Download - Guard Your Heating Oil Against Theft
Guard Your Heating Oil Against Theft
As domestic heating oil prices continue to rise, the fuel stored in your tank is a valuable commodity
and it can become a tempting target for thieves. Oil theft is on the increase and as winter comes on
its common to see stories in the press about oil being stolen, especially in rural areas. The theft itself
isn’t the only problem, thieves will often damage tanks whilst stealing oil and this can lead to
leakage and result in contamination of the surrounding soil which will need an expensive specialist
clean up.
The very fact that you’re using oil for heating means that you’re probably a little off the beaten track
and may not have near neighbours. This presents potentially easy pickings for a thief but fortunately
there are some simple steps you can take to help protect your fuel and ensure that your supply stays
secure.
Lock 'em up
At the simplest level you can fit locks to your tank inspection covers and fillers. These are an
effective deterrent and relatively inexpensive. A specially designed locking cap will be a little more
costly but is likely to be more secure than a padlock as they’re not easily removed using a crowbar or
bolt cutters. If your tank is located in an outbuilding make sure it’s kept locked up at all times.
Stay Hidden
By their nature oil tanks tend to be large and easily seen and this makes them uniquely vulnerable. If
your tank is visible from the road or a public footpath consider planting shrubs or erecting a fence so
that passers-by can’t see it. Having security lighting near your tank is a strong deterrent too as
criminals don’t like to be seen in their activity. You might also consider a security camera – even if
it’s only a dummy – to provide a further deterrent.
Raise the Alarm
If you want a more sophisticated anti-theft solution there are alarms that can monitor the level in
the storage tank and send out an alert when there’s a sudden drop. This can be used to trigger an
audible alarm to scare away a thief or to send a signal to a remote receiver so that action can be
taken.
If the worst should happen then taking out insurance on your oil can cushion you from the pain of
having your heating oil stolen. You can take out a specialist heating oil policy to ensure that you’re
covered. Some household policies will cover heating oil but not all do so it pays to check your policy
and take out extra insurance if necessary.
Oil theft is a problem but by taking a few precautions you can ensure that you don’t fall victim to it
and that your supply remains secure this winter.
With domestic heating oil prices rising it pays to become a fuel fighter and take steps to secure your
oil against theft.