Gas bottles at fuel stations now a target

It’s winter and it’s cold, opportunistic criminals are now shifting their pattern and targeting fuel stations for their gas cylinders, says Charnel Hattingh, Group Head of Marketing and Communications at Fidelity ADT.
In order to stay one step ahead of devious criminals it is important to make your business less of a target by making it as difficult as possible for criminals to access this part of the property.
The vulnerability lies in the fact that at most properties the gas bottle cages are usually out of the line of sight – making it easy for criminals to break the cage, load bottles and flee unnoticed.
“We suggest that businesses consider installing an alarm that will be triggered as soon as the lock on the cage is broken.”
Hattingh offers these safety tips:
– Always invest in an alarm, CCTV and an electronic article surveillance system that meet your level of security needs. Learn how to use your system properly and check the system daily.
– Install lights on the inside and outside of your business, especially around doors, windows, skylights, or other entry points and in front of external areas where gas for example is stored. Consider installing covers over exterior lights and power sources to deter tampering.
– Consider the use of a guarding service at night.
Always rotate security guards and insist that they are vetted on a regular basis.
– Gas bottles are often stored in secured cages. Ask your security provider for an alarm to the security gate or consider storing them in a safe and secure storeroom that complies with safety standards
– Installing quality CCTV cameras around your premises will help SAPS with investigations and will also deter opportunistic criminals.