Skimming - the invisible enemy

Here’s a fact you might not have been aware of - skimming accounts for 99% of all fuel theft committed here in the UK. Unfortunately, fuel skimming is mainly a crime that’s committed in-house by company employees, and it’s also very difficult to keep track of.

Dishonest drivers will overfill or “brim” the fuel tank of fleet vehicles, and siphon off small amounts of fuel from the top of the tank. This is a process that is then repeated little and often, making it almost undetectable. Here at Tanksafe, we understand the headache that fuel siphoning can cause in any commercial business. So, here’s a brief guide to the methods used by fuel skimmers, and how you can avoid falling victim to them.

Sources of skimming 

As we’ve touched on above, skimming is usually something committed by your employees, however, a small percentage of skimming thefts are committed by outside influences looking for cheap fuel alternatives. Although this is a generally rare occurrence, these types of theft are more likely in the winter, and in times of economic hardship when fuel prices are a bit higher than normal. 

Fuel skimming remains the most common crime committed within the commercial transport industry, and it can cost businesses like yours thousands of pounds a year if it’s not addressed. In a survey conducted by SHELL, two out of five fleet drivers have witnessed another driver commit some kind of siphoning fraud involving a company vehicle, so it’s fair to say that it’s a relatively common occurrence! 

Given that the amounts of fuel stolen during a siphoning scam are relatively small, it’s exceptionally difficult to notice it in your telematics or fuel monitoring systems. As a result, many fleet managers don’t even realise it’s happening until months, or even years later! 

Will an anti-siphon device reduce the risk of skimming? 

The short answer - depends on the device! Most commercial anti-siphon devices only offer limited protection against fuel theft, and are fairly easy to bypass if a thief is determined enough to steal or siphon your fuel. To be honest, most anti-siphons do not protect the fuel at the top of the tank, which is where skimming takes place. The only way to tackle this problem is to get a device installed that covers all bases, and can reduce the risk of spills, overfilling, theft, and siphoning attempts. This might seem like a bit of a tall order, but we have the solution you require here at Tanksafe! 

Tanksafe Optimum 

Our products have been protecting vehicles from fuel theft and spillage loss for over 20 years, and our solutions have been spearheaded by the TankSafe Optimum. It’s the only security device that can offer you 3 in 1 protection by saving you from fuel spills, overfilling, and making your vehicles 100% immune to fuel siphoning (we’re not joking!). Our product range is protected by 45 patents covering 49 territories worldwide, so rest assured you won’t find a more efficient and reliable source of protection anywhere else. 

If you have any questions regarding any of our products, or you simply need some advice, feel free to head over to our FAQs page, where we answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding our products and services. However, if it doesn’t address your queries, you can give us a call on 01253 400 401, and we’ll be happy to help however we can!