What to do when your LPG cylinder is stolen? - eNidhi India Travel Blog

What to do when your LPG cylinder is stolen?

We had our LPG cylinder stolen few months ago. It was empty and was kept outside in an unsecured area as were expecting the delivery guy to come and replace it. Some smart thief managed to steal it away when no one was around. When we returned home from work it was a surprise. We weren’t used to gas cylinder robbery. At first we thought agency guy might have taken the empty cylinder and would bring refill later... Eventually we realized that it is stolen.

We checked with the agency on the process. We were asked to file a police complaint. We did that. Police team promptly visited our residence, took statement from neighbors. After 1 week, they issued a non traceable report, saying lost cylinder couldn’t be found. We had to make a total of 5-7 visits to the police station, but no money had to be paid.

In between, delivery person came with new filled cylinder, but went back without delivering it, since we didn’t have an empty cylinder to give.

Next step was to get a demand draft for Rs 2000 in the name of Gas Agency. This, along with a letter and copy of police statement, was submitted to gas agency. Also logged a new refill request. Subsequently, a replacement cylinder was delivered.

The whole process took about 2 months.

It was good lesson learnt. We’ll probably chain the empty cylinder from now. Sharing it here so that you can be careful with your empty cylinder and be aware of the process in case an empty cylinder is stolen.

Our stolen cylinder is probably being circulated in black market, to those who are don’t have/can’t get regular gas connection and are ready to pay twice the normal price for a cylinder full of gas.

34 comments:

  1. Oh god. V should be careful about empty cylinder also then..

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  2. Good information.....
    http://www.deccansojourn.com

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  3. Best thing is government should ban these cylinders and provide gas in pipes directly to the kitchen.Its much more safer and we can avoid all these trouble.

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  4. Ashwini:
    Good idea, Reliance is trying to do the same. But the risk is huge- what if gas lines are damaged due to some digging or other activity?

    Vi Ra He, Jnaneshwara: Thanks

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    Replies
    1. Oh don't worry about it . We have piped natural gas delivered by Indrapastha gas in Delhi . Much cheaper , safer , more convenient .
      The pipelines are laid very deep - all of Delhi was dug up before the CWG but no damage !

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  5. OMG :)
    robbery here too ?
    thanks for the info

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  6. never thought anyone could steal LPG cylinders... lol

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  7. Marina: Good to know. Yes, I know piped gas is used in many cities world wide... hope our road digging entities play it safe..

    Raveesh: Thanks

    Bob: :)

    Deepak: Yes

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  8. Last night our Indane gas cylinder (in use) was stolen from our apartment's basement parking area. The thief left the regulator.

    We have a pipe installed from basement to our flat and we were asked to keep the cylinder in that place by the apartment owner. There is an iron cage which was locked, where we kept the cylinder. Lock was broken, and cylinder stolen.

    This evening we are going to the police station to log FIR complaint.

    Following the apartment owner's advice we kept the cylinder at the basement (although caged/locked), and we lost the cylinder. No we are at a loss. We will never keep this way again. There is no guard in the apartment (total 7 flats).

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  9. My 2 Indane cylinders were stolen 3 months back and I went through the whole process described in this blog to get replacements. Now the police have found the 2 cylinders. Does anyone know whether Indane will take back these cylinders and return the 4K penalty that I had to pay for getting replacements?

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  10. One empty Indane cooking gas cylinder was stolen from 1st floor of my house ITI layout ,kathriguppe main raod ,on 25.12.2012. I have given police complaint in Channammanakere police station.Not sure how police is proceeding with investigations.

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  11. Anon, wish you speedy recovery of your cylinder

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  12. 7 LPG gas cylinders were stolen from Arekere Mico Layout, brindavan extension, Police registered FIR, but no response..

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  13. We kept our 2 cylinders in the cage..main gate &cage both r locked..wonder how the thief stolen it...


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  14. I should have seen this post early.

    I lost my full gas cylinder this morning near anna nagar area, Chennai. I kept outside in my balcony as we were cleaning up things inside my house. We normally lock the gate but today i forgot to and went for prayer around 5:45 am and when i came back home at 6:15 its gone.

    I suspect that someone who very well know my daily activity would have stolen it. We are running around now to the police station like you did.

    Thanks a lot. Everybody please keep your cylinders safely.

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  15. We just lost our empty cylinder at Padmavathy Nagar Ext, Madambakkam, Kanchepuram Dist. Lesson Learnt. Government companies should install GPS in all cylinders they deliver.

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  16. Netesh: I didn't understand.

    Rizwan: Thanks for sharing your experience.

    Anon: Honestly I think GPS is little too much (most of the time it will be inside a house only few weeks an year it goes around for refill). A Rs 100 chain and lock should keep it safe. More importantly, if Gas agencies can indicate exact time when delivery van will come, residents can plan to be at home around that time, instead of having to keep the cylinder outside. But they don't and that causes all the problems

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  17. Netesh: I didn't understand.

    Rizwan: Thanks for sharing your experience.

    Anon: Honestly I think GPS is little too much (most of the time it will be inside a house only few weeks an year it goes around for refill). A Rs 100 chain and lock should keep it safe. More importantly, if Gas agencies can indicate exact time when delivery van will come, residents can plan to be at home around that time, instead of having to keep the cylinder outside. But they don't and that causes all the problems

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  18. Hi, This is real pain of getting the Cylinder stolen it happens with me as well and stolen our full gas cylinder from the Gate, i was happened unfortunately few month back , we didn't launch the complaint yet.. Now next step is i want to have 2nd Cylinder and i think need to do all the process along with police complaint. It would be helpful if anyone knows easy process to get new cylinder with Agency.

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  19. its a painful process indeed to get a new cylinder issued from gas agency. there must be some mechanism to stop black marketing of gas cylinders.

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  20. True. Now by removing subsidy govt is trying to discourage black marketing. let us see

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  21. I stay in a huge society wid 200 flats. There is a person wid a big joint family who keeps ordering illegally the subsidized cylinders of nearly everyone in the society nd it is learnt that he has opened numerous accounts in various banks fr consuming the subsidy amount fr himself. The tragedy is that no one is ready to go against this person whom he cheats and almost most of the people are not aware that their subsidy is being stolen or either dont care that this person is stealing instead of surrendering their subsidy. Very tragic

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  22. hmm, try writing few anonymous complaints to concerned officals

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  23. From my yesterday stolen 2 cylinders me and my neighbour near to my home

    Please help any way to find a theft

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  24. My empty gas cylinder has been theft last night entering the boundary wall. What I do for this?

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    Replies
    1. File a complaint. Don't think you will get it back, but with complaint copy you can pay fine and ask for new cyclinder

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    2. If there is some evidence like CCTV footage police may be able to catch the thief

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  25. My dad has Alcoholic addiction and he sold the LPG gas cylinder.

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