FUEL THEFT

11/02/2025

About 9 Alert 9 FUEL THEFT

Apologies for the resending of the alert however there was an issue with the Secured By Design link.

Fuel Theft costs the rural economy a disproportionate amount in Scotland every year. Fuel theft was thought to be a seasonal crime throughout Scotland, however over several years this has proved to be incorrect. It was also thought to be an opportunistic crime, again this is not necessarily the case either. The Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) and Police Scotland have seen a significant rise in fuel theft in recent months across the whole of Scotland.

In particular there are two main discernible areas for this this type of theft. Domestic, particularly in rural locations and commercial in particular from forestry sites as well as HGV’s. This crime affects many in rural communities especially those who may be vulnerable, and causes significant costs for companies trying to operate in forestry sites and farms. Crime groups will target oil companies and follow them, for both domestic oil and red diesel to farms and rural properties as well as targeting forestry and windfarms.

Fuel tank theft prevention

It’s important to put measures in place to protect your fuel tank and make it extremely difficult for thieves to target your fuel.

Locate your tank in a safe location remembering that many thieves use Google Maps to find satellite images of fuel tanks.

Consider locating your tank behind a garage or shed and away from roads. Positioning it close to your business or home will ensure it’s in clear view.

Locate inside a security gate or cage with a good quality, robust fence or cage to make life difficult for thieves.

Install an alarm Consider fitting alarms to external gates surrounding your fuel tank or to the inside of a shed or outbuilding that is housing the tank.

Fit a fuel theft lock, thieves often come armed with tools so it’s worth investing in quality locks, locking fuel caps and anti-siphoning deterrents to slow down the criminals and reduce the likelihood of success. Locks with a CEN or BSEN 12320 Grade 6 classification indicate maximum security (Grade 1 is the least secure)

Install outdoor security lighting positioning your tank in the bright light is an effective solution worth considering. With the majority of thieves striking at night, installing automatic security lighting will help stop criminals from targeting your fuel tank.

Install CCTV cameras on your premises to dissuade anyone from targeting your tank as well as catch a thief in the act, providing the police with the evidence required to bring those to justice who choose to ignore the deterrent.

Put up signage to highlight the security measures you’ve installed can help deter those up to no good. These could include: Private property, keep out, Warning CCTV in operation, All vehicles are left with minimum fuel, Security patrols in operation, All vehicles fitted with security devices etc

Report any suspicious activity, or those involved, to Police Scotland by calling 101. If the theft is in progress and in an emergency, call 999.

Prevention Products to consider

Secured by Design – Fuel Theft

Watchman Alarm | Oil Tank Alarm | Kingspan | Great Britain

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