A police response helped stop several barrels of fuel from being stolen.
Officers attended a village near Ollerton, after hearing a potential theft was in progress.
Two individuals were reportedly seen carrying fuel cans over to a large tank full of kerosene.
Officers arrived in Laxton High Street within minutes of the initial call coming in at 9.09pm on Monday (9 March).
Two people matching the description of the suspects were subsequently spotted and detained by police nearby.
The response officers then located the large oil tank in question, which was found to be surrounded by jerry cans.
Around 100 litres of fuel was discovered to have been pumped into the containers from the tank, which was also damaged.
Two men, aged 31 and 61, were duly arrested on suspicion of theft, with the 31-year-old suspect also arrested for possessing Class A drugs.
Inspector Gina Boothby, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“The officers involved in this discovery deserve great credit for their rapid response to this incident.
“Their actions ultimately helped stop large amounts of fuel – kerosene, in this case – from being stolen and led to two arrests too.
“These types of thefts can be keenly felt among rural communities, especially in the current climate, with the cost of fuel continuing to rise.
“Cracking down on fuel theft is part of the force’s ongoing commitment to tackle all aspects of rural crime, so this proved itself to be a really good result.”
