Have you ever heard of heating oil being robbed from the tank?

frobisher · 25-03-2008 01:33PM #1

I've never had oil fired heating until my new place. I moved in last Sept and the oil didn't run out until the end of Jan. So I filled it up again but the heating stoped over the weekend. Had a look in the container and where there should be about €300 of oil there's nothing :eek:

WTF?! There's no leak, the heating has been used very little but it's all gone! Have you ever heard of oil being stolen from these things? That or the delivery person lying about what the delivered are the only things I can think of. Mystery!

Ruu_Old · 25-03-2008 01:36PM

I have heard it happen a number of times, common enough I think. My brother has a lock on his tank.

prendy · 25-03-2008 01:37PM

ya its common enough-at least iv heard of it a few times before. My aul fella and a few in our area have a padlock on the tank....because the feul is diesel people nick it.

Frelance · 25-03-2008 01:48PM

aye it happens.

especially with the price of oil these days.
Our business had £700 worth of oil stolen about a month ago.

the funny thing is the police told us it was probably one of the neighbours that had recently got a council house closeby. B*astard even had a load of plastic containers and crap sitting beside his tank.

Run_to_da_hills · 25-03-2008 01:49PM

prendy wrote: »

ya its common enough-at least iv heard of it a few times before. My aul fella and a few in our area have a padlock on the tank....because the feul is diesel people nick it.

It is quiet common for fuel to get nicked in detached houses down the country. They can get around the padlocked cap easily, i.e. use a hole saw and cordless drill and get it from the bottom.

The most common vehicle used by those who swipe fuel would either be the low roof Ford Transit or Toyota Hiace. Instal a CCTV pointing down on your fuel tank and get a big dog ie an alsation doberman or rottweiler and keep it loose in the back garden where the tank would be kept. Alternately build a concrete strong room or shed with steel padlocked door and keep your fuel secure inside and a dummy tank outside.

deisedevil · 25-03-2008 01:55PM

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

It is quiet common for fuel to get nicked in detached houses down the country. They can get around the padlocked cap easily, i.e. use a hole saw and cordless drill and get it from the bottom.

The most common vehicle used by those who swipe fuel would be the low roof Ford Transit or Toyota Hiace. Instal a CCTV pointing down on your fuel tank and get a big dog ie an alsation or a doberman and keep it loose in the back garden where the tank would be kept. Alternately build a concrete strong room or shed with steel padlocked door and keep your fuel inside.

Lol. That's all abit drastic. Just get a lock,they couldn't be bothered with your tank then when they can go for another one without onewith less hassle. Travellers love robbing those tanks and out of town they go for the farmers tanks aswell. (so the Hiace would be a favourite alright)

passive · 25-03-2008 01:58PM

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

The most common vehicle used by those who swipe fuel would either be the low roof Ford Transit or Toyota Hiace.

Two guesses for the most common perpetrators...

Run_to_da_hills · 25-03-2008 02:00PM

deisedevil wrote: »

Lol. That's all abit drastic. Just get a lock,they couldn't be bothered with your tank then when they can go for another one without onewith less hassle. Travellers love robbing those tanks and out of town they go for the farmers tanks aswell. (so the Hiace would be a favourite alright)

I used to work on the light house service, several thousands gallons of diesel went AWOL from the tanks on the Skelligs rock, padlocks did little to stop these guys

(I dont think the travellers were involved in this case)

seamus · 25-03-2008 02:01PM

Yeah, it happens. Scumbags also rob diesel out of trucks that are parked up too. A polish guy was murdered last year when he confronted some dirt trying to steal the diesel from his truck.

Physically damaging the tank (by drilling a hole in it) would be rare enough because the perps are usually local - they want to come back and do it again and again. A padlock should be sufficient or if it's a business with a large tank, building a small room around it may be a a more effective deterrant.

kaimera · 25-03-2008 02:29PM

Damn college students

Dragan · 25-03-2008 02:34PM

Have you ever heard of pikies?

Sherifu · 25-03-2008 02:40PM

It happens alright. Some people have locks on their tanks but if they're determined enough...

She Devil · 25-03-2008 03:20PM

This is very common this year for some reason. Apparently the aul non nationals amongst us are professionals at it, i worked for an oil for a few years what we would suggest is ... putting a light near your tank in your back yard a sensor light if you can!

Drift · 25-03-2008 03:34PM

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Alternately build a concrete strong room or shed with steel padlocked door and keep your fuel secure inside and a dummy tank outside.

Fill the outside dummy tank with a mixture of heating oil and sodium silicate or some form of grinding compound. It'll cost them a fortune in repairs!!

Run_to_da_hills · 25-03-2008 03:49PM

Drift wrote: »

Fill the outside dummy tank with a mixture of heating oil and sodium silicate or some form of grinding compound. It'll cost them a fortune in repairs!!

