Home heating oil - stolen????

shreksaurus

I'm a few miles west of barna.

Has anybody noticed dry oil tanks.

Heard before that people/scum steal oil, and just wondering is this happening in galway.

Mam got a full tank of oil in early december. We're careful at home not to waste it. Heating at home has been on a little bit more with the cold weather but we dont leave it on for long. Boiler stopped working, and checked tank and it was empty. It usually lasts longer.

Just wondering has anybody else noticed dry oil tanks.

workaccount

shreksaurus wrote: »

I'm a few miles west of barna.

Has anybody noticed dry oil tanks.

Heard before that people/scum steal oil, and just wondering is this happening in galway.

Mam got a full tank of oil in early december. We're careful at home not to waste it. Heating at home has been on a little bit more with the cold weather but we dont leave it on for long. Boiler stopped working, and checked tank and it was empty. It usually lasts longer.

Just wondering has anybody else noticed dry oil tanks.

That's really annoying. I'd say you must be able to get something that monitors how many litres the boiler burns so you can know if it is indeed being stolen in the future. Are you sure she hasn't been leaving it on and forgetting it or perhaps the timer has been mistakenly set incorrectly?

Other than that it depends on your setup at home and access to the oil tank regarding what security measures you could take. The thieves will always go for the easiest targets. If you make yours difficult for them they might just leave it and move on to the next.

sgthighway

Yes Oil does get stolen from tanks in Galway but I have not heard of any recently. That doesn't mean its not happening.

However we have had really cold weather now for a long time and people may not realise it but they have the heat on more burning more fuel and also clocking up the Electricity Units.

If you are reckon it was robbed report it. The Gardai might turn around and say that there were a few more robberies in the area.

Inspect the valves on the tank to ensure they are not tampered becuase they might leak.

mukki

its a big problem in meath, i put my oil tank in the garage, so if they do steal mine, i'll have to replace the oil and probably a window too

fj1200

Oil theft happens all over the country specially in rural areas. Best security is a good dog.

Caliden

We've got a fairly heavy duty padlock on ours and its in the back beside the dog house

shreksaurus

workaccount wrote: »

That's really annoying. I'd say you must be able to get something that monitors how many litres the boiler burns so you can know if it is indeed being stolen in the future. Are you sure she hasn't been leaving it on and forgetting it or perhaps the timer has been mistakenly set incorrectly?

Thanks for the replies.

Heating has been on a lit bit more alright, but we're always so careful not to leave it on for long. And we dont use the timer on the boiler. I doubt very much that we used it all up.
We would be an easy target. The tank is in the back yard but also viewable from the road. No security measures in place.

We'll see if we hear anything about other people missing oil and then maybe put an electric fence up around the tank.
Our dog is very lazy and is fond of her sleep. She sleeps indoors in one of our beds at night.

oilman

your average house burner uses 4.5 litres per hour so you shoul be able to work out how much you are really using

Euro_Kraut

If you suspect that your oil has been stolen - report it to the Gardai. If enough people report, it will become a big enough problem for them to try to do something to stop it.

Of course they cannot actually get your oil back, but maybe you may prevent happening yourself or a neighbor again.

LambDave

Dont want to advertise but my brother does oil tank locks, monitors and cages. Hes gotten lots of business lately because of the issue of people stealing oil. Its becoming a real issue.

KevR

LambDave wrote: »

Dont want to advertise but my brother does oil tank locks, monitors and cages. Hes gotten lots of business lately because of the issue of people stealing oil. Its becoming a real issue.

Was going to suggest a lock for the oil tank. We don't have a lock ourselves because we have a dog but I've heard of a few people getting locks for their oil tanks lately.

ethernet

Acquired such a lock recently. Big bulky thing. Someone lost the key already! Of course, it won't deter the pro from making a hole in the tank if they really want to drain it.

Mars Bar

Or neighbour behind us had his oil stolen too. Sickening, glad we have ours in our shed. And the dog would kill them if they tried to enter!

ScumLord

Do you have a lock on your tank? Was it tampered with?

Also if you do put a lock on a tank don't put a bog standard pad lock on they're extremely easy to get open.

LambDave

ethernet wrote: »

Acquired such a lock recently. Big bulky thing. Someone lost the key already! Of course, it won't deter the pro from making a hole in the tank if they really want to drain it.

For those people who feel that might feel that a lock wouldnt be enough, he has caged enclosures. He finds that places like schools are asking him to install these as places like this wouldnt be able to monitor their tank over long periods of time...eg weekends or school holidays.

a123

I work in a primary school on south galway and we had 2 tanks of oil stolen last week. :mad: lots of oil being stolen down there so watch out

PixelTrawler

pretty much the lowest of the low scum to steal from a primary school.

