A remote hotel in Lochaline was forced to close for over a week after oil worth £700 was stolen from its tank.
The fuel was stolen from an oil tank at the Lochaline Hotel, which is situated just outside Lochaline, between November 23 and 25.
Owners Shaley and Peter Guthrie had filled the tank just three weeks before thieves struck.
Mrs Guthrie said they had guests staying at the hotel when all the heating stopped working, which they initially thought was due to a leak.
It wasn’t until they had two different plumbers come to inspect the tank that they realised thieves had made off with their oil, worth around £700.
‘It was freezing’
“We had guests in at that time and we noticed it was getting cold,” she said. “So we went to check and the central heating wasn’t on or anything.
“Luckily we had a little electric heater we put in their room, and we’ve got a little gas fire that we were able to put on in the dining room – but it was freezing everywhere else.”
They were forced to cancel their bookings and had to close the hotel for a week and a half while they waited for the replacement oil.
The couple had noticed a van stopping to look around the hotel, and although it was odd they didn’t think much more of it at the time – or take notice of the number plate.
She said: “We saw a clapped-out old Transit van, with no markings on or anything, that pulled up a couple of days before.
“Me and my husband both clocked it and thought it was a bit odd, because they’d stopped right at the side of the hotel, and were looking down to where the oil tank is.
“We do get people up to see if we’re open for lunch or something, but they don’t normally sit there looking down the side of the hotel. They sat there for 20 or 30 seconds and then drove off – then a couple of days later the oil went.”
Police urge for vigilance
The couple took over the Lochaline Hotel in February and closed it for refurbishments.
Mrs Guthrie said they are now installing CCTV cameras and motion sensor lighting in the same area as the tank as a precaution.
She added: “We were just unlucky I guess, with all the prices and everything skyrocketing and people struggling I think it is something that’s happening.”
Local officers are asking people to report any suspicious vehicles or activity in the area, and urging the public to remain vigilant.
Information about the incident, or any concerns, can be provided to officers by calling 101 and quoting the reference number 1355 of Tuesday, November 29.
People can also report anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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