Fuel and generator thefts stemmed as New Forest Communications launches its new BB3-FT

As fuel theft reaches an all time high, New Forest Communications working in association with Alpha Micro Components, is taking bold steps to police the market - stemming the number of fuel and generator thefts with the introduction of a new device called the BB3-FT.

Developed specifically for utilities, plant hire and corporate end users who are using generators attached to large fuel tanks to power equipment in remote locations, the benefits are two-fold.  Radio Frequency Definition (RFID) tags attached to the fuel float system and connected to a wireless modem housed in the generator, notify the owner if the fuel level drops significantly, indicating that a theft is in progress. It can also be used to tell the owner when the tank is low and needs refilling, removing the need to travel miles to remote locations to check. Most importantly, the tags can intelligently sense the difference between various movements including motion, tilt and vibration and can be set to alarm or ignore any of these criteria.

BB3-FT can also be used to confirm that the tank driver sent to refuel the tank did in fact deliver the agreed volume of fuel - another point where fraud frequently occurs.

RFID tags and u-blox LEON G100, quad-band GSM/GPRS, data and voice modules from Alpha Micro housed within the generator notify the user if the unit is stolen. GPS receivers, which require an unobstructed view of the sky to receive communication from Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) in order to transmit signals to the equipment on the ground, are used to track the position of the units.  As this communication can be blocked if the unit is placed inside a lorry for example, GSM communication has also been included which uses the mobile phone network to send positioning data to New Forest Communication's server. This function is automatically activated should the unit be hidden inside a vehicle or building so preventing its Global Positioning function from working.

Commenting on the BB3FT, Matt Walker, Director, New Forest Communications, said, "Alpha Micro Components' design team, experts in machine-to-machine communications and telematics, evaluated and sourced the appropriate GSM/GPS positioning modules and helped us to bring the BB3-FT product to market in a timely and efficient manner.  We were really impressed with the support they provided us with.  BB3FT has generated significant interest - driven by the current economic climate in which theft is escalating year on year"