Fuel theft is a problem that can cost companies a lot of money, as it is a rather expensive commodity. When companies are hit with this problem they often wonder how to stop fuel theft from sites. There are two main types of thieves that commit fuel theft and these are the ones who act alone and the ones who act as part of a group.
One of the best ways to monitor this type of crime is to keep accounts that are clear and will allow easy calculations of the legitimate fuel consumption. Thieves tend to be very crafty and they may steal small amounts over a prolonged period of time.
Managers will be able to determine these types of thefts by keeping historical records which they can easily check. This method may seem rather time consuming and it can sometime be difficult to prove for various reasons.
Nowadays there is anti-fuel theft devices which can be very useful. In a lot of cases, thefts are achieved using a siphon method, therefore one of the easiest ways to combat the problem is to use one of these devices. These devices are designed to fit inside the tank or some of them have a gas cap that is lockable. Both of these methods limit the risk of product being siphoned, however these may not deter the more determined criminals who will often be armed with a drill for making a hole in the tank.
It is a good idea to park vehicles in a secure area, as trucks that are not being used are more at risk. In a lot of cases these thieves will strike at night therefore parking vehicles in areas that are not well lighted makes it easy to see how an increased amount of theft is likely.
Another good way of deterring thieves is to employ security guards to patrol the yard at night, make use of CCTV cameras and also ensure that the yard is well illuminated. These methods may seem rather expensive however it could save you a lot of money to replace stolen product.
When you are employing staff, it is a good idea to take time to do a background check including previous employment. This can often be a tricky thing for smaller companies but it is worth putting the time and effort into it. Checking previous job history is a very good way to determine how good the driver is and this may also show how a driver would react to certain circumstances.
Telematics is a good way to constantly monitor the level of liquid that is within the tank. This is a relatively new way of working and it can be a good way to prevent the theft of fuels. This method working through a GPS-enabled device which collects data on the total amount that has been added when the vehicles have been refilled. It also shows the amount of fuel that has been consumed per trip and anything that may have caused an excessive loss of gas, diesel or other product.
