Heating oil theft is extremely costly and makes you question the safety of your home.
Thieves are attracted to the remote location of many heating oil tanks and can steal thousands of pounds worth of oil quickly and discreetly.
Although most cases of theft occur in winter, it is important to be vigilant year-round as it is believed many crimes go unreported due to lack of evidence.
You might have suspicions of theft, but without a monitor or alarm, it can be difficult to pinpoint how much oil has been stolen.
Prevent theft
Although oil tank theft is increasing, there are steps you can take to keep your oil tank safe:
- Hide the location of the tank
- Fit your oil tank with a padlock or lockable filler cap
- Secure the oil tank within a cage
- Install lockable gates
- Fit an electronic gauge, which can activate an alarm when the oil level drops
- Fit security lights near to the oil tank location
- Fit CCTV cameras
- Put gravel around your oil tank
Report it
- if the crime is happening now call 999 –
- if you are unsure, we’d rather hear about it and decide if a theft is occurring
- if it is safe to do so, take photos of suspects or the number plate of their car (do not approach suspects, as they have been known to use violence)
- if the crime has already happened then you can report it to us online or at your local police station
Brooklyn Clark
(Police, PCSO, Folkestone and Hythe Community Safety Unit)