FUEL THEFT - HEATING OIL PREVENTION ADVICE

As the clocks have now gone backwards and our nights get darker quicker, and the weather gets colder, we tend to see a rise in the number of domestic heating oil thefts reported to us at Police Scotland. With this in mind there are some useful prevention measures that you can take, listed below, to try and stop the thefts from occurring. 

Fuel theft is one of the 7 national rural crime priorities within the SPARC (Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime) National Rural Crime Strategy 2022-2025.

Locate in safe location as many thieves use Google Maps to find satellite images of fuel tanks.

 Consider locating your tank behind a garage or shed and away from roads. Positioning it close to your business or home will ensure it’s in clear view. Remember to locate the tank away from any risk of obstruction and ensure its easily accessible for delivery drivers.

Locate inside a security gate or cage, a good quality, robust fence or cage will help make life difficult for thieves. 

Install an alarm - consider fitting alarms to external gates surrounding your fuel tank or to the inside of a shed or outbuilding that is housing the tank. 

Fit a fuel theft lock - thieves often come armed with tools so it’s worth investing in quality locks, locking fuel caps and anti-siphoning deterrents to slow down the criminals and reduce the likelihood of success.

 Install outdoor security lighting, positioning your tank in the bright light is an effective solution worth considering. With most thieves striking at night, installing automatic security lighting will help stop criminals from targeting your fuel tank. Low energy dusk till dawn lights are a low-cost option to protect your expensive fuels and oils.

Install CCTV - Installing visible CCTV cameras on your premises can dissuade anyone from targeting your tank as well as catch a thief in the act, providing the police with the evidence required to bring justice to those who choose to ignore the deterrent.

Putting up signage to highlight the security measures you’ve installed can help deter those up to no good. 

Further guidance and prevention advice can be provided by the Police Scotland National Rural, Business and Acquisitive Crime Team at PolicingTogetherRABPreventionsTeam@scotland.police.uk and also at the following link Secured by Design - Home Security Advice

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