Police warn fuel theft risks as oil prices rise

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary are offering security advice around fuel and heating oil in order to protect us from theft.

They warn criminals will take the chance to profit from cost increases as they watch the market.

Domestic oil advice:

• Fuel tanks should be visible from the house to increase the chance of a thief being seen
• Use motion-sensor security lighting and consider installing a motion-sensor alarm in this area
• Use locking fuel caps and fit anti-siphoning devices
• Focus CCTV cameras on the tank
• Install cages or plant prickly plants around the tanks. It is important to screen your tank so that it cannot be seen from the road
• Install a fuel tank alarm – either one that triggers when the cap is tampered with or one that alerts the owner when the fuel level suddenly drops. More advanced systems can be linked to security lighting or send a text message to alert the owner

Diesel theft:

• keep tanks stored close to the property where you can see them. If this isn’t possible, you should consider installing CCTV to watch over isolated tanks and restrict access with walls, fences and hedges. Security lighting such as ‘dusk till dawn’ or motion detection lighting can also be an effective deterrent to thieves
• remember to check the oil level in your tank regularly. Look for any spilt fuel, marks on the locks or anything else suspicious
• avoid installing a storage tank in an isolated area or outlying building
• consider using a mobile bowser (tanker) kept in a secure place when not in use
• use ‘diesel dye’, making your diesel traceable and less attractive to thieves

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.