Protecting Your Oil Tank From Theft

Protecting Your Oil Tank From Theft – Lets look at a few precautions you can take to stop oil theft.

Heating oil is a very valuable commodity, and is often the target of thieves, particularly from farms.

If you use heating oil to heat your home, it’s important to take steps to protect your oil supply from theft.

Start by choosing a secure location for your oil tank

The best way to protect your heating oil is to store it in a secure, enclosed space. This could be a locked shed or garage or even underground, for example. However, be sure to check the latest rules and regulations when choosing the location of your oil tank. Find the latest Oftec regulations here

Install a locking device on the fill pipe of your tank

If you don’t have an enclosed space for your oil tank, there are many security measures you can take. You could purchase a locking device that attaches to the fill pipe of your tank. These devices are usually cost effective and will make it more difficult for thieves to access your oil supply.

You can install security lights and plant shrubs around your tank

While lighting and shrubs can’t stop thieves from accessing the oil in your tank, they can act as a deterrent. When combined with other tank safety measures, thieves will be less likely to attempt to steal from your tank. Motion sensored lighting and prickly, spikey shrubs also increase the chances of the thieves of getting caught.

Consider investing in an oil tank alarm and installing CCTV

You might want to consider installing an alarm system, which could include motion sensors around your oil tank. If thieves did try to break into your tank, the alarm would sound and raise attention. A motion sensor CCTV system would capture an image or video of the thief or thieves. Both of these measures could deter thieves from targeting your tank or help you to catch the thief in action.

Keep a close eye on and monitor your oil levels

It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on your oil tank and check it regularly. You could do this by installing a remote monitoring system on your heating oil tank, that could be operated from inside your home.

So how is heating oil stolen

There many different methods thieves use to steal heating oil. The most common method is to syphon the oil out of the tank. You can prevent this by installing a locking device on the fill pipe.

Another method commonly used by thieves stealing heating oil is by breaking into the tank and stealing the contents. This option is more difficult to do, but is possible if the tank is not properly secured using the methods above.

To maximise your protection against heating oil theft, it is best if you can use as many preventative measures as possible.

What can you do if you are a victim of oil theft from your tank

If you are a victim of heating oil theft, you should immediately report the crime to the police. Make sure that you save any recordings from any CCTV equipment to use as evidence. You should probably contact your insurance company and report any damages.

The consequences of heating oil theft can be serious, as it is very expensive to replace the lost oil and pay for the costs of repairing any damages if not covered by insurance.

Heating oil theft is a very serious problem, but can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions. By using our guide, you can help to keep your heating oil safe from thieves.