FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Michael Bloch
Energy Matters
133 SUN
michael.bloch@energymatters.com.au
Solar Panel Security Guide Released
Melbourne, Victoria, October 3, 2008. While costing less than just a few years ago, solar panels are still a valuable item and are very much sought after on the black market; often appearing in online classifieds and auction sites.
The problem has become so bad in some places in America that solar panel owners are arming themselves to try to deter thieves. Other less drastic measures have included painting the panel frames bright colours.
Energy Matters, a leading provider of renewable energy equipment in Australia, has just released a new guide for people concerned with solar panel theft.
Energy Matters’ Managing Director Jeremy Rich explains; “Americans may be able to arm themselves to the teeth, but people in Australia don’t have that option and it’s not a method we’d recommend anyway. What we’ve produced is a guide with simple tips and strategies for deterring would-be thieves from making off with panels. None of the tips include inflicting grievous bodily harm to offenders, however desirable that might be”.
One of the tips in the guide, available via a link on the EnergyMatters’ home page at www.energymatters.com.au, is the same advice that law enforcement agencies around the world advise for general burglary prevention – don’t leave items around the yard that make it easy to access your roof. Many of the thieves are opportunist and making it difficult to steal the panels will often deter them.
Energy Matters also now offers a solar panel security device that locks the panels in an array together making them particularly difficult to remove and transport.
“While most solar panel theft would be covered under household contents insurance policies – and we advise homeowners to check that they are; nothing makes up for the feeling of violation that theft can inflict -prevention is certainly better than cure.”, states Mr Rich.
The company also advises buyers of solar panels to be extremely cautious when considering the purchase of second hand panels and to perform due diligence in checking the person selling is indeed the legal owner; as buying stolen panels may end in criminal charges being laid against the purchaser.
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