Leaving kids cold in this weather... get a good lock and a fake security camera box pointing at it... just as a deterent.

Krieg

Anyone know how they are doing this exactly?

I couldn't really figure out the logistics of this before either. Do they use their own oil/drum vehicle? do they fill a number of small tanks and throw them into the back of a van?

Im surprised no one has been caught for this yet as its been going on for the last year. Hardly seems like a worth while crime, granted oil is expensive

ethernet

I'd imagine they have a deep cannister (or a few) and use a pipe you can work manually by squeezing the enlarged, air-filled part of it. Wouldn't do to make too much noise when doing the deed.

JohnCleary

ethernet, yer way behind the times :pac:

Prob either 1 big tank/multiple smaller ones on a trailer.

Then a silent 12v pump, a battery and 2 long hoses.

Fcuking p1keys :mad:

biko

John, you got any links/backup?

How it was done in NY by the oil company
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/20/nyregion/20oil.html


In Derry:

Published Date: 16 January 2009
By Staff reporter
A Limavady teenager who stole 250 litres of home heating oil from a pensioner has been spared jail, and ordered to do 200 hours of community service.
Jason Welch (19) was caught stealing almost £140 of fuel from the house in the town on September 8, 2008.

Police said he used a brown wheelie bin to transport the oil to his home.

When challenged, along with another male, he fled. Police later discovered the oil at Welch’s home in seven drums.

When the matter appeared at Limavady Magistrate’s Court on New Year’s Eve, District Judge McElholm said his option would be to jail Welch, but left the matter for District Judge Eamon King to deal with on Wednesday.

“You’re lucky it’s me because I am not going to jail you,” said Mr. King. “You’re a young, healthy fit fella. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be sent to work.”

Ordering Welch to pay the money back, Mr. King added: “If you don’t do the community service I will bring you back and I may agree with my colleague.”

The court heard the fuel had since been returned to the pensioner’s oil tank.

JohnCleary

biko - Unfortunately these scum don't write blogs of their techniques (I'm as surprised as you are)

That's how we do it when we have to transfer fuels from one tank to another (ie. from drums to fuel tank) - I'm guessing it's how these people do it do as the flow rate is a LOT quicker than any hand pump

biko

Please provide links to a pikey/knacker/traveller being convicted of oil theft.

We know theft happens, we just don't know who did it.
The links I put up is the only I could find at a quick search.

JohnCleary

biko wrote: »

Please provide links to a pikey/knacker/traveller being convicted of oil theft.

We know theft happens, we just don't know who did it.
The links I put up is the only I could find at a quick search.

Please bring me a cheeseburger, i'm flippin' starving

I use the term 'Pikey' as general scum/thieves. Best add that to your little notebook biko so you don't get confused if I ever use that word again in the future

biko

Wiki: Pikey is a pejorative slang term used, mainly in England, to refer to travellers, Gypsies or people of low social class.

This then. I'm writing in my little notebook to ban you next time you use it

ciaramc

Hi,

I have just discovered heating oil has been stolen from the tank. I had only filled it up in january. Whoever these scumbags:eek: and lowlifes :mad: are that are stealing the oil I hope they come to a bad end. Could someone please tell me how I can secure the tank to prevent theft of the oil? I live in the Inishowen area of Co. Donegal, can anyone tell me of any company that provide security cages or other security devices? Please help.

THANK YOU

lucygoosy

yes there has been oil stolen from tanks contact salthill gardai

inisboffin

JohnCleary wrote: »

Please bring me a cheeseburger, i'm flippin' starving

I use the term 'Pikey' as general scum/thieves. Best add that to your little notebook biko so you don't get confused if I ever use that word again in the future

Please bring me a JohnCleary with extra olives and pesto. I use the term 'JohnCleary' occasionally when I mean a thin crust pizza. Please take note, to avoid confusion :p:p



*ps, I occasionally confuse other people, dunno why...

e2rd

I'm in co. Wicklow, Ballinaclash area, and yesterday I've found a hole drilled in my oil tank. Don't know for how long it was there, seems like not much of oil disappeared, but when I told my landlord about it, he said there were other people in the area robbed too. Oil tank for the nearby church was drained completely and some houses were robbed too. Looks like there was an organized group on tour. My oil was saved probably because of not an easy access off the road, they'd need to build a pipeline to drain it. Lucky me, pissed about the hole in the tank though.

