Over the recent bank holiday weekend, we were privy to a stark reminder; we must continuously remain vigilant to secure our company assets, in particular fuel!
Colleagues at our recently recommissioned rail head operation in Rugby returned from the long weekend to discover the batteries stolen from two of our excavating machines and further damage caused to two others. Whilst this is disturbing enough, we soon discovered this was part of a much bigger issue.
Neighbours, and operating partners to Rugby Cement plant, Suez, who supply Climafuel for use in the kiln, reported to us the large-scale and organised theft of over 8,000 litres of diesel.
The extraordinary planning and execution of this crime is worth detailing, to communicate our continued awareness, vigilance and defensive measures against this type of activity.
As the pictures demonstrate, the offenders connected large sections of industrial water piping to form a single syphon extending approximately 400 metres. This pipe ran from a dis-used siding off the main road neighbouring our site. It extended through a forced gap in the fencing, on to the West Coast Main Railway Line, underneath the tracks, through significant scrub land and through a forced breach in the Suez fence. The inspection cover of the nearby 18,000 litre tank was removed and a heavy-duty pipe wrench used as a weight to hold the pipe at the bottom of the fuel tank.
It is believed over 8,000 litres of white diesel were then syphoned approximately 400 metres into containers on a truck off Parkfield Road in Rugby. An industrial pump would have been necessary, which had been powered by the batteries stolen from our plant the night before. This offence was discovered, in action, in the early hours of Wednesday 30th August. The offenders made off in the unknown vehicle, leaving behind the pipework and batteries.
Liaison with police suggests fuel theft continues to be a prevalent problem and offences of an industrial scale such as this are on the rise. Fuel theft remains one of the highest security risks to Cemex UK operations.
Managers of sites housing large scale diesel stocks must take proportionate measures to secure their assets.
Available preventative measures include:
- CCTV with cameras deployed specifically on fuel assets.
- PIR activated solar lighting.
- Warning signage.
- Effective perimeter fencing.
- PIR activated ‘voiceoff’ alarm.
- Forensic DNA solutions and anti-tamper paint.
- Accurate auditing procedures.
For further advice on your site security measures, particularly the use of CCTV, contact Colin Jones or John Sweeting in the Cemex UK Security Team.