Incidents of unpaid fuel went up between April and June 2024, according to the latest quarterly Forecourt Crime Index from BOSS, the British Oil Security Syndicate. While ‘No Means of Payment’ incidents have fallen, BOSS points to a jump in ‘Drive-Off’ reports – drivers filling up and making off without an effort to pay.
During the second quarter of 2024 unpaid fuel incident reports rose 2.6pc higher than unpaid fuel reports in the first quarter, for the Forecourt Crime Index to increase to 238.3 (232.3 in the first quarter). Incidents of No Means of Payment (NMoP) were 4.1pc lower than in the previous quarter, continuing a decline of recent months, while Drive-Off-Failure-to-Pay (DOFP) reports saw their largest rise in 12 months, a rise of 12.8pc in the quarter.
The average number of unpaid fuel incident reports per site increased by 2.4pc to 28.8 per site (compared with 28.1 per site, the quarter before) with NMoP incidents accounting for just over half, 56.4pc of unpaid fuel reports being made to Payment Watch.
The average cost of NMoP incidents increased by 3.7pc to £69.89 (£67.40, the quarter before), while the average cost of a DOFP incident eased to £49.76 per incident (£50.12 per incident, in the first quarter). BOSS points to a period of rising fuel prices as the average cost of unleaded petrol increased to 147.8 pence per litre (ppl), compared to 141.3 ppl in the first quarter.
The average litres drawn in an NMoP incident increased to 44.88 (43.52 litres, the quarter previously). Litres of fuel taken in DOFP incidents eased to an average of 32.2 litres per incident (33.41 litres in the final quarter of 2023).
Claire Nichol, executive director at BOSS, pictured, said: “This rise in unpaid fuel reports is primarily driven by a significant increase in drive-off incidents, where motorists intentionally leave petrol stations without paying for fuel. Economic pressures, including rising fuel prices and cost-of-living challenges, are contributing factors, leading some individuals to resort to fuel theft. Additionally, the ease of committing drive-offs, particularly in busy forecourt environments with limited surveillance, has exacerbated the problem. The latest Index highlights the need for improved security measures to deter such crimes and protect businesses from further losses.
“Forecourts can take steps to prevent unpaid fuel incidents by increasing staff vigilance, and ensuring that surveillance systems are fully operational can also reduce fuel theft occurrences.”
