Red diesel has become one of the lifebloods of some industries because it fuels many heavy pieces of machinery. Without these machines running smoothly, agriculture and even some construction would come to a halt. Of course, anytime something is valuable, that means that there is an increased chance that someone dishonest wants to steal it. That is why you need to learn how to stop red diesel theft, to protect you and your business.
Red diesel is a target because it is relatively cheap, so companies tend to stock up on it in large quantities. The larger the quantity of it, the easier it is to skim some off the top without anyone being able to tell the difference. When it is easy to steal, you can bet that someone unscrupulous will try and do it to make a quick extra buck or two.
Since it is largely used in construction sites and farms, thieves are more likely to try and get some, because many times companies leave these types of sites with minimal security. A simple gate with a padlock is not enough to deter a seasoned burglar. So the first thing you need to do is get much better fences and locks. Control strictly how many people have access to the keys to these locks.
You also want the area around your storage tank to be hard to get to. Most people store the tanks outside for obvious safety reasons. You can store them indoors in some cases, so check the local laws regarding tank safety. If you can fence in the area better or even put a structure around it, then this may deter thieves.
Whether you move the tanks or not, you want the area around them to be well lit. A thief wants to work in darkness because it gives them cover. Install floodlights or similar bright lighting that turns on automatically when it detects motion. This way they lights stay off when there is no danger of theft, which cuts down on electricity costs.
If possible, install cameras. Nothing makes a burglar think twice faster than the thought of being on video, as this can be used against them should they get caught later.
Dogs are great guardians of property, plus they are fun to have around and can keep you and your employees company. They have excellent hearing, far better than humans. They can hear someone approaching quite a ways off, and will start barking to alert you or a security guard of possible trouble. Thieves do not want to get bitten, so they often will avoid any compound with dogs.
Keeping a close inventory on the amount of fuel you have on hand is another way to stop fuel from going missing. Give someone the task of keeping strict track of how much is put into each machine so you know how much should be left. If there is less in the tanks than there should be, a complete audit should be done to figure out what happened. If drivers or operators know there will be an audit every time fuel goes missing, they are far less likely to try and siphon any off. Any and all of these deterrents can go a long ways towards saving you money each year by stopping gas theft.
