e-mail. 

 

We will revisit the disclosure and respond with an update in due course. 

 

Kind regards,

 

Freedom of Information Team

Information Rights | Information Compliance & Assurance | Information
Management Dept. | Professionalism Command

Email: [1][Essex Police request email]

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available)

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA 

 

Essex Police have a publication strategy. Before submitting FOI
Information Requests, please visit this link, as information may already
be available: [2]Accessing information | Essex Police

Before submission of an FOI Information Request, please visit: [3]How to
access information from a public body | ICO

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [4]Information Rights | Essex
Police

Find out what is happening in your area: [5]Your area | Essex Police

Contact us: [6]Help us help you | Essex Police 

Report non-emergency crime online: [7]Report | Essex Police

How do we use your data: [8]Privacy notice | Essex Police

 

Your right to complain

If you feel your request has not been properly handled, or you are
otherwise dissatisfied with the outcome of your request you have the right
to complain.

Under [9]Section 17(7)(a)(b) FOIA complaints should be submitted within 40
working days from the date of this response and should be addressed to the
Information Rights Manager at the above address or by email to:
[10][Essex Police request email] we will conduct a review to
investigate your complaint and endeavour to reply within 40 working days.
Please explain which aspect of the disclosure you are not satisfied with,
and if your complaint concerns the decision to apply an exemption.

If you are still dissatisfied following our review, you have the right
under the [11]Section 50 FOIA to complain directly to the Information
Commissioner. Before considering your complaint, the Information
Commissioner would normally expect you to have exhausted the complaints
procedures provided by Essex Police.  The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water
Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF or via [12]Home | ICO

 

show quoted sections

With regard to your question, no further identifying details of the
specific fuelling stations referred to below will be provided by virtue of
the exemption [1]Section 31(1)(a)(b) Law Enforcement.

 

Evidence of Harm

A Freedom of Information Act request is not a private transaction. Both
the request itself, and any information disclosed, are considered suitable
for open publication. This is because, under the Act, any information
disclosed is released into the wider public domain, effectively to the
world, not just to an individual. Whilst not questioning the motives of
the applicant, providing information as to which specific fuelling
stations have suffered the most instances of fuel theft could reveal both
vulnerabilities in our policing capabilities and the susceptibility to
crime of the locations concerned.

Public Interest Test

Factors Favouring Disclosure

 

Disclosure of this information would lead to a better informed public
which may lead to more information from the public demonstrating that
Essex Police appropriately investigates various types of crimes such as
fuel theft. It may encourage individuals to provide intelligence in order
to assist investigations and reduce crime. There is a public interest in
the community being made aware of all the facts relating to this area of
policing in order to ensure complete openness and transparency.

 

Factors Against Disclosure

 

Disclosing which specific locations have suffered the highest numbers of a
specific type of crime would compromise law enforcement tactics and
potentially result in more crimes being committed. The public have a high
expectation that any information/intelligence provided to the Police will
be treated with confidence and anything that places that confidence at
risk would undermine the trust that individuals have in the Police. In
turn, this could potentially undermine Essex Police’s ability to prevent
and detect crime, which would have an adverse effect on the safety of the
communities it serves.

 

Balancing Test

After considering the advantages and disadvantages in disclosure it falls
upon Essex Police to conduct a balance test on the issues. The strongest
arguments for release, which is better awareness which may reduce crime or
lead to more information from the public, needs to be weighed against the
strongest argument for non-release, which in this case is effective law
enforcement. The Police Service is tasked with the prevention and
detection of crime and protecting the public.  Whilst there is a public
interest in better awareness, there is very strong public interest in
safeguarding the protection of the public and maintaining effective law
enforcement.

It is therefore our belief that the balance test lies in favour of not
disclosing the information requested.  

 

Thank you for your interest in Essex Police. 

 

Freedom of Information 

Information Rights Team | Information Compliance & Assurance  

Information Management Dept. | Professionalism Command 

Essex Police 

Email: [2][Essex Police request email] 

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available) 

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA   

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [3]Information Rights | Essex
Police 

  

Find out what is happening in your area: [4]Your area | Essex Police  

Contact Us: [5]Help us help you | Essex Police   

Report non-emergency crime online: [6]Report | Essex Police 

How do we use your data: [7]Privacy notice | Essex Police 

 

FOI requests  

Before submission of an FOI Information request, please visit: [8]How to
access information from a public body | ICO and please review our
publications regarding various subjects through [9]Accessing information |
Essex Police to prevent unnecessary requests.  

  

Your right to complain  

  

If you feel your request has not been properly handled, or you are
otherwise dissatisfied with the outcome of your request you have the right
to complain.  

  

Under [10]Section 17(7)(a)(b) FOIA complaints should be submitted within
40 working days from the date of this response and should be addressed to
the Information Rights Manager at the above address or by email to:
[11][Essex Police request email] we will conduct a review to
investigate your complaint and endeavour to reply within 40 working days.
Please explain which aspect of the disclosure you are not satisfied with,
and if your complaint concerns the decision to apply an exemption. 

  

If you are still dissatisfied following our review, you have the right
under the [12]Section 50 FOIA to complain directly to the Information
Commissioner. Before considering your complaint, the Information
Commissioner would normally expect you to have exhausted the complaints
procedures provided by Essex Police.  The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water
Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF or via [13]Home | ICO

 

From: Info Rights Freedom Essex <[Essex Police request email]>
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 4:18 PM
To: Daniel Rees <[FOI #1113745 email]>
Subject: FOI 20037 Data by District on Fuel Thefts 2018 to 2023

 

Thank you for your e-mail. 

 

We will revisit the disclosure and respond with an update in due course. 

 

Kind regards,

 

Freedom of Information Team

Information Rights | Information Compliance & Assurance | Information
Management Dept. | Professionalism Command

Email: [14][Essex Police request email]

Telephone: 01245 452647 (Open office hours, Monday to Friday or
answerphone facility available)

Address: Information Rights Team, Information Management Dept., Essex
Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford CM2 6DA 

 

Essex Police have a publication strategy. Before submitting FOI
Information Requests, please visit this link, as information may already
be available: [15]Accessing information | Essex Police

Before submission of an FOI Information Request, please visit: [16]How to
access information from a public body | ICO

Services offered by Information Rights Team: [17]Information Rights |
Essex Police

Find out what is happening in your area: [18]Your area | Essex Police

Contact us: [19]Help us help you | Essex Police 

Report non-emergency crime online: [20]Report | Essex Police

How do we use your data: [21]Privacy notice | Essex Police

 

Your right to complain

If you feel your request has not been properly handled, or you are
otherwise dissatisfied with the outcome of your request you have the right
to complain.

Under [22]Section 17(7)(a)(b) FOIA complaints should be submitted within
40 working days from the date of this response and should be addressed to
the Information Rights Manager at the above address or by email to:
[23][Essex Police request email] we will conduct a review to
investigate your complaint and endeavour to reply within 40 working days.
Please explain which aspect of the disclosure you are not satisfied with,
and if your complaint concerns the decision to apply an exemption.

If you are still dissatisfied following our review, you have the right
under the [24]Section 50 FOIA to complain directly to the Information
Commissioner. Before considering your complaint, the Information
Commissioner would normally expect you to have exhausted the complaints
procedures provided by Essex Police.  The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water
Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF or via [25]Home | ICO

 

show quoted sections