Strange smell in house - advice please

[MrsP]

Woke up 6am this morning to a really strong smell of petrol in the house. We live in Crebor Street and have in the past ocassionally smelt white spirit, but today this was really concerning. The smell was strongest on the ground floor, we checked everywhere and found nothing suspicious. Obviously we are very concerned, as this is definately not normal and we do not keep petrol in the house - anyone got any suggestions??

[SteveT]

Speak to the neighbours to see if they use it for any reason, as it is almost certainly from them.

[Shaggy]

Something very similar happened to me once and I later discovered what the problem was, although it was very specific to me.

I used to ride a Vesper which I kept in the garden in front of the house. I didn't use it that often. One morning I smelled petrol in the house and couldn't work out what it was. Smell lingered a day or so. When I next used the bike it wouldn't start. When I took it in for repair I was told that somebody had tampered with it to nick the petrol. Maybe you have a bike and the same thing has happened, or maybe somebody has tampered with a car in front of your house and spilled it near your front garden. I bet that would cause quite a stink.

[Mike Dodd]

someone had a problem the other day ,they had a bad smell and rang the council who advised him to ring the fire brigade who arrived , and told him that the main sewers had surged and emtyed the water out of all the traps and wc in the house ,advised him to leave the house for 24 hours because of high levels of gas

[computedshorty]

?

[Penguin68]

Occasionally planes dump/ lose fuel at high altitides - do you live under a flight path? - it's very unusual but does happen - those who live nearer airports more frequently report this type of smell (it's kerosene, but can be mistaken for petrol). However, I would expect neighbours to have noticed it as well, if this was the case.

[fractionater]

it could be the ground floor flat or next door's ground floor flat has opened white spirits in the cellar..may have been painting recently and forgot to close the lid properly.

Best to check downstairs or with the neighbours either side.

[snowman]

When I tried to start my scooter in Crebor St earlier today it wouldn't...because some w****r had tampered with it and nicked the petrol (about ?1 worth - it was almost empty!....they have hardly hit the jackpot have they?)...:'(

Anyway, I think this might offer an explanation on the petrol smell - I also noticed another tread about petrol theft, worth reporting to the police then?

[BQC]

Hi Snowman. Same over here on Upland Road. Its happened twice that i know of over the past few weeks (latest was Saturday night). Are you going to bother with the Police ?

BQC

[snowman]

Hi BQC

I have reported through the link (MET police) posted in the other thread. Any idea on how to stop this if it keeps happenning again? It is VERY annoying (my tank was fully drained and I had to push the scooter all the way to East Dulwich Rd to refill!)

[MrsP]

Thank you all for your suggestions, have noticed that there is large spillage of petrol on road outside house, so perhaps that is the answer.... a neighbour has also been the victim of the petrol thieves.

[BQC]

Hi Snowman,

Yeah, same here. I got 20 feet down the road before the engine stopped. On closer inspection, it seemed they pull out the pipe underneath by the exhaust, and drain it from there, so there's not even a need from them to break into the seat lock.

Can park in from garden, would that make a difference d'think ? If this person/s isn't caught, this could go on forever - how depressing ! There's loads of Vespa riders in ED, we should start a Bike-Watch ! Can extend to push bikes (some mo-fo nicked that too !). Hmm another Link pre-haps ..

BQC

[Sue]

MrsP Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thank you all for your suggestions, have noticed

> that there is large spillage of petrol on road

> outside house, so perhaps that is the answer.... a

> neighbour has also been the victim of the petrol

> thieves.

xxxxxx

"Perhaps" ?

[BQC]

There's 2 puddles of petrol outside our house too ... its where they left the empty tank dripping. Why is this annoying me so much, its only a few pounds of fuel .. ?

BQC

[rgutsell]

HI all

I heard of a way of deterring petrol thieves...but not tried it myself and it takes some mechanical efort and know how, and some cost.

If you have a vehicle you are prepared to not use for a while, and you don't mind it being "Bait", disconnect the fuel line from the tank, and then drain and collect the fuel. Pour liquid honey into the fuel, stir well, and feed it back into the disconnected tank. Stand back and wait for it to be stolen. The honey will gunge up the pipes, carburetor, and filters of the person using the stolen stuff, and cost a lot of effort and dosh to put it right.

Of course, you will have to clean your own tank using spirit...but if you are angry enough!!!!.......