General security hints and tips for heating oil users

Posted by: Iain W on 4 Jul 2008 at 2:35pm

If your thinking of trying bricklaying Simon go to www.brickytool.com and get yourself one of these kits makes it a lot easier, good luck.

Posted by: Simon R on 4 Jul 2008 at 8:54am

I have a 7000 litre tank 1/4 inch steel so a good incentive to solve the security issue, visible in the back garden (which is accessible though a hedge, they have to fill up tough the hedge as they can't reach from the driveway) from the lounge and opposite a pub and I am afraid I feel all the talk of camera's and detectors simply give the owner some piece of mind, they have done something to make themselves less attractive than others, always a good policy but if you catch one in the act unless you have had some proper training it has to be said let them have some oil its not worth loosing your life over it as you you alreday know you are not dealing with a nice member of society. I believe less that 3% of all crime is solved by camera's, you catch a toe rag on your system (a good percentage) to think the Police will do anything about it I am affraid is naive, and even if anyone is caught do you think you would ever get any money back? Are you going to spend hundreds of you own money to catch them to TRY and retrieve £50? Do you think they will loose sleep on getting a criminal damage conviction? No question my greatest risk is at 3 or 4 in the morning but sods law even with detection it will happen when you are away or whatever and if they have cut the feed pipe I will still have lost the oil and have a big pollution puddle! (I am insured up to £5000 which is piece of mind until the first loss and until I can solve the problem) I am rapidly coming to the conclusion all you camera money etc is better spent on bricking the tank in and quite frankly forget building regs and planning permission etc with deep foundations, go back to the 1940's a bit of muck in the ground for 6 inchs and build a wall on it. Often where tanks are placed you don't even need a good bricky a trainee will do as probably concrete building blocks will do rather than bricks but from insurance experience don't underestimate the roof, no plastic corrorgated they will come through it! Most of you with small domestic plastic tanks at risk from drilling etc can probably get for a few quid from a local scrap metal dealer some sheet metal to be an integral part of the roof, even a couple of the big old metal office filing shelves would do, many of you will have tanks already up against a wall or two so a couple of hundred in cash to a local may well solve the problem. Gordon Brown has already collected the income tax through the price of the oil!!! Personally I am going to have my first attempt at DIY bricklaying. I fly light aircraft and had 50 litres of fuel nicked from the tanks during mainenance at another airfield, yes caught on camera, yes the airfield was brillient and compensated me, yes they could have caused a crash and killed me ....and you? and the Police may then have taken an interest, no they have not been caught! Incentive AVGAS now 162p per litre!!! Final comment again from an insurance perspective (my job) good physical security (visible - nice bright red padlock not rusty brown etc) is far better than any alarm or camera if they can see you have thought about secuirty and they spot DIY kits a mile off they simple will not be interested as the time delay caused by it increases their risk too much, bit like window locks on the house they are NOT for stopping people breaking in they are there to create a delay in creating an escape route once inside though a weak point at the opposite end of the house, they dont want to be a rat trapped in a cage and typically done in just 5 min. Police response time? Don't tell me .....more!

Posted by: Garry on 4 Jul 2008 at 12:55am

Just a small point from someone who works within the industry, there have been several mentions of hiding the tank on this blog. If you are going to do this please spare a thought for the tanker driver who a) Has to find it! and b) has to climb over the screen or fence that you put up. Drivers get hurt trying to deliver your oil. Just think would the postman deliver if you hid your post box? No so why should the tanker driver?

Posted by: Wayne Watkins on 28 Jun 2008 at 5:53pm

Help with Oil Thefts ??
I am in the next 2 months be a quailified Oil Engineer and currently been training in Shropshire.
I have seen lots and lots of tanks and would say 95% are left with no screening.

This is where the householders will have problems in the future.If you add a screen that is within 1.8mtrs of either side of the tank it should have a 30minute fire protection to start with.
Even before you add a security device.
Your Engineer should inform you of this when completing the service or any work on boiler and associated components.

I would and will be advising my clients to do the following.
Move Tank out of direct view of road or driveway.
Surround with a solid featheredge fence. Its hard to climb up this type of fence. Solid front access door with non facing screws to take out !!! whats the point of screws on outside and bolts when a Philips will whip them out in 1 min.Add a top of close type mesh and then install a Voltek camera . Easy to fit into back of any TV with a scart socket and has an audible alarm that sounds when activated.
also can record with additional equipment. This system is tried and tested and can be wired up to 100mtrs away.

If you want more details Email me at oilservicing@gmx.co.uk

Also you could add a electric fence ( the type used for horses) very effective and short sharp shock to anyone unsuspecting.
and very cheap to install.

Posted by: A P Conn on 27 Jun 2008 at 1:54pm

The problem is most low lifes know that a village or area has no mains gas so know there's a good chance you're either on oil or LPG. The bottom line is that a determine thief is going to have your oil regardless of what you do to prevent it. It's just a case of making it has difficult as possible. Screening from view, padlocks and security lighting are all deterents I use.

Posted by: John Hayter on 27 Jun 2008 at 9:34am

1. Major oil suppliers add trace chemicals with or without colouring to their products so that they can be traced. Am considering doing this to each delivery with a large notice on the tank saying the oil and any pumps, tanks etc it has been in contact with is traceable. Anyone know of a supplier of domestic quantities, or would boilerjuice buy in bulk & retail it out?

2. Have installed a PIR "Driveway Monitor Alert" £30 from security-sense.co.uk but it inherently suffers by being triggered by cats, foxes etc. There are driveway alerts triggered by the magnetic effect of vehicles. Is there one that is sufficiently sensitive that they could be set to be triggered if tools, hoses etc are brought close to a tank?

4. I Have a Titan tank with "Watchman" monitor. It ought to be possible for the makers to enhance this so that within a few minutes of oil level starting to fall at more than a few litres/hour it triggered the alarm but Titan is not interested.

5. The insurance industry runs tests on security systems. Have they done any work on oil theft protection?

Boilerjuice could make a lot of money if they followed up on these ideas that I put forward in the public interest at no charge.

Posted by: Graham Archibald on 6 Jun 2008 at 12:48pm

Ken,

I would avoide 'locking' the tack, theves are only likly to cut your tank open, a camera, alarm and security lighting are the best way. Good quality camera and digital recording equitment is going to cost £200, securiy light with motion detector £30 Motion detecting alam as long as the montion detector is turned down so animals dont set it of would work fine, check out www.screwfix.co.uk I am very pleased with mine took a bit of tinkering to get the sesativity right.

Posted by: Ken Joshua on 4 Jun 2008 at 10:23pm

Has anyone adapted a shed alarm or similar within the lid of their oil storage tank. If so were you successful. I would also like to use padlocks but the width and length I need of the padlocks for my Harlequin bunded tank make it very difficult. Has anyone had any success. Pity the manufacturers don't come out with some suggestions.

Posted by: Roy on 2 Jun 2008 at 7:20pm

If you are planning active deterants be careful about breaking the law. If you place a trap or device that will cause injury without posting a very visible warning you will be prosecuted (and then even if you do post the warning, someone will claim it was not sufficient as the poor burglar can't read!). Even broken glass on the top of walls (an old London east end favorite) is borderline on breaching the Geneva convention on mantraps!
Best way, prevent access.
I find a large hungry dog with access to the tank works :-)

Posted by: angleseyman on 30 May 2008 at 12:44pm

SD card CCTV systems are best for securing single points,
get them off ebay, the will record thousands of images onto a 1gb card and record immediately on detection of movement, just pop the card from the DVR to your PC and bingo, tea leaf caught!