Oil Tank Theft
and How to Avoid it
Home heating oil is expensive and for this reason has consistently been a target for unscrupulous thieves who have developed more and more sophisticated methods to take your oil.
Last year, crime rates plummeted in Ireland by as much as 60% during the pandemic as we stayed home and stayed safe. Now, as we all prepare to face the world again, it might be time to take steps to keep your oil tank and its contents safe from thieves.
How your heating oil is stolen?
The nasty folk who makes a profit from taking your domestic heating oil have honed their methods over the years. Unfortunately for us, they are experts at what they do, and we must become experts at thwarting them. Usually they will decant, syphon, or pump the oil from your tank into containers. Some will drill into the bottom of plastic tanks and drain the kerosene into waiting drums. This takes some time and organisation. They need the cover of darkness or the ease of solitude to drain your precious fuel. Securing your tank is the smartest action in deterring those thieves.
What you can do to prevent heating oil theft
A very simple solution is to get a lock for your tank. The Gardai recommend this effective and inexpensive option . While the lock in itself does not guarantee that the tank will be totally secure, a properly fitted and sturdy padlock is a major step in deterring thieves from targeting a tank. The Gardai also advise locating your tank in a well-lit and easily observed spot. “We would strongly advise that where tanks can be easily seen from the roadside, they are well lit up in terms of a good sensor light. Ideally, oil tanks should be out of public view in a secure part of the property,” If your tank is already in situ, then you might consider installing an oil tank cage. This means the entire tank will be safe from damage and will avoid the possibility of drill damage and collateral damage of leakage. An oil tank cage is the optimum security available for domestic heating oil tanks as it creates an extra physical barrier for thieves. However, it is not the most attractive of structures and requires a lot of space. Security lighting and CCTV cameras are a deterrent. CCTV may well encourage the thieves to choose an easier target, than your tank. Obviously, it is not a good idea to install sensor lighting for a tank that is in a remote or isolated area, as you would be simply assisting the criminals.
An electronic oil level gauge can be linked to your house alarm. The gauge monitors the oil levels from inside the tank and transmits the readings via a wireless receiver. This has an easy-to-read LCD display and includes a useful low-level warning alert to reduce the risk of running out of oil, of a sudden leak or indeed of the presence of thieves taking your precious oil. Unsurprisingly, the displaying of a warning sign or sticker on the tank letting thieves know that your tank is both locked and alarmed can be a deterrent in itself.
Insurance
Make sure your home insurance covers you for the theft of oil and for the theft or damage to the boiler or tank itself. See our advice on home insurance here. Many homeowners don’t realise that the vast majority of home insurance policies don’t cover damage or theft of your heating oil tank or heating oil. The cost of new oil tank or replacement of the fuel is a difficult financial blow for any household. If your home insurance can come to the rescue at this time, the effects will be greatly lessened.
Leakage of oil caused by criminals.
If there is damage to the boiler or the tank caused by thieves, either from drilling into the tank or removing essential parts, you may be faced with the problem of leaked kerosene oil. Careless syphoning of oil may also result in a costly leak of on yours or your neighbour’s property. If you have a home kerosene leak or your home heating oil tank has been damaged or think maybe your neighbour has a leak that’s causing a problem to your site, then please contact us immediately. At Enviroleak we have a 24-hour response as we fully appreciate that time is of the essence in an addressing oil leak. Call us if you smell oil or suspect that there is an issue. If necessary, we get the experts on the scene, assess the situation to advise on what to do next and undertake an initial clean-up.
Kerosene heating is still the most popular way to heat Irish Homes.
For 40% of our houses oil remains the single dominant home-heating fuel. (Energy in Ireland Report 2020 - SEAI). Heating oil is one of the largest outlays from our domestic budget annually. Let’s not make it easy for thieves to steal our home heating oil.
