Unless he was Fingers McFingers, the ace safe-cracker - if he'd
unscrewed it, the distance between the sensor and surface (usually the
oil level surface) would change - hence an alarm.

(I tried this with my tank-level sensor when I was setting it up,
varying the distance above the table-top, and checking the display -
to make sure they'd paired properly).

OTOH most oil-tank oil thieves are probably mindless thugs that
wouldn't give a f*** about an alarm - unless someone scary is right
there to take some enforcement action.

As always - a dog with great big gnashy teeth is the best protection.

Maybe you can teach him to bark out the oil level.

Another approach would be to rig up motion sensors near the tank, so
they get the sirens and lights if they shouldn't be near there.


That's the dilemma isn't it - how far do you go to protect an oil tank?

I'm not convinced about locking it as a determined thief will simply
drill a hole in the tank and so make a hell of a mess. To my mind the
'best' option seems to be to leave the tank so there is easy access to
the refill point, BUT to fit an alarm.

As you say, your average brain dead thug isn't going to worry too much
about an alarm, but it at least warns the householder so they can call
the cops.

Putting Fido on guard is an option, but he can't be there all the time.

Motion sensors - nice, but possibly could be tripped by wildlife,
leading to many false alarms?

I do like this option though:

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/ALARM_MINES.htm

a blank shotgun cartridge attached to a trip wire. :-)



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