Britain has experienced a near-30 per cent surge in fuel thefts at petrol stations, potentially costing the forecourt sector over £100 million a year, campaigners have warned. The rise has been linked to the US-Iran war, which began at the end of February, driving up fuel prices and increasing incidents of non-payment.
According to the RAC, diesel prices have increased by 48.6 pence per litre (ppl) and petrol by 25.1ppl since the conflict started. Forecourt Eye, a crime prevention specialist, reported a 22 per cent rise in “no means of payment” (NMoP) incidents and a 6 per cent rise in motorists leaving without paying, based on a sample of 500 forecourts since the war began.
The British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) warned that theft levels have now surpassed the 2022 highs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. BOSS’s fuel debt recovery service, Payment Watch, noted a 19 per cent rise in unpaid fuel in March, costing the sector more than £100 million annually. Claire Nichol, executive director at BOSS, urged forecourt operators to be extra vigilant during peak periods.
Oil prices surged after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps took control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route. Brent crude peaked at $119 per barrel in March before falling to around $95. Tensions escalated after the US Navy seized an Iranian vessel in the Gulf of Oman, and President Donald Trump threatened to target Iranian infrastructure if no deal was reached.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has stated that any resolution must not allow Iran to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, emphasising the need to restore freedom of navigation without restrictions.
