Due to the extreme rise in energy prices, wood is increasingly in demand as a fuel. This also attracts some criminals.
Magdeburg (dpa / sa) - In Saxony-Anhalt's forests there are obviously more wood thieves on the move. The number of thefts in which wood was stolen from forests has recently risen drastically. In the first half of 2022, with 21 recorded thefts, almost as many offenses were counted as in the entire previous year 2021 (25). This is according to figures from the State Criminal Police Office. The increase is particularly evident in August. This month alone, thieves attacked wood from Saxony-Anhalt's forests 23 times.
Based on past police reports, it can be assumed that the numbers have recently continued to rise. The police recently even suggested hiding GPS trackers in the trunks in order to track down the thieves.
The damage caused by the thieves is not insignificant. In the first half of 2022, the damage was around 35,000 euros, in August alone the damage was around 38,000 euros. A similar development can be seen in neighboring federal states such as Saxony. According to the information, the damage added up to a good 176,000 euros in the first eleven months (2021: 143,000). On average, as in Saxony-Anhalt, about every second case can be cleared up by the investigators.
According to the police, fake shops that offer wood and wood products on the Internet to take money from potential buyers are also a problem. However, the acquired wood is never delivered. According to experts, such cases of fraud have increased.
The police point out that property should always be secured. According to the LKA, wood that has already been cut to size, which is easier to transport and load, should be secured better. A tree trunk weighing several hundred kilos cannot be removed with normal means.
