Agri Sector: Preventing Theft of Fuel on Farms and Properties

Diesel is the lifeblood of many agricultural businesses, as such, it is an invaluable asset that requires a strategic plan for loss prevention. Whether you own a small, family farm that functions as a modest, local business, or have an expansive and still-growing, livestock or agricultural operation, you have to know how to prevent theft of farm fuel. The following are a few helpful tips to get you off on the right foot.

To start, you want to make sure that your fuel tanks, their positioning, and their manner of disbursement are all completely in line with your local government regulations to ensure they comply. More often than not, set-ups that are wholly compliant are also wholly secure. Following the rules is actually one of the best things that farm owners can do to protect their resources from both vandals and thieves. This also eliminates any hazardous falls that can occur.

Another important step to take is to make sure that the fuel storage area is properly lit. In fact, you may even want to use motion detection technologies in these spaces to ensure that any unauthorised activity is made known, immediately before any of your valuable fuel or equipment is stolen.

The next step in these efforts is to take action to assist local law enforcement agencies with as much material and information as possible. For instance, you may want to have CCTV cameras installed. This is especially true if fuel theft is a regular issue for your business or has been noted by people in the area. With these technological security measures, you can get helpful footage and images of any perpetrators and can share these when filing loss claims and police reports. The installation of CCTV cameras can also help lower your commercial insurance costs if these have recently skyrocketed as the result of multiple break-ins or thefts.

It is vital to note that these additions to your security plan are also a very good visual deterrent. When prospective criminals see that you have taken the time to invest in these measures, they will be a lot less likely to target your building. This is why you definitely want to post your cameras in a highly visible location.

All farms should have comprehensive and multi-layered security plans, even if they believe that they are located in relatively safe areas. Due to this fact, you may want to consider installing a security fence and blocking off all but one single, and potentially monitored entry point. This way, it will not be possible for people to gain access to your fuel storage area without first passing by a camera, a guard, or some other checkpoint.

If you have dogs on your land, you should train them to be aware of the scent of red diesel. This way, whenever unauthorized pumping or use occurs, they will sound an alarm that alerts you, wherever you may be. Dogs are a great addition to multi-dimensional security plans and can even be viable forms of security during the nighttime hours and when everyone else is sleeping.

Keep in mind that the theft of your fuel is not just a matter of asset loss, you also have to account for how spillage and improper disbursement and use can affect the safety of your products, the viability of your land, and more.

When it comes to keeping your facility compliant in these respects, having a compliant tank (a double skinned tank is actually a good way to go) and a good security plan in place is incredibly important.