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New technology hailed by police as major step in combating fuel theft
A portable alarm system that can film thieves and link them to crimes using DNA technology in remote locations, has been hailed by police as a major step towards helping to combat a massive rise in fuel theft.
The Alarmed and Traceable Technology Solutions System (AATTS), developed by Kilmarnock-based PID Systems, is the first purpose-built alarm system for protecting vulnerable properties and locations to be approved and recommended by the Association of chief Police Officers (ACPO).
The system is battery powered and wireless so it doesn’t need to be connected to a mains supply or phone line. It can be installed quickly and easily and gives a loud, bespoke verbal warning when an intruder is detected in vehicle parks and transport yards, notifying the owner of the building and capturing any attempted theft on video.
The vandal-resistant alarm system is used in conjunction with indelible, DNA based marking dye that can only be seen under UV light. It coats intruders with a unique encrypted molecular marking that can be irrefutably linked back to the crime scene.
Jacqui Shiel, development manager for ACPO’s Secured by Design initiative, said: “Fuel theft is a growing problem. Early notification is very important in preventing this disruption and identifying those responsible”.
“PID Systems’ AATTS is an effective weapon in the fight against fuel theft because it can be deployed quickly and easily in a wide variety of internal and external locations. It uses the latest technology to provide an adaptable, early warning and detection system.
With petrol expected to reach an unprecedented £1.40-a-litre by the end of the summer, police have reported a massive rise in fuel theft from private vehicles. National data has not been collected but some police forces have reported increases of more than 100% in the past 12 months.
Thieves steal fuel by cutting through fuel lines, smashing open fuel caps, removing petrol and diesel tanks or, in some cases, drilling into the fuel tanks and pumping out the contents.
Theft from garage forecourts - where cars are filled with fuel and then driven off without paying - costs the industry more than £22million-a-year.
Incidents of heating oil theft doubled in the first six months of last year compared with the same period in 2010, according to NFU Mutual, an insurer specialising in farm insurance. The most expensive claim dealt with by the company for clean-up costs, as a result of a damaged tank following an oil theft, was more than £30,000.
Gordon McIntyre, a director of PID systems, said: “Fuel theft is a huge problem in all sorts of locations, many of which are remote with no mains power supply.
“The AATTS has a proven track record in stopping theft. It comprises wireless, vandal-resistant cameras and 3G/GPRS communications to give real time notification of intruder activity, allowing timely intervention and prevention.
“Should a theft occur, DNA coding provides an irrefutable link between suspects and stolen material, leading to police conviction.”
