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The price of oil fluctuates regularly and in times of geopolitical uncertainty (e.g. Ukraine war, or US and Israeli strikes on Iran), the oil price can increase significantly. This in turn can lead to oil availability issues as well as pressure on household and business budgets. Unfortunately, it can also result in an increase of thefts as opportunistic criminals are tempted by potentially lucrative heating oil. This is when oil tank security becomes something you need to think about.
This article is written by Lock Guy, a professional locksmith based in Essex and offers some practical advice on how to minimise the chances of having your oil stolen.
It can be relatively easy to get into an oil tank as security is sometimes minimal. Oil tanks are situated outside and not protected by normal building security. Often oil tanks are situated remotely meaning the thieves are likely to be unnoticed.
Large quantities can be taken quickly if the right equipment is available.
Rural areas and farmland are at particular risks, but there has also been a rise in household heating oil thefts.
Once stolen, it becomes untraceable and can be sold on or used by themselves. So there is little danger of being caught once the theft has been made. You may not even know that you have been a victim of an oil theft until it is much later as sometimes there are no obvious signs of the theft having taken place.
Many people in rural locations have had oil tanks for years.
And as can be seen from the images, the cap isn’t necessarily the most secure device when thieves are targeting your oil storage.
Often thieves use vans or lorries with an empty tank on board. They can pull up alongside the tank and use siphoning equipment to remove the fuel. The tank is accessed by removing the filling cap or even drilling a hole in the tank.
Not only that, if a thief damages you oil tank, damaged tanks can also lead to environmental pollution that will be the responsibility of the land/home owner, compounding financial losses.
There are various things you can do to protect the oil on your property:
Such a system will alert you to a sudden drop in oil levels.
Having a system will act as a deterrent.
Here’s a heating oil monitoring example: https://oilfast.co.uk/for-home/smart-tank-heating-oil-monitoring-service/
If possible, locate the tank so it can be easily seen from the main property.
Add security lighting and CCTV if possible.
Fit locks to all surrounding gates to prevent easy access.
If possible, try to hide the tank from view from the main access roads.
Use screens, walls, fences, shrubs, etc… to prevent it from being noticed.
(But make sure the regulations are still followed: https://www.theheatinghub.co.uk/oil-tank-replacement-regulations-guide)
Fit a strong oil tank (metal is better than plastic) and if possible enclose it in a steel cage.
The most common way to try to lock the oil tank is to place a padlock on the cap. This is OK as long as the padlock is a high security one with a heavy-duty body and shackle that is ‘shrouded’ to prevent it from being cut. It should be weatherproof to withstand the elements and should be to a certain standard (e.g. Sold by Design or British Standard approved).
Read my article on padlocks for more information.
There are two other locking products that can be used:
This consists of a hardened metal arm that is clamped over the filler cap to prevent it from being removed.
For example: http://www.northerntankservices.co.uk/oil-tank-security/
This cap has an integral locking part built-in to it.
For example: https://www.boilerjuice.com/shop/oil-tank-security/tank-lock/
There are over 1.5 million households in the UK that use heating oil and that means a lot of potential, easy and lucrative targets available for would-be theives.
Although it may not be possible to 100% prevent an oil theft from a determined individual – there are definitely steps you can take to make it is as difficult as possible.
The more deterents and layers of oil tank security (as highlighted in this article) that have been implemented will reduce your chances of becoming a victim of oil theft.
In the end, thieves want quick, easy and quiet thefts – so anything you can do to make them slow down, make noise and be more obvious will make a more secure oil tank.
Need advice on Oil Tank Security in Witham, Maldon or across Essex? For further information, contact Lock Guy
Got a question about a lock issue you may have? Why not have a look at the FAQ page or one of the helpful advice videos on the Media page.