How to Protect Your Tank from Fuel Theft

Tayside Police have today issued a warning for people to be on their guard after thieves stole 1,000 litres of fuel from the Ballumbie golf club in Dundee. Police are also investigating the theft of fuel from a lorry parked in Dryburgh Industrial Estate.

This follows the recent increase in fuel thefts across the country as the price of petrol soared in the last 12 months. According to statistics compiled from 36 of the UK’s 52 local police forces there were around 8,235 cases of reported fuel theft in 2011.

Other than keeping your vehicle in a secure garage there isn’t too much you can do to prevent a determined criminal drilling into your cars fuel tank. However, if you are a commercial or industrial business, or if you have a home heating oil tank then there are preventative measures you can take to keep your fuel secure and out of the hands of thieves.

If you own a bunded tank then it’s unlikely that even the most organised criminal gangs would be daft enough to drill into it. However, there are other, even more daring methods that can be used to get away with your precious oil. For instance, it is not unheard of for tanks to be picked up by forklift trucks, lifted on to a large enough getaway vehicle and driven away. Or, they may be even more brazen and attempt to lift the tank using the existing lifting eyes that are in situ.

There are ways around this though. At Yellowshield we have “Anti-Theft” upgrades available on our steel bunded fuel tanks that can resist the attempts of fuel thieves. Firstly, we offer “anti-lift feet”. Essentially they are RSJ’s that run the full length of the tank making it impossible for it to be moved by a forklift truck. Secondly, we supply removable lifting eyes, so once the tank has been placed in position, the eyes can be removed and stored somewhere secure. If you wish to make your tank as impenetrable as Alcatraz, then we also provide tank alarm accessories that will warn you as soon as someone attempts to tamper with your tank.

We may not be able to help protect your vehicle but we are as determined as the criminals when it comes to helping protect your bunded fuel tanks.