It won't be them that will suffer, it will be the idiot that buys the cheap diesel from them down the line.

Run_to_da_hills · 25-03-2008 03:49PM

Drift wrote: »

Fill the outside dummy tank with a mixture of heating oil and sodium silicate or some form of grinding compound. It'll cost them a fortune in repairs!!

It won't be them that will suffer, it will be the idiot that buys the cheap diesel from them down the line, and that could be your supplier :eek:

Drift · 25-03-2008 03:53PM

Won't be my supplier!!! And if they sell what they robbed off me they'll lose all their custom pretty fast

meathstevie · 25-03-2008 04:03PM

Heard a similar story around my neck of the woods here about stealing turf a good few years ago. It all of a sudden stopped when someone decided to boobytrap a couple of sods with a shotgun cartridge ( don't try this at home ). Can just about imagine that whoever burnt it must have had a clean chimney after ( wouldn't have been much worse than a big banger ) .

Riddle101 · 25-03-2008 04:16PM

frobisher wrote: »

I've never had oil fired heating until my new place. I moved in last Sept and the oil didn't run out until the end of Jan. So I filled it up again but the heating stoped over the weekend. Had a look in the container and where there should be about €300 of oil there's nothing :eek:

WTF?! There's no leak, the heating has been used very little but it's all gone! Have you ever heard of oil being stolen from these things? That or the delivery person lying about what the delivered are the only things I can think of. Mystery!

Maybe George Bush snuck into your backyard(assuming thats where the tanks is) and stole your oil. Is possible, however i'd say it's possible someone did rob it, i'd call the people who supplied the oil and tell them about it

Fast_Mover · 25-03-2008 04:32PM

Ya, it happens. We'v have a lock on ours and we also have it concealed among our hedge of big trees. You wouldn't even know it's there.

CCCP^ · 25-03-2008 04:47PM

Happened to some friends I knew out in Galway. Most likely culprit was the Pikey. He'll rob anything!!! ..... *There was a fifth exclamation mark, but that too, was robbed by Senor Pikey*

MOH · 25-03-2008 04:49PM

Fast_Mover wrote: »

Ya, it happens. We'v have a lock on ours and we also have it concealed among our hedge of big trees. You wouldn't even know it's there.

You would now

phantom_lord · 25-03-2008 05:25PM

lol, that's mad ted, i never heard of that happening before.

Red Alert · 25-03-2008 05:43PM

It's not road diesel although it would probably be ok powering some things like generators that can work with heating-grade diesel.

Wertz · 25-03-2008 05:53PM

Happened neighbours of mine a few times...apparently, according to the cops it was tinkers using the oil as fuel (heating oil will run a diesel engine).
Also worked in a house a good few years back where thieves had attempted to nick the tank contents....but they were disturbed during the process, leaving the pipe they had just sawn through to pour a few hundred litres of oil into the garden and ultimately into the foundations of the house where it then seeped into the walls. Cost them a few thousand to have sorted (insurance paid). Could still smell the fuel when I worked in it and this was 4 months later...
Those suggesting locks should know that a thief doesn't neccesarily need access through the refill cap/nozzle...in some cases like the one above it's a simple matter of cutting the pipe to the boiler (like above) or just punching the bottom of the tank. Also negates the need to siphon the oil...

CantGetNoSleep · 25-03-2008 06:20PM

How do you get the oil out through the top of the tank?

Oral Slang · 25-03-2008 06:21PM

frobisher wrote: »

I've never had oil fired heating until my new place. I moved in last Sept and the oil didn't run out until the end of Jan. So I filled it up again but the heating stoped over the weekend. Had a look in the container and where there should be about €300 of oil there's nothing :eek:

That happened to us this year too. We're in our house a year and a half and our oil usually would last for months but the last time I got oil delivered (double the quantity I'd normally order), it only lasted 2 months, whereas I thought it'd last us for around 7/8 months.. Can't imagine anyone robbing it from where I live though, hope not at least. Really using it sparingly this time, couldn't afford to keep filling it up!

buckfast4me · 25-03-2008 06:32PM

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

How do you get the oil out through the top of the tank?

someone wasn't paying attention in science class! you just suck it through a tube until its nearly out (i.e. not in your mouth yet, the stuff tastes horrible) then put the end of the tube into new container and like magic, it flows in.

eddie73 · 25-03-2008 07:56PM

My tank got emptied last month. My strategy from now is to store my own oil after it is delivered in plastic containers or drums in the shed, adding a drum to the tank as it is needed. Wont get fleeced if they come round again, btw where can you get those plastic containers?

Sangre · 25-03-2008 08:08PM

I've heard advise not to actually lock the tank as they'll just drill it then causing more damage. Use other deterrants. This is only 2nd hand information though.

Rovi · 25-03-2008 08:09PM

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

How do you get the oil out through the top of the tank?

Siphon

Have you ever heard of heating oil being robbed from the tank?

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