Muppet2006

I live in the west side of Galway city - my oil has been stolen.
Got 500 litres in Feb, thermostat on low and heat on less than before Feb (got 500 litres in Sept, lasted til Feb), bolt from tank gone. Have reported it to Gardai. Has this happened to anyone else recently?

IrishWhiskeyCha

No way ye used a full tank in 2-3 months unless it was on for long periods.

Happened to quite a few people in our area ... Gardai had issued a warning through GalwayBay FM.

We have a lock on ours but a small deterrent if they really want it.

LambDave

Hi guys,

See this thread is getting more information. Probably not as relevant seeing as the summer is coming up.

Mentioned before that my brother has a local business that does products that specifically target these issues. Mod, can I have permission to post contact details of the company. Cant post a website address because i've been lazy and havent finished coding site yet...:rolleyes:

biko

Sure, post the info.

JohnCleary

LambDave wrote: »

Hi guys,

See this thread is getting more information. Probably not as relevant seeing as the summer is coming up.

Mentioned before that my brother has a local business that does products that specifically target these issues. Mod, can I have permission to post contact details of the company. Cant post a website address because i've been lazy and havent finished coding site yet...:rolleyes:

Your brother sells locks, doesn't he?

(Whats my prize??)

klipdrift

Just had circa 600L of oil stolen from my tank. I hope the B.....D that stole it dies of carbon monoxide poisioning.
Anyway, the kids wanted a dog for xmas, i was dead against it...but guess what, there gettong one, A ROTWILLER



HE WILL BE FED ONCE A WEEK ONLY.

So come on back for some heating oil gents.

snubbleste

Do you have neighbours..did they see anything?

klipdrift

Neighbours are scarce where i live. Right in the end of a small country road, not a through road so cant figure this one out. Im soooo pissed off, we only moved in there 2 mths ago

snubbleste

klipdrift wrote: »

Neighbours are scarce where i live. Right in the end of a small country road, not a through road so cant figure this one out. Im soooo pissed off, we only moved in there 2 mths ago

must be someone with some local knowledge then.

Stick a lock on it when you buy more in

klipdrift

Build a bloody wall round it, and chain the rotwiller to it I think.:)

Robbo

I read recently in an article about oil thefts that there's a company either selling or developing a device that alerts you when your tank is being pillaged.

mikom

Robbo wrote: »

I read recently in an article about oil thefts that there's a company either selling or developing a device that alerts you when your tank is being pillaged.

It's called a guard dog.

yeehaw

No point in a lock- they will just break it. If they can't break it they will drill the tank and the tank is ruined.

Move the tank would be my only suggestion, but it is very difficult to stop this.

MrThrifty

Some of the wireless oil tank monitors sound an alarm at the receiver in the house if the level drops very quickly. But that's only useful if you're in at the time! And you probably have to be in the same room as the receiver to hear the alarm I'd say. Agree, best bet is to move the tank altogether. Also, whoever took your oil could well drop by again knowing that it will be refilled. You might well be covered by house insurance. Finally, I guess it's safe to assume that there's not another explanation like a big crack in the side of the tank!

klipdrift

Hi,

No cracks, no leaks, installation only 12mths old. Filler cap removed and then replaced without securing pin. Pissed off is an understatement.

The rotwiller is on his way from Kildare as we speak. He will be treated like a god and will eat thieves like a king.

.

wet-paint

A friend of mine living out in Menlo had her oil stolen, and the oil tank drilled in a load of places. Landlord had to replace it, but he threw in a free fill of oil too, which was sound.

klipdrift

Nice to see there are some decent landlords left. Top marks to him/her.

:mad:, i would like to catch my thieves now........!

Emmett

Heard of a few people being stung for oil lately. Mostly in student villages. The best solution I've seen is a clamp that locks in place over the lid of the tank. They're in Armour Locks in the Eyre square Centre.

galwayfreak

http://www.tanklok.com/

mbiking123

The original posting talked about oil being robbed in Barna, I have heard of this too in Barna area(Galway). Also heard of it happening in Castlebar. I was told they drill through the plastic of the tank and take it out that way. They dont bother to pump it out through the cap. Putting a lock on tank wont stop them. Nearly have to put the tank in a cage or something.

I see someone mentioned a dog, I have heard of using a bitch in heat to distract a guard dog. They seem to have a work around for for everything.

mikom

mbiking123 wrote: »

I see someone mentioned a dog, I have heard of using a bitch in heat to distract a guard dog. They seem to have a work around for for everything.

They better hope my bitch is a lesbian so.

thesandeman

I think you better think about exchanging the Rothweiler for a Husky if youre planning to leave the poor animal outside guarding your oil in this weather.