Fuel worth around £194,000 a day has been taken from UK forecourts without payment since the Iran conflict began, according to an analysis by Forecourt Eye. The fuel theft prevention company recorded a 20% rise in incidents in the five months after 28 February, compared with the previous five months.
Because of higher pump prices, the value of stolen fuel increased by 48% over the same period, reaching an estimated daily average of £194,000 across the UK's 8,359 forecourts. Incidents involving first-time offenders rose 23% and the volume they took rose 26%, while repeat offenders saw increases of 17% and 20%. The figures are based on reports from a representative sample of 550 forecourts and include drive-offs and cases where drivers claim they have no means of paying.
Pump price surge
The average price of a litre of petrol reached 160p on Friday, about 27p more than before the conflict and a three-and-a-half-year high. Diesel averaged 179p, roughly 37p above pre-war levels.
Forecourt Eye said it is partnering with Facewatch to give its customers free access to crime reporting technology, making it easier to record fuel theft, shop crime and other illegal incidents. Users will also be able to join a live facial recognition network run by Facewatch to alert them to known offenders.
Retailers speak out
Michelle Henchoz, managing director of Forecourt Eye, said: "As offending becomes more organised and more sophisticated, operators need joined-up technology that helps them protect both their forecourt and their convenience store." Gordon Balmer, executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association, said its members are "reporting increasing levels of abuse and aggression towards colleagues who are simply doing their jobs and have no influence over the price displayed on the forecourt". He added: "Bringing together technologies that help retailers prevent crime, manage incidents and support police investigations is a positive step for the industry."
Ben Lawrence, a director at Lawrences Garages, which owns five petrol stations in Norfolk and Hampshire, said fuel theft was historically often carried out by people involved in other crimes, but rises in the cost of living mean that is no longer the case. He told the Press Association there is a "misconception" that all forecourts with branding from energy giants such as BP and Shell are operated by those companies rather than smaller businesses, so some drivers believe it "doesn't matter" when they fail to pay.
"It does matter to us," he went on. "When someone drives off (after taking fuel worth) £80-£90, it's hitting us, not the oil companies. We've already purchased it."
